pred_label
stringclasses 2
values | pred_label_prob
float64 0.5
1
| wiki_prob
float64 0.25
1
| text
stringlengths 85
1M
| source
stringlengths 37
43
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
__label__wiki
| 0.614607
| 0.614607
|
Apple continues retail expansion in China with new Tianjin store set to open on Feb. 7
All the Stores - App Store, iTunes, & Retail
by Aldrin Calimlim
Apple is continuing its retail expansion in China with another new store that’s set to open this weekend.
As it has announced on its website, Apple is scheduled to hold the grand opening of its new retail store at the Joy City shopping mall in the Nankai district of Tianjin at 10 a.m. local time on Saturday, Feb. 7.
The event takes place just a week after Apple opened its second store in Chongqing (pictured above), located in the Jiefangbei district, and a couple of weeks after the inauguration of the company’s West Lake shop, which is the largest Apple store not only in China but in the whole of Asia.
For those two previous inaugurations, Apple commissioned artists to create murals for the then soon-to-open stores. But judging by its plain announcement banner (see below), the new Tianjin Joy City store is unlikely to get a similar treatment.
The Tianjin Joy City store is already the 16th Apple retail store in China, joining four other stores in Shanghai, four more in Beijing, two in Chonqing, and one store each in Chengdu, Hangzhou, Shenzhen, Wuxi, and Zhengzhou.
Apple Store Tianjin Joy City
Another Apple store is expected to open in China ahead of the Chinese New Year festival on Feb. 19, in honor of which Apple has debuted a Chinese remake of its recent holiday-themed TV ad, “The Song.”
Apple CEO Tim Cook said in October last year that 25 additional stores would be opened within the next two years in the country.
China is considered the most important growth market for Apple. The past week alone is a testament to that.
Last week, the Cupertino-based company announced that for the first time, more iPhones were sold in China than in the U.S. It was also named the No. 1 smartphone vendor in China along with Samsung, and the No. 1 luxury gift provider in the country.
See also: Embracing China isn’t all good news for Apple, Will Chinese authorities now have access to our Phones?, and The iPhone 6 Plus is gaining popularity in China, which spells great news for Apple.
Apple continues to highlight importance of China as growth market with new video ad
The AppAdvice week in review: Apple announces record iPhone sales and profits
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line580
|
__label__cc
| 0.69698
| 0.30302
|
Filtering by: Author London Commission (King's Fund) Remove constraint Author: London Commission (King's Fund) Subject Service provision Remove constraint Subject: Service provision
The health and care of older people in London : a report to the King's Fund London Commission
Warnes, A. M. and London Commission (King's Fund)
This report is the fifth in a series of reports prepared to inform the work of the King's Fund London Commission. It emphasises the diversity of London's older people, and highlights the fact that individual requirements for well-coordinated, patient-centred care are incompatible with the complex pattern of service provision in ...
Transforming health in London
London Commission (King's Fund)
The National Health Service in London faces profound challenges. Currently, services are under intense strain. Access to appropriate care for Londoners is jeopardised, and public confidence has declined. In inner London, in particular, there are high levels of deprivation and growing health inequalities. While some of the country's leading hospitals ...
Transforming health in London : summary
London's mental health : the report to the King's Fund Commission
Research Unit (Royal College of Psychiatrists), Centre for the Economics of Mental Health (Institute of Psychiatry, University of London), London Commission (King's Fund), Centre for Mental Health Services Development (King's College, London), and Johnson, Sonia
The findings outlined in this book describe a service in inner London that cannot be sustained because it is unable to meet the demands imposed upon it. Services in outer London are comparable with those in other English cities. The mental illness services are in a state of transition, and ...
London Commission (King's Fund)[remove]5
Centre for Mental Health Services Development (King's College, London)1
Centre for the Economics of Mental Health (Institute of Psychiatry, University of London)1
Health Services Management Centre (University of Birmingham)1
Service provision[remove]5
Primary care4
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line581
|
__label__wiki
| 0.994319
| 0.994319
|
THE FORCE IS STRONG WITH THIS ONE: STAR WARS CONTENT BLASTS ONTO WII CONSOLE
Fans of Star Wars® and classic Nintendo games will want to keep an eye on their Wii Shop Channel for the next month. Nintendo will be releasing multiple LucasArts...
Fans of Star Wars® and classic Nintendo games will want to keep an eye on their Wii Shop Channel for the next month. Nintendo will be releasing multiple LucasArts favorites for Virtual Console, starting today with Super Star Wars®. In the coming weeks, both Super Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back® and Super Star Wars: Return of the Jedi® will be added to the Virtual Console lineup. All three Super Star Wars games were originally released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System and will be available at 800 Wii Points each.
The arrival of the first three games will be accompanied by additional Star Wars-themed content on other Wii channels throughout the week. The Check Mii Out Channel will invite people to submit their best Mii character renditions of classic Star Wars characters. On the Everybody Votes Channel, users can cast their votes to help settle old debates, such as the proper order to watch the six Star Wars films, and who fired first – Han Solo or Greedo?
“Our expanded partnership with LucasArts brings the Star Wars and Nintendo universes together,” said Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. “These three Super Star Wars games represent fantastic additions to the growing Virtual Console library, and the exclusive Star Wars content on the other Wii Menu channels is sure to have people from different generations having fun and interacting with one another.”
“Virtual Console on Wii is a great way to make these games available to our fans again, and it’s an awesome opportunity to expose our classic console titles to an entirely new audience,” said Darrell Rodriguez, president of LucasArts.
Additional classic LucasArts games for Virtual Console will be announced in the future.
Remember that Wii features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other Wii features, visit Wii.com.
For more information about Nintendo and the Wii Shop Channel, visit www.Nintendo.com and www.WiiShopChannel.com.
About Nintendo: The worldwide pioneer in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Wii, Nintendo DS and Nintendo DSi systems. Since 1983, when it launched the Nintendo Entertainment System, Nintendo has sold more than 3.1 billion video games and more than 526 million hardware units globally, including the current-generation Wii, Nintendo DS and Nintendo DSi, as well as the Game Boy, Game Boy Advance, Super NES, Nintendo 64 and Nintendo GameCube systems. It has also created industry icons that have become well-known, household names such as Mario, Donkey Kong, Metroid, Zelda and Pokémon. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo’s operations in the Western Hemisphere. For more information about Nintendo, visit the company’s Web site at www.Nintendo.com.
A LEGEND IS REBORN: METROID PRIME: TRILOGY NOW AVAILABLE FOR WII
THE SEASON FINALE OF ROYAL PAINS airs THURSDAY only on USA
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line583
|
__label__wiki
| 0.881007
| 0.881007
|
Tag Archives: school district names
One Room Schoolhouse Naming
An article printed in the Saskatchewan Weekly Newspaper, The Potashville Miner-Journal, “From Bert’s Notebook” Place names, discusses the derivation of the names for schools in the Churchbridge / Langenburg area of Saskatchewan was submitted from the Esterhazy 1939 newspaper by Verna Brenner, which is intriguing and fascinating.
Web master note: Still awaiting permissions from the Saskatchewan Weekly Newspaper, The Miner-Journal and the family of Bert McKay for re-publication, a small paraphrasing of the article comes next. The following page takes the derivation for the name from the article written by Bert McKay, and further verification of these facts have been found in several other sources as noted in the bibliography.
Before we begin with these selected eleven one room school district names, just a note about the historical naming process of the one room school districts in the province of Saskatchewan. John C. Charyk noted in “Syrup Pails and Gopher Tails” that the naming of the school was left to the local residents in the community. “Today as a result of that policy, knowing how a school district derived its name often brings an insight into the very heart of local history and traditions.”Charyk 1984 p. 12 The procedure of determining the name was set before all the community ratepayers requesting a suitable name. The school District organisers would hold a meeting, and of these names, the committee would submit a list of four or five names. The Department of Education set before the community the request for a list, as very often if only one name were submitted, it may be in use already at another school site. So the final choice for the school district name lay with the Department of Education.
At this same time, a school district number was allotted to the school district by the Department of Education. The numbers began with Moose Jaw School District No. 1 of the North West Territories and kept incrementing to Bow Valley School District No. 1409, North West Territories. At this time, for provisional districts of the Northwest Territories were merged to form the twin provinces of Alberta, and Saskatchewan on September 1, 1905. The Department of Education then decided that to keep record keeping for the two provinces separate in these provincial fledgling years, the province of Alberta would continue numbering her schools from School District No. 1410 onwards, and new schools formed in the province of Saskatchewan would fill up the empty numbers between 1 and 1409 vacated by the province of Alberta and proceeding forward from there. And now to delve into the heritage of the naming of these school districts near Churchbridge and Langenburg, Saskatchewan. (Another note, the Department of Education is now termed the Ministry of Education in Saskatchewan.)
Chatsworth S.D. No. 1810, (1907) was named after not a place, but a road in the Clapton subdivision of London, England. McKay points out that the school district secretary suggested the name after his previous residential street. Chatsworth road is a market road serving people in the area with a diverse selection of shops and restaurants, including, African, Turkish, Asian and Caribbean produce alongside butchers, bakers and greengrocers according to Wikipedia.
Hohenlohe S.D. NO. 2705, (1910) received its appellation from Count Hohenlohe-Langenburg. According to Alan Anderson, the Count Hohenlohe-Langenburg was invited to the west as part of the great immigration scheme by Canadian immigration authorities. The Count, as president of the German Colonial Association was instrumental in encouraging large colonies, notably Colony Hohenlohe which later received the name Langenburg.
MacNutt S.D. No. 793, (1912) is next on the list. John Hawkes echoes the sentiments of Bert Mckay, writing of the Honourable Thomas MacNutt, that he was a farmer and stock raiser in the Saltcoats area, and also turned his attentions to the political arena serving the Saltcoats constituency as both Member of the Legislative Assembly and Member of Parliament. MacNutt is renowned for being the first Speaker of the Saskatchewan Legislature.
Zorn S.D. No. 3697, (1916) received its calling from Phillip Zorn, a school district administrator actively promoting school district organisation during the formative year, 1916. From the Western Land Grants Records, it can be seen that Fillipp Zorn was successful at proving up a homestead land grant on the Northwest quarter of section 34 township 23 range 30 West of the 1st Meridian.
Landestrew S.D. No. 2698, (1916) was named after Landestreu, Galicia by the immigrant Galician German settlers who arrived in this new land. According to Manfred Prokop, Professor of German (emeritus), Modern Languages and Cultural Studies they established the large colony named Hoffnungstal near Langenburg and Landstrew in the late 1800s. The Landestrew post office opened in 1892, the school not until 1916.
Dressler S.D. No. 3732, (1916) located on the north east quarter of section 5, township 23, range 31, west of the first meridian was located amidst the Dressler homesteaders. Daniel DRESSLER and Anna BUSCH arrived to the Langenburg area about 1890. Daniel began proving up the land on the south east quarter of section 18 of the same township mentioned above. They had ten children and their sons Frederick, Andrew, John also homesteaded the area. Daniel DRESSLER immigrated with four siblings from Galicia, and this area was home to a number of DRESSLER homesteads. According to LAC Western Land Grants, Section 5 was Canadian Pacific Railway Land. A portion of this land was donated by Frederick DRESSLER to the community on which to build the Dressler Schoolhouse reported Bill Barry.
Churchbridge S.D. No. 124, (1887) honours the Anglican Church Colonization Land Company administered by Mr. Church and Reverend Bridges, who purchased land for settlement in the township 22 range 32, west of the 1st meridian. In Ruth Swanson’s compilation, The first hundred years : around Churchbridge, 1880-1980, settlers also remember a Mr. Eden belonging to this English Colonization Company as well, and a preliminary name being Edenbridge which was changed to Churchbridge due to a conflict with Edenbridge, Manitoba.
Rothbury S.D. No. 204 (1891) recognizes the town of Rothbury in Northumberland, England. Robert Athey suggested the title at a school district meeting. The land around the Rothbury school district is characterized by rolling and open prairie. Rothbury, Northumberland is nestled within the Simonside and Cheviot Hills.
Goehring S.D. 910, (1903) has as its namesake an early trustee, Ludwig Goehring a school district trustee. Goehring successfully proved up on three quarter sections in the area.
Kensington Lake S.D. No. 1083, (1904) assumed its name from the nearby physical feature, Kensington Lake. McKay mentions that Kensington Lake, in turn, assumed its name from E.D. Kensington who farmed near the lake.
Flower Valley S.D. No. 1098, (1904) derived its name from the German word “Blummenthal” which translated means Flower Valley. McKay points out that George Haas suggested the German term, and Niel McFadyen put forward the English translation. Mrs. Louise (George) Haas recalls that the school district was situated upon the old Pelly Trail
Webmaster note: The newspaper article recorded Chatsworth S.D. as number 1771, however other sources provide the school with the name of Homeland as School District No. 1771, and Chatsworth School District as No. 1810. The spelling was provided as Landstrew S.D. 2698 in the newspaper article, however other sources gave it as Landestrew S.D. No. 3698, And Budweis School District received the S.D. number of 2698. If anyone else has further information or clarification on any of these schools, school districts or Bert McKay, it would be a pleasure to add the same notes as provided. Kind Regards Julia Adamson.
Bibliography for this article
Bert McKay of Moosomin, SK (aumkleem.wordpress.com)
Saskatchewan Normal School ~ the heritage of teacher training institutes.
Saskatchewan School Inspection of One Room Schoolhouses
The Era of Saskatchewan One Room School Houses
The little white one room school house, what is remembered about it?
Saskatchewan Normal Schools
Saskatchewan One Room Schoolhouses
Saskatchewan Census News Release (aumkleem.wordpress.com)
Saskatchewan in 1921 and the 1921 Census. (aumkleem.wordpress.com)
Saskatchewan Roman Catholic Churches ~ Online Parish Registers ~ History (aumkleem.wordpress.com)
Landmarks and Geophysical Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan’s Archaeological Cemeteries (aumkleem.wordpress.com)
Schoolhouses for Laura (preservationinpink.wordpress.com)
Saskatchewan town on alert after cougars sighted near community’s school (timescolonist.com)
Breaking News: Rothbury sees heavy snow cause travel problems (journallive.co.uk)
Today’s News: Concrete barriers fitted on collapsing Rothbury road (journallive.co.uk)
Tags: Alberta, Bert McKay, Bredenbury, Chatsworth SD 1810, Churchbridge, Churchbridge SD 124, Dovedale, Dressler SD 3732, Flower Valley SD 1098, German, Goehring SD 910, Hohenlohe SD 2705, Hohenlohe-Langenburg, Kensington Lake SD 1083, Landestrew, Landstrew SD 2698, Langenburg, Logberg, MacNutt, MacNutt SD 793, Marchwell, Northumberland, Northwest territories, One room schoolhouse, Pennock, Rothbury SD 204, Saltcoats, Saskatchewan, school district names, school district naming, school districts, Thingvalla, Wroxton, Zorn SD 3697
Categories Education, Landscapes, Winter
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line584
|
__label__wiki
| 0.566096
| 0.566096
|
The Global Oscillation Network Group (GONG) Project
Harvey, J. W. and Hill, F. and Hubbard, R. P. and Kennedy, J. R. and Leibacher, J. W. and Pintar, J. A. and Gilman, P. A. and Noyes, R. W. and Title, A. M. and Toomre, J. and Ulrich, R. K. and Bhatnagar, A. and Kennewell, J. A. and Marquette, W. and Patrón, J. and Saá, O. and Yasukawa, E. (1996) The Global Oscillation Network Group (GONG) Project. Science, 272 (5266). pp. 1284-1286. ISSN 0036-8075. http://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20150121-094920761
Full text is not posted in this repository. Consult Related URLs below.
Helioseismology requires nearly continuous observations of the oscillations of the solar surface for long periods of time in order to obtain precise measurements of the sun's normal modes of oscillation. The GONG project acquires velocity images from a network of six identical instruments distributed around the world. The GONG network began full operation in October 1995. It has achieved a duty cycle of 89 percent and reduced the magnitude of spectral artifacts by a factor of 280 in power, compared with single-site observations. The instrumental noise is less than the observed solar background.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.272.5266.1284 DOI Article
http://www.sciencemag.org/content/272/5266/1284 Publisher Article
http://www.jstor.org/stable/2889785 JSTOR Article
© 1996 American Association for the Advancement of Science. 18 March 1996; Accepted 6 May 1996. The GONG project is managed by the National Solar Observatory, a Division of the National Optical Astronomy Observatories, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy under a cooperative agreement with NSF.
National Solar Observatory UNSPECIFIED
National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) UNSPECIFIED
Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) UNSPECIFIED
NSF UNSPECIFIED
Harvey, J. W., Hill, F., Hubbard, R. P., Kennedy, J. R., Leibacher, J. W., Pintar, J. A., . . . Yasukawa, E. (1996). The Global Oscillation Network Group (GONG) Project. Science, 272(5266), 1284-1286. doi: 10.1126/science.272.5266.1284
Joanne McCole
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line585
|
__label__wiki
| 0.900607
| 0.900607
|
Journey Announce Fall 2019 Tour
Journey have announced a brief tour of the Northeast for later this year.
The band will play six shows in the fall in the run-up to its upcoming residency at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.
The tour consists of dates in casinos in four locations, starting with a two-night stand at the Etess Arena at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City on Sept. 27 and 28, and ending with another two shows at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Ct., on Oct. 4 and 5.
The other concerts will be standalone shows in Bethlehem, Pa., and Niagara Falls, N.Y. You can see the list below.
Tickets go on sale May 10 at 10AM ET, with pre-sales for VIP packages and American Express cardholders beginning tomorrow at 10AM ET. You can find more details at Journey's website.
The Caesars Palace residency, which will be the band's third in Las Vegas following similar stints at the Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in 2015 and 2017, includes nine shows from Oct. 9 until Oct. 26. It's part of a reduced workload for Journey this year as some members work on solo projects.
"I was told by management that we all would take all of 2019 off, except for possibly a few dates near the end of the year leading into 2020," Neal Schon wrote back in December, "and that Jonathan Cain [and] Steve Smith [had] other things they wanted to do."
Journey 2019 U.S. Tour
Sept. 27 -- Atlantic City, NJ @ Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena
Oct. 1 -- Bethlehem, PA @ Sands Bethlehem Event Center
Oct. 2 -- Niagara Falls, NY @ Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino Event Center
Oct. 4 -- Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun Arena
Oct. 9 -- Las Vegas, NV @ The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
Oct. 11 -- Las Vegas, NV @ The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
Journey Albums Ranked
Next: Top 10 Journey Songs
Source: Journey Announce Fall 2019 Tour
Filed Under: Journey
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line587
|
__label__cc
| 0.624984
| 0.375016
|
Home > Preventive Medicine > Meet Our Preventive Team
Meet Our Preventive Medicine Team
Doug Emery, MA
President, CEO, Clinical Exercise Physiologist
Born and raised in the Bay Area, Doug Emery received his Masters Degree in Exercise Physiology from the University of California at Davis. Prior to founding BaySport with his partner and wife, Linda Emery, in 1984, he was a physiologist for the United States Olympic Committee and United States Olympic Ski Team, and developed the Executive Health program for O’Connor Hospital. Since BaySport's inception, he has combined his experiences in exercise physiology with the clinical needs of BaySport clients to help them to reach their personal health goals. As the corporate health and wellness industry expanded with the rapid growth of the Silicon Valley in the early 1990s, he helped to establish BaySport’s reputation as a leader in the areas of corporate fitness, workplace wellness, onsite health screenings, and executive physical examination services. His responsibilities for the organization include the day-to-day operation of the firm, new business development, and corporate account management.
Linda Emery, MS
VP, CFO, Clinical Exercise Physiologist
Linda Emery received her Bachelors Degree in Physiology from the University of California at Davis, and her Masters Degree in Exercise Physiology from Arizona State University. She was a physiologist for the United States Olympic Committee and a research physiologist for NASA Ames Research Center where she studied hydration status and exercise regiments during space travel. Linda has a strong interest in educating BaySport clients on the benefits of exercise and its positive influence on blood pressure, bone density, cardiovascular disease, and stress. Linda's business responsibilities include financial/information systems, account management, and patient care as scheduled. She values working with the truly wonderful health care professionals that have made BaySport the organization that it is today. Their dedication to improving the lives of others is unmatched.
Todd Trowbridge, MS
Director of Preventive Medicine, Clinical Exercise Physiologist
Todd is an exercise physiologist with an expertise in clinical physiology, medical testing, and program development. Being an NCAA champion and 1980 Olympic Team member in swimming, a career in exercise application was a natural extension of his University of California at Berkeley degree in physiology (BS) and University of California at Davis degree in exercise physiology (MS). Todd has been developing corporate health assessment programs for BaySport since 1988. As the Director of Medicine Preventive Services, he has overall responsibilty for BaySport's Preventive Medicine practice, and works closely with all corporate screening events.
Brian Schonfeld, MS
Director of Wellness Services, Clinical Exercise Physiologist
Brian Schonfeld received his Masters Degree in Exercise Science from the University of California at Davis. Certified by the American College of Sports Medicine, Brian's areas of expertise include population health management, employee wellness program operation and management, occupational performance testing and sports training. Brian has been with BaySport since July, 1990.
Jennifer Laity, MS
Clinic Manager, Preventive Services
Jennifer received her Master's degree in Exercise Physiology and Gerontology Certificate from the University of Georgia and her undergraduate degree in Kinesiology from California State University, Hayward. She is an ACSM Registered Clinical Exercise Physiologist and Certified Health Fitness Specialist as well as a Wellcoaches Certified Health and Wellness Coach. Besides working for BaySport, Jennifer has worked as an exercise physiologist at Duke University's Center for Living, and was a graduate assistant in the Cardiac Rehab and Adult Fitness program at the University of Georgia. In her 20+ years with BaySport, Jennifer has been providing wellness programming and coaching, fitness center management, personal training, group exercise class instruction, health screenings, and clinical testing. In her free time she enjoys playing almost any sport, serving with her church, and enjoying the great outdoors.
Christine Emery, MS
Manager, Clinical Services
A native to the Bay Area, Christine received her Master's Degree in Exercise Physiology from San Francisco State University and did her undergraduate studies at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. In graduate school, Christine's scope of study primarily focused on heart disease as it relates to lifestyle, predominantly exercise. Her thesis used the Framingham Risk Score to examine a local population of various ethnic groups to determine if some were statistically placed at a higher risk for developing heart disease. She really appreciates BaySport's dedication to detail in making every patient's experience as enjoyable as possible, while also educating them on ways to improve their lifestyle. During her off-time, Christine is an avid supporter and fan of Bay Area sports. She loves to spend time with her family and friends and plays golf whenever she can.
Mark Wassner, MS
Clinical Exercise Physiologist
Mark was born and raised in San Diego and earned his undergraduate degree in Exercise Biology from UC Davis in 2013. After graduating, Mark worked at UC Davis Sports Medicine and investigated several projects, including the effects of cooling technology on elite cyclists in extreme heat conditions and the effects of an ACL injury prevention protocol on youth athletes. In 2016, he graduated from Point Loma Nazarene University with a Master’s of Science in Kinesiology (Exercise Science concentration) and studied the effects of neuromuscular electrical stimulation vs. traditional rehabilitation on quadriceps muscle strength after total knee arthroplasty. In his free time, Mark runs a non-profit project that provides the gift of play to children in underprivileged communities around the world, with his most recent trip taking him to three orphanages in rural Vietnam and influencing hundreds of kids.
Michaela Shoberg, MS
Michaela is a graduate from the Master's program in Exercise Physiology at San Francisco State University. She graduated suma cum laude and received the Distinguished Academic Achievement award for her thesis work on cycling economy. While at San Francisco State University, she taught undergraduate physical activity courses including aerobics and strength training and assisted with undergraduate research projects. Michaela is classically trained in ballet and other dance forms and has spent many years as a professional dancer.
Grace Majchrowicz
Grace received her undergraduate degree in Exercise Science from Grove City College and her Master’s Degree in Exercise Science with a concentration in strength and conditioning from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She has both designed and helped conduct research studies related to supplementation and performance, exercise and mood, and rest periods as they relate to gains in strength and power. Grace presented two of these research studies at the 2016 and 2017 Mid-Atlantic Regional Chapter meetings of the American College of Sports Medicine and is a published co-author in the Journal of Exercise and Nutrition. As a graduate assistant at Indiana University of Pennsylvania she assisted in teaching exercise physiology lab, provided personal training to local volunteer firefighters, and performed fitness-based exercise testing for Pennsylvania Police Academy candidates. In her free time she enjoys hiking and spending time with her family.
Deanna Lyons
Program Manager, Wellness Services
Deanna received her bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Adapted Physical Activity from San Jose State University. She is also a Certified Exercise Physiologist through the American College of Sports Medicine. Deanna manages all elements of BaySport's Biometric Screening events, promotes and coordinates the Health Coaching programs, and provides ongoing support for BaySport Wellness services. During her free time, Deanna enjoys spending time outside. Hiking, swimming, and camping are some of her favorite outdoor activities.
Patti Miller, RD
Patti Miller is a Registered Dietitian having completed her B.S. in Food, Nutrition and Dietetics as well as a dietetic internship. Patti’s professional background includes clinical nutrition support within hospitals and inpatient facilities as well as outpatient counseling and home care visits. Patti has worked as a consultant for BaySport providing one-on-one counseling. She has consulted with private fitness clients and provided nutritional assessments for a healthy, ready-to-cook meal preparation service. She belongs to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and California Dietetics Association. Patti enjoys spending her free time with her husband and two sons and enjoys weight training, golf, games and travel.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line595
|
__label__cc
| 0.627421
| 0.372579
|
Approx. Running minutes 191
Ratings Info mild violence
Director(s) David Lean
Cast includes Peter O'Toole, Alec Guinness, Anthony Quinn, Jack Hawkins, Omar Sharif, Jose Ferrer, Anthony Quayle, Claude Rains, Arthur Kennedy, Robert Bolt, Jack Hedley, I. S. Johar
LAWRENCE OF ARABIA is a historical drama, from 1962, based on the life of the English officer, T. E. Lawrence
Mild violence includes un-detailed shootings, and scenes which show trains blowing up.
There is infrequent use of mild bad language ('bloody'), and milder terms including 'damn', 'hell' and 'God'.
There are scenes of smoking throughout.
LAWRENCE OF ARABIA (RESTORED VERSION),LAWRENCE OF ARABIA - ADDED VALUE (PICTURE-IN-GRAPHICS TRACK) - BLU-RAY EXCLUSIVE: SECRETS OF ARABIA – A PICTURE-IN-GRAPHICS TRACK,50TH ANNIVERSARY BLU-RAY - LAWRENCE OF ARABIA
RCA/Columbia Pictures Video Ltd,Sony DADC UK Limited,Columbia/Tri-Star Home Video,Columbia Pictures,Columbia Picture Corp. Ltd
LAWRENCE OF ARABIA [Additional material,Picture-in-graphics Track,BLU-RAY EXCLUSIVE: SECRETS OF ARABIA] Video 227m 0s Sony DADC UK Limited 12/07/2012 PG
LAWRENCE OF ARABIA Video 209m 37s Columbia/Tri-Star Home Video 06/09/1996 PG
LAWRENCE OF ARABIA Video 217m 37s RCA/Columbia Pictures Video Ltd 07/09/1990 PG
LAWRENCE OF ARABIA (RESTORED VERSION) Film 228m 0s Columbia Pictures 31/03/1989 PG
LAWRENCE OF ARABIA Film Y Columbia Picture Corp. Ltd 13/11/1962 A
LAWRENCE OF ARABIA VideoTrailer 4m 40s Columbia/Tri-Star Home Video 19/01/2001 U
LAWRENCE OF ARABIA (RESTORED VERSION) VideoTrailer 4m 42s Columbia/Tri-Star Home Video 06/09/1996 U
LAWRENCE OF ARABIA VideoTrailer 1m 47s RCA/Columbia Pictures Video Ltd 24/10/1990 U
LAWRENCE OF ARABIA (RESTORED VERSION) FilmTrailer 1m 55s Columbia Pictures 27/04/1989 U
LAWRENCE OF ARABIA FilmTrailer 2m 2s Park Circus Limited 17/09/2012 U
50TH ANNIVERSARY BLU-RAY - LAWRENCE OF ARABIA [SPHE Domestic 50th Anniversary Blu-ray Trailer] VideoTrailer 1m 27s Sony DADC UK Limited 24/10/2012 PG
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line596
|
__label__wiki
| 0.979464
| 0.979464
|
B.C. pledges $300K to study high-speed rail linking Vancouver, Seattle, Portland
Published Friday, March 16, 2018 10:32AM PDT
Last Updated Friday, March 16, 2018 6:55PM PDT
The dream of a high-speed rail service linking Vancouver, Seattle and Portland has taken another small step toward becoming a reality.
On Friday, B.C. Premier John Horgan announced his government is contributing $300,000 to a joint business case study with Washington State that will explore financing, ridership and other aspects of the massively expensive megaproject. Washington is contributing a further $1.2 million.
“We’ll be able to reduce traffic on our highways, it’ll have a positive impact on climate action, and it’ll move people in a safe and effective manner,” Horgan told reporters in downtown Vancouver.
With currently available technology, high-speed rail can transport passengers at up to 400 km/h, meaning a trip to Seattle would potentially take less than an hour.
However, as quick as the proposed train could be, the process of getting it built is anything but. B.C. has not said when the business case will be finished, and there is no timeline for when the potential project might move forward.
Still, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, who appeared alongside Horgan at Friday's announcement, said his state is optimistic the project will come to fruition.
Inslee pointed to a previous $1-million study commissioned by his government last year, which explored five potential routes and considered both high-speed rail and maglev technology as a means of zipping passengers back and forth.
"It said that we can have perhaps 1.8 million riders in the first year," Inslee said. "When you look at this beautiful city, you see the future that can only be magnified by a connection to Seattle and Portland. When you build a high-speed rail line, you are building a monument to optimism."
Hyperloop technology, which uses magnetic propulsion to carry pods through evacuated tubes, was also considered even though it remains in development.
Inslee said all options remain on the table.
"We are having a smorgasbord approach because we want to be optimistic about technology," he said.
Washington's study pegged the cost of the project at anywhere from US$24 billion to US$42 billion, but found it would also create up to 200,000 jobs and generate billions in economic benefits for the province and states involved.
But it is an ambitious project, and a similar high-speed rail line just south in California is shaping up to be a cautionary tale.
Earlier this week, it was reported cost of the project has ballooned from $35 billion to $98 billion. Asked how B.C., Washington and Portland would avoid a similar outcome, Horgan suggested the business case is a first step toward determining the project's feasibility.
He also pointed to Japan's longtime use of high-speed rail as a counter-example.
"There's a high-speed rail museum in japan because it's been in place for so long there, so there are opportunities for us to learn from best practices around the world," Horgan said.
"It's our view that this is an opportunity that we shouldn't let pass by."
Washington state 'allied' with B.C.'s pipeline expansion stance, governor says
High-speed train linking Vancouver, Seattle and Portland could cost $54 billion
Could infrastructure bank help fund Vancouver-Seattle high-speed rail?
Last year, Washington state budgeted $1 million to study whether a high-speed rail connection between Seattle and Vancouver would be worthwhile.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line597
|
__label__wiki
| 0.894719
| 0.894719
|
BC Lions release longtime player ahead of training camp
Ottawa REDBLACKS' Antoine Pruneau (6) and Jerrell Gavins (24) stop B.C. Lions fullback Rolly Lumbala during second half CFL action in Ottawa on Saturday July 4, 2015. (Adrian Wyld/THE CANADIAN PRESS)
Published Friday, May 17, 2019 1:58PM PDT
The B.C. Lions released veteran Canadian fullback Rolly Lumbala on Friday, two days before the CFL team opened its training camp.
Lumbala served on the CFL Players' Association's bargaining committee this off-season. Earlier this week, the league and union reached a tentative agreement that's pending ratification by the players.
Lumbala, an 11-year veteran with B.C., becomes the second long-serving veteran recently released by the Lions. Linebacker Solomon Elimimian, who was also part of the union's bargaining committee, was let go by the CFL club April 30 after 11 seasons.
Elimimian eventually signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Lumbala appeared in 188 regular-season games with B.C. and helped the club win the 2011 Grey Cup.
"Rolly has been a big part of the Lions for more than a decade and an even bigger part our community efforts away from the field," GM Ed Hervey said in a statement. "We're grateful for his many contributions to our organization and we wish him the very best in the future."
BC Lions equipment manager remembered as 'treasured friend'
BC Lions still rebuilding even after acquiring star quarterback
'Fresh and new' BC Lions look to build chemistry at training camp
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line598
|
__label__wiki
| 0.992672
| 0.992672
|
Home > Publishers > Heritage Press
An imprint of George Macy Companies, Ltd., Heritage Press was founded in 1935. The Press printed more affordable classic volumes that were previously published by Macy’s Limited Editions Club and covered a broad range of topics primarily within the Western canon. In addition to Macy, directors of the Heritage Press included Cedric Crowell, General Manager of the Doubleday Bookshops; Frank L. Magel, head of Putnam Bookstores in New York; and A. Koch, head of Brentano Stores in New York.
Though many of Macy’s other imprints, including The Heritage Club, The Heritage Illustrated Bookshelf, and The Junior Heritage Club, were sold by subscription only, Heritage Press editions were sold through bookstores. Macy combined his publishing enterprises in 1944, though each imprint maintained its specific target audience. The archives of the George Macy Companies, including both the Limited Editions Club and The Heritage Press, were purchased by the Ransom Center in 1970.
Heritage Press editions are considered reprints or reissues of Limited Editions Club books. However, each edition from the Press originally came with its own Sandglass — a four-page pamphlet discussing the illustrator and the importance of the book. Because Heritage is no longer printing and the only source of the books is the secondary market, not many books available still have their Sandglass. Similarly, each title also came in a slipcase.
Notable and collectible books published by Heritage Press
Limited Editions Club
_PUBLISHER_ - First Edition Identification and Publisher Information Learn about _PUBLISHER_, its history, publications and how to identify first editions from _PUBLISHER_ at Biblio. limited...
Brentano's
Austrian-born August Brentano originally founded Brentano’s, an independent New York City bookstore, in 1853 when he established a newsstand in front of a hotel. At...
Grolier Club
Established in January 1884, the New York City-based Grolier Club is the oldest existing bibliophilic society in North America. Printing press manufacturer and book collector...
The Crime Club, Inc.
The Crime Club, Inc., an imprint of the Doubleday publishing company, was one of the best-known publishing imprints in the crime and mystery genre. The...
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line602
|
__label__wiki
| 0.631104
| 0.631104
|
New clues on tissue damage identified in rheumatoid arthritis and lupus
NIH-NIAMS | 06-18-2019
This is a horizontal X-ray image depicting joint damage from rheumatoid arthritis. Credit: Camazine Scott
Research supported by the Accelerating Medicines Partnership (AMP) on Rheumatoid Arthritis and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (RA/SLE) provides new insights into tissue damage for these autoimmune conditions. Findings include the identification of novel molecular signatures related to immune system signaling in kidney cells that may reflect their active role in the disease process; molecular targets, including specific white blood cells, for potential treatment in lupus nephritis; and specific types of fibroblasts and white blood cells that are involved in rheumatoid arthritis. These discoveries set the stage for uncovering potential drug target candidates that could advance to experimental treatments. Results of the studies were published today (June 18, 2019) in three papers (1, 2, 3) in Nature Immunology.
“AMP is laying the foundation for precision medicine in rheumatoid arthritis and lupus,” said NIH Director Dr. Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D. “The public and private sector working together has sparked new hope for those living with these and other autoimmune diseases, and we anticipate that these early results are only the beginning of what is serving as a new model to transform medical care.”
A primary goal of the AMP RA/SLE program, which is led by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), is to study tissues where the disease is active in patients, whereas most previous work studied mouse models or only blood samples from humans. AMP researchers looked at all the cell types in either biopsy samples from kidneys of people with SLE or the synovial tissues of joints from people with RA. The program seeks to quickly find the most promising treatment targets so less time is lost chasing unsuccessful leads.
Highlights from the papers:
Profiling kidney and skin cells in lupus nephritis
Lupus nephritis is a potentially fatal kidney disease that occurs in about 50% of people with lupus. There can be a wide variety of changes in the kidneys, making the disease hard to diagnose and treat. AMP investigators led by co-senior investigator Jill Buyon, M.D., at New York University analyzed a large number of individual cells from kidney and skin samples from people with lupus in order to understand more about the complex mechanisms involved in tissue damage. Researchers discovered molecular signatures, related to immune system signaling and scar-forming gene activity, in kidney cells that may reflect their active role in the disease process. This finding was unexpected since inflammatory cells were thought to be the primary cause of tissue damage. Single cell analysis of skin revealed similar changes, suggesting that in the future it may be possible to monitor a person’s disease progression and treatment responses from skin samples instead of more invasive kidney biopsies.
Understanding the role of immune cells in lupus nephritis
AMP investigators led by Betty Diamond, M.D., at The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Manhasset, New York, analyzed kidney, blood and urine samples from people with and without lupus nephritis to learn more about how immune cells cause progressive damage in the kidneys. The scientists uncovered subsets of white blood cells that are active in the disease process and identified molecules that may be potential therapeutic targets. Single cell analysis of immune cells in urine yielded similar results. These findings suggest it may be possible to track immune cell status in the kidneys easily through urine analysis.
Defining inflammatory cell states in rheumatoid arthritis joint tissue
The autoimmune disease rheumatoid arthritis is characterized by chronic inflammation of the synovium – a thin tissue that lines joints. AMP investigators led by Soumya Raychaudhuri, M.D., Ph.D., at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, used single-cell profiling technologies to analyze synovial biopsies. They identified subsets of cells – including fibroblasts, which are involved in producing cellular scaffolding, specific white blood cells and others – that appear more often in people with rheumatoid arthritis. Researchers will need to determine whether the identified cell subsets are involved in tissue inflammation and whether targeting these cells could potentially provide a therapeutic benefit. The white blood cells identified may also play a role in other immune diseases.
“These AMP rheumatoid arthritis and lupus findings offer insights into intriguing immune system targets that are worthy of more investigation,” said Robert Carter, M.D., acting director of NIAMS. “We look forward to bringing the most promising of these findings forward to clinical trials, potentially leading to much-needed new treatment options for those living with rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and other immune system disorders.”
To date, the program has made major advances in creating standardized ways to collect kidney and synovial tissue for research in the United States. This standardization has allowed scientists to use state-of-the-art technologies to analyze individual immune cells and other cells from affected tissues. By studying genes, proteins and biological pathways at such high resolution, scientists hoped to uncover novel insights into the mechanisms behind RA and lupus nephritis, a serious complication of lupus.
Launched in 2014, AMP is a public-private collaboration between the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and multiple biopharmaceutical and life science companies and not-for-profit organizations. The current AMP funding commitments for all projects are over $350 million, including in-kind contributions. The Foundation for the NIH (FNIH) manages contributions from AMP private-sector partners, and the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases collaborated to oversee AMP RA/SLE, which was recently extended for an additional year.
Materials provided by the NIH/National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. Content may be edited for clarity, style, and length.
Peptide shows promise for protecting kidneys from nephritis 03-25-2019
Inflammation inhibitor delivered directly to kidneys reverses course of destructive nephritis 07-30-2018
Inflammation - Simply defined in 30 seconds - Biotech Review
Inflammatory response | Human anatomy and physiology | Health & Medicine | Khan Academy
How does your immune system work? - Emma Bryce (TED-Ed)
Rheumatoid arthritis - causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, pathology - Osmosis
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line605
|
__label__cc
| 0.658375
| 0.341625
|
Category: LibraryThing
The Reluctant Detective by Martha Ockley
I had little idea what to expect from Martha Ockley’s first Faith Morgan mystery, The Reluctant Detective as I hadn’t come across the author before and all I had to go on was the description on LibraryThing’s Early Reviewers page last month:
‘Former cop Faith Morgan may have quit the world of crime, but crime has not let her go. Now a priest in the Church of England, she is assigned to the improbably named village of Little Worthy, and within an hour of her arrival she witnesses the sudden, shocking death of a fellow priest. To her distress, the detective assigned to the case is Ben, her former partner and former boyfriend.
As she meets her parishioners she learns some surprising details about her apparently well-loved predecessor, and starts to suspect a motive for his death. The cop may have donned a clerical collar, but the questions keep coming. How will she reconcile her present calling with her past instincts? Is she in danger herself? What should she do about Ben?’
I thought a detective who was a priest and who used to be a policewoman sounded interesting. So, I am very pleased that The Reluctant Detective turned out to be a good read. Faith Morgan is a well-rounded character; she’s very likeable, observant, compassionate and the sort of person that people feel comfortable talking to – a bit like a young Miss Marple. Indeed, the book has an Agatha Christie feel to it – set in an apparently idyllic country village, with interesting and somewhat quirky characters and although there is one rather gruesome death, it’s not a gory thriller. In short it’s the type of murder mystery that I like, with plenty of complications that kept me guessing about the identity of the murderer for most of the book.
The church and village location are convincing. The parish church of St John is an old building dating from Saxon times, with a tower and church bells, set in the English countryside:
Faith avoided the main approach and followed a gravel path around the back of the church. A creamy cloud of ivory clematis cascaded over a grey stone wall. Beyond a solitary pony raised its chestnut head to gaze mournfully at her from a field of weeds. Some way off squatted a group of ramshackle farm buildings. (page 9)
Faith’s ex – Detective Inspector Ben Shorter, reluctantly allows Faith to contribute to the search for the murderer and the chemistry between the two of them is clearly evident even though he can’t understand why she left the police force for the church. Indeed, Faith herself wonders if she has done the right thing, cutting herself off from her old life and her old self as she realises that she likes investigating, and analyzing people, their expressions and body language and working out what makes them tick. But these are assets for a priest as well as for a police officer. And as for death:
It struck Faith how death is always startling, facing us with the greatest mystery: how the particular and the individual can vanish from this world so completely in a moment. (page 17)
The back cover reveals that Martha Ockley lives in the North East of England and has close links with the church, having grown up as the daughter of a minister. She is a full-time writer of both fiction and non-fiction. I was curious about Martha Ockley and wondered why she had given ‘special thanks to Rebecca Jenkins’ on the title page, so I searched online and discovered that ‘Martha Ockley’ is actually a pseudonym of Rebecca Jenkins, the daughter of the Rev David Jenkins, formerly the Bishop of Durham.
Thanks to LibraryThing and Lion Fiction/Kregel Publications for providing a copy for review. Based on my reading of The Reluctant Detective I shall certainly seek out more books by Martha Ockley/Rebecca Jenkins. There are two more Faith Morgan books:
The Advent of Murder
A Saintly Killing (to be published in October 2014)
And writing as Rebecca Jenkins:
The R F Jarrett books (the Regency Detective)
The Duke’s Agent (1997)
Death of a Radical (2010)
also Non Fiction:
Free to Believe (David Jenkins and Rebecca Jenkins (1991)
Fanny Kemble: a reluctant celebrity (2005)
The First London Olympics 1908 (2008)
Author MargaretPosted on August 23, 2014 Categories Book Reviews, Books, Cosy Mysteries, Crime Fiction, Early Reviewer, Fiction, LibraryThing, My Kind of Mystery Challenge, Review CopyTags Faith Morgan, Martha Ockley, Rebecca Jenkins, The Reluctant Detective7 Comments on The Reluctant Detective by Martha Ockley
Gillespie and I by Jane Harris: a Book Review
Gillespie and I by Jane Harris is a cleverly told story, narrated by Harriet Baxter, alternating between events in 1888-90 (in Glasgow) and those in 1933 (in London). In 1888 Harriet moved to Glasgow where she got to know the painter, Ned Gillespie and his family. At first I liked Harriet but as I read on I became increasingly doubtful about her character, even though she comes across as an honest, reliable person. But, as she relates what her life is like in 1933 my impression of her began to change.
All is well at first but than a tragedy occurs which forms the major part of the book. It’s signalled in advance, when Harriet refers to the ‘horrible events’ that lay in the future. To say any more would be too much of a spoiler.
The setting of the book in Glasgow of the late 19th century is well described, helped by plans in the front of the book. The characters are also convincing, even some of the minor ones and her portrayal of Ned’s disturbed daughter, Sybil is quite chilling. This is a very detailed book, both about the place, artists and, through the account of a trial, the Scottish legal system of that period. It’s a book that lingered in my mind after I finished reading and if it wasn’t so long I’d like to re-read it in the light of what I now know.
Publisher: Faber and Faber (5 May 2011)
Source:an uncorrected proof from the publishers (via LibraryThing Early Reviewers)
My rating 3.5/5
I haven’t read Jane Harris first book, The Observations, although I’ve owned it for a while. It’s probably time I read that one too.
Author MargaretPosted on November 6, 2011 Categories Book Reviews, Books, Crime Fiction, Early Reviewer, Fiction, Historical Fiction, LibraryThingTags Gillespie and I, Glasgow, Glasgow International Exhibition, Jane Harris4 Comments on Gillespie and I by Jane Harris: a Book Review
Two books were in my postbox yesterday. I’m very lucky because after deciding not to buy any more books until I’ve read 6 of my unread books these two are gifts, so I don’t have to count them, and I’m very grateful for them too.
The first is Out of Africa by Karen Blixen, which I won from Gaskella’s blog. The back cover says that it is ‘the story of a remarkable and unconventional woman, and of a way of life that has vanished for ever.’ Karen arrived in Kenya in 1914 to manage a coffee plantation and spent the happiest years of her life on the farm. I love the cover of this book.
The other is Gillespie and I by Jane Harris, an uncorrected proof, which I won on LibraryThing’s Early Reviewers Programme. This is a big book. It sounded so good from the publishers’ information – I just hope it lives up to my expectations.
As she sits in her Bloomsbury home, with her two birds for company, elderly Harriet Baxter sets out to relate the story of her acquaintance, nearly four decades previously, with Ned Gillespie, a talented artist who never achieved the fame she maintains he deserved. Back in 1888, the young, art-loving, Harriet arrives in Glasgow at the time of the International Exhibition. After a chance encounter she befriends the Gillespie family and soon becomes a fixture in all of their lives. But when tragedy strikes – leading to a notorious criminal trial – the promise and certainties of this world all too rapidly disorientate into mystery and deception. Featuring a memorable cast of characters, infused with atmosphere and period detail, and shot through with wicked humour, Gillespie and I is a tour de force from one of the emerging names of British fiction.
I love the cover of this one too.
Now I just need a few more hours in the day – I want to start reading these straight away. Actually I couldn’t resist and I have read the opening pages! They’re both looking good, but I have The Weather in the Streets by Rosamond Lehmann to read first.
Author MargaretPosted on May 8, 2011 Categories Books, Early Reviewer, Fiction, LibraryThingTags Gillespie and I, Jane Harris, Karen Blixen, Out of Africa6 Comments on More Books
LibraryThing and Good Reads
Recently I saw on Bernadette’s blog that she had joined the Good Reads 2011 Reading Challenge, which asks members to nominate the number of books they would read during the year and if you did so then every time you log in to the site you see your own progress towards your goal.
This reminded me that I had joined Good Reads in April last year and had done very little with it, just adding a few books because I’ve got most of my books entered in LibraryThing. I’ve never set myself a target of books to read in a year and I’m not too fussed about doing so, mostly because that depends on a) the number of pages in each book – I’d read short books if I wanted it to look as though I read loads and b) I don’t actually care whether I read more or less than I did in other years or how it compares with other readers. But it seems an interesting exercise to set a target and see yourself moving towards it – or not as the case may be. So I had another look at Good Reads and realised that I could import my list of books from LibraryThing, which I’ve now done and signed up for the 2011 Reading Challenge.
I’m not too familiar with Good Reads and I’m wondering what benefits it has over LibraryThing – or vice versa! Can anyone let me know what they think?
Author MargaretPosted on February 11, 2011 Categories Books, LibraryThing13 Comments on LibraryThing and Good Reads
Whatever You Love by Louise Doughty: Book Review
Whatever You Love, set in a coastal English town is, as it says in the blurb, an ‘astonishing and emotionally-charged novel’, about Laura whose nine-year old daughter, Betty has been killed by a hit and run driver. Laura tells her story alternating between events before Betty’s death – how she met and married David, Betty’s father, their subsequent divorce after his affair with Chloe – and after Betty’s death. Laura’s grief is palpable, which makes this a harrowing book to read. It is also startling and shocking in parts.
The ‘after’ chapters are written in the first person narrative, which I’m never completely happy about, but it works quite well in this book, and it does add some clarity to the sequence of events. I think I endured rather than enjoyed this book; ‘enjoy’ is not the right word to described reading it, but it is well written, and the characters, for the most part are well drawn. There is an emphasis on relationships, not only between Laura and David but also between Laura and Chloe, David’s new wife, between Laura and the Sally, whose daughter Willow was also killed in the accident, and between the local people and the immigrant community. As Laura, fraught with grief, tracks down the driver of the car she spirals more and more out of control.
I found the ending of the book inconclusive and there are some questions left hanging. It seemed to me a book of two halves – the first dwelling on Laura’s grief and her inability to cope, with the second concentrating on her instability. Just how reliable was Laura, a woman who was pushed to the edge of sanity? Overall, I was impressed by the writing and will look for more by Louise Doughty.
My copy was sent to me by the publishers, Faber and Faber via Library Thing’s Early Reviewers’ Programme.
Author MargaretPosted on August 13, 2010 Categories Book Reviews, Early Reviewer, Fiction, LibraryThingTags Louise Doughty, Whatever You Love1 Comment on Whatever You Love by Louise Doughty: Book Review
The Holly-Tree Inn by Charles Dickens
The Holly-Tree Inn by Charles Dickens and others is a lovely little book, both to hold and to read. It’s a Hesperus Press publication, smooth paper and a softback cover with flaps you can use as bookmarks. I received my copy via Library Thing Early Reviewers Programme. I enjoyed reading it.
This was originally published in 1855, being the Christmas number of Dickens’s periodical Household Words. It was so popular that it was then adapted for the stage. It’s a collection of short stories by Dickens, Wilkie Collins, William Howitt, Adelaide Anne Procter and Harriet Parr, around the theme of travellers and inns. I liked Collins’s and Howlitt’s stories the most.
It begins with a story by Dickens, The Guest in which a gentleman on his way to Liverpool is snowed in at the Holly-Tree Inn in Yorkshire. To keep himself entertained he reminisces about inns he has visited, giving glimpses into travel and inns in the 19th century. Having exhausted his own memories, this story ends with the idea of asking the inmates of the inn for their own stories.
So, the next stories are from:
The Ostler by Wilkie Collins. In this the landlord tell’s the ostler’s tale of his dread of his wife after dreaming that she is about to murder him, a tale of impending doom:
His eyes opened owards the left hand side of the bed, and there stood – The woman of the dream again? – No! His wife; the living reality, with the dream spectre’s face – in the dream-spectre’s attitude; the fair arm up – the knife clasped in the delicate, white hand. (page 53)
The Boots by Charles Dickens – according to Melisa Klimaszewski’s Introduction this tale was such a favourite that Dickens included it in his later public readings. It’s not quite to my taste, a sentimental tale about two young children determined to elope, staying at the Holly- Tree inn:
Boots could assure me that it was better than a picter (sic) and equal to a play, to see them babies with their long bright curling hair, their sparkling eyes, and their beautiful light tread, a rambling in the garden, deep in love.
The Landlord by William Howitt. An entertaining tale of the landlord’s brother who emigrated to Australia in order to better himself. But when they get there they wished they’d stayed in England. It seems they arrived just at the wrong time. Howitt, himself had travelled to Australia in search of gold and his experience is reflected in his tale.
The Barmaid by Adelaide Anne Procter – a sad story told in verse by the landlord’s niece of Maurice and his love for ‘the loveliest little damsel his eyes had ever seen.’ Not the most challenging of tales.
The Poor Pensioner by Harriet Parr. Hester lives at the inn on ‘broken victuals’, now a poor demented creature refusing to believe that her son was guilty of murder. She waits in vain for his sentence to be reversed. This tale reveals how her wild and wilful ways as a young woman led her to seek for change and excitement with disastrous results.
The Bill by Charles Dickens. This story completes the cycle. A week has gone by, the Guest’s route is now clear of snow and he can leave.He then discovers that his enforced stay at the inn has changed his life!
Reading this book has made a welcome break in reading modern fiction and has made me keen to read more of Dickens’s and Collins’s books. I knew nothing about the other authors but fortunately there is a short section at the end with biographical notes about the contributors.
Author MargaretPosted on June 2, 2010 Categories Book Reviews, Early Reviewer, Fiction, LibraryThing, Short StoriesTags Adelaine Anne Procter, Charles Dickens, Harriet Parr, The Holly-Tree Inn, Wilkie Collins, William Howitt2 Comments on The Holly-Tree Inn by Charles Dickens
The Widow’s Tale by Mick Jackson:Book Review
The Widow’s Tale by Mick Jackson is his third novel, published this month. I didn’t know of him and hadn’t read anything by him before, but when I saw this book on offer through LibraryThing’s Early Reviewers’ Programme I thought it looked interesting. His earlier novels are The Underground Man, shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 1997 and Five Boys, published in 2001.
The Widow’s Tale is a sad tale – she is certainly not a Merry Widow, but then again she is not the Widow of Windsor (Queen Victoria) even though she does leave her house in London and live in seclusion in Norfolk.
Like Rebecca she doesn’t have a name and written in the first person singular the narrative is all from her perspective and rather rambling as befits a woman in her sixties on the verge of a nervous breakdown. I was a bit put off at the beginning when she comes out with the phrase, so often used by my mother-in-law: “By the time you get to my age …”. But there the similarity ended.
Her husband has died, she’s taken it badly, and goes to live in a rented cottage on the bleak Norfolk coast, shunning other people. She drinks to forget herself, sits in pubs alone, doing the crossword and reading a book to pass the time. She drives out to places she once knew, goes for solitary walks, gets stuck in the saltmarshes, and is definitely quirky and obsessional.
But there is something in her past life that is haunting her, an episode that John, her husband didn’t know anything about and that has coloured her life ever since. I think it it was this rather than losing John that caused her such distress. I was wondering how this book would end and in a way it is inevitable and I thought it rather disappointing.
I don’t often think this about a book – it was OK. The writing is fluent and it’s a quick read. It’s episodic rather than linear as she recollects events and thoughts from the past and I would have said it’s really good but for the fact that I couldn’t really believe the narrator is a woman. But it has made me want to read more by Mick Jackson and I see from his website that as well as his three novels he’s also written two book of short stories, Ten Sorry Tales and Bears of England, both of which look interesting.
Author MargaretPosted on April 6, 2010 Categories Book Reviews, Early Reviewer, Fiction, LibraryThingTags Mick Jackson, The widow's Tale3 Comments on The Widow’s Tale by Mick Jackson:Book Review
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line608
|
__label__wiki
| 0.504075
| 0.504075
|
BNSF & Crude-By-Rail Safety
John Lovenburg, Vice President — Environmental for BNSF, recently penned this guest column in the Olympian on our commitment to safety.
Rail industry works hard to improve safety
Rail transport is vital to Washington’s economy — $28.5 billion each year in positive economic impact, according to a recent study by the Washington Council on International Trade. This is crucial for a state where 40 percent of all jobs are tied to trade. Trains haul grain to our ports, aluminum and steel to our factories, plane fuselages and other parts to The Boeing Co., cement for our roads, and containers full of clothes, processed food, TVs, computers, furniture and many other products to consumers in Washington and across the nation.
We also haul hazardous materials, including chlorine that keeps our water supply safe, ammonia used to make fertilizer and crude oil that is refined in Washington to make gasoline for our vehicles and jet fuel for aircraft. We recognize the special significance that comes with hauling hazardous materials, and we take additional measures to ensure their safe transport. For us, nothing is more important than safely operating through the communities that we serve.
No mode of ground transport surpasses rail when it comes to safety, environmental performance and affordability. On average, railroads are four times more fuel-efficient than trucks, according to an independent study for the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). Burlington Northern Santa Fe’s unrelenting focus on safety is reflected in our excellent safety program and record. We have invested billions of dollars each year to continuously improve our operations, infrastructure and safety efforts. The first line of defense is prevention — policies, training, technologies and preventative maintenance — to make sure accidents don’t happen.
We are continuously investing in new technologies and infrastructure to reduce risk. BNSF inspects its track more frequently than required by the FRA. Most crude oil routes on BNSF are inspected up to four times per week, more than twice the inspection frequency required by the FRA, and our busiest main lines can be inspected daily, which includes our route through the Columbia River Gorge. BNSF also has special detection technology along key routes on our network sending back thousands of messages daily as they monitor for early signs of potential problems that could cause premature equipment wear or failure. Detectors are placed even more closely together in places such as the Gorge to ensure potential issues are elevated as quickly as possible. BNSF has also been developing predictive analytics to leverage the combined information received from the multiple types of detectors to discover potential issues before they arise.
We also use a Locomotive Event Recorder that downloads information about a train’s speed, crossing grade signaling and braking. A computer program screens this data and alerts a supervisor if a locomotive operates outside defined parameters. Specially equipped vehicles are used to measure the track’s rail alignment, curvature, acceleration, and crosslevel of the two rails. BNSF recognizes that accidents can happen. That’s why we work closely with emergency responders in communities throughout our service area. BNSF has trained thousands of first responders and sponsored many to attend three-day specialized crude-by-rail trainings in Colorado and at Texas A&M. Together with local emergency response agencies, BNSF has developed response plans and staged specialized equipment and hazmat responders across the rail network.
We are committed to the safety of our communities and their first responders. Last year, we trained upward of 10,000 public emergency responders, with nearly 900 of these responders from Washington, on how to safely respond to hazmat incidents. BNSF has specialized equipment and hazmat responders staged across its network to deal with hazmat and crude oil incidents, including for firefighting and spill cleanup. During a hazardous materials incident, our BNSF responders will be responding in unison with public responders so that through our combined efforts the incident can be mitigated safely and effectively.
In Washington, we have resources and equipment staged in Everett, Seattle, Vancouver, Longview, Wishram (Columbia River Gorge), Pasco and Spokane. In Washington, BNSF has 32 hazmat technician level responders located in Everett, Pasco, Seattle, Spokane, Vancouver and Wenatchee.
New, advanced technologies are also improving coordination between BNSF and response agencies. Two new technologies — AskRail and Securetrak — provide immediate access to real-time data about individual rail cars, cargoes, and location information for first responders.
The AskRail mobile app, developed by the rail industry, provides first responders with car-specific data for hazmat contents and railroad contacts during an incident. BNSF’s Securetrak, which is a real-time, web-based Geographic Information System tracking program, is available to state and/or regional emergency centers.
Rail is the backbone of the Northwest. For well over a century, BNSF has safely moved goods to and from the Northwest and is proud of our strong ties to the region. Our commitment to preventing accidents contributed to the FRA declaring 2013, 2014, and 2015 the safest in U.S. history. This is a legacy we intend to maintain and enhance in the years to come.
Safety is Paramount
A Photo Opportunity Isn’t Worth the Risk
Supporting Safe Outdoor Recreation
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line616
|
__label__cc
| 0.519499
| 0.480501
|
Mar 10 This Much Country
Last year around this time, I read Blair Braverman’s stunning memoir, Welcome to the Goddamn Ice Cube (read my review here, and my interview with Blair here). Since, I have followed Blair’s wonderful Twitter account, learning about her life in Wisconsin and the world of dogsledding and being a female musher. So, when I was at Strand Books the other day, and I see a blurb from Blair Braverman on a dogsledding memoir — “A gorgeous, intimate story of wildness and belonging” — I knew I had to read it.
Kristin Knight Pace’s debut memoir, This Much Country, is a beautiful story of her journey to find herself in Alaska, and as a musher. Kristin is one of only 31 women in the world to have completed both the Yukon Quest and the Iditarod — and this experience dramatically shapes her story. But she wasn’t always a musher — she writes of leaving home to go to Montana, and of her first marriage that failed. She writes of the decision to go to Alaska, not knowing what to expect. And then, she writes of falling in love with dogs, and dogsledding.
More than Blair’s memoir, Kristin’s memoir gives you the day-to-day of dogsledding; what it’s like living in Alaska, racing in the Iditarod, and it throws you into the wilderness of Alaska and the near-death experiences that come along with that.
“I was grateful to be in a sport where there were no divisions between men and women,” she writes towards the end of the book. “And out on the trail, we could hardly tell one another apart. Underneath the big parkas and frozen ruffs, we were all one thing: dog mushers. And with our well-trained teams lined out before us, panting quietly, ears picking up our commands, we were all equally in the paradise we had made for ourselves. In that yawning expanse that cared nothing for human constructs — our gender roles, our customs, our pain and suffering — we were all equals.”
I love women’s sports stories, and this was one of the best I’ve read. Rating: ★★★★★
Apr 26 How To Write an Autobiographical Novel
Mar 10 A Study in Charlotte
Dec 18 The Strays
Jan 24 Welcome to the Goddamn Ice Cube
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line617
|
__label__wiki
| 0.730313
| 0.730313
|
The Detroit Uprising Ends
Image | Declan Haun, The LIFE Picture Collection, Getty Images
On July 27, 1967, a multi-day uprising of violent clashes between police and black residents in Detroit ended. The conflict, which began on July 23, was the largest of the year, and foreshadowed urban riots that would plague the nation the following year.
Beginning during World War I and continuing through the end of the 1960s, racial terror lynchings in the South fueled a massive exodus of African Americans from Southern states into urban ghettos in the North and West. In a brutal environment of racial subordination and terror, close to six million black Americans fled the South’s racial caste system between 1910 and 1970. In 1910, Detroit’s population was 1.2 percent black; by 1970, that number had risen to 43.7 percent.
After several years of postwar migration had increased black populations in Northern cities, pervasive discrimination and segregation in employment, education, and housing resulted in the continuing exclusion of black people from the benefits of economic progress. Police brutality was rampant in black communities and law enforcement was rarely, if ever, held accountable. In the summer of 1967, these issues culminated in a series of uprisings across several major Northern cities.
The Detroit rebellion began after police raided an after-hours club, looting and fires broke out, and multiple law enforcement agencies were deployed. On July 26, police and National Guardsmen raided the Algiers motel looking for an alleged sniper. They found not a single gun on the premises, but instead tortured the black men and white women they found there together and killed three black teenagers, shooting two of them with shotguns at point-blank range. Despite two officers’ confessions, no one was ever convicted for their deaths. By the rebellion’s end, thirty-three African American and ten white people had been killed, most at the hands of law enforcement.
Urban rebellions were widely dismissed as senseless “riots,” but many people today recount them as uprisings against oppressive and discriminatory practices that subjected black residents to violence and inequality. “You see, you can only hold a person down for so long. After a while, they’re going to get tired. And that’s what happened,” explained Frank Thomas, who was twenty-three years old during the Detroit rebellion. “Basically, we wanted to be a part of the city of Detroit instead of being second-class citizens.”
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line621
|
__label__wiki
| 0.71439
| 0.71439
|
Climate change: a call for government intervention [video]
A Farewell to Ice: A Report from the Arctic
By Peter Wadhams
“The world is facing a catastrophe.”
It is too late for individuals to make a significant difference in the preservation of ice caps. At the current rate of global warming, government intervention is needed.
In the following video and excerpt from A Farewell to Ice, Peter Wadhams, one of the world’s leading experts on polar ice, discusses the role that governments around the world need to play in order to combat global warming.
In September 2012 the summer sea ice reached its lowest area yet, and the BBC made a film about the retreat, in which I was interviewed, among others, and satellite maps of the retreat were shown. The programme was televised on 5 September 2012, and was followed by a studio discussion in which the BBC decided that both ‘sides’ should be represented. The entire body of climate scientists was represented by Natalie Bennett, newly appointed chair of the Green Party, whose heart was in the right place but who had no knowledge of the Arctic. The tiny group of deniers was represented by Peter Lilley MP, formerly a Tory government minister, who had just published a report funded by the Lawson foundation in which he recommended taking no action on climate change and ignoring the Stern review. He claimed that he had been brought to the BBC under false pretences, that the BBC report had been concocted (despite the fact that satellite images of ice retreat were shown), and that I was a ‘well known alarmist’, a slander which he repeated five times. He claimed that he knew more about climate change than I did because he was able to quote from the 2007 IPCC assessment which concluded that summer sea ice would not disappear until the end of the twenty-first century. Despite being vice-president of an oil company, Tethys Petroleum, which works mainly with regimes in Central Asia, Lilley was subsequently put on the Environment and Climate Committee of the House of Commons, from which advantageous position he worked to define climate change legislation. Thus Lord Lawson’s secretive foundation gained a representative on a powerful government committee. Lilley is not alone – there are many others in similar positions, especially in the ranks of the Republican Party in the USA, but he does personify the forces of obfuscation and misrepresentation which result in public inaction in the face of a major threat to human survival.
On the rare occasions when it engages in debate, Lawson’s Global Warming Policy Foundation now adopts a position slightly modified from its earlier simple blanket denial of climate change. It agrees that the climate may be changing, though not admitting that it is due to the activities of Man, but says that the way to deal with it is adaptation, not mitigation. ‘Mitigation’ means trying to do something about the causes of climate change, whether by reducing emissions, trying to find ways of removing greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, or managing solar radiation by geoengineering. ‘Adaptation’ means, in effect, ‘let’s let it go and just try to live with it’. The trouble is that the amount of warming that will occur if we just let things go, which even conservative IPCC models estimate as being 4ºC by the century’s end, is going to be catastrophic for the maintenance of life on Earth. The warming will continue beyond 2100 and reach greater heights in the absence of action on CO2.
Ice by Free-Photos. CC0 public domain via Pixabay.
Scientists who publicly state the facts about the climatic threat to the world offer a challenge to the national security of the state and provoke a response. In the UK Ian Boyd, the chief scientific adviser at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), said that scientists should avoid ‘suggesting that policies are either right or wrong’ and should express their views ‘by working with embedded advisers (such as myself), and by being the voice of reason, rather than dissent, in the public arena’. This statement of staggering arrogance assumes that Boyd’s wisdom is superior to everyone else’s and that he will always ‘speak truth to power’. But the attitude that it represents is being enforced through directives to scientists with UK Government research contracts. Governments of countries such as Canada and Australia, until recent political changes, went even further than the UK’s in their suppression of science, firing large numbers of environmental scientists so that research which determines the magnitude of climate-induced changes was simply not conducted any more. The key decisions about saving the world from climate change obviously have to be made by governments. But, tragically, some governments seem to have no intention of making them and are more interested in suppressing scientific research if results imply dissent.
The climate change deniers’ emphasis on adaptation has been powerfully answered by Professor Robert P. Abele:
As we inflict violence on the planet to the point of its mortality, we inflict violence on ourselves, to the point of our mortality. A dead planet will result in dead people, and a people and/or its leaders who are psychologically and/or ethically desensitized to the consequences of this Terran violence have no chance of long-term survival.
Or, as Chief Seattle put it more eloquently more than a century ago:
All things are connected. Whatever befalls the Earth befalls the children of the Earth.
If we destroy our planet we destroy ourselves. There is nowhere else for us to go. There is no planet B. It will not just be farewell to ice, but farewell to life.
Featured image credit: “cold-foggy-frozen-glacier-ice” by Pexels. CC0 public domain via Pixabay.
Peter Wadhams is Professor of Ocean Physics and Head of the Polar Ocean Physics Group in the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics at Cambridge University. He has completed over fifty research trips to the arctic. He is the author of A Farewell to Ice: A Report from the Arctic.
T. McGrath 19th October 2017
Peter Wadhams should know better than to cite a government panel who has been repeatedly accused, by its own contributors, of deliberately misrepresenting data. NASA’s own GISS data shows a 0.59°C overall increase in mean surface temperatures between 1880 and 2010, yet the IPCC claims there will be a 4°C increase in mean surface temperatures in the next 90 years. Anyone who cites the IPCC as a credible source has an obvious political agenda and is not interested in actual science.
Rod 19th October 2017
How do nitwits like this manage to get a degree in the first place?
These fools that think They are Gods should be laughed off The planet.
David McGruer 20th October 2017
Here we go, the end game is now that individuals cannot be trusted and instead massive force must be used to make them do what the elites feel is the right thing, despite powerful evidence that nothing unusual is happening in our climate. The very ice coverage referenced has fluctuated widely forever and has returned since the study referenced.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line625
|
__label__cc
| 0.724235
| 0.275765
|
Pope Francis and Grand Imam Ahmed el-Tayeb at the signing of the Document on Human Fraternity (Photo courtesy of Vatican Media)
Home/Focus on Israel/Not exactly ‘A Pope for All Seasons!’
Focus on Israel
Not exactly ‘A Pope for All Seasons!’
In the story “A Man for All Seasons” based on the life of Sir Thomas More, the hero is portrayed as a man of principle envied by many of his contemporaries, including some of his rivals. Sir Thomas More was once described in those words:” “More is a man of an angel’s wit and singular learning. I know not his fellow. For where is the man of that gentleness, lowliness, and affability? And, as time requireth, a man of marvelous mirth and pastimes, and sometime of as sad gravity. A man for all seasons.” Many around the world today see the current Pope as a man for all seasons, but are they right in their assessments and how does it all line-up with Scripture?
Pope Francis just co-signed a document with Al Azhar Grand Imam Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb (once named “the most influential Muslim in the world”), titled “Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together.” Ecumenically speaking, the document is a dream come true for mankind, and many have described it as a “historical breakthrough“. I would venture to say that it might be a “biblical breakthrough,” but not necessarily for the same reasons.
The document says of God “He is the Creator who has formed us with His divine wisdom and has granted us the gift of life to protect it. It is a gift that no one has the right to take away, threaten or manipulate to suit oneself. Indeed, everyone must safeguard this gift of life from its beginning up to its natural end. We, therefore, condemn all those practices that are a threat to life such as genocide, acts of terrorism, forced displacement, human trafficking, abortion, and euthanasia.”
The Pope might be thinking that because God created all men equally (a biblical view that I share with him), Grand Imam Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb shares his views, but just because the Grand Imam signed the document doesn’t mean that he will uphold it.
Further down, the document speaks of freedom of religion: “Freedom is a right of every person: each individual enjoys the freedom of belief, thought, expression and action. The pluralism and the diversity of religions, color, sex, race, and language are willed by God in His wisdom, through which He created human beings. This divine wisdom is the source from which the right to freedom of belief and the freedom to be different derives. Therefore, the fact that people are forced to adhere to a certain religion or culture must be rejected, as too the imposition of a cultural way of life that others do not accept.”
Here we see that the Pope is taking a pluralistic position demanding that all men respect one another regardless of their beliefs since “The pluralism and the diversity of religions, color, sex, race, and language are willed by God in His wisdom, through which He created human beings. The proverbial roads that all lead to Rome are no longer sufficient, now they all need to also lead to God. The same god for Roman Catholics and Muslims, that is!
As a matter of fact, Grand Imam Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb is on record for taking a position that is in direct opposition of the document he co-signed. He recently said “Those learned in Islam [al-fuqaha] and the imams of the four schools of jurisprudence consider apostasy a crime and agree that the apostate must either renounce his apostasy or else be killed. Additionally, in a 2013 interview on Egyptian TV, he said that Muslims “suffer from global Zionism and Judaism” and “You shall find the strongest among men in enmity to the believers to be the Jews and the polytheists.” Statements like that would disqualify him from even being considered as a signatory on the “Document on Human Fraternity and World Peace.”
Furthermore, he even refused to say that the Islamic State (ISIS) were not true Muslims, but in this case, I agree with him. I am under the conviction that if a Muslim were to take the words of the Qur’an literally, they would have no choice but to kill infidels and apostates…Jews and Christians alike. The vast majority of Muslims are nominal Muslims who are not necessarily well versed in the Qur’an and as a result, they “cherry pick” verses that they wish to apply. This can be said of all religions indiscriminately.
So, how can I possibly say that this might be a biblical breakthrough? Because from the standpoint of the upcoming eschatological one-world order, this is 100% in line with biblical prophecies. The one-world government is becoming more of a reality each day, and it will undoubtedly include a one-world religion (Revelation 13:11-18.)
The Pope might be blinded by wishful thinking and a pluralistic, postmodern view of religion. The immediate future looks like global dhimmitude to Islam, but the end of the age will be more tragic for many. It will only bring two options: We either worship the prince of this world and end up with him in the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:10), or we worship the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob through Yeshua the Messiah, and we spend eternity in His presence. Even the Pope isn’t exempt from making that ultimate choice. He is also responsible for leading billions to the true God. Maybe it’s time for the Pope to reset his GPS (God Positioning Satellite)!
— by Olivier Melnick
Melnick is a Jewish believer in Jesus and serves with Chosen People Ministries as the Northwest Regional Director. He has written and published over 300 articles and a book on anti-Semitism entitled, “They Have Conspired Against You: How to respond to the new anti-Semitism.” Melnick blogs regulary at www.newantisemitism.com.
Ahmed al-Tayeb Israel Pope Francis
History can be offensive, but it shouldn’t be revised!
Mike Pence, Mike Pompeo address Christian pro-Israel summit
The Senate’s antisemitism resolution: The good, the bad and the ugly!
Who knew that BDS could benefit Israel?
Why do we have to explain concentration camps in 2019?
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line632
|
__label__wiki
| 0.742495
| 0.742495
|
Home People Coast Guard maritime anti-terrorism unit to return home after 6-month deployment
Coast Guard maritime anti-terrorism unit to return home after 6-month deployment
Nov 14th, 2011 · Comments Off on Coast Guard maritime anti-terrorism unit to return home after 6-month deployment
BOSTON — A Boston-based maritime anti-terrorism unit is returning home Tuesday just in time to spend Thanksgiving with their families after a six-month deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Members of the U.S. Coast Guard’s Maritime Safety and Security Team Boston (91110) are scheduled to land at Hanscom Air Force Base from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
During the deployment, MSST members formed the Maritime Security Detachment for Joint Task Force Guantanamo and were responsible for securing the port and waterways around the base. MSST Boston boat crews logging more than 4,500 hours of continuous patrols. They also provided shore-side security, which included internal courtroom security for the legal complex where military commissions are held.
“I’m am very proud of our unit,” said Lt. Cmdr. Keith Utley, MSST Boston’s commanding officer. “My crew consistently performed their duties in a professional manner and exemplified the Coast Guard’s core values of Honor, Respect and Devotion to Duty. We look forward to getting home and reuniting with our families.”
Prior to deploying, unit members completed two-months of training that included boat and weapon qualifications, team coordination training and CPR certification.
To augment the MSST’s active-duty component, reservists from across the nation were hand selected for the six-month deployment.
“We added a great mixture of individuals from across the country to our team,” said Lt. Cmdr Kevin Duffy, MSST Boston’s executive officer. “The reservists quickly integrated into our unit and brought unique skill sets from their civilian jobs that greatly enhanced our effectiveness.”
The reservist members’ civilian occupations include everything from undergraduate students to emergency service personnel and retail employees. Each volunteered for the deployment and were excited to join MSST Boston and serve their country.
“My Dad was called up for service for Vietnam with the New Hampshire National Guard, and my Grandfather was in the Army Air Corp during WWII,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Jeremy Wyskiel, a New England native and Chittenden County, Colchester Police Officer. “I’ve been a Coast Guard Reservist for five years, and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to deploy as MSST member.”
MSST Boston was created under the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 (MTSA) in direct response to the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, and is a part of the Department of Homeland Security’s layered strategy directed at protecting seaports and waterways.
MSSTs provide waterborne and a shore-side antiterrorism force protection for strategic shipping, high-interest vessels and critical infrastructure. These units are a quick response force capable of rapid worldwide deployment via air, ground or sea transportation in response to changing threat conditions and evolving maritime homeland security mission requirements.
Eleven MSSTs are strategically positioned throughout the nation and are components of the U.S. Deployable Operations Group (DOG). The DOG provides properly equipped, trained and organized Deployable Specialized Forces (DSFs) to Coast Guard, DHS, Department of Defense and interagency operational commanders.
Tags:Joint Task Force Guantanamo · Maritime Safety and Security Team Boston · Maritime Security Detachment · MSST 91110 · Operation Enduring Freedom
Coast Guard Port Security Unit 311 returns from 9 month deployment
04/22/2019 · Comments Off on Coast Guard Port Security Unit 311 returns from 9 month deployment
Coast Guard Port Security Unit returns home after 9-month deployment to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba
08/6/2018 · Comments Off on Coast Guard Port Security Unit returns home after 9-month deployment to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba
Coast Guard unit to receive DoD Reserve Family Readiness Award
02/20/2018 · Comments Off on Coast Guard unit to receive DoD Reserve Family Readiness Award
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line645
|
__label__wiki
| 0.793863
| 0.793863
|
September Culture Calendar: 13 things to see and do in NYC this month
By Kate Hooker
Whoa, and just like that, it’s sayonara, summer. Hard to believe it really, not just because it zoomed by this year but also because in all reality we are probably going to deal with climate change-related heatwaves for another month. Nonetheless, here we are in September, and it feels as it does every year like a new beginning, even though the last time “back to school” was a relevant phrase in my life was when people could still smoke in bars, Giuliani was mayor, and I kept track of my plans and upcoming cultural events of interest in my trusty Palm Pilot.
Anyone who has spent a lot of time living in NYC will tell you that it is, by its very nature, necessarily a sometimes frustrating place to be in love with. There is the matter of the weather, of course, and the subway, and the insanely expensive apartments for ants, and the constant need to interact at all times with people, people, and more people, many of whom are wonderful, but lots of whom are the types who play Candy Crush with their phone speaker on full volume on the subway first thing in the morning and that’s just how it is. But there are two things that are undeniably great about this city, and they are (1) autumn in NYC and (2) the diverse and exceptional cultural opportunities available at all times, all over the place, and at all price points. It’s a truly awesome thing that still outweighs all of the more irritating aspects of life here after nearly two decades, and one that I never want to take for granted. Here are just some of the cool things happening this September that I’m looking forward to—hopefully you’ll be inspired as I am to get out and about and see and experience them.
1. DeRay Mckesson, Sept. 5
As depressing and confounding as it has been to watch American society and political discourse spiral deeper and deeper to meet the least common (yet most racist, sexist, and unempathetic) denominator over the past few years, a silver lining has emerged in the form of a new army of young, modern civil rights and social justice leaders who have helped fuel the resistance and serve as hopeful reminders that we can (and hopefully someday will) do better. One such person is DeRay Mckesson, who first gained widespread renown by tweeting from the front lines of the Black Lives Matter movement, and now hosts the popular Pod Save the People podcast on Crooked Media. On September 5, Mckesson will present his forthcoming first book, On the Other Side of Freedom: The Case for Hope, at St. Ann’s and the Holy Trinity Church and will be joined in a conversation about community, inclusion, justice, and progress by the likes of Toure, Hasan Minhaj, and Cleo Wade. Tickets are $33 apiece, which includes a copy of the book. This feels a like a good tactic if you need to get yourself fired up for the midterm elections later this fall, and the New York State primaries Sept. 13.
2. I Am Not A Witch at BAM, Sept. 7 + New York Film Festival tickets on sale, Sept. 9
I still have yet to see BlacKkKlansman or Crazy Rich Asians, but I’m now thinking that I might want to make it a priority to catch I Am Not A Witch, the debut feature by director Rungano Nyoni playing at BAM from September 7-13. The movie, which is part satire, part parable, is about a young Zambian girl who is suspected of witchcraft and exiled to a witch camp, and it received a lot of attention at Cannes when it premiered earlier this year and looks like a fresh new voice in a world increasingly dominated by reboots. In other movie news, the 56th annual New York Film Festival kicks off on September 28, and if you want tickets to any of the screenings or other events you’ve gotta move fast when they go on sale September 9. The hot ticket everyone seems to be talking about is for the October 5 screening of Roma, Alfonso Cuaron’s epic and autobiographical work set in Mexico City that is being hailed as his best movie since Y Tu Mama Tabien.
3. The Bell House celebrates 10 years, Sept. 6-10
The Bell House in Gowanus is now officially an OG of Brooklyn’s live music and comedy scene. It’s celebrating its 10th anniversary this month with a series of shows, like a day-long block party on Saturday, Sept. 8, an epic night of comedy on Sept. 10 and concerts including an appearance by Ex Hex Sept. 7. Led by guitarist extraordinaire Mary Timony, Ex Hex released its excellent debut album Rips back in 2014; its melodic punk rock with a bit of glam hearkens back to groups like the Runaways. Making a return to Brooklyn, the group will reprise songs from the record and perhaps throw in some new material. On that same weekend, Waxahatchee—the moniker of singer/songwriter Katie Crutchfield—will also appear at the Bell House (Sept. 9), performing music from her first two albums–including last year’s well-received Out of the Storm–along with her new EP Great Thunder.—David Chiu
[Related: 7 concerts to check out in September.]
4. Jose Andres at BAM, Sept. 11
In the wake of last year’s devastating hurricane in Puerto Rico (and the unspeakably cruel and embarrassing lack of response from the Trump administration), renowned chef Jose Andres distinguished himself as a humanitarian hero, arriving on the island just 4 days after the storm and spending the ensuing months harnessing the meager resources available and galvanizing a group of chefs and volunteers to provide millions of meals to the victims of Hurricane Maria. Now, Andres has written a book about his experience and his insights about how to respond to crises going forward, entitled We Fed An Island: The True Story of Rebuilding Puerto Rico, One Meal at a Time. He’ll be at BAM to discuss it with Soledad O’Brien on Sept. 11, and tickets are $35, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the further laudable work of the Chef Relief Network of World Central Kitchen.
“Couple Walking” (1979), by Roy DeCarava.CreditSherry DeCarava, via the DeCarava Archives
5. “Soul of a Nation: Art in the Age of Black Power” at Brooklyn Museum, Sept. 14
Following Brooklyn Museum’s universally appealing Bowie exhibit, it is switching gears this fall to the far more sobering and resonant exhibition of over 60 Black artists from the integrationist Civil Rights era to the militant Black Power movement. The show debuted at the Tate Modern in London last year, just one month before the Charlottesville riots. The reviews were glowing—The Guardian called it “…an exhibition that uncovers an entire lost history of American art”—and viewers were taken aback by how much of the artists’ work still spoke to present-day racial violence in America. The opening celebration is Saturday, Sept. 15 and before it ends Feb. 3, 2019, there will be plenty of opportunities to think and talk about this era and how it relates to our own, like an evening with participating artist Faith Ringgold Sept. 27. —Nicole Davis
6. Forever, Sept. 14, and Murphy Brown, Sept. 27
Although the excitement surrounding fall TV lineups continues to diminish steadily in the streaming era, September is still a time when a lot of new programming that networks and media companies have very high hopes for debuts. Among the contenders for your fave new show this season is Forever, an Amazon Prime comedy starring Maya Rudolph, Fred Armisen, and Catherine Keener, with writer/producers Alan Yang (Master of None) and Matt Hubbard (30 Rock) at the helm. Of course, it always feels a little scary to plug a thing I haven’t personally seen, but with that level of talent involved it would be weird if this show wasn’t a winner (not to mention hilarious). And, because I’m getting nostalgic in my old age and am constantly coming up with new pop culture references to draw blank stares from my 20-something coworkers, I’m personally intrigued by the upcoming reboot of Murphy Brown, in which Candice Bergen will reprise her role as a funny, badass journalist in a political/news climate that is (ahem) just a little different than it was when we last saw her in 1998.
7. Childish Gambino at MSG, Sept. 15
This month brings a lot of opportunities to see great live music within the five boroughs, but the biggest ticket item is probably the chance to see Childish Gambino live at MSG in the year of This Is America and after Donald Glover has promised that he will retire his rapper alter ego for good at the conclusion of this tour. The first show sold out fast, but there are still tickets available for a later-added Sept. 15 show.
8. The Brooklyn Book Festival, Sept. 16
We are incredibly lucky to have one of the world’s biggest literary festivals in our backyard every September. When the Brooklyn Book Festival returns on Sunday, Sept. 16, local and international novelists, essayists, poets, food writers, YA authors and journalists will take up residence at Borough Hall, St. Francis College and other downtown locales for a day of free discussions. You could spend an hour examining the impact of Joan Didion’s essay collection, The White Album; hear Deb Perelman aka Smitten Kitchen talk about home cooking; enjoy listening to either Jennifer Eagan or Tayari Jones or both; consider the war on truth and journalism, or find your own favorite niche in the lineup. The day before is devoted to children’s books, with a special edition of Drag Queen Story Telling Hour, and a week of free readings and parties begins Sept. 10 in honor of it all.—N.D.
9. Patti Smith at Minetta Lane Theater; Sept. 22-24
Here’s a good way to deal with your feelings about Louis C.K.’s casually strolling on stage at the Comedy Cellar just months after he admitted to multiple instances of sexually harassing and intimidating women: Buy tickets to see feminist, writer, songstress, activist, and all-around goddess Patti Smith perform words and music for a three-night run later this month just down the street at Minetta Lane Theater. If you’ve never seen Smith live you owe it to yourself, she’s a goddamn institution. Tickets are going fast, so get on it.
10. The Waverly Gallery, Sept. 25; Oklahoma! at St. Ann’s, Sept. 27
I am, much to the chagrin of certain friends of mine, squarely in the dramatic-play-over-musical-preference camp, and the few Kenneth Lonergan productions I’ve seen—This Is Our Youth and Lobby Hero—are among my favorites in the past decade or so. Later this month, a revival of The Waverly Gallery, his 2000 play about a grandson watching his grandmother succumb to Alzheimer’s, begins previews at The Golden. Elaine May and Michael Cera star, and I’m definitely going to scoop up tickets. Meanwhile, despite what I just said about musicals, I can always get down with a classic, and I’ve definitely got my eye on the minimalist, modern production of Oklahoma! that begins its 6-week run at St. Ann’s Warehouse on September 27.
11. Sarah Lucas: “Au Naturel,” Sept. 26
The first U.S. retrospective of Sarah Lucas, a British-born artist whose work challenges gender, sexuality, and identity norms and presents the human body in quirky, surprising ways, takes over three floors of the New Museum starting on September 26. Some critics are suggesting that the show, called “Au Naturel,” is going to bring a heretofore seen level of recognition and fame to a provocateur whose career spans the last four decades.
12. Karl Ove Knausgaard at Murmrr Theater, Sept. 26
I feel like My Struggle, the acclaimed yet highly controversial six-part autobiographical opus by Norwegian author Karl Ove Knausgaard, is one of those things that I always read about but never seem to have the time to delve into for myself, even though my own (not inexpensive) copy of A Death In the Family has been staring at me from my bookshelf for well over a year now. As part of a rare stateside tour to promote the final installment in the series, Knausgaard will be appearing for a reading and conversation with writer and MacArthur genius Maggie Nelson (The Argonauts) at Murmrr Theater on September 26. Will this be enough of a kick in the ass to get me finally reading this thing? I hope so, but I feel like my neglected copy of Infinite Jest would be rolling its eyes now if it could.
13. The National, Sept. 29-30
Sadly, we have to wait many long months before Celebrate Brooklyn! returns to the Prospect Park Bandshell for another summer season of awesome outdoor shows, but we’ve still got Forest Hills Stadium, which is really a lovely venue to see a concert if you just get yourself over the interminable F train ride out there. This month has a pretty great lineup, which includes Van Morrison and Willie Nelson on the 12th and David Byrne and Tune-Yards on the 15th (I’ve seen Tune-Yards live and Merrill Garbus is unreal in person). Personally, though, I can’t miss The National whenever they come to town, and they’re playing two nights on the 29th and 30th, with a roster of guests like Cat Power, Jason Isbell, and Future Islands. I Need My Girl will always be one of the sexiest, most intensely emotional songs to me— the kind that can still conjure up major tsuris about an ex who you haven’t seen or even thought of in years. If you’re a fellow sadist who is down for that kind of thing, tickets are available here.
Tags: Childish Gambino, DeRay Mckesson, Ex Hex, Forever, Jose Andres, Karl Ove Knausgaard, Murphy Brown, Oklahoma!, Patti Smith, Sarah Lucas, Soul of a Nation, The National, The Waverly Gallery, Waxahatchee
Indie rock trio Ex Hex returns with another scorcher
The art of Black Power then and now, in ‘Soul of a Nation’
Fall Music Preview
Neko Case, Bell House anniversary, and more concerts to check out in September
The National at Forest Hills
What - September 4th, 2018
tv shows are not nyc cultural events to take advantage of.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line650
|
__label__wiki
| 0.776395
| 0.776395
|
Election Day primer — and pushback against preemptive Democrat-media spin
November 3, 2009 — budsimmons
By Michelle Malkin • November 2, 2009 09:55 PM
Joshua Culling at the National Taxpayers Union has a handy primer on the gubernatorial races in New Jersey and Virginia, plus overviews of state ballot initiatives across the country.
Read and bookmark here.
For NY-23, check 73wire, The Other McCain, Riehl World View, and TCOT Report.
Mark Blumenthal at Pollster.com has analysis on NY-23 polls and concludes:
…my experience conducting surveys for political campaigns, especially in Congressional districts in non-presidential year races, taught me the value of the vote history available on registered voter lists. More often than not, surveys I helped conduct based on such lists came closer representing the true likely electorate than media RDD samples which, like the Siena survey, disclose little to nothing about their likely voter screen or demographic composition.
Add to that the potential advantages of a self-administered automated survey in getting voters to provide more honest answers about whether they plan to vote and who they plan to vote for, and I find it difficult to ignore the PPP results. Hoffman looks like he’s headed to a comfortable victory.
Democrats and their media water-carriers got a head-start with this preemptive AP piece downplaying anticipated GOP wins.
Tea Party movement? Doesn’t mean anything.
Nationwide government health care takeover revolt? Doesn’t mean anything.
Gallup poll showing “Conservatives Maintain Edge as Top Ideological Group?” Doesn’t mean anything.
Tomorrow doesn’t mean anything.
If they plug their ears, stamp their feet, and say it often enough, maybe they can wish tomorrow and the conservative surge all away.
Notice I said conservative surge. Not Republican. Read and send Doctor Zero’s excellent essay on the Stupid Party to every clueless GOP leader you know. Excerpt:
The radical nature of the current Administration makes the idea of “moderate” compromise laughable. What’s the moderate position on freedom-crushing trillion-dollar health care and environmentalist legislation? They’re okay, as long as the Democrats pinky-swear to keep the cost under $800 billion? That’s the kind of promise no politician could keep, even if it was made in earnest. A moderate Republican is someone who lives in a state of perpetual surprise as he ponders the monthly bills for nanny-state government. What’s the point of electing people who are guaranteed to spend the rest of their political careers complaining about how they’ve been played for fools?
Too much of the Republicans’ “Stupid Party” strategy is based on the mechanics of getting people with little elephants on their campaign signs elected. They view the election as the conclusion of a contest, when in fact it’s only the beginning. A successful Republican Party doesn’t have to be ideologically rigid, but it should insist on candidates who possess an intellectual foundation of conservative theory, and the ability to explain it at least as well as the thousands of people posting comments on conservative blogs.
Brace for Democrat dirty deeds, led by — who else? — ACORN.
Posted in B Hussein Obama, Barack Hussein Obama, Barack Obama, democrat muslim, Hussein Obama, Islam, islam fundamentalist, Islam sympathizers, Islamic immigration, Obama. Leave a Comment »
Stimulus and the Jobless Recovery
By Edward Lazear, Wall Street Journal
Maybe we should look at unemployment rather than bogus “jobs saved” claims
With the news that GDP grew at 3.5% in the third quarter, it seems apparent that economic recovery is underway. How much of this was a result of government programs? To evaluate this, it is important to understand what constitutes a recovery. There are three developments needed to restore the economy to its prior vibrancy.
The first development, bank stabilization, began in late autumn of last year. The source of the recession was financial-sector turmoil that commenced in August 2007 and peaked in early autumn 2008. Although we did not know it at the time, by the end of 2008 the financial crisis had passed. Financial markets were far from normal, but the panics and major collapses that characterized September 2008 were behind us, and no others arose. This financial-sector stabilization created the environment that is allowing our economy to heal.
This past January, at the end of my term as chairman of the President’s Council of Economic Advisers, my agency released the White House economic forecast. At that time, I said that I foresaw a couple of bad quarters but expected that the second half of 2009 would be positive, with perhaps very strong growth in 2010.
These forecasts assumed no stimulus; the projected turnaround was instead based on the natural rebound of the economy that would come after the financial crisis had eased. The resumption of GDP growth, which is the second development on the road to full recovery, probably began in late spring of this year.
The third recovery factor—job growth—will be slower to develop. In a shallower recession that ended in late 2001, job growth did not become positive until 2003.
Historically, recoveries have a consistent pattern: Productivity grows first, then jobs are created, and finally wages rise.
National Education Association recommends Saul Allinsky
Right there on the official website:
“An inspiration to anyone contemplating action in their community! And to every organizer!” [bold in original]
Hat tip: Jeff R.
Page Printed from: http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2009/11/national_education_association.html at November 03, 2009 – 08:42:44 AM EST
Posted in Alinsky, B Hussein Obama, Barack Hussein Obama, Barack Obama, democrat muslim, Hussein Obama, Islam, islam fundamentalist, Islam sympathizers, Islamic immigration, Obama, Saul Alinsky. Leave a Comment »
NYT: GORE’S BIG PROFITS FROM ‘GLOBAL WARMING’…
Gore’s Dual Role in Spotlight: Advocate and Investor
By JOHN M. BRODER
WASHINGTON — Former Vice President Al Gore thought he had spotted a winner last year when a small California firm sought financing for an energy-saving technology from the venture capital firm where Mr. Gore is a partner.
The company, Silver Spring Networks, produces hardware and software to make the electricity grid more efficient. It came to Mr. Gore’s firm, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, one of Silicon Valley’s top venture capital providers, looking for $75 million to expand its partnerships with utilities seeking to install millions of so-called smart meters in homes and businesses.
Mr. Gore and his partners decided to back the company, and in gratitude Silver Spring retained him and John Doerr, another Kleiner Perkins partner, as unpaid corporate advisers.
The deal appeared to pay off in a big way last week, when the Energy Department announced $3.4 billion in smart grid grants. Of the total, more than $560 million went to utilities with which Silver Spring has contracts. Kleiner Perkins and its partners, including Mr. Gore, could recoup their investment many times over in coming years.
Silver Spring Networks is a foot soldier in the global green energy revolution Mr. Gore hopes to lead. Few people have been as vocal about the urgency of global warming and the need to reinvent the way the world produces and consumes energy. And few have put as much money behind their advocacy as Mr. Gore and are as well positioned to profit from this green transformation, if and when it comes.
Critics, mostly on the political right and among global warming skeptics, say Mr. Gore is poised to become the world’s first “carbon billionaire,” profiteering from government policies he supports that would direct billions of dollars to the business ventures he has invested in.
Representative Marsha Blackburn, Republican of Tennessee, asserted at a hearing this year that Mr. Gore stood to benefit personally from the energy and climate policies he was urging Congress to adopt.
Mr. Gore says that he is simply putting his money where his mouth is.
“Do you think there is something wrong with being active in business in this country?” Mr. Gore said. “I am proud of it. I am proud of it.”
In an e-mail message this week, he said his investment activities were consistent with his public advocacy over decades.
“I have advocated policies to promote renewable energy and accelerate reductions in global warming pollution for decades, including all of the time I was in public service,” Mr. Gore wrote. “As a private citizen, I have continued to advocate the same policies. Even though the vast majority of my business career has been in areas that do not involve renewable energy or global warming pollution reductions, I absolutely believe in investing in ways that are consistent with my values and beliefs. I encourage others to invest in the same way.”
Mr. Gore has invested a significant portion of the tens of millions of dollars he has earned since leaving government in 2001 in a broad array of environmentally friendly energy and technology business ventures, like carbon trading markets, solar cells and waterless urinals.
He has also given away millions more to finance the nonprofit he founded, the Alliance for Climate Protection, and to another group, the Climate Project, which trains people to present the slide show that was the basis of his documentary “An Inconvenient Truth.” Royalties from his new book on climate change, “Our Choice,” printed on 100 percent recycled paper, will go to the alliance, an aide said.
Other public figures, like Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who have vocally supported government financing of energy-saving technologies, have investments in alternative energy ventures. Some scientists and policy advocates also promote energy policies that personally enrich them.
As a private citizen, Mr. Gore does not have to disclose his income or assets, as he did in his years in Congress and the White House. When he left government in early 2001, he listed assets of less than $2 million, including homes in suburban Washington and in Tennessee.
Since then, his net worth has skyrocketed, helped by timely investments in Apple and Google, profits from books and his movie, and scores of speeches for which he can be paid more than $100,000, although he often speaks at no charge.
He is a founder of Generation Investment Management, based in London and run by David Blood, a former head of Goldman Sachs Asset Management (the firm was quickly dubbed Blood and Gore). Mr. Gore earns a partner’s salary at Kleiner Perkins. He has substantial personal finances invested at both firms, officials of the companies said.
He also serves as an adviser to high-profile technology companies including Apple and Google, relationships that have paid him handsome dividends over the last eight years.
Mr. Gore’s spokeswoman would not give a figure for his current net worth, but the scale of his wealth is evident in a single investment of $35 million in Capricorn Investment Group, a private equity fund started by his friend Jeffrey Skoll, the first president of eBay.
Ion Yadigaroglu, a co-founder of Capricorn, said that Mr. Gore does not sit on the fund’s investment committee, but obviously agrees with the partners’ strategy of putting long-term money into promising ventures in energy, technology and health care around the globe.
“Aspirationally,” said Mr. Yadigaroglu, who holds a doctorate from Stanford in astrophysics, “we’re trying to make more money than others doing the same thing and do it in a way that is superior in ethics and impacts.”
Mr. Gore has said he invested in partnerships and funds that try to identify and support companies that are advancing cutting-edge green technologies and are paving the way toward a low-carbon economy.
He has a stake in the world’s pre-eminent carbon credit trading market and in an array of companies in bio-fuels, sustainable fish farming, electric vehicles and solar power.
Capricorn holds a major stake in Falcon Waterfree Technologies, the world’s leading maker of waterless urinals. Generation has holdings in Ausra, a solar energy company based in California, and Camco, a British firm that develops carbon dioxide emissions reduction projects. Kleiner Perkins has a green ventures fund with nearly $1 billion invested in renewable energy and efficiency concerns.
Mr. Gore also has substantial interests in technology, media and biotechnology ventures that have no direct tie to his environmental advocacy, an aide said.
Mr. Gore is not a lobbyist, and he has never asked Congress or the administration for an earmark or policy decision that would directly benefit one of his investments. But he has been a tireless advocate for policies that would move the country away from the use of coal and oil, and he has begun a $300 million campaign to end the use of fossil fuels in electricity production in 10 years.
But Marc Morano, a climate change skeptic who until recently was a top aide to Senator James M. Inhofe, Republican of Oklahoma, said that what he saw as Mr. Gore’s alarmism and occasional exaggerations distorted the debate and also served his personal financial interests.
Mr. Gore has testified numerous times in support of legislation to address climate change and to revamp the nation’s energy policies.
He appeared before the House Energy and Commerce Committee in April to support an energy and climate change bill that was intended to reduce global warming emissions through a cap-and-trade program for major polluting industries.
Mr. Gore, who shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize for his climate advocacy, is generally received on Capitol Hill as something of an oracle, at least by Democrats.
But at the hearing in April, he was challenged by Ms. Blackburn, who echoed some of the criticism of Mr. Gore that has swirled in conservative blogs and radio talk shows. She noted that Mr. Gore is a partner at Kleiner Perkins, which has hundreds of millions of dollars invested in firms that could benefit from any legislation that limits carbon dioxide emissions.
“I believe that the transition to a green economy is good for our economy and good for all of us, and I have invested in it,” Mr. Gore said, adding that he had put “every penny” he has made from his investments into the Alliance for Climate Protection.
“And, Congresswoman,” he added, “if you believe that the reason I have been working on this issue for 30 years is because of greed, you don’t know me.”
Posted in Al Gore, B Hussein Obama, Barack Hussein Obama, Barack Obama, democrat muslim, Global warming, Global Warming Cult, global warming hoax, Hussein Obama, Islam, islam fundamentalist, Islam sympathizers, Islamic immigration, Obama. Leave a Comment »
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line652
|
__label__cc
| 0.674887
| 0.325113
|
Election official: I’d testify Obama not born in Hawaii
June 14, 2010 — budsimmons
By Joe Kovacs, World Net Daily
Obama not born in Hawaii According to Hawaiian Official
The former Honolulu elections clerk who says President Obama was “definitely” not born in Hawaii and has no birth certificate from any hospital in the Aloha State says he’s willing to testify in court to those facts.
“The things I’ve said, I don’t mind testifying in court,” Tim Adams, the senior elections clerk for the city and county of Honolulu in the 2008 campaign, told WND in an exclusive interview.
“I was working there, and this is what it was. I’m not a lawyer, just a civil servant. I know what I know. I know what I was told by the hospitals and by my supervisors.”
Adams, a Hillary Clinton supporter who now teaches English at Western Kentucky University while he works on his master’s degree, burst…
Posted in B Hussein Obama, Barack Hussein Obama, Barack Obama, democrat muslim, Hussein Obama, Islam, islam fundamentalist, Islam sympathizers, Islamic immigration, Obama. Tags: Barack Obama Traitor, birth Certificate, Election Official, Elegibility, Gangster government, Hawaiian birth, Hawaiian Official, Obama, Obama elgibility, Obama moves closer to Islam, Obama regime, Obamunism, Socialism, testify. Leave a Comment »
The Jewish Land Palestine/Eretz Israel: A National Home of Only One People
The Jewish Land
Palestine/Eretz Israel: A National Home of Only One People
June 14, 2010 | Eli E. Hertz
The following is an excerpt from the U.S. Congressional Record of 1922 that demonstrates the powerful sense of the members of Congress in favor of reestablishing of a Jewish national home in Palestine:
“Palestine of to-day, the land we now know as Palestine, was peopled by the Jews from the dawn of history until the Roman era. It is the ancestral homeland of the Jewish people. They were driven from it by force by the relentless Roman military machine and for centuries prevented from returning.
“At different periods various alien people succeeded them, but the Jewish race had left an indelible impress upon the land. To-day it is a Jewish country. Every name, every landmark, every monument, and every trace of whatever civilization remaining there is still Jewish . And it has ever since remained a hope, a longing, as expressed in their prayers for these nearly 2,000 years. No other people has ever claimed Palestine as their national home. No other people has ever shown an aptitude or indicated a genuine desire to make it their homeland. The land has been ruled by foreigners. Only since the beginning of the modern Zionist effort may it be said that a creative, cultural, and economic force has entered Palestine. The Jewish Nation was forced from its natural home. It did not go because it wanted to. A perusal of Jewish history, a reading of Josephus, will convince the most skeptical that the grandest fight that was ever put up against an enemy was put up by the Jew. He never thought of leaving Palestine.
“But he was driven out. But did he, when driven out, give up his hope of getting back? Jewish history and Jewish literature give the answer to that question. The Jew even has a fast day devoted to the day of destruction of the Jewish homeland. Never throughout history did they give up hope of returning there. I am told that 90 per cent of the Jews to-day are praying for the return of the Jewish people to its own home. The best minds among them believe in the necessity of reestablishing the Jewish land. To my mind there is something prophetic in the fact that during the ages no other nation has taken over Palestine and held it in the sense of a homeland; and there is something providential in the fact that for 1,800 years it has remained in desolation as if waiting for the return of its people.”
Posted in B Hussein Obama, Barack Hussein Obama, Barack Obama, democrat muslim, Hussein Obama, Islam, islam fundamentalist, Islam sympathizers, Islamic immigration, Obama. Tags: Islam is the enemy, Israel's Right to Exist, Jewish Homeland, Media Bias against Israel, Obama hates Israel, Obama moves closer to Islam, Obama Muslim, Socialism. Leave a Comment »
Egyptian minister: Obama told me he is a Muslim, who supports the Muslim agenda.
Egyptian minister: Obama told me he is a Muslim
Obama told me he is still a Muslim, who supports the Muslim agenda.
Very few media has picked up what Egypt Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit said on Nile-TV in regards to Obama confirming he is a Muslim.
This was a statement by Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit on Nile-TV. It was made on the «Round table show».
This is the statement recorded:
Adul Gheit said he had a one-on-one meeting with Obama, where the US President told him that He was still a Muslim, the son of a Muslim father, the step son of Muslim stepfather, that his half brothers in Kenya are Muslims, and that he was sympatetic towards the Muslim agenda.
Adul Gheit claimed Obama told the Arabs to show patience. Obama promised that once he overcame some domestic issues, like the Health care reform, he would show the Muslim World how to deal with Israel.
Obama, a ‘Strategic Catastrophe’
Israeli officials say it’s not Iran that is Israel’s greatest threat | Aviel Schneider
Netanyahu to Obama: Let my people…STAY!
Although Israeli officials publicly play down the crisis in relations between Jerusalem and Washington, privately the language is much different. Sources close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu describe Obama as a “strategic catastrophe” for Israel.
Officials in the Prime Minister’s Office, speaking on condition of anonymity to the nation’s top newspapers, see the Obama administration as a serious threat to the future of the State of Israel. On the record, Israel and the US have a “strategic partnership that is unbreakable”; off the record, the terminology is blunt to say the least.
“President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have drawn a clear line, supporting the Palestinian position at the expense of Israel,” said one Netanyahu confidant. “It is insane, it is sick. Relations between Jerusalem and Washington are simply disastrous; the situation has never been so dangerous. This US President wants to establish a Palestinian state at any price and hand them Jerusalem on a silver platter.”
Netanyahu has repeatedly distanced himself from such statements, but commentators say the government speaks with a forked tongue. “Israel’s relations with the US are at a low point, and Obama poses a danger to Israel,” wrote Nahum Barnea in the nation’s biggest newspaper Yediot Ahronot.
The feeling among the Israeli public is that Obama is appeasing the Muslim world at the expense of Israel.
“The American President told me in confidence that he is a Muslim,” said Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit on Nile TV. That could explain why Obama has instructed that the term “Islamic extremism” no longer be used in official government documents and statements.
Furthermore, the US is now accusing Israel of harming American interests in the Middle East. General David Petraeus, the head of US Central Command, said Israel’s intransigence on resolving the conflict with the Palestinians is endangering US forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Even the US Congress considers Obama’s behavior toward Netanyahu humiliating. Three-quarters of the House of Representatives, 337 of 435 members, signed a bipartisan letter to Clinton expressing “deep concern over recent tension” between the two countries, and demanding that it be smoothed over quickly and in private.
“Obama is a real problem for Israel,” a senior official told told Yediot. “He is Israel’s biggest strategic catastrophe.”
The newspaper also quoted another official who believes that for the first time Washington has switched sides. “The Obama White House is putting pressure only on Israel but does not expect anything from the Palestinians,” he said. “These American demands are unacceptable.”
“The Americans know very well that Israeli construction has always been happening in East Jerusalem and building in Jewish neighborhoods has never been frozen,” said another official. “The Americans use excuses like [the Jewish neighborhood of] Ramat Shlomo and the Shepherd Hotel [another Jewish building project in East Jerusalem] to confront Netanyahu.”
So during Passover, Netanyahu invited Nobel Prize-winning author and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel to his private residence in Caesaria. He urged Wiesel, who is an American citizen, to make it clear to his good friend Obama how important Jerusalem is to the Jewish people.
“Jerusalem was, is and always will be the united capital of Israel,” said Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat. “Construction in all parts of Jerusalem will continue.”
According to a poll by the Independent Media Review & Analysis, 70 percent of Israeli Jews oppose a construction freeze in East Jerusalem, compared to only 19 percent who support it. The survey also found that 69 percent believe the division of Jerusalem with international control of the Old City would lead to ongoing conflict rather than peace.
Officials in Netanyahu’s inner circle believe Obama’s strategy is to force a change of government in Israel. By forcing Israeli concessions on the “settlement” issue, hawks could bolt the coalition, pushing Netanyahu into an alliance with the dovish Kadima party. Kadima is led by former Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, who, under the previous Olmert government, offered the Palestinians an independent state in 97 percent of the disputed territories with a capital in East Jerusalem.
Obama has been buoyed by his domestic success in passing the historic health care reform bill. And he may believe that he can extend that victory to the international arena by resolving the Middle East conflict. But if Obama continues to underestimate Israeli resolve on Jerusalem, his peace efforts are doomed to failure.
My comment:
Few American and International media seems to be covering this news event in Egypt.
I wounder why?
Are they embarrassed that the American voters have been fooled to vote a Muslim into the seat of the Commander in Chief of United States of America?
Or have the Obama Administration been able to convince the press, that this media story from Egypt is false?
Under any circumstances, the Obama Hussein Administration has shown us that they favor the Islamic World. The word «Islamic Terrorism» is now deleted form the vocabulary in the US. Islam shall from now on only be presented to the American public as a religion of peace.
Posted in B Hussein Obama, Barack Hussein Obama, Barack Obama, democrat muslim, Hussein Obama, Islam, islam fundamentalist, Islam sympathizers, Islamic immigration, Obama. Tags: Ahmed Abul Gheit, Anti-Israel Lobby, Barack Obama anti American, Barack Obama Traitor, Gangster government, Islam is the enemy, Islam's hatred against the Jews, Islamic Fifth Column, Islamic terrorism, Jeremiah Wright, Jewish Homeland, Obama anti-semitic, Obama moves closer to Islam, Obama Muslim, UN Anti-semites. Leave a Comment »
The Government Bailouts Must End
Morning Bell: The Government Bailouts Must End
Posted By Conn Carroll On June 14, 2010 @ 9:37 am In Education, Entitlements, Health Care |
Late Saturday night President Barack Obama sent a letter [1] to the leadership of the House and Senate urging them to approve a tax and spending bill currently being debated in the Senate that already would add $80 billion to our nation’s budget deficit. But coming off of last year’s $862 billion stimulus, President Obama is not happy with just another $80 billion in debt for this year. He also requested another $50 billion in deficit spending [2] earmarked for bailing-out state and local governments. Without this “emergency” money, the President claims thousands of government union jobs would be lost. But even among his own party, the President faces an uphill climb. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer told The Washington Post [2]: “I think there is spending fatigue.” “Bailout fatigue” is more like it. And the President’s envisioned spending spree is full of both.
The Government Union Bailout [3]: $23 billion of the President’s additional $50 billion in spending would supposedly go to keep teachers in the classroom. This new spending would be in addition to the nearly $100 billion appropriated to the Department of Education by the President’s $862 billion stimulus bill, of which $34.7 billion in education funds remains unspent. Meanwhile, over the past decade student enrollment has increased only 6% while the number of teachers in the classroom has risen 15.8%. But over this same period, studies found a correlation between reduced class sizes and student achievement. More federal funding is unlikely to increase student achievement and will not provide a long-term solution to states’ budget shortfalls. Another bailout from Washington could even exacerbate states’ fiscal problems by creating disincentives for states to tackle out-of-control spending and make real education reforms.
The Medicaid Bailout [4]: $25 billion of the President’s latest spending spree is set to bail-out state Medicaid programs. This would be the fourth time this decade that Congress has bailed-out state Medicaid programs. The cycle is all too familiar. Between 1990 and 2007, Medicaid spending more than quadrupled from $69 billion to $316 billion [5]. Because of these constant bailouts, states have avoided dealing with their mismanagement of the program. More money from Washington will guarantee one thing: states will continue to spend far in excess of what they can afford, and Congress will treat the federal taxpayers like an ATM machine to cover the shortfalls.
The Obamacare Bailout [6]: The President’s signature legislative accomplishment is just barely three months old, but it already is in need of a $400 billion bailout. In an interview with Politico [7] Sunday, the President said of Obamacare: “I strongly believe that the health care bill was the right thing to do … I think it’s going to help us bend the cost curve in ways that will actually help us deal with the deficit, not add to it.” But just one day earlier during his weekly radio address, the President pleaded with Congress [8] to pass a temporary fix in Medicare reimbursement rates for doctors: “Now, I realize that simply kicking these cuts down the road another year is not a long-term solution to this problem. I’m absolutely willing to take the difficult steps necessary to lower the cost of Medicare and put our budget on a more fiscally sustainable path. But I’m not willing to do that by punishing hard-working physicians or the millions of Americans who count on Medicare. That’s just wrong. And that’s why in the short-term, Congress must act to prevent this pay cut to doctors.” So which is it? Did Obamacare “bend the cost curve” in ways that will help the deficit, or is Medicare still on a fiscally unsustainable path? The reality is that Obamacare’s deficit reduction claims were always a complete fraud, and the President’s pitch for a doc fix exposes that fact.
Last week Gallup reported [9] that “Federal government debt” was the issue that most threatened the future well-being of the United States. Our nation’s record deficits are largely driven by the record spending increases of the last decade and the last year in particular. There is a way out of this deficit nightmare: stop spending [10]. If the federal government managed to return to the per-household spending level of the Reagan administration, the budget would be balanced by 2012 without any tax hikes. Or just returning to the per-household spending levels that existed before the current recession would balance the budget by 2019. But first we must stop the bleeding: the government bailouts must end.
Internal White House documents reveal that 51% of employers may have to relinquish their current health care coverage by 2013 [11] due to Obamacare.
The New York Times reports [12] that Obamacare will raise your health insurance premiums an extra 3% this year.
The retirement of baby boomer doctors and nurses [13] are set to make the Obamacare doctor shortages even worse.
Small banks are beginning to miss their TARP bailout [14] payments.
The United States has discovered nearly $1 trillion in untapped mineral deposits in Afghanistan [15], far beyond any previously known reserves.
Posted in B Hussein Obama, Barack Hussein Obama, Barack Obama, democrat muslim, Hussein Obama, Islam, islam fundamentalist, Islam sympathizers, Islamic immigration, Obama. Tags: bailouts, Barack Obama Traitor, Crony Capitalism, debt, doc fix, Gangster government, Goldman Sachs, government unions, Healthcare, medicaid, Morning Bell, Obama Health Care Plan, Power grab, wall st bailouts. Leave a Comment »
Congress mulls bill to revise 14th Amendment birthright citizenship
By Matt Rocheleau – ABC News 06/14/10 at 8:10 AM
Anyone born on American soil is an American.
That’s an unconditional right, according to the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution.
A bill in the House of Representatives would change the 14th amendment to the US Constitution that grants anyone who is born on US soil the right of American citizenship.
It’s not an exclusively American practice. Worldwide, about 30 nations (mostly in the Western Hemisphere) have similar birthright citizenship policy. Citizenship based on where a person is born, is called jus soli, which is Latin for “right of the soil.”
But jus soli is primarily a New World right. Today, there are no European nations that grant jus soli. Most countries in Europe use a jus sanguinis policy, which determines citizenship based on having an ancestor who is a citizen.
A bill making its way through Congress, if passed, would bring the US more into line with current European birthright policies. But in the wake of the controversy over Arizona’s new immigration policy, any changes to the 14th Amendment would likely become another flashpoint in the debate over illegal immigrants.
Full story: Congress Mulls Bill to Revise 14th Amendment Birthright Citizenship – ABC News
Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2010/06/14/congress-mulls-bill-to-revise-14th-amendment-birthright-citizenship/print/#ixzz0qorrOzoW
Posted in B Hussein Obama, Barack Hussein Obama, Barack Obama, democrat muslim, Hussein Obama, Islam, islam fundamentalist, Islam sympathizers, Islamic immigration, Obama. Tags: ARIZONA, Arizona Immigration Law, Barack Obama Traitor, Birth right, Birth tourism, Birthright citizenship in the United States of America, Congress, constitutional law, Europe, Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, House of Representatives, Islamic Fifth Column, Jus sanguinis, Jus soli, Law, Mexican border, Multiple citizenship, Nationality, Nationality law, Social issues, United States, United States nationality law. Leave a Comment »
Inside Iran’s Sex Slave Industry The misogynistic Islamist Mullah regime of Iran are turning the women into sex-slaves…
Inside Iran’s Sex Slave Industry
Monday, 14 June 2010 03:52 Acharya S./D.M. Murdock
The misogynistic Islamist Mullah regime of Iran are turning the women into sex-slaves…
Iranians protesting election of 2009
(Photo by Emiliya_1998)
With the approaching first anniversary on June 12th of last year’s controversial Iranian presidential elections, officials of the Islamic Republic are bracing for possibly millions of protestors pouring into the streets in a show of strength that could eventually spell the end of the government’s 30-year reign of terror and oppression. So terrified is the current regime, apparently, that the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, on the recent celebration of Ayatollah Khomeini’s birthday, ordered all Iranians living abroad to return to their native land to be hanged or jailed for being “enemies of the Islamic Republic.”
The list of the Iranian people’s grievances against the Islamic Republic headed by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is long indeed, and includes the blatant and vicious oppression of women, manifested most pathologically in government-sponsored prostitution and sex slavery.
While the regime’s apologists put forth weak arguments and excuses for the blatant Islamist abuse of women in Iran—claiming, for example, that because there are female Iranian lawyers and doctors women are thus treated well and fairly—festering below this shallow surface remains a horrendous record of sexism and misogyny justified by classical, not “radical” or “extremist,” Islamic teachings.
Iranian Shah’s wife, before 1979 revolution
One need only look at images preceding the Islamic fundamentalist takeover of Iran in 1979 to see how poorly women have fared in the past three decades under what some Iranians consider a criminal occupation of their ancient nation. Says Iranian-American writer Amil Imani, for example:
“Under the late Shah, Iranian women were the most respected females in the entire Muslim world. These thugs who are currently running my native country are not Iranians but packs of Muslim wolves who are simply following the examples of the prophet of Islam, Muhammad.
“This misogynist religion of Allah is custom-made for the savage male. A faithful follower of Allah is allowed to have as many as four permanent wives—and replace any of them at any time he wants—as well as an unlimited number of one-night or one-hour-standers that he can afford to rent. But, woe unto a woman if she even has a single love affair with another man. Nothing less than death by stoning is her just punishment.”
Mr. Imani, an ex-Muslim co-founder of Former Muslims United, has good reason to make what sound to the untrained eye to be inflammatory remarks about the Islamic Republic, as he has watched from the safety of his well-appreciated adopted home of America the absolute oppression of his beloved Persian people, male and female, by rabid Islamists who use Islamic sharia law in order to establish a male-dominant, sexist and misogynistic regime that abuses, enslaves and exploits girls and women to the hilt. This exploitation and abuse include the kidnapping of girls and women off the streets to be enslaved in government-approved brothels, as well as to be trafficked in sex slavery around the Arab world and elsewhere globally.
Iranian brothels service male “pilgrims”
The government-approved or run whorehouses with kidnapped sex slaves who service male “pilgrims” and others are Iran’s “dirty little secret,” which mainstream media and human-rights activists may be ignoring as a “cultural idiosyncrasy” or “religious freedom” but which is in reality the cause of the intense suffering of thousands of Persian girls and women, as men have turned them into sex slaves, to be used in Iran as well as to be sold to men in other countries, including in the West, according to Dr. Donna M. Hughes of the University of Rhode Island.
Dr. Hughes is a “leading international researcher on trafficking of women and children” whose studies have included the trafficking of girls and women in such diverse places as not only Iran, Russia and Korea, but also the United States, France and Great Britain. In “Islamic Fundamentalism and the Sex Slave Trade in Iran” (2005), Hughes writes:
“A measure of Islamic fundamentalists’ success in controlling society is the depth and totality with which they suppress the freedom and rights of women. In Iran for 25 years, the ruling mullahs have enforced humiliating and sadistic rules and punishments on women and girls, enslaving them in a gender apartheid system of segregation, forced veiling, second-class status, lashing, and stoning to death.
“Joining a global trend, the fundamentalists have added another way to dehumanize women and girls: buying and selling them for prostitution. Exact numbers of victims are impossible to obtain, but according to an official source in Tehran, there has been a 635 percent increase in the number of teenage girls in prostitution. The magnitude of this statistic conveys how rapidly this form of abuse has grown. In Tehran, there are an estimated 84,000 women and girls in prostitution, many of them are on the streets, others are in the 250 brothels that reportedly operate in the city. The trade is also international: thousands of Iranian women and girls have been sold into sexual slavery abroad.
“The head of Iran’s Interpol bureau believes that the sex slave trade is one of the most profitable activities in Iran today. This criminal trade is not conducted outside the knowledge and participation of the ruling fundamentalists. Government officials themselves are involved in buying, selling, and sexually abusing women and girls.
“Many of the girls come from impoverished rural areas. Drug addiction is epidemic throughout Iran, and some addicted parents sell their children to support their habits. High unemployment—28 percent for youth 15-29 years of age and 43 percent for women 15-20 years of age—is a serious factor in driving restless youth to accept risky offers for work. Slave traders take advantage of any opportunity in which women and children are vulnerable. For example, following the recent earthquake in Bam, orphaned girls have been kidnapped and taken to a known slave market in Tehran where Iranian and foreign traders meet.
“Popular destinations for victims of the slave trade are the Arab countries in the Persian Gulf. According to the head of the Tehran province judiciary, traffickers target girls between 13 and 17, although there are reports of some girls as young as 8 and 10, to send to Arab countries….”
Hughes’s article also reports the breaking up of several prostitution networks thriving in Turkey and Europe, extending to Pakistan and Afghanistan as well. In the Islamic fundamentalist country of Pakistan, she explains, also exist institutionalized brothels in which these sex slaves often end up.
Islamic sexism and misogyny
Iranian women today
(Photo by Zoom Zoom)
While Islamist apologists may argue that sex slavery exists around the world, exploiting innocent girls, women, boys and men, the fact will remain that in these Muslim nations this human-rights abuse has become institutionalized, with government-run brothels in Iran, for instance, offering what is called mutah or a temporary contract that allows men to “marry” for sexual purposes women other than the four concurrent wives alloted by Muhammad. Many of these brothels are near “holy sites,” so that male pilgrims can “relieve their urges” while on a “religious” pilgrimage.
These sexist practices are justified by Quranic verses and other Islamic texts that proclaim women to be inferior subhumans to be used and exploited at will by men, who are given permission to beat and control them as they would property and animals.
For example, the Quranic verse or ayah 4:24 is held up as justification for mutah:
“Also [forbidden to you are] married women, except those whom you own as slaves. Such is the decree of God. All women other than these are lawful for you, provided you court them with your wealth in modest conduct, not in fornication. Give them their dowry for the enjoyment you have had of them as a duty; but it shall be no offense for you to make any other agreement among yourselves after you have fulfilled your duty. Surely God is all-knowing and wise.”
Believers in a literal and eternal interpretation of the Quran/Koran seem to have only one place to go with this verse, which basically says that Muslim men can own sex slaves. Moreover, according to Islamic or sharia law, a woman has no right to divorce, as only a man does, a right he may freely exercise in some Muslim areas merely by saying the word talaq—”I divorce you”—three times. A man can then proceed to marry another woman and another after that by doing the same thing.
The notorious Quranic ayah 4:34 makes men superior to women and allows them to beat them:
“Men have authority over women because God has made the one superior to the other, and because they spend their wealth to maintain them. Good women are obedient. They guard their unseen parts because God has guarded them. As for those from whom you fear disobedience, admonish them and forsake them in beds apart, and beat them.”
Woman in niqab in Yemen
(Photo by Steve Evans)
As concerns the guarding of “unseen parts,” in some Muslim sects, a woman’s entire body is considered awrah or “naked” and thus must be completely cloaked. In other words, a woman is wholly a sex organ. In other sects, a woman’s hands and face may be exposed, but the rest of her is a “walking vagina” and must be covered up in loose-fitting clothes so that no man but her husband-owner may see her shape.
Additionally, there are many hadiths or commentaries on the Quran and Muhammad that disparage women and essentially allow for their subjugation and enslavement. In the Tabari (9:113) or History of the Prophets and Kings, written in the 10th century by a respected Islamic scholar and theologian, we read the following about women:
“Allah permits you to shut them in separate rooms and to beat them, but not severely. If they abstain, they have the right to food and clothing. Treat women well for they are like domestic animals and they possess nothing themselves. Allah has made the enjoyment of their bodies lawful in his Qur’an.”
Islamic misogyny is so rampant that it extends to the Muslim hell, the main occupants of which are women, allegedly seen by Muhammad himself:
“I stood at the gates of Paradise, most of those who entered there were poor, I stood at the gates of Hell, most of those who went in there, were women.”
Forced prostitution is illegal in civilized countries
While it may be argued that even the United States has legal, government-approved brothels, as in the state of Nevada, the fact is that forced prostitution is against American law and is generally vigorously prosecuted wherever it is found. The victims of forced prostitution in Western countries are not imprisoned and raped as they are in Iran and elsewhere, as part of the “religious” punishment according to Islamic or sharia law. Nor is the sexploitation of women in the West justified by “sacred scriptures” or “religious traditions” of any sort, although sexism and misogyny themselves are also common to the other Abrahamic faiths of Judaism and Christianity, as well as other religions.
In the end, the fact will remain that according to mainstream, classical Islam, women are subordinate to men and can be exploited at will. As the Quran (2:223) also says:
“Women are your fields: go then, into your fields whence you please.”
Concerning the Iranian Islamic fundamentalists, Hughes states, “Misogyny is at the heart of their ideology and is the framework of their state structure and authority.” Until the world grapples with the fact of religiously justified sexism and misogyny, it cannot call itself enlightened and civilized.
In conclusion, the videos appended to this article give a sad view of what has happened to so many women in Iran since Islamic fundamentalists took over—as well as what happens to any nation that oppresses women and does not allow them the opportunity to pursue their own natural and God-given gifts and talents. As Dr. Hughes also says, “Only the overthrow of the mullahs and the defeat of their theocracy will liberate women from a system of contempt and hatred for women.” The lovely women—and men—of Iran deserve a much better life than they have been consigned to these many years, including the right to self-rule in a free, democratic state.
D.M. Murdock is the author of controversial books and articles on comparative religion and mythology that can be found at Truth Be Known, Stellar House Publishing and Freethought Nation. For more articles from the Freethought Examiner, be sure to subscribe!
Posted in B Hussein Obama, Barack Hussein Obama, Barack Obama, democrat muslim, Hussein Obama, Islam, islam fundamentalist, Islam ideology, Islam sympathizers, Islam's Founder, Islamic Extremists, Islamic history, Islamic immigration, Islamic perversion, Islamic Slavery, Islamic torture, Islamic Women Rights, Obama. Tags: Iran's Mullahs, Islam's Founder, Islamic womens rights, sex-slaves, Shaira law. Leave a Comment »
Sarah Palin: Fuel America with Terrorist-Tarred Oil Instead of Drilling Our Own, Baby?
Sarah Palin’s Notes
Fuel America with Terrorist-Tarred Oil Instead of Drilling Our Own, Baby?
Yesterday at 12:20pm
Am I the only one who wonders what could possibly be the agenda of any politician who would thwart our drive toward energy independence? Continuing to lock up America’s domestic energy reserves, including the energy-rich Last Frontier of Alaska, only equips dangerous foreign regimes as they fund terrorist organizations to harm us and our allies. I’m going to keep speaking and writing about this in the simplest of terms until someone can provide a simple answer as to why liberal Democrats don’t understand that we have safe, warehoused onshore and shallow water reserves waiting for permission to be extracted. They either choose not to understand the geology, science, and technology behind an “all-of-the-above” approach to energy security, or they understand it, yet for whatever frightening reason choose to be lap dogs to Chavez and Ahmadinejad.
Shoot, I must have lived such a doggoned sheltered life as a normal, independent American up there in the Last Frontier, schooled with only public education and a lowly state university degree, because obviously I haven’t learned enough to dismiss common sense (a prerequisite for power in Washington these days). Help me out, friends! Help someone like me – and the majority of Americans – understand why we would ever kowtow and bow to foreign regimes that hate us, instead of doing all we can to starve the beast of terrorism in our plight for security, prosperity, and peace.
There’s an obvious common sense answer to our need for security and energy independence, but don’t hold your breath waiting for common sense to surface in Washington – it’s an endangered species there. Obviously we must responsibly develop our God-given domestic oil and gas reserves right here, right now; we must conserve energy; and we must develop renewables that are based on sound science, not snake oil and favors for political pals.
Please read the following Newsmax article (posted below) summarizing GOP efforts to push the Obama Administration to produce a plan to potentially wean us off one source of dangerous foreign oil. (Of course, I think the prodding should be even more aggressive to shake up the naïve complacency of anti-development Democrats and some deer-in-the-headlights mainstream reporters who are finally realizing they’d been buffaloed into believing any politician had all the answers.)
We must understand the imperative nature of energy security, along with America’s life and death need to secure our borders. Baby, this is why I won’t sit down and shut up about the need to drill.
– Sarah Palin
Senators Demand Answers on Venezuela’s Links to Terrorism
A dozen Republican senators have sent a letter challenging the Obama administration to explain what it knows about Venezuela’s support for terrorism and suggesting that the country be declared a “state sponsor of terrorism.”
“Hugo Chavez’s relationships with Iran and other foreign terrorist organizations continue to grow and pose a serious threat to our hemisphere,” Sen. George LeMieux of Florida, one signer of the letter, said of the Venezuelan president.
“I encourage the State Department to thoroughly evaluate Venezuela’s actions and determine if the country needs to be added to the official U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism.”
John Ensign of Nevada, who drafted the letter along with LeMieux, declared: “It’s no secret to the American people that Venezuela wishes harm to the United States. What is secret is how many more ties to terrorist organizations and state sponsors of terrorism does Venezuela need to be declared a state sponsor of terrorism.”
The letter addressed to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton points to a number of concerns raised by Chavez’s Venezuela:
Surface-to-air missiles and other weapons have reportedly been provided by Venezuela to FARC guerrillas in Colombia. An arms cache captured from FARC in 2008 included Swedish-made anti-tank rocket launchers that had been sold to Venezuela.
Venezuela provides cross-border sanctuaries for Colombian guerrillas.
A United Nations report last year disclosed that nearly one-third of all cocaine produced in the Andean region passes through Venezuela. The senators question how much terrorist groups such as al-Qaida profit from trafficking drugs that originate in or flow through Venezuela.
The U.S. has frozen the assets of two Venezuelans, including one working for Chavez, for providing direct support to the terrorist group Hezbollah. The senators ask the State Department for an assessment of the activities of Hezbollah inside Venezuela.
Chavez’s “extensive support” of the Castro regime in Cuba is calculated to amount to $1 billion a year, and Cuban advisors are involved in the intelligence and security apparatus of the Venezuelan government.
Chavez “has repeatedly expressed support” for Iran’s covert nuclear program and announced a plan for the construction of a “nuclear village” in Venezuela with Iranian assistance. Also, Chavez has pledged to provide Iran with 20,000 barrels of gasoline per day.
As for Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, “recent years have witnessed an increased presence in Latin America, particularly Venezuela.”
Weekly flights connecting Iran, Syria, and Venezuela raise suspicions of “nefarious purposes” because passengers on these flights have been subject to only “cursory immigration and customs controls.”
Newsmax magazine’s May issue disclosed that Iranian security officers seal off the airport in the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, two hours before Iran Air jets arrived. Those officers supervise cargo unloading with no inspection by local officials.
Iran could easily fly in highly enriched uranium that could then be carried into the U.S. from Mexico, increasing the risk of a terrorist attack with a nuclear weapon.
If the U.S. did declare Venezuela a state sponsor of terrorism, American arms sales to the country would be prohibited, as would U.S. economic assistance, and severe restrictions would be placed on bilateral trade.
“The Obama administration’s decision to pull the trigger on Venezuela may hinge on whether the United States can afford to forfeit petroleum exports from that South American country,” Roger F. Noriega, a former assistant secretary of state and a visiting fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, observes on the Institute’s journal, The American.
“Anticipating the argument that Venezuela’s oil supply is too essential to the U.S. economy to risk slapping that country with the terrorist label, the senators ask the administration to explain its ‘contingency plan’ for dealing with a ‘sudden and prolonged unavailability of Venezuelan oil exports to the United States.’”
In answer to the question, the U.S. would likely find new sources of oil on the international market — but Venezuela’s economy will be crippled by the loss of oil revenue and consumer imports, Noriega notes, adding: “Since the last years of the George W. Bush administration, U.S. diplomats have steered clear of Chavez for fear of ‘provoking’ him. Thanks to congressional oversight, we are about to confront the terrible downside of that naïve, passive policy.”
Other senators who signed the letter include John McCain of Arizona, Scott Brown of Massachusetts, and Republican Whip Jon Kyl of Arizona.
Posted in ANWR, ANWR oil, B Hussein Obama, Barack Hussein Obama, Barack Obama, democrat muslim, Hussein Obama, Islam, islam fundamentalist, Islam sympathizers, Islamic immigration, Obama, Offshore Drilling, oil, Oil speculation. Tags: ANWR, BP oil spill, Domestic Drilling, Drilling Ban, Obama biggest recipient of BP cash, Obama’s BP attacks, offshore regulations force deep drilling, oil rig workers, Sarah Palin. Leave a Comment »
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line653
|
__label__cc
| 0.618372
| 0.381628
|
Dem. operative: ‘They need to deftly pin this on the tea partiers’
Politico quotes an anonymous source it identifies as a “veteran Democratic operative”:
“They need to deftly pin this on the tea partiers,” said the Democrat. “Just like the Clinton White House deftly pinned the Oklahoma City bombing on the militia and anti-government people.”
The game being played is obvious to anyone with eyes. Democrats are nakedly exploiting tragedy to harm the tea parties. For shame.
Page Printed from: http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2011/01/dem_operative_they_need_to_def.html at January 10, 2011 – 09:30:14 AM CST
Posted in Democrat corruption, Democrat issues, democrat John McCain, democrat scandals, democrat socialists, Leftist Claptrap, leftist wacko, Liberal, Liberal and Left Wing Political Blogs, liberal media. Tags: Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. Leave a Comment »
“I’m 63 and I’m Tired” — Robert A. Hall is a Marine Vietnam veteran who served five terms in the Massachusetts State Senate.
May 28, 2010 — budsimmons
“I’m 63 and I’m Tired”
By Robert A. Hall
I’m 63. Except for one semester in college when jobs were scarce and a six-month period when I was between jobs, but job-hunting every day, I’ve worked, hard, since I was 18. Despite some health challenges, I still put in 50-hour weeks, and haven’t called in sick in seven or eight years. I make a good salary, but I didn’t inherit my job or my income, and I worked to get where I am. Given the economy, there’s no retirement in sight, and I’m tired. Very tired.
I’m tired of being told that I have to “spread the wealth” to people who don’t have my work ethic. I’m tired of being told the government will take the money I earned, by force if necessary, and give it to people too lazy to earn it.
I’m tired of being told that I have to pay more taxes to “keep people in their homes.” Sure, if they lost their jobs or got sick, I’m willing to help But if they bought McMansions at three times the price of our paid-off, $250,000 condo, on one-third of my salary, then let the left-wing Congress-critters who passed Fannie and Freddie and the Community Reinvestment Act that created the bubble help them with their own money.
I’m tired of being told how bad America is by left-wing millionaires like Michael Moore, George Soros and Hollywood Entertainers who live in luxury because of the opportunities America offers. In thirty years, if they get their way, the United States will have the economy of Zimbabwe , the freedom of the press of China , the crime and violence of Mexico , the tolerance for Christian people of Iran , and the freedom of speech of Venezuela .
I’m tired of being told that Islam is a “Religion of Peace,” when every day I can read dozens of stories of Muslim men killing their sisters, wives and daughters for their family “honor”; of Muslims rioting over some slight offense; of Muslims murdering Christian and Jews because they aren’t “believers”; of Muslims burning schools for girls; of Muslims stoning teenage rape victims to death for “adultery”; of Muslims mutilating the genitals of little girls; all in the name of Allah, because the Qur’an and Shari’a law tells them to.
I’m tired of being told that “race doesn’t matter” in the post-racial world of Obama, when it’s all that matters in affirmative action jobs, lower college admission and graduation standards for minorities (harming them the most), government contract set-asides, tolerance for the ghetto culture of violence and fatherless children that hurts minorities more than anyone, and in the appointment of US. Senators from Illinois .
I think it’s very cool that we have a black president and that a black child is doing her homework at the desk where Lincoln wrote the Emancipation Proclamation. I just wish the black president was Condi Rice, or someone who believes more in freedom and the individual and less arrogantly of an all-knowing government.
I’m tired of a news media that thinks Bush’s fundraising and inaugural expenses were obscene, but that think Obama’s, at triple the cost, were wonderful; that thinks Bush exercising daily was a waste of presidential time, but Obama exercising is a great example for the public to control weight and stress; that picked over every line of Bush’s military records, but never demanded that Kerry release his; that slammed Palin, with two years as governor, for being too inexperienced for VP, but touted Obama with three years as senator as potentially the best president ever. Wonder why people are dropping their subscriptions or switching to Fox News? Get a clue. I didn’t vote for Bush in 2000, but the media and Kerry drove me to his camp in 2004.
I’m tired of being told that out of “tolerance for other cultures” we must let Saudi Arabia use our oil money to fund mosques and mandrassa Islamic schools to preach hate in America , while no American group is allowed to fund a church, synagogue or religious school in Saudi Arabia to teach love and tolerance.
I’m tired of being told I must lower my living standard to fight global warming, which no one is allowed to debate. My wife and I live in a two-bedroom apartment and carpool together five miles to our jobs. We also own a three-bedroom condo where our daughter and granddaughter live. Our carbon footprint is about 5% of Al Gore’s, and if you’re greener than Gore, you’re green enough.
I’m tired of being told that drug addicts have a disease, and I must help support and treat them, and pay for the damage they do. Did a giant germ rush out of a dark alley, grab them, and stuff white powder up their noses while they tried to fight it off? I don’t think Gay people choose to be Gay, but I damn sure think druggies chose to take drugs. And I’m tired of harassment from cool people treating me like a freak when I tell them I never tried marijuana.
I’m tired of illegal aliens being called “undocumented workers,” especially the ones who aren’t working, but are living on welfare or crime. What’s next? Calling drug dealers, “Undocumented Pharmacists”? And, no, I’m not against Hispanics. Most of them are Catholic, and it’s been a few hundred years since Catholics wanted to kill me for my religion. I’m willing to fast track for citizenship any Hispanic person, who can speak English, doesn’t have a criminal record and who is self-supporting without family on welfare, or who serves honorably for three years in our military…. Those are the citizens we need.
I’m tired of latte liberals and journalists, who would never wear the uniform of the Republic themselves, or let their entitlement-handicapped kids near a recruiting station, trashing our military. They and their kids can sit at home, never having to make split-second decisions under life and death circumstances, and bad mouth better people than themselves. Do bad things happen in war? You bet. Do our troops sometimes misbehave? Sure. Does this compare with the atrocities that were the policy of our enemies for the last fifty years and still are? Not even close. So here’s the deal. I’ll let myself be subjected to all the humiliation and abuse that was heaped on terrorists at Abu Ghraib or Gitmo, and the critics can let themselves be subject to captivity by the Muslims, who tortured and beheaded Daniel Pearl in Pakistan, or the Muslims who tortured and murdered Marine Lt. Col. William Higgins in Lebanon, or the Muslims who ran the blood-spattered Al Qaeda torture rooms our troops found in Iraq, or the Muslims who cut off the heads of schoolgirls in Indonesia, because the girls were Christian. Then we’ll compare notes. British and American soldiers are the only troops in history that civilians came to for help and handouts, instead of hiding from in fear.
I’m tired of people telling me that their party has a corner on virtue and the other party has a corner on corruption. Read the papers; bums are bipartisan. And I’m tired of people telling me we need bipartisanship. I live in Illinois , where the “Illinois Combine” of Democrats has worked to loot the public for years. Not to mention the tax cheats in Obama’s cabinet.
I’m tired of hearing wealthy athletes, entertainers and politicians of both parties talking about innocent mistakes, stupid mistakes or youthful mistakes, when we all know they think their only mistake was getting caught I’m tired of people with a sense of entitlement, rich or poor.
Speaking of poor, I’m tired of hearing people with air-conditioned homes, color TVs and two cars called poor. The majority of Americans didn’t have that in 1970, but we didn’t know we were “poor.” The poverty pimps have to keep changing the definition of poor to keep the dollars flowing.
I’m real tired of people who don’t take responsibility for their lives and actions. I’m tired of hearing them blame the government, or discrimination or big-whatever for their problems.
Yes, I’m damn tired. But I’m also glad to be 63. Because, mostly, I’m not going to have to see the world these people are making. I’m just sorry for my granddaughters.
Robert A. Hall is a Marine Vietnam veteran who served five terms in the Massachusetts State Senate.
There is no way this will be widely publicized, unless each of us sends it on! This is your chance to make a difference.
http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/imtired.asp
Posted in B Hussein Obama, Barack Hussein Obama, Barack Obama, democrat John McCain, democrat muslim, Democratic socialism, Democratic Socialists of America, Democrats, Democrats & The Left, democrats and acorn, democrats and CNN, Democrats and drilling, Democrats and Earmarking, democrats and illegal immigration, Hussein Obama, Islam, islam fundamentalist, Islam sympathizers, Islam's Founder, islamc illegal immigration, ISLAMIC ASSEMBLY OF NORTH AMERICA, Islamic Banking, Islamic doctors, Islamic Extremists, Islamic Fifth Column, Islamic history, Islamic immigration, Islamic Imperialism, mexican, Mexican Army, Mexican drug dealer, Mexican Drug Dealers, Mexican migrants, Mexican Pledge Controversy, Mexico, muslim, Muslim American Society, Muslim Brotherhood, muslim clerics, muslim democrats, Muslim doctors, muslim extremist, muslim ghettos, Muslim immigration, Muslim integration, Muslim Mafia, Obama. Tags: Arizona Immigration Law, Barack Obama Traitor, debt, foreign policy, Gangster government, Homeland Security, Illegal Immigration, Janet Nepalitano, Mexican human smuggling, naive, Obama arrogant, Obama regime, Obamunism, Socialism, Stop Obama, Stop Obamunism, uphold the constitution. Leave a Comment »
Morning Bell: This Congress Has No Shame
Posted By Conn Carroll On May 27, 2010 @ 9:38 am In Ongoing Priorities | No Comments
On February 4, 2010, pushing for passage of her pay-as-you-go (PAYGO) legislation, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said [1] on the House floor: “When I became Speaker of the House, the very first day we passed legislation that made PAYGO the rule of the House. Today we will make it the law of the land. … So the time is long overdue for this to be taken for granted. The federal government will pay as it goes.” That was the promise. But here is the reality [2]: in the three years that Speaker Pelosi has enforced her PAYGO rule, the House has violated it by nearly $1 trillion [3].
And now with the U.S. Debt Clock [4] officially passing the $13 trillion milestone Wednesday, the House is set to violate their own PAYGO law yet again, this time to the tune of around $150 billion [5]. The legislation clocks-in at almost one-fifth the size of President Barack Obama’s original $862 billion failed economic stimulus, and the leftist majority in Congress has titled it “The American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act.” And it is a tax-hiking, spending-exploding, job-killing, deficit-hiking wonder.
The Tax Hikes: The entire purpose of this bill was originally to extend some popular and well-established tax cuts that have been around for years but have to be reapproved every year. But being the big government lovers that they are, the left has crafted a bill that actually increases tax revenues by $57 billion over ten years [6]. The biggest items are a job-killing tax on American corporations that compete overseas [7], a job-killing tax on innovation-creating venture capital partnerships [6], and a four-fold increase in the tax on oil production [6] that ostensibly is supposed to go to the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund, but is instead being siphoned off to help pay for completely unrelated new domestic spending [8].
The Spending: The bill originally clocked-in at almost $200 billion [9], and Democrats have since cut the spending to just under $150 billion, $95 billion of which will go straight onto our children’s credit card bill [9] in flagrant violation of Congress’ own PAYGO rules. Goodies include $26 billion for infrastructure, more than $40 billion for yet another unemployment insurance extension, another $24 billion bailout of state Medicaid programs, $8 billion in needlessly expensive health insurance subsidies [8], and $2.5 billion for states to increase their welfare rolls [10]. Even some Democrats are beginning to question the endless UI extensions, with Rep. Kathy Dahlkemper (D-PA) telling The Washington Post [11] that businesses back home complain that they want to start hiring but are getting few applicants because Congress has repeatedly extended unemployment benefits. [11]
And then there is what was originally the largest-ticket item in the bill: $65 billion over three and a half years for increasing physician Medicare reimbursements, aka the “doc fix.” This one item alone proves that all of President Barack Obama’s claims that his health care law reduces the deficit are 100% false. The CBO report this month estimated that $276 billion would be required to shore up the “doc fix” over the next decade. Adding that spending to Obamacare’s already $940 billion total would easily push it into the red. That is why Congress did not address the problem in Obamacare. Brandeis University professor Stuart Altman calls the “doc fix” charade “one of the worst pieces of legislation I’ve ever seen.” [12] The House has cut this version of the “doc fix” down to $21.8 billion just through December 2011.
Across the country, millions of American families are struggling to make family budgets and keep to them. Not Congress. For the first time in the history of the budget process, the House of Representatives has failed to plan how they will spend your tax dollars [13]. Instead they will recklessly continue to flagrantly violate their own PAYGO rules as they add billions and billions worth of debt onto your children. This Congress has no shame.
The front page of USA TODAY [14] asks “Is oil spill becoming Obama’s Katrina?” and cites a new Gallup poll finding that 53% of adults say President Obama is doing a “poor” or “very poor” job of handling the spill.
Democrats Majority Whip Dick Durbin (IL) and Gov. Ed Rendell (PA) called on Rep. Joe Sestak (D-PA) to detail his claim [15] that the White House offered him a job in exchange for dropping out of the PA Senate primary, and Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) said if Sestak’s allegations are true, it is an impeachable [16] offense.
Judicial Watch filed suit against the Obama Justice Department yesterday seeking documents relating to the Obama administration’s decision to abandon a default judgment against the New Black Panther Party [17] for voter intimidation.
The Obama Justice Department has drafted a legal challenge [18] asserting that Arizona’s immigration enforcement law is unconstitutional because it impinges on the federal government’s authority to police the nation’s borders.
The facts on Elena Kagan, Harvard, and the military. [19]
Posted in B Hussein Obama, Barack Hussein Obama, Barack Obama, democrat John McCain, democrat muslim, Democrat Shadow Government, democrat socialists, Democratic socialism, Democratic Socialists of America, Democratic traitors, Democrats & The Left, Hussein Obama, Islam, islam fundamentalist, Islam sympathizers, Islamic immigration, Obama, Uncategorized. Tags: Congress, Democrat traitors, Democrats, Obama hates America, OBAMA REDISTRIBUTION, redistribute wealth, Socialist Democratic Workers Party. Leave a Comment »
JUDICIAL WATCH ANNOUNCES LIST OF WASHINGTON ‘S “TEN MOST CORRUPT POLITICIANS” FOR 2009.
May 4, 2010 — budsimmons
GUESS WHO MADE THE LIST?
THE WHITE HOUSE IS NOT PLEASED.
http://www.judicialwatch.org/news/2009/dec/judicial-watch-announces-list-washington-s-ten-most-wanted-corrupt-politicians-2009
Posted in B Hussein Obama, Barack Hussein Obama, Barack Obama, Democrat Communist Party, Democrat corruption, Democrat issues, democrat John McCain, democrat muslim, democrat scandals, Democrat Shadow Government, democrat socialists, Democratic Corruption, Democratic Party, Democratic socialism, Democratic Socialists of America, Democratic traitors, Hussein Obama, Islam, islam fundamentalist, Islam sympathizers, Islamic immigration, Obama, Uncategorized. Tags: Barack Obama Traitor, CORRUPT POLITICIANS, Democrat traitors, Democrats, Goldman Sachs, Homeland Security, Illegal Immigration, Islamic terrorism. Leave a Comment »
Republicans Threatening Congressional Seats Long Held by Democrats
April 25, 2010 — budsimmons
Winds of change seen not only in places where posts often change hands.
By JEFF ZELENY & ADAM NAGOURNEY
Published: Saturday, April 24, 2010 at 5:06 p.m.
Last Modified: Saturday, April 24, 2010 at 5:06 p.m.
( page of 3 )
ASHLAND, Wis. | Rep. David Obey has won 21 straight races, easily prevailing through wars and economic crises that have spanned presidencies from Nixon to Obama. Yet the discontent with Washington surging through politics is now threatening not only his seat but Democratic control of Congress.
Obey is one of nearly a dozen well-established House Democrats who are bracing for something they rarely face: serious competition. Their predicament is the latest sign of distress for their party and underlines why Republicans are confident of big gains in November, and perhaps even winning back the House.
The fight for the midterm elections is not confined to traditional battlegrounds, where Republicans and Democrats often swap seats every few cycles. In the Senate, Democrats are struggling to hold on to, among others, seats once held by President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden. Democrats are preparing to lose as many as 30 House seats – including a wave of first-term members – and Republicans have expanded their sights to places where political challenges seldom develop.
“It’s not a lifetime appointment,” said Sean Duffy, a Republican district attorney here in the north woods of Wisconsin, where he has established himself as one of the most aggressive challengers to Obey since the Democrat went to Washington in 1969. “There are changes in this country going on and people aren’t happy.”
Obey, who leads the powerful Appropriations Committee, is one of three House Democratic chairmen who have drawn serious opposition. Reps. John Spratt of South Carolina, who oversees the Budget Committee, and Ike Skelton of Missouri, who runs the Armed Services Committee, have been warned by party leaders to step up the intensity of their campaigns to help preserve the Democratic majority.
These established House Democrats find themselves in the same endangered straits as some of their newer colleagues, particularly those who were swept into office in 2008 by Obama as he scored victories in traditionally Republican states like Indiana and Virginia.
Rep. Pete Sessions of Texas, chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, said he would consider anything short of taking back the House a failure. Republicans say they have not recruited strong candidates in all districts, but both parties agree that Republicans are within reach of capturing the 40 additional seats needed to win control. Republicans also are likely to eat into the Democratic majority in the Senate, though their prospects of taking control remain slim.
Democratic congressional officials – well aware that a president’s party typically loses seats in midterm elections – have long been preparing for a tough year. But that Obey here in Wisconsin, and other veteran lawmakers like Rep. Earl Pomeroy of North Dakota, suddenly find themselves in a fight reflects an increasingly sour mood toward the Democratic Party and incumbents.
“He’s supporting the party line of the Democrats, which is not consistent with North Dakota,” said Rick Berg, a Republican state representative from North Dakota who is challenging Pomeroy. “In the past, we’ve been more conservative at home than the people we send to Washington.” Asked if this was a good time to be a Republican candidate, Berg laughed and said: “I sure think so.”
Pomeroy, who has served for 18 years as the state’s only congressman, won two years ago with 62 percent of the vote. Now, he is among the top targets of House Republicans, and is fighting without the help of one of the state’s incumbent Democratic senators on the ballot, since Byron Dorgan chose to retire.
“Some cycles are more challenging as a candidate than others,” Pomeroy said. “This should be in the range of challenging cycles.”
Democrats worry that some lawmakers who have avoided tough races in the past could be at added risk of defeat because they are out of practice, slow on their feet and often reluctant to acknowledge the threat they are facing. The chairman of the House re-election effort, Rep. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, has called mandatory face-to-face meetings with vulnerable members to monitor their campaigns.
complete article below
http://www.theledger.com/article/20100424/NEWS/4245042?Title=Republicans-Threatening-Congressional-Seats-Long-Held-by-Democrats
Posted in B Hussein Obama, Barack Hussein Obama, Barack Obama, Democrat Communist Party, democrat John McCain, democrat muslim, Democrat Shadow Government, democrat socialists, Democratic Corruption, Democratic socialism, Democratic Socialists of America, Democratic traitors, Democrats & The Left, democrats and acorn, democrats and CNN, DEMOCRATS AND ISLAM, Democrats and labor unions, Democrats and Subprime mortgages, Democrats and talk radio, Democrats and taxes, democrats and the UN, Hussein Obama, Islam, islam fundamentalist, Islam sympathizers, Islamic immigration, Obama. Tags: Barack Obama Traitor, Contract for America, debt, Democrat traitors, Healthcare, Homeland Security, Illegal Immigration, In The News, Obama, republican RHINOS, stymulus fund waste, tax hikes, Tea party, uphold the constitution. Leave a Comment »
John Mccain RHINO Many lobbyists say they are watching Obama’s former presidential rival — perhaps the most unusual of the unusual suspects — because he’s engaged in a heated Arizona Republican primary with former Rep. J. D. Hayworth. Financial observers have concluded that McCain’s vote will depend entirely on his analysis of how it plays among Arizona primary voters.
Many lobbyists say they are watching Obama’s former presidential rival — perhaps the most unusual of the unusual suspects — because he’s engaged in a heated Arizona Republican primary with former Rep. J. D. Hayworth. Financial observers have concluded that McCain’s vote will depend entirely on his analysis of how it plays among Arizona primary voters.
“If McCain decides that doing this will help him beat J.D. Hayworth, he’ll do it,” says one.
McCain formed an unlikely alliance with Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) to propose reinstating the Depression-era Glass-Steagall Act, which separated commercial banking from investment banking. That law was repealed in the late 1990s, and many critics say it allowed for the growth of mammoth and risky investment banks. Fully reinstating the law would be further than the Obama administration has proposed.
But for now, Wall Street can breathe easy. Asked if he or other Republicans might vote for the bill, McCain offered a terse “no” and stepped quickly into an elevator.
Posted in B Hussein Obama, Barack Hussein Obama, Barack Obama, democrat John McCain, democrat muslim, Hussein Obama, Islam, islam fundamentalist, Islam sympathizers, Islamic immigration, J.D. Hayworth, John McCain, Obama. Tags: ARIZONA, Democrat Mccain, In The News, J D Hayworth, News, RHINO, Tea party. Leave a Comment »
Eight Republicans Who May Betray Country, Party, Constituency
April 15th, 2010 Posted By Pat Dollard.
Politico:
The Republican rhetoric sounded tough on financial regulatory reform early this week.
“Shame on the president,” said Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.), who complained that President Barack Obama was derailing bipartisan negotiations on Wall Street reform for short-term political gain.
But behind such tough talk is a realization within Republican ranks that several of their own may find themselves voting with Obama when the final Wall Street reform deal comes together. “Some feel like you need to vote for it, just because it’s a popular measure,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.).
What’s striking about the potential GOP “yes” votes is how they differ from the usual suspects who were the focus of such heated speculation during the health care debate.
In addition to such perennial GOP maybes as Graham and Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe of Maine, lobbyists are also talking about Republican senators closer to the core of the party who might side with Obama, including Bob Bennett of Utah and perhaps even John McCain of Arizona.
Call them the unusual suspects.
Democrats need at least one GOP vote, and the speculation is intensifying as Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) says he wants to bring the bill to the Senate floor as early as next week. But one Republican financial lobbyist predicts a domino effect if Republicans get on board: “If one goes, 20 will go. It will be ‘open the floodgates.’”
Here are the eight senators Wall Street is watching most closely:
Saxby Chambliss
The Georgian is the ranking member on the Senate Agriculture Committee, where he has taken a lead role in negotiating the derivatives piece of the bill with Democratic chairwoman Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas. Derivatives are enormously important to large agribusinesses that use them to hedge commodity price risks, but Chambliss has his nose out of joint because Lincoln introduced a liberal-friendly version of the bill without his input earlier this week.
Still, if the bill can somehow be dragged back toward him, Chambliss may want to be part of the deal. “We would like to get a bipartisan bill,” he said. “We would all like to eliminate this too-big-to-fail issue. That’s not an issue that’s going to have any disagreement between Democrats and Republicans. How we get there is where the disagreements will be.”
Can you say “Dodd-Chambliss?”
He was mad at the president at the beginning of the week. But some on Wall Street are convinced that by the end of the debate he’ll be with Obama for the final vote. That’s because he’s a Massachusetts Republican, after all, despite his tea party cred and high-profile campaign against Obama’s health care bill. Republicans are a rare enough breed in New England, and they generally don’t survive long if they don’t hew close to the political center.
“The bottom line is, where there are problems [on Wall Street], we should fix them,” Brown said. And he added that he will take a hard look at the proposals, on which he is just getting up to speed. “I’m not going to vote on anything or make any statements until I read the bills,” he said.
Bob Corker
The first-term senator from Tennessee shocked his GOP colleagues by stepping up to take over the role of lead Republican negotiator on regulatory reform when negotiations between Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd and ranking Republican Richard Shelby broke down. That’s a no-no in the seniority-obsessed Senate, but Corker made himself into an integral deal maker on the bill.
Now that Shelby’s back at the table, Corker may relish a chance to be the closer. Lobbyists wonder whether he wants the bill to be named “Dodd-Corker,” to secure a place in financial history.
“I think we all want to see financial regulation take place; I really do,” said Corker. And of the areas in dispute, he said, “These things are very solvable. It just takes a little grind-it-out work.”
Corker also has made it clear that he thinks the Republicans would be making a political mistake to stand against the bill. “I will be stunned if we do not reach a bipartisan agreement. … Unfortunately, the winds are blowing — there’s lots of things happening here that don’t aid that effort, but at the end of the day, I think we’re going to have a solid bipartisan effort,” he told ABC’s “Good Morning America” on Thursday.
Bob Bennett
The Utah Republican is another old-line senator facing a tough primary fight back home, which means many put him in the same category as McCain — a possible yes, but only if it plays well on the ground in Utah.
Bennett seemed more open to the idea than McCain, telling POLITICO simply, “I think it’s far too early to engage in that sort of speculation.”
Kit Bond
He’s retiring this year, which gives the Missouri senator a lot of freedom — and puts him squarely in the cross hairs of the administration, which is targeting GOP retirees for special wooing. But asked if he would support the bill, Bond said he’d vote for it “when there’s a decent bill.” But, he said, “there’s so many problems with this bill now.” He would not elaborate.
Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins
Both Maine senators are moderates and squarely in the usual-suspects camp, because each was earlier seen as a potential defector on health care.
“I’m looking at everything,” Snowe said. “I have not made any decisions.”
For her part, Collins said, “We need to prevent large financial firms from holding taxpayers hostage. I’m still looking at issues.”
Collins said she’s got a host of concerns, including the bill approach on too big to fail, the authority of a proposed council of financial regulators, gaps in regulatory authority and derivatives.
Posted in B Hussein Obama, Barack Hussein Obama, Barack Obama, democrat John McCain, democrat muslim, Hussein Obama, Islam, islam fundamentalist, Islam sympathizers, Islamic immigration, John McCain, Obama. Tags: In The News, John McCain, News, republican RHINOS, Sen. Lindsey Graham, Tea party. Leave a Comment »
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line654
|
__label__cc
| 0.604817
| 0.395183
|
Career Success Advice from an NFL Quarterback Controversy
Here’s some career advice that comes from the young NFL season. I live in Denver. People here love the Broncos. I’d go as far as saying that people in Denver love the Broncos almost – but not quite — as much as people in Pittsburgh love the Steelers.
We are in the midst of a quarterback controversy in Denver. The coaches and players think that Kyle Orton is the best quarterback on the team. He is the starter. Many of the fans think that Tim Tebow, a second year player who won the Heisman Trophy when he played for the University of Florida, should be the starting quarterback. Neither Orton nor Tebow have commented publicly on the situation. But a whole lot of fans and reporters have.
The sports talk shows are full of Orton/Tebow discussions. People write letters to the editor of the Denver Post about it. Sportswriters all seem to have their position on the issue. Last Sunday, a columnist who doesn’t write about sports devoted his column to it. That one got me. I asked myself, “Why would people bother with this? What difference does it make who the Broncos quarterback is?” Then the answer hit me. They bother because they care. They care a lot.
And that’s where today’s career success advice comes in. Tweet 100 in my career advice book Success Tweets says, “Care about what you do. If you care a little, you’ll be an OK performer. If you care a lot, you’ll become an outstanding performer.” Bronco fans who care so much that they call talk radio shows and write letters to the editor are outstanding fans. If they bring that same passion and caring to their jobs, I’m sure they are outstanding performers and on the road to life and career success.
If you want to become a life and career success, you have to care about what you do. You have to be passionate about it. I’ll use myself as an example.
I am passionate about helping people create the life and career success they want and deserve. I care a lot. That’s why I wrote Success Tweets and give it away for free. That’s why I wrote a series of blog posts explaining the shorthand career advice in each of the 141 common sense tweets in Success Tweets in more detail and turned it into a career advice book called Success Tweets Explained.
I care so much about helping people create the life and career success they deserve that I’ve committed to writing a 700 or 800 word blog post five days a week, 50 weeks a year. Besides that, I’ve created a membership site called My Corporate Climb to help people create their corporate career success. I also do webinars and speeches. I am really passionate about being the very best career success coach out there.
I do all of these things because I care. I care a lot about helping you achieve the kind of career success you deserve. And I know that this caring will pay off in me becoming an outstanding career success coach – somebody who provides his clients with really great career advice.
When you care you do your very best. 2009 marked the 50th anniversary of the publication of one of my favorite books: To Kill a Mockingbird. There is a passage in that book that has always stuck with me. It’s in Chapter 11 and is spoken by Atticus Finch, the father, played by Gregory Peck in the film. He’s speaking to Scout, his daughter…
“I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do.”
It takes courage to care. Because when you care, you put yourself out there. You do your best. And doing your best can be a scary thing. When you care, when you consciously do your best and fail, it is heartbreaking. But at least you have the satisfaction of knowing you did your best.
I remember when I applied to graduate school at Harvard. I decided that I was going to demonstrate to myself how much I cared by writing the very best application I could. I wasn’t going to let myself off the hook if I didn’t get accepted by saying, “I could have written a better application, but I just didn’t spend the time I should have.”
When I put my application in the mailbox – we still did quaint things like that back in the old days – I was proud of what I had written. I knew it was the very best I could do. I was also frightened because I knew that my best might not be good enough. After all, both of my other degrees were from state schools. Who was I to think that those kind of credentials would get me accepted at Harvard?
I cared about the quality of my application, so I did the very best I could. In this case, the story has a happy ending. I was accepted and got my degree. Even if I had not been accepted, I would have been proud of myself because I cared enough to write the best application I could, and I dared enough to admit it to myself.
What about you? Do you really care about what you do? Do you dare to admit how much you care?
The career success coach point here is simple common sense. Successful people are proud of what they do. They care. They are like the Broncos fans who call talk radio and write letters to the editor. They follow the career advice in Tweet 100 in Success Tweets. “Care about what you do. If you care a little, you’ll be an OK performer. If you care a lot, you’ll become an outstanding performer.” Does your work show that you care? Or does it reflect an “it’s good enough” attitude? Take it from a career success coach, if you want to create the life and career success of which you are capable and which you deserve, make sure that how much you care shows through in every single piece of work you do.
That’s my career advice on caring about what you do – a lot. What do you think? Please take a minute to share your thoughts with us in a comment. As always, thanks for reading my daily thoughts on life and career success. I value you and I appreciate you.
PS: If you haven’t already done so, you can download a free copy of the companion piece to Success Tweets, Success Tweets Explained. It’s a whopping 390 + pages of career advice explaining each of the common sense tweets in Success Tweets in detail. Go to http://budurl.com/STExp to claim your free copy. You’ll also start receiving my daily life and career success quotes.
PPS: I opened a membership site on September 1. It’s called My Corporate Climb and is devoted to helping people create career success inside large corporations. To celebrate the grand opening, I’m giving away a new career advice book I’ve written called I Want YOU…To Succeed in Your Corporate Climb. You can find out about the membership site and get the career advice in I Want YOU… for free by going to http://www.mycorporateclimb.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line656
|
__label__cc
| 0.700987
| 0.299013
|
You are here: Home > About Us
Founded in 2014, Creality3d, a high-tech enterprise specializing in the OEM/ODM & sales of 3D printers, with around 550 employees established in Shenzhen, China, has become an well-known and worldwide brand.
As the mission we always mentioned, passing on the spirit of the evangelist,facilitating people to enjoy the convenient of technology. We intend to enable people know more about 3d printing technology. Create reality, achieve dreams! This is how it was. Like us, we don’t even believe that our dreams will become reality. But today, we are here.
Story about Creality
The first time we know about 3d printing. It was five years ago. We believe that this will work and may friends and I decided to give it a shoot. So there was Creality. At first，it was really hard for us and we did encounter lots of problems. but we still believe that we can make it. So there was Creality. As William said. Creality was built up by four of bosses, Mr. Tang. Mr. Ao, William Liu and Jack Chen. From the first 3d printer CR-3 comes out in 2014, and now five years passed. We produce more than 20 kinds of 3d printer including DIY kinds and whole machines, which all pass CE/FCC/ROHS certificates.
In 2015, we build up our own R&D teams and launched a full-scale online sales campaign,and our printer were directly listed on Taobao, Alibaba. At the same time, we established cooperation with the Maker Experiment Center of Bao’an Science Museum. I remember when the first time CR-7 officially comes out. Many friends are quite impressed at its’ look and awesome printing out, that really encourage us to make more high quality printers.
Until 2016, we moved again to a modern industrial park. The company strictly abides by ISO9001 standard, modernized production workshops and completes each shipment of products.
In 2017, our brand new star CR-10 series show up, our company expanded to 12000 square meters with more than 300 people. Our products are export the Europe, United States, Australia, Russia, United Kingdom, Germany, Singapore, Egypt,India more than 30 countries.
In 2018, we visit our customers overseas and make a longer term relationship with them. Now our factory has covered an area of 20,000 square meters and 16 modern production with a total of 550 employees. including more than 30 people in R&D department, 20 Software and electronic engineer and 10 people are devoted to structure, Our monthly production capacity is about 30,000 pcs. and the total production capacity is expected to be about 250,000 pcs this year. At the same time, 4 professional test lines are continuously operated for 24 hours, in line with the company's advanced quality control system, ensuring the high quality of products from the source.
This year, we are all participated in exhibitions in America,Russia, Japan, etc, and we will keep offering excellent service and making high precision printers in the future. And we will always focus on not only the idea of integerity/Creativity/Responsibility/Win-Win. If you have your dream, keep focusing on it, come and achieve with us. That’s what we meant Create reality, Achieve dreams!
Code Shown: *
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line658
|
__label__cc
| 0.714345
| 0.285655
|
Attorney Rebecca M. Harris
Complex Civil Litigation
Civil Rights Defense
Personal Injury Defense
University of Connecticut, B.A., cum laude, Actuarial Science/Mathematics
University of Connecticut, B.A., cum laude, History
University of Connecticut School of Law, J.D.
United States District Court, District of Connecticut.
United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
Connecticut Bar Journal Board of Editors
E: rharris@crumbielaw.com
Attorney Rebecca M. Harris has more than fourteen years of experience practicing in complex civil litigation and maintains a significant practice involving representation of police officers and government agencies in civil rights actions brought pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. Attorney Harris also has vast experience in matters involving breach of contract, employment and labor law, personal injury, medical malpractice, products liability, and premises liability. Attorney Harris earned dual Bachelor’s Degrees, in Actuarial Science & Mathematics and History from the University of Connecticut in 2000, and earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Connecticut School of Law in 2004. She practices in state and federal courts, including the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and is admitted to argue before the United States Supreme Court. Attorney Harris is an active member of the Bar Association and currently serves as Secretary and Treasurer of the Appellate Advocacy Section and is a member of the Board of Editors of the Bar Journal.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line660
|
__label__wiki
| 0.832369
| 0.832369
|
Ethan Esposito Jacob Davison Mason Peatling Osi Nwachukwu Marcus Graves Tyler Kidd Jesse Hunt Sports College basketball Basketball College sports Men's basketball Men's sports Men's college basketball
Big Sky Sacramento State Eastern Washington
Eastern Washington recovers to beat Sac State 94-92 in OT
- Jan. 27, 2019 12:59 AM EST
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Jesse Hunt scored 22 points with 17 rebounds and six assists and Eastern Washington pulled out a 94-92 win over Sacrament State in overtime on Saturday night after blowing a 10-point lead in the final 92 seconds of regulation.
Jacob Davison added 19 points for the Eagles (6-13, 4-4 Big Sky Conference), including a 3-point play with 30 seconds to play for a 91-88 lead and two free throws with 13 seconds left that made it 93-90.
Ethan Esposito grabbed an offensive rebound with five seconds left and made two free throws for the Hornets (8-9, 2-6) before Eastern's Tyler Kidd made 1 of 2 with four seconds left to close the scoring.
Marcus Graves drew iron with a long a 3-pointer at the buzzer, unlike the the end of regulation step-back, bank-shot 3 that tied the game at 76.
Kidd had a career-high 20 points for the Eagles, making 11 of 12 free throws. Mason Peatling had 17 points and 13 rebounds before fouling out with three minutes left in regulation.
Graves had 29 points with nine assists and seven rebounds for Sacramento State, Esposito added 19 and Osi Nwachukwu had 10 points and 10 rebounds.
The Eagles scored the first nine points and raced to a 17-2 lead. The Hornets made just 1 of their first 15 shots.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line665
|
__label__wiki
| 0.737136
| 0.737136
|
The H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival Returns to Los Angeles!
Get ready Los Angeles, Cthulhu is coming! On September 16 and 17, The H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival returns to the historic Warner Grand Theater in San Pedro for its second year. The festival celebrates the works of famed American science-fiction and horror writer H.P. Lovecraft through screenings of cinematic adaptations of his work by professional and amateur filmmakers from around the world.
H.P. Lovecraft’s work wasn’t widely read during his lifetime but his reputation has grown in the 73 years since his death. He’s now regarded as one of the most influential horror writers of the 20th century. Stephen King calls Lovecraft “the twentieth century’s greatest practitioner of the classic horror tale” and credits Lovecraft as the single biggest influence on his writing.
Film >
Tags: At the Mountains of Madness, C. Courtney Joyner, Cast A Deadly Spell, Cody Goodfellow, Cthulhu Mythos, Denise Dumars, Fred Ward, Grand Vision Foundation, Guillermo Del Toro, H.P. Lovecraft, H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival, H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society, HBO, Jenna Pitman, La Sombra Prohibidia, Michael Tice, Necronomicon, News, Roger Corman, Stephen King, Ted E. Grau, The Case of Charles Dexter Ward, The Haunted Palace, The Valdemar Legacy, The Whisperer in Darkness, Vincent Price, Warner Grand Theater, Weird Tales Magazine.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line667
|
__label__wiki
| 0.689127
| 0.689127
|
Preventive Mastectomy Rates Vary by State
Among young women with early breast cancer, almost half from 5 states opt to have healthy breast removed
Please note: This article was published more than one year ago. The facts and conclusions presented may have since changed and may no longer be accurate. And "More information" links may no longer work. Questions about personal health should always be referred to a physician or other health care professional.
By Kathleen Doheny
HealthDay Reporter
WEDNESDAY, March 29, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- In certain areas of the United States, more women diagnosed with early stage breast cancer are choosing to have the unaffected breast removed, new research finds.
The study also found that younger women are especially likely to have the second breast removed.
Nearly half of women under age 45 diagnosed with early breast cancer in five states opted for the procedure, said the study's senior author, Dr. Ahmedin Jemal. He's vice president of the American Cancer Society's Surveillance and Health Services Research Program.
Clues to Why Women Have Higher Odds for Alzheimer's
Menstrual Cups Equal Pads, Tampons in Effectiveness, Data Shows
Can a Broken Heart Contribute to Cancer?
Tongue, Lip Snip Surgeries May Be Overused in U.S. Newborns
The five states are Colorado, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska and South Dakota.
The study included records from 1.2 million women from 45 states and Washington, D.C. All patients were 20 and older. All had been diagnosed with early stage breast cancer in one breast and were treated with surgery between 2004 and 2012.
Between those years, the proportion of patients who had the opposite healthy breast removed as a preventive measure increased from under 4 percent to more than 10 percent among women ages 45 and older. It increased from more than 10 percent to more than 33 percent in those women ages 20 to 44.
The increase was evident in all states, but varied widely depending on the state. For instance, in Virginia, the rate tripled during the study period -- from under 10 percent to more than 32 percent. In New Jersey, the rate went from 15 percent to 25 percent, the study showed.
Jemal said he can't explain the geographic variation.
At first, the researchers thought women might be opting for the additional surgery to ensure symmetry of the breasts after reconstructive surgery on the breast with cancer. Yet, investigators didn't find a correlation between the procedure on the healthy breast and the rates of reconstruction on the breast with cancer.
Another possibility, Jemal said, is the "Angelina Jolie effect." He was referring to the actress who chose surgical removal of both her breasts when she was found to have the BRCA gene mutation, which increases the risk of breast cancer.
The decision is extremely personal, experts concur. However, for the average-risk woman, the evidence doesn't support having the healthy breast removed, Jemal said.
"There is no evidence it improves survival" for the average-risk woman diagnosed with early stage breast cancer, he said.
Previous research has shown the risk of developing cancer in the opposite breast is 2 to 6 percent over 10 years, Jemal said. In other words, he said, "94 to 98 percent don't have a cancer in the opposite breast over the next 10 years."
Even so, fear may be a driving force, Jemal said. But, he noted the study didn't look at what triggered women's decisions.
The findings were published online March 29 in JAMA Surgery.
The strong regional differences are noteworthy and offer new information, said Dr. Lisa Newman, who wrote an editorial to accompany the study. She's director of the breast oncology program at the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit.
Newman advised women: "Have a frank discussion with your surgeon[s] so that you clearly understand whether or not you are eligible for breast-saving lumpectomy surgery to treat the known cancer.
"If you are a candidate for breast conservation, then there is no reason to commit prematurely to unilateral or bilateral mastectomy, since these surgical options do not provide any survival advantage," Newman explained.
"If you are not a candidate for lumpectomy surgery [either because of the extent of your cancer or because you are not able to receive the radiation that typically accompanies lumpectomy surgery], then it is important to review your breast reconstruction options," she said.
Having the healthy breast removed may sometimes offer some reconstruction advantages, but it doesn't offer a survival advantage, Newman said.
Newman said removing the healthy breast opens the door to complications.
"We as physicians must ensure that [patients] understand that the more extensive surgery has a higher complication rate; that it is risk-reducing but not risk-eliminating; and that it does not improve likelihood of curative treatment for the initially diagnosed breast cancer," she said.
To learn more about breast surgery, visit the U.S. National Cancer Institute.
SOURCES: Lisa Newman, M.D., director, breast oncology program, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit; Ahmedin Jemal, D.V.M., Ph.D., vice president, Surveillance and Health Services Research Program, American Cancer Society; March 29, 2017, JAMA Surgery
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line673
|
__label__wiki
| 0.835928
| 0.835928
|
US pushing for war with Venezuela -Venezuela ROUNDUP – 16
in Imperialism — by Countercurrents Collective — April 17, 2019
Washington DC meeting to plan war in Venezuela
US pushing for war with Venezuela
US forces ready to attack Venezuela: Southern Commander
Maduro rejects Bolsonaro’s invasion threats
Imperialism is moving ahead with its war plan in Venezuela.
Meeting to plan war
Media reports said:
Samuel Moncada, the Venezuelan Ambassador to the UN, denounced an April 10-secret meeting at Washington D.C.’s Center for Strategic and International Studies where the use of militarized intervention in Venezuela centered the discussion.
“The worst part of this meeting is that there were people there such as Roger Noriega, who has publicly stated that he supports an army (of mercenaries) made up of Venezuelans and Colombians and paid with Citgo funds, who would go into Venezuela to help the United States and Colombia. In case it actually happens, the United States would occupy that “liberated territory, a territorial partition in Venezuela, like what happened in Libya,” said Moncada.
He made it clear that the U.S. is planning to allow U.S. President Donald Trump take all the credit for a “liberation” while the economic and mortal costs are paid for by Venezuelans killing themselves.
Journalist Max Blumenthal via the The GrayZone made these secret conspiratorial meetings against Venezuela public. The Venezuelan government has pledged to take their complaints to the proper international judicial bodies where necessary.
Roger Noriega, a U.S. diplomat with warmongering experience, “has experience with (Elliot) Abrams in making war in Nicaragua,” added the Venezuelan ambassador before the UN.
“Not one word the United States utters can be believed because they are a government at war. They are supporting assassination of a leader, a military coup, the collapse of Venezuela into a civil war, and an army of mercenaries,” he said referring to the situation in Venezuela.
The U.S. President Donald Trump is secretly preparing for a war against the government of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, said Samuel Moncada on his Twitter account.
“Trump’s war against Venezuela is in full swing even if its leaders deny it publicly. It is a clandestine multi-national operation, a crime on a large-scale that was planned in the U.S. capital,” Moncada tweeted.
The Venezuelan diplomat published a series of tweets that revealed last Wednesday in Washington “a sinister meeting that will be marked in the opprobrious history of the U.S. wars in the world.”
He stated that during this secret meeting on April 10, the U.S. administration discussed “how to launch a war against Venezuela.”
Moncada explained that it was the American journalist Max Blumenthal, via the publication “The Grayzone”, who revealed the meeting.
According to Moncada, some 40 persons, including Trump’s advisers on Venezuela, U.S. officials, diplomats and military personnel, attended the meeting.
Moncada revealed that among the diplomats attending the meeting was the Ambassador of Colombia in Washington, Francisco Santos.
“What does the Ambassador of Colombia do in a meeting where the war against Venezuela is being promoted?” Moncada asked.
Moncada concluded his tweets by saying, “the birds of prey do not recognize their participation in the criminal meeting in public. But his commitment to war is clear in the title of the invitation. The motive is to perpetrate crimes against humanity.”
The United States is ready to attack Venezuela by the end of the year, according to U.S. Southern Commander Craig S. Faller.
John Bolton, the U.S. National Security Advisor, stated in an interview “President Trump is determined not to see Venezuela fall under the sway of foreign powers.” He has a custom of refering to the racist Monroe Doctrine, which considers Latin America to be the U.S. backyard, where it can do as it pleases.
However, for the first time that a member of the U.S. military leadership has spoken out about a possible military intervention against Venezuela. Faller stated that the US military is “on the balls of our feet” and awaits instructions from President Donald Trump.
Faller refused to give further details about what exactly he meant, but compared the situation with war-torn Syria.
“The crisis in Venezuela could approach that degree by the end of this year if Maduro still remains in power,” he added.
Nicolas Maduro, the President of Venezuela, has rejected threats of war and invasion into Venezuela made by Jair Bolsonaro, the President of Brazil.
“The Venezuelan people reject, united and absolutely, Jair Bolsonaro’s threats of war and military invasion,” Maduro said last Friday.
Maduro was speaking in Caracas.
He asked: “What is the reason for war? Why are you going to invade us? Did Venezuela steal anything from Brazil? Did Venezuela attack Brazil? With whom does Bolsonaro count on for a war? With the Brazilian people? With the Brazilian army? Where will they enter from?”
The Venezuelan president was reacting to statements made by Bolsonaro on April 8 during an interview at a local radio station. In the interview, the Brazilian head of state admitted that the U.S. and his country are both interested in dividing the Venezuelan army to get Maduro out of power.
“Let’s assume there is an invasion [in Venezuela]. Although the decision will be mine, I will listen to the National Defense Council and the Brazilian Parliament to take a de facto decision,” Bolsonaro said and added, “our intention, and the United States’ [intention], is to split the [Venezuelan] army because they are still supporting Maduro. The army decides whether a country lives in a democracy or in a dictatorship,” said the former military leader.
President Maduro described these “threats” as something “very worrying” and called on the Brazilian people and military forces to stop Bolsonaro’s adventure.
“Your threats are going to turn against you and everything you are doing against Venezuela is going to sink you. Jair Bolsonaro will dry up and go into oblivion, into history’s trash bin,” Maduro warned.
He said that Bolsonaro is “fascist,” a “Hitler copycat,” a “crazy, crazy, crazy guy who came to the presidency.”
Maduro also explained that Bolsonaro and Trump’s real intentions have to do with “abusing Venezuela in order to steal its riches.”
Tags: Venezuela, Venezuela Roundup
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line675
|
__label__wiki
| 0.87716
| 0.87716
|
Strange speeds, big holes, and other answers to vinyl record mysteries: Alan Cross
Alan Cross GlobalNews.ca
The surge in vinyl record popularity continues.
According to Nielsen SoundScan, more than a million brand new vinyl LPs were sold in Canada last year, up a healthy 27 per cent from 2017. And that number doesn’t include sales through many independent stores, used records, purchases made at record shows or online from sites like eBay and Discogs, and anything an artist may sell off the merch table at the end of a show. Add all that together and the total number of vinyl sales in Canada in 2018 probably exceeded 1.6 million.
With more people getting into the format for the first time and with lapsed fanatics picking up where they left off a couple of decades ago, some people have questions about some of vinyl’s eccentricities. Let’s see if I can help.
Why do records turn at the speeds they do?
Most turntables sold today can accommodate records that rotate at two speeds: 33 1/3 RPM for albums and 45 RPM for 7-inch singles. Why those speeds?
For the answer, we need to go all the way back to the late 1800s and the introduction of Emile Berliner’s Gramophone (I capitalize that because back then, Gramophone was a brand name, just like Aspirin, Kleenex or Corn Flakes).
Gramophones were manufactured by a number of companies. At some point in the 1890s, an industry handbook of standards was published, decreeing that Gramophone should be equipped with wind-up motors that spun the platters at “about 70 RPM.” No one remembers why that speed was chosen other than the author of the handbook had a machine that operated that way. It became the reference unit.
WATCH BELOW: Vinyl popularity, prices on the rise
By the time we reached the 1920s, turntables (both Gramophones and Edison’s phonograph) were being powered by electric motors which ran at 3600 RPM with a gear ratio of 48:1, bringing the platter speed down very close to 78 RPM (78.26, to be exact).
The downside of the 78 was that based on its diameter (10 inches), number of grooves per inch (i.e. how tightly packed they could be cut) and the rotational speed, the maximum length of the spiral groove that stored the music was restricted to 270 feet. That works out to about four minutes of music. Not good if you want to listen to an entire symphony with no interruptions.
In 1931, RCA introduced a new type of 12-inch record just as movies with sound were spreading around the world. Motion pictures came on standard reels featuring 1,000 feet of film. Based on the speed that film was fed through a project, each reel provided 11 minutes of viewing.
To match up the film with sound, a company called Vitaphone introduced a system that used a standard 3600 RPM motor to rotate a soundtrack disc. To make the audio last the same 11 minutes, the math dictated that the motor be geared down to 108:1. That gives us a rotational speed of 33.33 RPM.
READ MORE: Bow Wow’s girlfriend details alleged abuse in 911 call
RCA tried to introduce the new records to the general public as an alternative to the 78, but it was the Great Depression and the entire recorded music industry saw a sales collapse of 95 per cent through 1930 and 1931. People were not in the mood for a new recorded music format. So in an extremely silly move, RCA let a bunch of patents associated with their 33 1/3 RPM disc expire.
Fast-forward to 1948. RCA’s rival, Columbia Records, picked up on the technology as they were experimenting with a new plastic substance called polyvinyl chloride — vinyl for short — which had gone into use in the 1920s for sewer pipes.
Vinyl was much more durable than the shellac-based compounds used with 78s. Not only did vinyl last much longer, but the grooves could also be placed much, much closer together and played with a stylus that was tinier and far sharper. These “microgrooves” allowed for a much longer spiral: 1,600 feet. Doing the math (π x 33 1/3 x the outside diameter of the grooves + the inside diameter of the grooves ÷ 2) meant that Columbia could promise up to 24 minutes per side of one of their new “long-playing” records.
RCA was not pleased that Columbia had scooped it with RCA’s own technology and refused to license the 33 1/3 format for its releases. Besides, RCA reasoned, people have been happy with records featuring one song per side for 50 years. Why change it?
The solution was to come up with yet another vinyl format that was seven inches in diameter and spun at 45 RPM.
READ MORE: Ozzy Osbourne admitted to hospital with flu ‘complications’
Why that speed? Let me stop you if you deduced that 78 minus 33 equals 45. That has nothing to do with anything. We have to look at geometry again and the curvature of the grooves of a record.
As the stylus gets closer to the middle of a record, the curvature of the grooves increases and its relative speed slows down. Yes, the platter is still turning at 33 1/3 times a minute (1.8 times per second) but the relative speed of the stylus is different depending on where it is on the disc. If it is on the outer edge of the record, it has much longer to go per rotation. But as it spirals towards the centre, more and more information has to be stored per groove per rotation.
The result is an increase in distortion and a loss of high frequencies the closer you get to the middle. This is a major reason why the best songs and the best singles on an album are sequenced toward the outer edge of the disc. They just tend to sound better there.
However, RCA discovered that if it spun a disc at 45 RPM, there was a 35 per cent increase in groove velocity, which greatly reduces the loss of high frequencies and distortion. This does come with a caveat: there’s 35 per cent less space available for music. But RCA thought this was a fine trade-off.
RCA was also an electronics manufacturer. And this brings us to the mystery of the hole.
Why is the hole on a 7-inch single so big?
The standard size for the hole on an LP is one-half inch. RCA decided to make the hole on its new 45 1.5 inches wide for a couple of reasons.
READ MORE: New report alleges James Brown was murdered in 2006
First, RCA wanted its new format to crush the LPs being issued by Columbia and its licensed partners. Someone in the company came up with the idea of making and selling turntables designed exclusively for 45s. The thinking was that once people bought one of RCA’s turntables with the special six-inch-tall fat spindle, they were theoretically locked into buying music in the 45 format from then on. Sound familiar?
RCA wanted people to stack records on this spindle so they wouldn’t have to get up and change the record every couple of minutes. Instead, once a record was finished, the tonearm would swing back, the next record would fall onto the platter, and the tonearm would resume playing. It was possible to stack up to about 60 minutes worth of records this way. Take that, Columbia.
But there was a more scientific reason for the larger hole. When a new 45 dropped from the spindle onto the platter, it was required to spin up from a dead stop to 45 RPM almost instantly. The torque applied to the edges of the hole was quite severe and caused standard one-half-inch holes to quickly go out of round, resulting in a wobbly record. Tonearms hate wobbly records.
A larger hole allowed the sudden rotational forces to be distributed over a greater distance (π x 1.5; about 4.712 inches), reducing wear and allowing the hole to stay rounder longer.
This was especially important for the jukebox industry. In the 1930s, ’40s, and ’50s, jukeboxes were big, big business. Operators couldn’t have popular recordings rendered unplayable by a warped centre hole.
RCA’s plans didn’t work out as it envisioned. Other turntable manufacturers started making machines that spun at 78, 33 1/3 and 45. The Big Hole Problem for regular turntables was solved with a plastic insert that fit within the big hole, making it fit on a standard one-half-inch spindle.
We ended up with an uneasy detente. LPs were designated for “good music,” which was defined as classical, Broadway cast recordings, and jazz. Meanwhile, 45s became the format for popular music. They were cheap to manufacture, cheap to buy, and proved to be the perfect way to send out songs to radio stations.
It just so happens that the rise of the 45 came at exactly the same time as this new thing called “rock ’n’ roll.” In the end, everyone won.
Alan Cross is a broadcaster with 102.1 the Edge and Q107, and a commentator for Global News.
Subscribe to Alan’s Ongoing History of New Music Podcast now on Apple Podcast or Google Play
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line676
|
__label__wiki
| 0.759986
| 0.759986
|
Parole chiave: masterlist ×
Concetti di EuroVoc: fanciullo × istruzione ×
Children's involvement in civil and administrative justice in Austria
Dataset on the involvement of children in civil and administrative justice in Austria is organized according to the number of themes from the Masterlist, such as: general population...
Word DOC HTML Excel XLS (111 visualizzazioni) (53 Download)
Children's involvement in civil and administrative justice in Belgium
Dataset on the involvement of children in civil and administrative justice in Belgium is organized according to the number of themes from the Masterlist, such as: general population...
Word DOC HTML Excel XLS (62 visualizzazioni) (17 Download)
Children's involvement in civil and administrative justice in Bulgaria
Dataset on the involvement of children in civil and administrative justice in Bulgaria is organized according to the number of themes from the Masterlist, such as: general population...
Word DOC HTML Excel XLS (58 visualizzazioni) (9 Download)
Children's involvement in civil and administrative justice in Croatia
Dataset on the involvement of children in civil and administrative justice in Croatia is organized according to the number of themes from the Masterlist, such as: general population...
Children's involvement in civil and administrative justice in Cyprus
Dataset on the involvement of children in civil and administrative justice in Cyprus is organized according to the number of themes from the Masterlist, such as: general population...
Children's involvement in civil and administrative justice in Czech Republic
Dataset on the involvement of children in civil and administrative justice in Czech Republic is organized according to the number of themes from the Masterlist, such as: general...
Children's involvement in civil and administrative justice in Denmark
Dataset on the involvement of children in civil and administrative justice in Denmark is organized according to the number of themes from the Masterlist, such as: general population...
Children's involvement in civil and administrative justice in Estonia
Dataset on the involvement of children in civil and administrative justice in Estonia is organized according to the number of themes from the Masterlist, such as: general population...
Children's involvement in civil and administrative justice in Finland
Dataset on the involvement of children in civil and administrative justice in Finland is organized according to the number of themes from the Masterlist, such as: general population...
Children's involvement in civil and administrative justice in France
Dataset on the involvement of children in civil and administrative justice in France is organized according to the number of themes from the Masterlist, such as: general population...
Children's involvement in civil and administrative justice in Germany
Dataset on the involvement of children in civil and administrative justice in Germany is organized according to the number of themes from the Masterlist, such as: general population...
Children's involvement in civil and administrative justice in Greece
Dataset on the involvement of children in civil and administrative justice in Greece is organized according to the number of themes from the Masterlist, such as: general population...
Children's involvement in civil and administrative justice in Hungary
Dataset on the involvement of children in civil and administrative justice in Hungary is organized according to the number of themes from the Masterlist, such as: general population...
Children's involvement in civil and administrative justice in Ireland
Dataset on the involvement of children in civil and administrative justice in Ireland is organized according to the number of themes from the Masterlist, such as: general population...
Children's involvement in civil and administrative justice in Italy
Dataset on the involvement of children in civil and administrative justice in Italy is organized according to the number of themes from the Masterlist, such as: general population...
Children's involvement in civil and administrative justice in Latvia
Dataset on the involvement of children in civil and administrative justice in Latvia is organized according to the number of themes from the Masterlist, such as: general population...
Children's involvement in civil and administrative justice in Lithuania
Dataset on the involvement of children in civil and administrative justice in Lithuania is organized according to the number of themes from the Masterlist, such as: general population...
Children's involvement in civil and administrative justice in Luxembourg
Dataset on the involvement of children in civil and administrative justice in Luxembourg is organized according to the number of themes from the Masterlist, such as: general population...
Children's involvement in civil and administrative justice in Malta
Dataset on the involvement of children in civil and administrative justice in Malta is organized according to the number of themes from the Masterlist, such as: general population...
Children's involvement in civil and administrative justice in Netherlands
Dataset on the involvement of children in civil and administrative justice in Netherlands is organized according to the number of themes from the Masterlist, such as: general population...
Giustizia, sistema giuridico e sicurezza pubblica (30)
Direzione generale della Giustizia e dei consumatori (30)
manutenzione (30)
protezione dell'infanzia (30)
statistica demografica (30)
adozione di minore (30)
asilo politico (30)
diritti del bambino (30)
diritto di affidamento (30)
divorzio (30)
sanzione (UE) (30)
trattamento sanitario (30)
administrative justice (30)
indicator (30)
proceeding (30)
Member States (30)
Excel XLS (30)
Word DOC (30)
Lussemburgo (1)
Paesi Bassi (1)
Cechia (1)
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line677
|
__label__cc
| 0.526165
| 0.473835
|
You are here: Home / Blog / 乱七八糟 / Illinois Institute of Technology–Chicago-Kent College of Law
Illinois Institute of Technology–Chicago-Kent College of Law
摘自http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago-Kent_College_of_Law
Chicago-Kent College of Law is an ABA accredited law school in Chicago, Illinois. Chicago-Kent is part of the Illinois Institute of Technology. The School’s name is a combination of two law schools which merged in 1900 to form present day Chicago-Kent: the Chicago College of Law and the Kent College of Law. Chicago-Kent is considered one of Chicago’s top law schools – criteria for admission has increased dramatically in the past five years. The 2005 full-time entering class has a median LSAT of 161, a median GPA of 3.50.
Chicago-Kent teaches a standard first year law school curriculum with courses in Torts, Contracts, Criminal Law, Property and Civil Procedure.
The school places a heavy emphasis on Legal Research and Writing. Kent’s writing curriculum has been used as a model for other programs.
Students are well prepared to take the Illinois bar exam, with an 88.5% first time pass rate.
The school is founded as the Chicago College of Law in 1888.
Chicago College of Law and the Kent College of Law merge to form the Chicago-Kent College of Law in 1900.
The school received its American Bar Association accreditation in 1936.
Chicago-Kent and the Illinois Institute of Technology merged in 1969.
Landmark three year legal writing program begins in 1978.
Ida Platt, 1894. First black woman admitted to the Illinois bar, second woman of color admitted to bar in the United States.
Abraham Lincoln Marovitz, 1925. Appointed to Federal Court for the Northern District of Illinois by President Kennedy, 1963.
Richard B. Ogilvie, 1949. Illinois Governor, 1969-1973.
April 23, 2006 /by pdeng
https://dengpeng.de/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/dengpeng_name.png 0 0 pdeng https://dengpeng.de/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/dengpeng_name.png pdeng2006-04-23 22:13:002006-04-23 22:13:00Illinois Institute of Technology--Chicago-Kent College of Law
Illinois Institute of Technology University College London
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line681
|
__label__wiki
| 0.847234
| 0.847234
|
/ Comments Off on I’ve Got the World on a String
I’ve Got the World on a String
Composer Harold Arlen
Lyricist Ted Koehler
About I’ve Got the World on a String
“I’ve Got the World on a String” was written for the 1932 Cotton Club Parade, where it was introduced by Cab Calloway and Bing Crosby. Alec Wilder, in American Popular Song, considers it one of Arlen’s loveliest songs.
Merry month of May
Sunny skies are blue
Clouds have rolled away
And the sun peeps through May Express
Happpiness, joy you may define
In thousand ways
But a case like mine needs a special phrase
To reveal, how I feel
I’m sitting on a rainbow
Got the string around my finger
What a world, what a life, I’m in love
I’ve got a song that I sing
I can make the rain go
Anytime I move my little finger
Lucky me, can’t you see, I’m in love
Life is a beautiful thing
As long as I hold the string
I’d be a silly so and so
If I should ever let go
Sittin’ on a rainbow
I’ve got the string around my finger
This song was recorded on August 17, 1960 and released in 1960 on the album Tony Bennett Sings a String of Harold Arlen.
I’ve Got The World On A String – 2011 Remaster
I’ve Got The World On A String – 2011 Remaster, a song by Tony Bennett on Spotify
1960: Columbia LP 12″: CS 8359 — A String Of Harold Arlen
1960: Columbia LP 12″ (Mono): CL 1559 — A String Of Harold Arlen
1960: Philips LP 12″ (Mono): BBL 7455 — Sings A String Of Harold Arlen (UK)
Sony Music CD: SMSP A 8359 — A String Of Harold Arlen
1975: Columbia LP 12″: KG 33376 — Let’s Fall In Love With The Songs Of Harold Arlen And Cy Coleman
1990: CBS/Sony CD: CSCS-5244 — Sings A String Of Harold Arlen [Japan]
1993: Smithsonian CD: RD 048-5 — American Songbook Series: Harold Arlen
1993: Smithsonian Collection CD: A 23653 — American Songbook Series: Harold Arlen
2011: Disc #18 in The Tony Bennett Complete Collection (88697874602-JK18) Tony Bennett Sings a String of Harold Arlen
“I’ve Got the World on a String” was recorded live at Tony Bennett’s concert at Carnegie Hall on June 9, 1962, but was not released until 1997 on the album Tony Bennett at Carnegie Hall: Complete Concert. Ralph Sharon arranged the song.
I’ve Got The World On A String (From “I’ll Get By”) – Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY – June 1962
I’ve Got The World On A String (From “I’ll Get By”) – Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY – June 1962, a song by Tony Bennett, Ralph Sharon & His Orchestra on Spotify
1997: Columbia CD: C2K 64609 — At Carnegie Hall June 9, 1962: Complete Concert
2011: Disc #24 in The Tony Bennett Complete Collection (88697874602-JK24) Tony Bennett at Carnegie Hall
“I’ve Got The World On a String” was recorded in June 1992 and was released that year on Perfectly Frank. It was arranged by Ralph Sharon.
I’ve Got the World On a String, a song by Tony Bennett on Spotify
1992: Columbia CD: CK 52965 — Perfectly Frank
1992: CBS/Sony CD: SRCS-6565 — Perfectly Frank [Japan]
1999: Sony International CD: 91207 — The Essential Tony Bennett: A Retrospective
2002: Columbia/Legacy CD: 86634 — The Essential Tony Bennett
2008: Columbia/RPM/Legacy CD: 731397 — The Essential Tony Bennett [Limited Edition 3.0]
2011: Disc #58 in The Tony Bennett Complete Collection (88697874602-JK57) Perfectly Frank
“I’ve Got The World On A String” was recorded September 2, 2000 with Diana Krall and was released in 2006 on Duets: An American Classic [Target Stores version].
2006: RPM Records/Columbia CD: 82876887352 — Duets: An American Classic [Target Stores]
2011: RPM Song: Duets II [UK Tesco Release]
I’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line686
|
__label__wiki
| 0.823495
| 0.823495
|
All selected='selected'ReleasesPhotosGalleriesVideosFact SheetsMultimedia Kits
Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! Launches Guests into a Rockin’ New Adventure: Helping Rocket Save the Guardians at the Disneyland Resort
Filed in: Disneyland News
Login to Add to Folder
Guardians of the Galaxy–Mission: BREAKOUT! Grand Opening
Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!
Irreverently Funny Attraction and Heroic Encounters Entertain Guests at Summer of Heroes in Disney California Adventure Park
ANAHEIM, Calif. (May 25, 2017)–Guests become the protagonists of a rockin’ new adventure in Disney California Adventure Park as they help rescue a cosmic gang of misfits in Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! This thrilling attraction is fueled with high-energy, hilarious action that will be fun for Super Hero fans and those who are discovering this story for the first time. It opens May 27, 2017.
Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! entices guests with an original storyline based on “Guardians of the Galaxy” films, comics and animated television series, with a rapid rise into chaotic adventure and surprising visuals. The fast-paced action rocks to the beat of music inspired by the films’ soundtracks, including classic rock and pop music from the ‘60s, ‘70s and early ‘80s. And with multiple ride profiles, guests never know which adventure they’ll get.
“Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! brings an all-new epic adventure to the Disneyland Resort, and it’s the only Disney park in the universe where guests can step into a Guardians of the Galaxy story,” said Bob Chapek, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. “Like the smash-hit films that inspired it, this new attraction is action-packed, full of irreverent humor, and features an ‘awesome mix tape.’ It’s a fantastic way for guests to experience the Super Hero universe like never before.”
Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! opens just weeks after the theater premiere of the new film, “Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2.” The stars of the films are featured in the attraction.
Walt Disney Imagineering collaborated with James Gunn, director of the “Guardians of the Galaxy” films, Kevin Feige, president of Marvel Studios, most of the main talent from the films along with Joe Quesada, chief creative officer, Marvel Entertainment, and Marvel Themed Entertainment on the story of the attraction, to develop an experience where guests step into a story with these characters for the first time.
“I can’t be more pleased to have partnered with Walt Disney Imagineering in bringing the Guardians of the Galaxy characters to this new, immersive form of storytelling,” Gunn said. “It’s been exciting and a lot of fun to help direct and shape the experience so that it has all the heart and fun and humor of the Guardians movies.”
In addition to the new attraction, Summer of Heroes begins May 27 with Guardians of the Galaxy characters and Super Heroes appearing in Disney California Adventure for new exploits and Heroic Encounters. While some of these will be year-round, others will be available only from May 27-Sept. 10. Summer of Heroes inaugurates an ever-expanding universe of Super Hero stories at Disney California Adventure that will become even bigger over time.
The Collector’s Fortress
The Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! adventure begins as guests enter a grandiose, 183-foot tall fortress. They discover that the Guardians have been imprisoned by the arrogant, acquisitive Taneleer Tivan, known as The Collector. Guests join a daring escape plan devised by Rocket, who once again proves his uncanny ability to break free from any prison or captivity.
The dominating fortress is adorned with antennae, satellite dishes and other mysterious apparatus and is accented in shimmering hues of blue and gold. At night, with special lighting, it pulsates with imposing power. A gilded, eight-foot-tall statue of The Collector stands at the entrance to the fortress, towering over guests. These VIP guests of The Collector enter to view the unique “Tivan Collection” of relics and species from all over the universe. His latest acquisition: The Guardians of the Galaxy.
The Fortress Lobby
The Lobby of the fortress is both fascinating and creepy – filled with display cases that hold artifacts and living creatures, which The Collector has obtained and made available for public viewing. In a welcome video, The Collector explains how he has trapped the Guardians of the Galaxy high atop his fortress in secured glass cages that are wired with power from a massive generator and suspended over a deep abyss.
The Collector’s Office
Before leaving the Lobby and entering The Collector’s Office, guests hold up their hands to be “bio-scanned” for security clearance. In the Office, even more of The Collector’s relics are on display and, as in the Lobby, the collection contains some hidden references that will delight dedicated Super Hero fans and Disney fans.
Suddenly, Rocket appears, telling guests he needs their help. Using their security clearances, he can hijack the gantry lift to the top of the fortress, disable the generator, and free his friends.
The Gantry Lift
Of course, Rocket’s plan faces challenges. After guests enter the gantry lift, Rocket overrides The Collector’s recorded tour spiel with music from the tape player of Star-Lord (aka Peter Quill). Soon, the gantry is shooting up into the fortress, then plummeting downward as Rocket attempts to take control of the generator.
It’s here that guests experience one of the attraction’s six different ride profiles, each synchronized to one of the songs on the “awesome mix tape”:
“Hit Me With Your Best Shot” by Pat Benatar
“Give Up The Funk” by Parliament
“Born To Be Wild” by Steppenwolf
“I Want You Back” by The Jackson 5
“Free Ride” by The Edgar Winter Group
“Burning Love” by Elvis Presley
Guests soon learn that, even if the rescue is successful, the resulting chaos may create problems of its own!
To help create the attraction, Disney Imagineers used Virtual Reality technology to pre-visualize the Tivan Collection, The Collector’s Office and other parts of the Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! experience.
The ride system has more high-speed ride time than ever before, and the thrill factor gets going as soon as the gantry lift doors close and the music stars blaring. Each song is accompanied by a different up-and-down ride profile and story scenes, making every visit to the attraction unpredictable.
Rocket makes multiple appearances in the attraction, including as a sophisticated Audio-Animatronics character who invades The Collector’s Office to ask guests for a hand with his escape plan.
From the anticipation guests will feel as they enter The Collector’s Fortress to the sense of discovery as they tour the Tivan Collection to the thrills and elation of participating in a successful breakout, Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! is an unforgettable adventure into the Super Hero universe at Disney California Adventure.
About the Disneyland Resort
The Disneyland Resort features two spectacular theme parks – Disneyland (the original Disney theme park) and Disney California Adventure Park – plus three hotels and the Downtown Disney District, comprising unique dining, entertainment and shopping experiences. The Resort’s hotels are the luxurious, 948-room Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, which also features 50 two-bedroom equivalent Disney Vacation Club units; the magical, 973-room Disneyland Hotel – both AAA Four Diamond properties – and the 481-room Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel with its “day-at-the-beach” theme. For information on attractions and vacations at the Disneyland Resort, visit Disneyland.com, call (866) 43-DISNEY or contact local travel agents. Located in Anaheim, Calif., the Disneyland Resort opened July 17, 1955. Open daily, year- round.
Disneyland Resort Public Relations
DisneylandNews.com
DisneyParksBlog.com
Twitter.com/Disneyland
Modal Folder Full
Your media folder has reached the maximum capacity of items allowed. To download additional items, please download all current items in your folder and then clear your folder by removing the items in order to start adding a new collection of media assets.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line687
|
__label__wiki
| 0.902266
| 0.902266
|
↪ Title 10. Parks, Public Buildings, Grounds, and Space.
↪ Chapter 1. General Provisions.
↪ § 10–111. Transfer of jurisdiction over property between United States and District of Columbia — Authorization.
§ 10–110. Portion of Water Street authorized to be part of park system.
§ 10–112. Transfer of jurisdiction over property between United States and District of Columbia — Existing laws unaffected.
§ 10–111. Transfer of jurisdiction over property between United States and District of Columbia — Authorization.
Federal and District authorities administering properties within the District of Columbia owned by the United States or by the said District are authorized to transfer jurisdiction over parts or all of such properties among or between themselves for purposes of administration and maintenance under such conditions as may be mutually agreed upon; provided, that prior to the consummation of any transfer hereunder such proposed transfer shall be recommended by the National Capital Planning Commission; provided further, that the Mayor shall submit to the Council for approval by resolution any proposed transfer of jurisdiction of property pursuant to this section; provided further, that all such transfers and agreements shall be reported to Congress by the District authorities concerned.
(June 6, 1924, ch. 270, § 9; May 20, 1932, 47 Stat. 161, ch. 197, § 1; July 19, 1952, 66 Stat. 790, ch. 949, § 1; Aug. 30, 1954, 68 Stat. 967, ch. 1076, § 1(20); May 16, 1995, D.C. Law 10-255, § 11, 41 DCR 5193.)
1981 Ed., § 8-111.
This section is referenced in § 9-101.18, § 10-112, and § 24-261.05.
Acquisition of transfer property, see § 9-101.18.
Federal property, jurisdiction of District laws and regulations, see § 5-133.05.
Reversion of leases, see § 6-321.05.
Emergency Legislation
For temporary (90-day) clarification of an earlier resolution, see § 2 of the Transfer of Jurisdiction over Georgetown Waterfront Park for Public Park and Recreational Purposes, S.O. 84-230, Emergency Act of 1999 (D.C. Act 13-252, January 27, 2000, 47 DCR 825).
For temporary (90 day) transfer of jurisdiction, see § 3 of Closing of Portions of Virginia Avenue, S.E., K Street, S.E., L Street, S.E., and 7th Street, S.E., and Transfer of Jurisdiction or Reservations 19 and 124, S.O. 02-2677, Emergency Act of 2002 (D.C. Act 14-609, January 7, 2003, 50 DCR 699).
For temporary (90 day) transfer of jurisdiction, see § 2 of Transfer of Jurisdiction of Reservation 19 and 124 Emergency Act of 2002 (D.C. Act 14-452, July 23, 2002, 49 DCR 7891).
For temporary (90 day) transfer of jurisdiction, see § 2 of Transfer of Jurisdiction of Reservation 19 and 124 Congressional Review Emergency Act of 2002 (D.C. Act 14-519, October 24, 2002, 49 DCR 10507).
For temporary (90 day) transfer of jurisdiction, see § 4 of Modifications to the Permanent System of Highways and Designation of Water Lily Lane, N.E., and Cassell Place, N.E., S.O. 07-3090, and Transfer of Jurisdiction of Portions of Parcel 170/27 and Parcel 170/28, Emergency Act of 2009 (D.C. Act 18-173, August 3, 2009, 56 DCR 6636).
For temporary (90 day) addition, see § 1221 of Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Support Second Emergency Act of 2009 (D.C. Act 18-207, October 15, 2009, 56 DCR 8234).
For temporary (90 day) addition, see § 1221 of Fiscal Year Budget Support Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2009 (D.C. Act 18-260, January 4, 2010, 57 DCR 345).
Temporary Legislation
For temporary (225 day) amendment of section, see § 2 of Transfer of Jurisdiction Over Georgetown Waterfront Park for Public Park and Recreational Purposes, S.O. 84-230, Temporary Act of 2000 (D.C. Law 13-109, May 9, 2000, law notification 47 DCR 4346).
For temporary (225 day) amendment of section, see § 2 of Transfer of Jurisdiction of Reservation 19 and 124 Temporary Act of 2002 (D.C. Law 14-223, March 25, 2003, law notification 50 DCR 2736).
Short title: Section 1220 of D.C. Law 18-111 provided that subtitle W of title I of the act may be cited as the “Approval of Change in Use of Certain Properties Formerly Titled in the United States Government Act of 2009”.
Transfer of land for highway purposes: Pursuant to Resolution 5-156, the “Transfer of Jurisdiction Over Portions of Land Owned by the Government Printing Office to the District of Columbia for Highway Purposes Resolution of 1983”, effective May 10, 1983, the Council accepted the transfer of jurisdiction over portions of lots 884 and 885 in Square 677 from the United States Government Printing Office to the District of Columbia for highway purposes as shown on the plat filed with the Surveyor’s Office of the District of Columbia (S.O. 75-158).
Pursuant to Resolution 5-640, the “Transfer of Jurisdiction of Parts of Whitehaven Street, N.W., and Observatory Circle, N.W., and part of Reservation 357 Resolution of 1984,” effective April 30, 1984, the Council approved the transfer of jurisdiction from the District of Columbia to the National Park Service, for park purposes, of parts of Whitehaven Street, N.W., and Observatory Circle, N.W., and accepted the transfer of jurisdiction from the National Park Service to the District of Columbia, for highway purposes, of part of Reservation 357, as shown on the Surveyor’s plat filed under S.O. 82-227.
Pursuant to Resolution 5-773, the “Transfer of Jurisdiction over part of United States Reservation 500 Resolution of 1984,” effective July 10, 1984, the Council accepted the transfer of jurisdiction from the National Park Service of part of United States Reservation 500 for the Metropolitan Police Boys’ and Girls’ Club, as shown on the plat on file in the Office of the Surveyor of the District of Columbia under S.O. 83-245.
Council approval of transfer of jurisdiction over Georgetown Waterfront park: Pursuant to Resolution 6-284, the “Transfer of Jurisdiction over Georgetown Waterfront Park for Public Park and Recreational Purposes, S.O. 84-230, Resolution of 1985,” effective September 10, 1985, the Council approved the transfer of jurisdiction over Georgetown Waterfront Park in Ward 2 to the National Park Service for public park and recreational purposes.
Transfer of jurisdiction over certain property in Fort Lincoln New Town approved: Pursuant to Resolution 6-410, the “Transfer of Jurisdiction over Part of Parcel 173/142 in Fort Lincoln New Town, S.O. 84-285, Resolution of 1985,” effective November 5, 1985, the Council approved the transfer for recreational purposes from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development to the District of Columbia Redevelopment Land Agency of jurisdiction over part of Parcel 173/142 to Fort Lincoln New Town, as shown on the Surveyor’s plat filed under S.O. 84-285.
Encouragement of acquisition of land by federal government: Pursuant to Resolution 8-189, the “National Park Service—Georgetown Branch Rail Right-of-Way Acquisition Resolution of 1990”, effective February 2, 1990, the Council encouraged the federal government to acquire the District of Columbia portion of the abandoned rail right-of-way known as the Georgetown Branch.
Transfer of Jurisdiction over Lot 812 in Square 2939, S.O. 89-221, Resolution of 1990: Pursuant to Resolution 8-328, effective January 11, 1991, the Council approved the transfer of jurisdiction from the District of Columbia to the National Park Service of the United States Department of the Interior over Lot 812 in Square 2939, bounded by Quackenbush Street, N.W., Georgia Avenue, N.W., Peabody Street, N.W., and 13th Street, N.W., in Ward 4.
Transfer of Jurisdiction over a Portion of U.S. Reservation 360, S.O. 89-245, Resolution of 1990: Pursuant to Resolution 8-329, effective January 11, 1991, the Council approved the transfer for public street purposes of jurisdiction from the National Park Service of the United States Department of the Interior to the District of Columbia over a portion of U.S. Reservation 360, at the intersection of Virginia Avenue, N.W., and I Street, N.W., in Ward 2.
Transfer of Jurisdiction over Children’s Island, S.O. 92-252, Resolution of 1993: Pursuant to Resolution 10-91, effective July 30, 1993, the Council approved the transfer from the National Park Service of the United States Department of the Interior to the District of Columbia jurisdiction over property in the Anacostia River in Ward 6 known as National Children’s Island, for public park and recreational purposes.
Transfer of Jurisdiction over a Portion of U.S. Reservation 7, S.O. 90-354, Resolution of 1994: Pursuant to Resolution 10-255, effective January 14, 1994, the Council approved the transfer of jurisdiction, for park purposes, from the District of Columbia to the National Park Service of the United States Department of the Interior over a portion of U.S. Reservation 7, bounded by 4th, E, 5th and F Streets, N.W., in Ward 6.
Transfer of Jurisdiction over a Portion of Square 1183, S.O. 93-81, Resolution of 1994: Pursuant to Resolution 10-448, effective November 18, 1994, the Council approved the transfer of jurisdiction, for park purposes, from the District of Columbia to the National Park Service of the United States Department of the Interior over a portion of Lot 807 in Square 1182, bounded by M Street, N.W., 34th Street, N.W., the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, and Francis Scott Key Bridge, N.W., in Ward 2.
Transfer of Jurisdiction over a Portion of U.S. Reservation 515, S.O. 92-101, Resolution of 1994: Pursuant to Resolution 10-449, effective November 18, 1994, the Council approved the transfer of jurisdiction, for school and recreational purposes, from the National Park Service of the United States Department of the Interior to the District of Columbia over a portion of U.S. Reservation 515, located adjacent to Murch Elementary School at Reno Road, N.W., and Ellicott Street, N.W., in Ward 3.
Transfer of jurisdiction over District of Columbia Correctional Facility: Section 6(b) of D.C. Law 11-276 provided that notwithstanding this section, the Council of the District of Columbia approves the transfer from the United States government to the District of Columbia of jurisdiction over that portion of Lot 800 of Square 1112 upon which is situated the District of Columbia Correctional Treatment Facility, as shown on a plat to be drawn and filed in the Office of the Surveyor of the District of Columbia.
Transfer of Jurisdiction over a Portion of Independence Avenue, S.W., S.O. 85-96, Resolution of 1996: Pursuant to Resolution 11-207, effective February 6, 1996, the Council approved the transfer of jurisdiction, for park purposes, from the District of Columbia to the National Park Service of the United States Department of the Interior, over a portion of the north side of Independence Avenue, S.W., between 4th Street, S.W., and Maryland Avenue, S.W., in Ward 2.
Transfer of Jurisdiction over a Portion of Parcel 174-15 and Lot 802 in Square 4325, S.O. 85-182, Resolution of 1996: Pursuant to Resolution 11-235, approved March 5, 1996, and effective upon publication on March 15, 1996, Council approved the transfer of jurisdiction, for open space and urban renewal development purposes, from the National Park Service of the United States Department of the Interior to the District of Columbia over a portion of Parcel 17 4/15 and Lot 802 in Square 4325 located at the intersection of Bladensburg Road, N.E., and Eastern Avenue, N.E., in Ward 5.
Transfer of Jurisdiction over public land: Section 3 of D.C. Law 14-271 provided: “Pursuant to section 1 of An Act To Authorize the Transfer of Jurisdiction Over Public Land in the District of Columbia, approved May 20, 1932 (47 Stat. 161; D.C. Official Code § 10-111), the Council approves the transfer of jurisdiction of part of U.S. Reservation 19 from the District of Columbia to the U.S. Department of Defense, and the transfer of jurisdiction of U.S. Reservation 124 from the National Park Service of the U.S. Department of the Interior to the U.S. Department of Defense, as shown on the Surveyor’s plat filed under S.O. 02-2677, for the purpose of facilitating construction of a new Marine Corps Residence Quarters Annex.”
Transfer of Jurisdiction over public lands: Section 344 of Pub. L. 108-335, 118 Stat. 1350, the District of Columbia Appropriations Act, 2005, provided:
“Sec. 344. Transfer to District of Columbia.
“(a) Transfer of Jurisdiction —
“(1) In general.—Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, subject to subsection (b), the Director of the National Park Service (referred to in this section as the ‘NPS’), acting on behalf of the Secretary of the Interior, shall transfer jurisdiction to the government of the District of Columbia, without consideration, the property described in paragraph (2).
“(2) Property.—The property referred to in paragraph (1) is —
“(A) a portion of National Park Service land in Anacostia Park, U.S. Reservation 343, Section G, the boundaries of which are the Anacostia River to the west, Watts Branch to the south, Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens to the north, and Anacostia Avenue to the east which includes the community center currently occupied under permit by the District of Columbia known as the ‘Kenilworth Parkside Community Center’; and
“(B) all of U.S. Reservation 523.
“(b) Conditions of transfer. —
“(1) Term.—Jurisdiction will be transferred from the NPS to the District of Columbia.
“(2) Condition of transfer.—The transfer of jurisdiction under subsection (a)(1) shall be subject to such terms and conditions, to be included in a Declaration of Covenants to be mutually executed between NPS and the District of Columbia to ensure that the property transferred under that subsection —
“(A) is used only for the provision of public recreational facilities, open space, or public outdoor recreational opportunities; and
“(B) nothing in this Act precludes the District of Columbia from entering into a lease for all or part of the property with a public not-for-profit entity for the management or maintenance of the property.
“(3) Termination. —
“(A) In general.—The transfer under subsection (a)(1) shall terminate if —
“(i) any term or condition of the transfer described in paragraph (2) or contained within the Declaration of Covenants described in paragraph (2) is violated, as determined by the NPS; and
“(ii) the violation is not corrected by the date that is 90 days after the date on which the Mayor of the District of Columbia receives from the NPS a written notice of the violation.
“(B) Determination of correction.—A violation of a term or condition of the transfer under subsection (a)(1) shall be determined to have been corrected under subparagraph (A)(ii) if, after notification of the violation, the District of Columbia and the NPS enter into an agreement that the NPS considers to be adequate to ensure that the property transferred will be used in a manner consistent with paragraph (2).
“(4) Prohibition of civil actions.—No person may bring a civil action relating to a violation of any term or condition of the transfer described in paragraph (2) before the date that is 90 days after the person notifies the Mayor of the District of Columbia of the alleged violation (including the intent of the person to bring a civil action for termination of the transfer under paragraph (3)).
“(5) Removal of structures; rehabilitation.—The transfer under subsection (a)(1) shall be subject to the condition that, in the event of a termination of the transfer under paragraph (3), the District of Columbia shall bear the cost of removing structures on, or rehabilitating, the property transferred.
“(6) Administration of property.—If the transfer under subsection (a)(1) is terminated under paragraph (3), the property covered by the transfer shall be returned to the NPS and administered as a unit of the National Park System in the District of Columbia in accordance with —
“(A) the Act of August 25, 1916 (commonly known as the ‘National Park Service Organic Act’) ( 16 U.S.C. 1 et seq.); and
“(B) other laws (including regulations) generally applicable to units of the National Park System.”
Transfer of Jurisdiction over portion of Parcel 170/27 and Parcel 170/28: Section 4 of D.C. Law 18-68 provided:
“Sec. 4. (a) Pursuant to section 1 of An Act to Authorize the Transfer of Jurisdiction Over Public Land in the District of Columbia, approved May 20, 1932 (47 Stat. 161; D.C. Official Code § 10-111), the Council approves the transfer of jurisdiction from the United States, by the National Park Service, for residential purposes, of that certain land commonly known as undeveloped land generally adjacent to Anacostia Avenue, N.E., and Hayes Street, N.E., and more particularly described as a portion of Parcel 170/27 and Parcel 170/28, containing approximately 203,903 square feet of land area, being the same property as previously transferred for park purposes as part of U.S. Reservation 343G through a transfer of jurisdiction from the District of Columbia to the National Park Service, as shown on that certain plat recorded on October 12, 1950, and in the Office of the Surveyor for the District of Columbia in Book 131 at Page 97 (‘Property’). Approval of this transfer is subject to the restriction that the Property be used for residential purposes in accordance with the plans approved pursuant to Zoning Commission Case No. 06-30.”
Pursuant to Resolution 8-232, the “Transfer of Jurisdiction over Portions of Public Streets Adjacent to the U.S. Navy’s Bellevue Housing Complex, S.O. 87-300, Resolution of 1990”, effective June 22, 1990, the Council approved the transfer from the District of Columbia to the United States Department of the Navy of jurisdiction over portions of Chesapeake Street, S.W., Magazine Road, S.W., and an unnamed public street west of Overlook Avenue, S.W., in Ward 8.
Section 1221 of D.C. Law 18-111 provided: “The use of any property transferred to the District pursuant to the Second Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Request Act, passed on 1st reading on July 31, 2009 (Enrolled version of Bill 18-412), shall not be modified unless the new use is authorized pursuant to District law.”
Delegation of Authority to the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development to Execute Certain Documents with Respect to a portion of Fort Dupont Park, see Mayor’s Order 2011-198, December 23, 2011 ( 58 DCR 11502).
Resolution 13-684, the “African-American Civil War Memorial Transfer of Jurisdiction Resolution of 2000”, was approved effective November 8, 2000.
Resolution 14-375, the “Transfer of Jurisdiction of the D.C. General Hospital Campus and Old Jail Site Resolution of 2002”, was approved effective March 5, 2002.
Resolution 15-287, the “Transfer of Jurisdiction of Part of U.S. Reservation 357 for the Mayor’s Official Residence Resolution of 2003”, was approved effective November 4, 2003.
Resolution 15-370, the “Transfer of Jurisdiction of Lot 812 in Square 391, Lot 811 in Square S 439 and Lot 820 in Square 472 Approval Resolution of 2003”, was approved effective December 16, 2003.
Resolution 15-519, the “Transfer of Jurisdiction of the New York Avenue Animal Shelter Expansion Site Resolution of 2004”, was approved effective May 4, 2004.
Resolution 15-763, the “Transfer of Jurisdiction of a Portion of Square 1171 Approval Resolution of 2004”, was approved effective December 7, 2004.
Resolution 16-443, the “Transfer of Jurisdiction Over a Portion of U.S. Reservation 475, Fort Mahan Park Approval Resolution of 2006”, was approved effective January 4, 2006.
Resolution 18-537, the “Transfer of Jurisdiction Over a Portion of U.S. Reservation 495 and Change in Purpose of a Previously Transferred Portion of U.S. Reservation 495 Approval Resolution of 2010”, was approved effective July 13, 2010.
Resolution 18-538, the “Transfers of Jurisdiction over Portions of U.S. Reservations 334 and 334-I for the Reconfiguration of Columbus Circle, N.E., Approval Resolution of 2010”, was approved effective July 13, 2010.
Resolution 19-143, the “Transfers of Jurisdiction over Portions of U.S. Reservation 542 and Lot 09 in Square 1772 Approval
Resolution of 2011“, was approved effective July 12, 2011.
Resolution 19-144, the “Transfers of Jurisdiction over Portions of Reservation 470 and Lot 811 in Square 1759 Approval Resolution of 2011”, was approved effective July 12, 2011.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line689
|
__label__cc
| 0.605167
| 0.394833
|
Home » Tennessee (x) » Davidson, Elvyn V. Doc (x) » Architectural photography (x)
Dwellings--Tennessee (51) + -
Exhibition buildings (44) + -
Central business districts--United States (36) + -
Streets--Tennessee (29) + -
City churches (20) + -
Hotels (20) + -
Aerial photography (18) + -
College buildings--Tennessee (15) + -
Railroads--Tennessee (13) + -
Mansions (12) + -
Methodist church buildings (11) + -
Hospital buildings (10) + -
Courthouses (8) + -
High school buildings (8) + -
Cable cars (Streetcars) (5) + -
Cityscapes (5) + -
Library buildings (5) + -
Urban parks (5) + -
Baptist church buildings (4) + -
Carriages and carts (4) + -
Photography of markets (4) + -
Post office buildings (4) + -
Crowds (3) + -
High schools--Tennessee (3) + -
Medical centers (3) + -
Municipal buildings (3) + -
Parades (3) + -
Presbyterian church buildings (3) + -
School buildings (3) + -
Tennessee--Politics and government (3) + -
Viaducts (3) + -
Brick roads (2) + -
City halls (2) + -
City planning (2) + -
Country clubs (2) + -
Electric utilities (2) + -
Florists (2) + -
Freemasonry--Lodges (2) + -
Markets (2) + -
Masonic buildings (2) + -
Newspaper buildings (2) + -
Photography of fires (2) + -
Photography of flags (2) + -
Photography--Studios and dark rooms (2) + -
Shotgun houses (2) + -
Slums (2) + -
Traffic signs and signals (2) + -
Women--Education (2) + -
Anglican church buildings (1) + -
Automobile industry and trade (1) + -
Automobile repair shops (1) + -
Bakeries (1) + -
Bank buildings (1) + -
Bellows (Mechanical engineering) (1) + -
Blind--Education (1) + -
Building construction (1) + -
Catholic high schools (1) + -
Cement industries (1) + -
Charities (1) + -
Coal mines and mining (1) + -
Commercial buildings (1) + -
Delivery of goods (1) + -
Department stores (1) + -
Dormitories (1) + -
Factories (1) + -
Family-owned business enterprises (1) + -
Ferries (1) + -
Fire Prevention (1) + -
Fire stations (1) + -
Fortification (1) + -
French Broad River (N.C. And Tenn.) (1) + -
Funeral homes (1) + -
Governors (1) + -
Hospitals (1) + -
Laundry (1) + -
Light in architecture (1) + -
Log cabins (1) + -
Lumber trade (1) + -
Lutheran church buildings (1) + -
Motels (1) + -
Music stores (1) + -
Office buildings (1) + -
Petroleum industry and trade (1) + -
Plants in winter (1) + -
Portrait photography (1) + -
Preachers (1) + -
Preparatory schools (1) + -
Railroad stations (1) + -
Restaurants (1) + -
Road construction (1) + -
Sand and gravel industry (1) + -
Gary Heatherly Images (4) + -
Curt Teich & Co. (1) + -
Detroit photographic company (1) + -
Rotograph Company (New York) (1) + -
S.H. Kress & Co. (1) + -
Standard Souvenirs and Novelties, Inc. (1) + -
University of Tennessee, Knoxville (1) + -
Knoxville (Tenn.) (345) + -
Tennessee River (30) + -
Fountain City (Tenn.) (2) + -
Tennessee (2) + -
Grainger County (Tenn.) (1) + -
Great Smoky Mountains (N.C. and Tenn.) (1) + -
Great Smoky Mountains National Park (N.C. And Tenn.) (1) + -
Hardin County (Tenn.) (1) + -
Knox County (Tenn.) (1) + -
Sevier County (Tenn.) (1) + -
May 1982 - October 1982 (30) + -
July 7, 1996 (2) + -
city maps (1) + -
stereographs (1) + -
Unknown (Creator) (324) + -
Robertson, Ernest Bryan, 1928-2011 (Photographer) (15) + -
Thompson, James Edward, 1880-1976 (Photographer) (10) + -
Hyde, Victor A. (Victor Albert) (Photographer) (9) + -
Thompsons, Inc. Commercial Photographers (Photographer) (5) + -
University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Photographic Center (Creator) (5) + -
Gary Heatherly Images (Creator) (4) + -
Cochran, William C. (William Cox), 1848-1936 (Photographer) (2) + -
Copeland, Herbert Earl, 1888-1968 (Photographer) (1) + -
Curt Teich & Co. (Creator) (1) + -
Detroit photographic company (Creator) (1) + -
Knoxville Engraving Co. (Creator) (1) + -
Leslie, Bruce G, 1899-1998 (Photographer) (1) + -
Lunsford, Hugh B, 1925-2007 (Photographer) (1) + -
Rotograph Company (New York) (Creator) (1) + -
S.H. Kress & Co. (Creator) (1) + -
Standard Souvenirs and Novelties, Inc. (Creator) (1) + -
University of Tennessee, Knoxville (Creator) (1) + -
Knoxville Academy of Medicine
Built in 1812, this structure originally served as prominent Knoxvillian James Parks' private residence. The Knoxville Academy of Medicine purchased the building in 1949 and added a large addition (not shown) in 1968. The building is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places and further restoration is planned.
Knoxville City Hall
View of the front entrance to Knoxville's old City Hall. The building was constructed in 1844 and originally housed the Tennessee School for the Deaf. It served as a makeshift hospital for both Union and Confederate troops during the Civil War but returned to its original purpose when the war ended. It became Knoxville's City Hall in 1924, and continued in this function until 1980. The structure is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Development proposal for Central Metropolitan Knoxville
This image shows a plan for the development of Central Metropolitan Knoxville put forth by the Knoxville-Knox County Metropolitan Planning Commission in 1962. The plan demonstrates options for commercial, office, parking, public, residential, and adjacent use.
Ariel view of downtown Knoxville
Ariel view of Knoxville, Tennessee taken from the south side of the Tennessee River. Among the structures visible are the Gay Street Bridge, the Andrew Johnson Hotel, and the Hamilton Bank Building.
Ariel view of Knoxville, Tennessee taken from the south side of the Tennessee River. Among the structures visible are the Gay Street Bridge, the Andrew Johnson Hotel, the Hamilton Bank Building, and the Knoxville Coliseum.
Knoxville Civic Auditorium and Coliseum
The Knoxville Civic Auditorium and Coliseum opened in the fall of 1961. Built with musical performances in mind, it seats 2,500 people and offers a 57 foot by 54 foot stage. It has also hosted such non-musical entertainments as circuses and ice shows.
Wallace McClure Residence
Wallace K. McClure purchased this home on Temple Avenue (now Volunteer Boulevard) from Henry H. Ingersoll in 1902. He and his family lived in the house until his death in 1921. In 1941, Wallace McClure Jr. donated the house to the University of Tennessee as part of the W.K. McClure Foundation for the Study of World Affairs that he had founded as a memorial for his father. The house was demolished in the 1960s.
View of the Tennesse River from the UT Agricultural Experiment Station
The University of Tennessee's Agricultural Experiment Station was established in 1882 with the intention of furthering agricultural research in the state. It grew quickly, and by 1900 branch stations were being built so that research could be conducted under specific local conditions. Today, these stations continue to research numerous topics and provide important contributions to agricultural science in Tennessee and around the world.
Hotel Farragut
Named after Admiral David Glasgow Farragut, the Hotel Farragut opened on the corner of Gay and Clinch (the site of the old Imperial Hotel) on February 1, 1919. It flourished until 1929 when the Andrew Johnson Hotel opened nearby, after which time the two hotels provided each other with stiff competition. The Farragut closed in 1977 and was converted into office space in 1978.
Tate Springs Hotel
Captain Thomas Tomlinson built the Tate Springs Hotel in the late 1800s near one of the mineral springs flowing from Clinch Mountain in Grainger County. The resort, which featured cottages, stables, a golf course, and a park, was extremely prosperous until the Great Depression. The original structure was torn down in 1936 and the property was sold to Kingswood School in 1941. Today, the only remnant of the hotel is a gazebo standing near the mineral spring.
Christian Union Community Club
The Christian Union Community Club was formed in about 1918 and disbanded in 1929. The building shown was later used for other benevolent purposes, including a WPA night school and a Junior League Day Nursery.
Colonel James Van Deventer's Home
Colonel James Van Deventer and his family lived in this home on Temple Avenue (now called Volunteer Boulevard) from approximately 1900 until 1908. The University of Tennessee later used the structure as its Faculty Club, and the building was finally razed in the 1980s to allow for the construction of Hodges Library.
CSX Railroad Bridge
This bridge, which crosses the Tennessee River near the University of Tennessee campus, was built in the 1960s and is used by the commercial CSX railroad line.
Knoxville & Augusta Railroad Bridge
View of the Knoxville & Augusta (later Southern) Railroad bridge. This picture was taken from near the foot of the University of Tennessee's "Hill" and shows the sparse development of south Knoxville during the late 19th and early 20th century.
Henley Street Bridge and Railroad Bridge
View of the Henley Street Bridge and the Railroad Bridge crossing the Tennessee River in Knoxville, Tennessee. Visible in the background are the main building of the Baptist Hospital and the Blount Professional Building.
View of the railroad tracks and the W.J. Savage Company
View of the railroad tracks running through Knoxville near the city's center. Also visible are the University of Tennessee's Ayres Hall and the W.J. Savage Co.
Louisville & Nashville railroad yards and terminals
View of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad yards and terminals. The Commonwealth of Kentucky granted the L&N a charter on March 5, 1850 and the Tennessee State Legislature authorized the railroad's extension to Nashville on December 4, 1851. The railroad began expanding after the Civil War and eventually reached such cities as Knoxville (Tennessee), Montgomery (Alabama), Norton (Virginia), and New Orleans (Louisiana). By the time the Seabord Coastline Railroad bought the L&N in 1971, it operated 6,574 miles of track in 13 states.
First through train to Knoxville
This train, which came from Louisville, Kentucky on the East Tennessee, Virginia & Georgia Railroad, was the first through train to arrive in Knoxville. The ETV&G was formed when the East Tennessee & Georgia Railroad merged with the East Tennessee & Virginia Railroad in 1869. The new railroad expanded significantly before merging with the Richmond and Danville Railroad to form the Southern Railway in 1895.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line690
|
__label__wiki
| 0.847561
| 0.847561
|
Tag Archives: BMW
Automakers Fund European Electric Car Charging Sites to Boost Demand
By DeputyGD8FTM
Investment, Renewable energy, Uncategorized
Four of the world’s top carmakers have agreed to invest in thousands of fast-charging sites across Europe to boost mainstream acceptance of electric cars, the companies said on Tuesday.
Spurred by the success of U.S. rival Tesla, which has received huge pre-orders for its Model 3 car, German rivals Volkswagen, Daimler’s Mercedes, BMW an Ford Motor Co’s European division have entered a joint venture to develop 400 charging stations.
Overcoming “range anxiety,” the fear of running out of power before reaching a charging station, is key to widespread consumer acceptance of electric vehicles, which so far have filled only a niche market.
Figures on the total investment were not released.
A memorandum of understanding for the JV was reached late last week.
Government regulators have also been pushing electric vehicle infrastructure projects.
In the United States, it remains to be seen how an administration of Donald Trump will embrace such projects. The White House earlier this month, and a week before the presidential election, announced efforts to spur development of EV charging infrastructure.
After the German government agreed to help the auto industry with electric car subsidies, pressure has built for Germany’s carmakers to accelerate the development and rollout of electric car infrastructure.
German Economics Minister Sigmar Gabriel, a potential challenger to Angela Merkel in 2017, has called for Germany to become a leader in electric vehicle technology.
Electric vehicle infrastructure will also get a boost from Volkswagen’s diesel emissions settlement, which calls for investment in EVs, and Daimler recently announced investing 10 billion euros ($11 billion) in EVs.
Scarce charging points, as well as higher prices for electric cars compared with combustion models, have stifled mass-market demand despite sales incentives that often include government assistance.
“The availability of high-power stations allows long-distance electric mobility for the first time and will convince more and more customers to opt for an electric vehicle,” Daimler Chief Executive Dieter Zetsche said.
A goal is to make charging an electric vehicle as convenient as refuelling at conventional gas stations, the automakers said in a statement issued on Tuesday.
Executives across the industry predict electric cars will become increasingly popular due to advances that make batteries cheaper and more powerful. Also, the VW emissions scandal has sparked a regulatory backlash against diesel-engine vehicles.
Diesel-powered vehicles accounted for 52 percent of new passenger cars sold in Europe last year, although they are a small fragment of the U.S. market.
The joint venture, which is open to other automakers, is to fund the establishment of charging sites beginning in the first quarter of 2017, the carmakers said.
After reaching the initial goal of about 400 charging sites along major highways in Europe, the group aims to have “thousands of high-powered charging points” on the continent by 2020, the statement said.
The JV is to include Volkswagen’s Audi and Porsche brands.
A Ford spokeswoman in the United States, Angie Kozleski, said the JV is in discussions with power generation providers but is not ready to announce which company or companies will supply electricity to the charging stations.
The initial focus of the JV, Ford’s Kozleski said, “will be building the network in Europe and the joint venture will decide on possible expansion, based on market insights, when it is appropriate.”
She would not comment on Ford or other automakers’ efforts to develop charging networks in the United States or Asia.
In September, ChargePoint Inc, the world’s largest electric vehicle charging network, said the U.S. divisions of Volkswagen and BMW are collaborating on charging networks on the two U.S. coasts.
The European network will be based on so-called combined charging system technology, enhancing existing AC and DC charging standards and allowing for ultra-fast power levels of up to 350 kilowatt-hours.
Originally reported by the Reuters.
Remember, always ensure to consult highly knowledgeable group of professionals whom would provide you with a collective advice, never individual advice. This group advice and approach is unique with CWIIL Group and is based on the overall Management Philosophy of all CWIIL Group Companies.
For Further Queries or to Request a Personal Quote Feel Free to Contact :
Mr. Francis Thomas Matthews,
Deputy Global Director, No. 8
Marketing Research & Development Division,
Email : deputy.gd.8@cwiilgroup.eu
Connect : LinkedIn I Twitter I Facebook I Tumblr
BMW Eyes 100,000 Electric Car Sales in 2017
Environment, Investment, Uncategorized
A vintage wheelcap of a BMW is pictured before a news conference marking the company’s 100th birthday festivities in Munich, southern Germany March 7, 2016
BMW wants to boost sales of electric cars by two-thirds next year to 100,000 vehicles as the luxury automaker is offering more battery-powered models, Süddeutsche Zeitung reported, citing Chief Executive Officer Harald Krüger.
Munich-based BMW expects to increase its deliveries of fully electric and hybrid vehicles to around 60,000 units this year, Krüger said in an interview published on Monday. Sales of battery-powered BMW models have totalled about 100,000 cars since 2013, he noted.
“Electric mobility will come, but demand is not going through the roof at the moment,” the newspaper quoted Krüger as saying.
To help improve sales, BMW is also increasing the battery range of its i3 city vehicle by 50 percent this year. The i3, BMW’s only fully battery-powered car, sold only 25,000 units last year.
The company, which has dropped behind Daimler’s Mercedes-Benz in global luxury-car sales rankings, wants to expand the share of electric cars and hybrid models to between 15 percent and 25 percent of sales by 2025, the newspaper reported.
Germany’s New Electric Car Discount Scheme Draws Nearly 2,000 Applicants
energy, Germany, Investment, Renewable energy
Nearly 2,000 people in Germany have applied for the government’s electric car discount scheme, introduced on July 1, and a third of them are buyers of BMW models, a government agency said on Thursday.
The scheme, similar to those established in other European countries to spur electric car sales, grants buyers of electric cars a 4,000 euro ($4,452.00) discount and gives buyers of plug-in hybrid vehicles a discount of 3,000 euros.
Since its introduction, 1,791 buyers of electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles have applied for the discounts and 581 of them were buyers of BMW models, notably its i3 electric car, the BAFA, economic affairs and export control agency said. BMW has pioneered the production of such cars in Germany and offers more models than other carmakers.
There were 444 applications for the discounts from buyers of Renault models and 154 applications from buyers of Volkswagen models, BAFA said.
The total 1.2 billion euro ($1.3 billion) cost of the incentives is being shared equally between the German government and carmakers, with a goal of selling around 400,000 electric cars in Europe’s biggest car market.
Out of the 45 million cars on German roads, only about 50,000 are purely battery-powered vehicles or plug-in hybrids.
The incentive scheme expires at the end of June 2019, BAFA said.
BAFA said 1,194 requests for the discounts on electric cars and 597 requests for plug-in hybrid discounts have been submitted, adding a third of all requests were filed on behalf of companies.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line693
|
__label__cc
| 0.515341
| 0.484659
|
Presence of Life may be Required to Maintain Habitability of a Planet over Billions of Years
Posted on Apr 30, 2012 in Uncategorized
Researchers from the Australian National University Planetary Science Institute have discovered that rocky, Earth-like planets are probably more abundant than stars. The institute is a joint venture of the Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics and the Research School of Earth Sciences.
“Determining whether these planets are habitable has become the new holy grail of astronomy,” said planetary scientist Dr Charley Lineweaver, lead author of the study at the The Australian National University.
“The new-found abundance of planets, combined with the much larger range of inhabited terrestrial environments suggests that habitable planets are common. This increases the probability of finding some kind of extraterrestrial life,” he said.
“By comparing the inhabited and uninhabited regions of Earth, we can identify the most important factors that determine habitability. For terrestrial life, those factors are liquid water, a narrow range of temperature, and an energy source,” said Aditya Chopra also at the Australian National University.
“Habitability is not just a question of abiotic environmental conditions – the presence of life may be required to maintain the habitability of a planet over billions of years," added Lineweaver. “Planetary habitability is a complex and confusing concept that we are only beginning to get our heads around, but as a species that wants to survive, it is in our interest to get our heads around it soon.”
The research has been published in the paper, "The Habitability of Our Earth and Other Earths: Astrophysical, Geochemical, Geophysical, and Biological Limits on Planet Habitability", online in the Annual Reviews of Earth and Planetary Sciences.
The Daily Galaxy via Australian National University.
View Today's Hot Tech News Video from IDG -Publishers of PC World, MacWorld, and Computerworld–Top Right of Page
To launch the video click on the Start Arrow. Our thanks for your support! It allows us to bring you the news daily about the discoveries, people and events changing our planet and our knowledge of the Universe.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line694
|
__label__wiki
| 0.512743
| 0.512743
|
“We Exist Inside a Bubble in the Interstellar Medium” — NASA Astronomers (Weekend Feature)
Posted on Oct 27, 2012 in Uncategorized
We seem to be inside a "local bubble" in a network of cavities in the interstellar medium, probably carved by massive star explosions millions of years ago. The interstellar medium (or ISM) is the matter that exists in the space between the star systems in a galaxy. This matter includes gas in ionic, atomic, and molecular form, dust, and cosmic rays. It fills interstellar space and blends smoothly into the surrounding intergalactic space.
The ISM plays a crucial role in astrophysics precisely because of its intermediate role between stellar and galactic scales, with stars forming within the densest regions of the ISM and molecular clouds, and replenishes the ISM with matter and energy through planetary nebulae, stellar winds, and supernovae.
This interplay between stars and the ISM helps determine the rate at which a galaxy depletes its gaseous content, and therefore its lifespan of active star formation.
NASA astronomer's best guess is depicted in the map (below) of the surrounding 1500 light years constructed from multiple observations and deductions. Currently, the Sun is passing through a Local Interstellar Cloud (LIC), shown in violet, which is flowing away from the Scorpius-Centaurus Association of young stars (image above).
The LIC resides in a low-density hole in the interstellar medium (ISM) called the Local Bubble, shown in black. Nearby, high-density molecular clouds including the Aquila Rift surround star forming regions, each shown in orange.
The Gum Nebula, shown above and below in green, is a region of hot ionized hydrogen gas. This complex nebula is thought to be a supernova remnant over a million years old, sprawling across the southern constellations Vela and Puppis. Inside the Gum Nebula is the Vela Supernova Remnant, shown in pink, which is expanding to create fragmented shells of material like the LIC. Future observations will aid astronomers to learn more about the local Galactic Neighborhood and how it might have affected Earth's past climate.
Over 13 billion years ago at least one of the domains of life may have begun in nebular clouds. If restricted to the Milky Way, which is 13.6 billion years old, the first chemical combinations would have had billions of years to become a self-replicating organism with a DNA genome long before the existence of Earth.
Nebular clouds are thought to be most likely environment for synthesizing and promoting the evolution of molecules needed for the origin of life. The building blocks for DNA could have been generated or combined within interstellar clouds and DNA would become part of the molecular-protein-amino acid complex. Hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, calcium, sulfur, nitrogen and phosphorus for example are continually irradiated by ions, which can generate small organic molecules which evolve into larger complex organic molecules that result in the formation of amino acids and other compounds.
Phosphorus, for example, is rare in our solar system and may have been non-existent on the early Earth; phosphorus is essential for the manufacture of DNA.
Polarized radiation in the nebula cloud leads to the formation of proteins, nucleobases and then DNA. The combination of hydrogen, carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, cyanide and several other elements, could create adenine, which is a DNA base, whereas oxygen and phosphorus could ladder DNA base pairs. Glycine has also been identified in the interstellar clouds.
Fast forward 4.6 billion years, on Earth the steps leading from the random mixing of chemicals to the first nano-particle would likely require hundreds of millions and even billions of years before the first self-replicating molecular compound was fashioned. Even after billions of years, the first replicon may not have possessed DNA.
A map of the local ISM within 10 light-years based on recent observations (top of the page) shows that our Sun is moving through a Local Interstellar Cloud as this cloud flows outwards from the Scorpius-Centaurus Association star forming region. Our Sun may exit the Local Interstellar Cloud during the next 10,000 years. Much remains unknown about the local ISM, including details of its distribution, its origin, and how it affects the Sun and the Earth.
The Daily Galaxy via sciencemag.org and newscientist.com
Image credit top of page: Linda Huff (American Scientist), Priscilla Frisch (U. Chicago)
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line695
|
__label__wiki
| 0.687495
| 0.687495
|
Behind the scenes: Filming underwater
Photos: Behind the scenes: Filming underwater
Behind the scenes: Filming underwater – A CNN crew boarded a support vessel in the North Sea for a demonstration of remotely operated vehicles. Producer James Frater, pictured, describes the thrill of dragging heavy gear around a huge vessel in heavy seas.
Behind the scenes: Filming underwater – "The calm conditions that had allowed us to easily film inside the port quickly changed once we left the harbor, as we came up against 25-knot winds, rolling waves and spray soaking us from all sides," says James.
Behind the scenes: Filming underwater – James: About 2 miles (3 kilometers) out to sea, between the waves, we got fleeting glimpses of the MV Olympic Triton, the support vessel for remotely operated underwater vehicles. We could tell it was large, but as we drew closer to the 315-foot (96-meter) vessel it became clear it was not only large, but a serious piece of maritime engineering.
Behind the scenes: Filming underwater – "As we approached the Olympic Triton, conditions were too dangerous for us to board and we had to wait for the massive vessel to turn to give us a bit of shelter. While waiting we filmed our first key sequence: the ROV being lowered into the water."
Behind the scenes: Filming underwater – "Sheltered from the worst of the weather we were still rising and falling in the water by as much as 10 feet. To board, we had to wait for the bow of our boat to rise up and then throw ourselves at a small wood and rope ladder and hanging grab rope and pull ourselves aboard."
Behind the scenes: Filming underwater – "We only spent a short amount of time with the talented crew of the Olympic Triton, but we did get a sense of how good they are at what they do, and how incredibly difficult their work is."
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line699
|
__label__cc
| 0.528084
| 0.471916
|
A Jury of Her Peers: The Impact of the First Female Jurors on Criminal Convictions
Anwar, S
Bayer, Patrick
Hjalmarsson, R
This paper uses an original data set of more than 3000 cases from 1918 to 1926 in the Central Criminal Courts of London to study the effect of the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act of 1919. Implemented in 1921, this Act made females eligible to serve on English juries, providing a novel setting for studying the impact of female representation on jury verdicts. Results based on a pre-post research design imply that the inclusion of females had little effect on overall conviction rates but resulted in a large and significant increase in convictions for sex offenses and on the conviction rate differential between violent crime cases with female versus male victims. The inclusion of women also increased the likelihood of juries being discharged without reaching a verdict on all charges and the average time taken to reach a verdict. A complementary analysis of cases in which the jury was carried over from a previous trial also implies that the inclusion of female jurors on the seated jury sharply increased conviction rates for violent crimes against women versus men.
Patrick Bayer
Gilhuly Family Professor in Economics
Bayer's research focuses on wide range of subjects including racial inequality and segregation, social interactions, housing markets, education, and crime. He has received numerous grants from the National Science Foundation, Social Science and Humanities Council of Canada, and the US Department of Education. His most recent work has been published in the Quarterly Journal of Economics, the Journal of Political Economy, the Journal of Environmental Economics, and American Economics Association
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line701
|
__label__cc
| 0.501537
| 0.498463
|
Rebecca Narkiewicz
Art, Events, Recreation
13 most beautiful, andy warhol, black postcards, charleston events, dean and britta, music in charleston, New York, Spoleto
An Off the Beaten Path Spoleto Recommendation
Spoleto always has spectacular artists and performers but only a rare handful have ever found me so excited that I was jumping up and down in my living room . The last time was when Monkey Journey to the West made Spoleto home for its ONLY American performance and before that it was Laurie Anderson’s birthday performance of Songs and Stories from Moby Dick.
This year perhaps has me the most ecstatic ever- New York’s Dean and Britta’s performance of Andy Warhol’s 13 Most Beautiful. They’ve traveled around the world with this show and it’s also been released on dvd. It’s a very personal show for me and I am looking forward to it. I received the DVD two years ago as a birthday present, traveled to Duke University last year to see a performance, and I am not ashamed to admit that over the years I’ve stalked Dean Wareham’s previous band Luna traveling by plane and car to catch them live whenever I could. In highschool I was a huge fan of Dean’s band from his Harvard University days- Galaxie 500. I also chose a Luna song for my first dance at my wedding. Needless to say I am so stoked I can see one of my favorite performers without having to drive/fly 2+ hours to do so.
Dean and Britta
If you are worried the show will be boring or short- don’t be. The husband and wife duo with their small band play in front of a screen which plays the 13 screen tests they selected (featuring Edie Sedgwick, Lou Reed, Dennis Hopper and more). They tell interesting stories and share facts about the people in those screen tests in between the song performances. Of course the song list features covers by Bob Dylan and The Velvet Underground but also some originals written specifically for the screen tests by Dean and Britta. The screen tests themselves are entertaining as well- they are a few minutes of film by Andy Warhol focusing on people’s faces while they do nothing, try to do nothing, or do something so commonplace like chewing gum it makes for interesting viewing. Lou Reed drinks a Coca Cola, Ann Buchanan sheds one beautifully perfect tear, Jane Holzer brushes her teeth, and Dennis Hopper stares up, down and seemingly tries to not crack a smile. And once they finish the screen tests, they’ve been known to break into a few of their own songs, some Galaxie 500 and Luna tunes as well.
I must add to that Dean Wareham wrote a hilarious autobiography about his experience in the music world and touring- Black Postcards. It is simultaneously hilarious, heart breaking and thought provoking and it seems very honest – he seemed very concerned about telling the truth as he knows it, sometimes making himself look very much the villain in the process. Britta Phillips was the singing voice of the 80’s cartoon Jem (yes, Jem and the Holograms) and recently she voiced the mom on Cartoon Networks Moral Oral. You can also catch her in Satisfaction (that 80’s Justine Bateman/Julia Roberts/Liam Neeson movie that was actually filmed in Charleston). Britta was the one in the movie that could actually sing.
One thing I love about Dean and Britta is their accessibility to fans. You can probably catch them after the show in the lobby talking to anyone who approaches them. I could gush on forever why you should see their performance and seek out all their cds but I must get back to work. Hope to see you at one of their performances!
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line702
|
__label__wiki
| 0.705862
| 0.705862
|
Financial Identity Theft
Financial Identity Theft Context, Challenges and Countermeasures
When identity theft first emerged as a problem of public policy in the United States, during the last decade of the twentieth century, the rest of the world was still fast asleep. This changed several years later as other countries awakened to similar problems and a sense of potential urgency surrou...
van der Meulen, Nicole S.
The Hague, The Netherlands T.M.C. Asser Press 2011, 2011
Information Technology and Law Series
Legal Aspects Of Computing
It Law, Media Law, Intellectual Property
Mass Media / Law And Legislation
Computers / Law And Legislation
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-6704-814-9?nosfx=y
When identity theft first emerged as a problem of public policy in the United States, during the last decade of the twentieth century, the rest of the world was still fast asleep. This changed several years later as other countries awakened to similar problems and a sense of potential urgency surrounding the topic of identity theft began to spread. Identity theft, especially as a result of developments in digital technology, became a threat worthy of social and political attention. With its (gradual) spread the need increases to understand how identity theft occurs and how perpetrators of the crime manage to take advantage of developments within contemporary society. For such an understanding it is vital to assess the effectiveness of current countermeasures and introduce innovative ones. This book provides such an understanding through an in-depth comparative analysis which illustrates how and to what extent states, financial service providers, consumers, and others facilitate the occurrence of financial identity theft in the United States and the Netherlands. Its comprehensive and interdisciplinary approach makes the book essential background reading for policy makers and scholars in Information Technology, Criminology and Public policy to develop strategies for the fight against identity theft
Disclosure of Security Vulnerabilities Legal and Ethical Issues
by: Maurushat, Alana
Google and the Law Empirical Approaches to Legal Aspects of Knowledge-Economy Business Models
Daten- und Identitätsschutz in Cloud Computing, E-Government und E-Commerce
Pictorial Law Modern Law and the Power of Pictures
by: Boehme-Neßler, Volker
Digital Media & Intellectual Property Management of Rights and Consumer Protection in a Comparative Analysis
by: Lucchi, Nicola
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line705
|
__label__wiki
| 0.822629
| 0.822629
|
The ethnic cleansing of Africans in Israel
David Sheen The Electronic Intifada 28 December 2015
Anti-African racism was peddled by both center-left Zionist Union candidate Isaac Herzog and right-wing Zionist incumbent Benjamin Netanyahu while campaigning ahead of the March election.
Oren Ziv ActiveStills
Since 2012, the number of non-Jewish refugees from African countries in present-day Israel has shrunk from a peak of approximately 64,000 to fewer than 46,000.
Israel’s successful efforts to reduce the number of Africans living in territory it controls must be recognized for what it is: ethnic cleansing.
For the last four years, I have compiled an annual list of the public figures most responsible for Israel’s racist treatment of Africans.
The list reads as both an indictment of populist opinion-makers and a retrospective of the assaults on refugees that have taken place in the last 12 months.
9. Yisrael Katz - transport minister
In April this year, around 800 refugees drowned when the boat carrying them sank in the Mediterranean.
In the face of this horrific tragedy, a top Israeli minister chose to revel in the government’s successful efforts to keep refugees out. Yisrael Katz, a leading figure in the right-wing Likud party who heads both ministries for transportation and intelligence and atomic energy, wrote in a Facebook post:
“Europe is having a difficult time dealing with the migrants, and with creating solutions for this difficult issue. While there are differences between us (the migrants traveling to Europe must cross a sea while those heading for Israel have a direct overland connection), you can see the rectitude of our government’s policy to build a fence on the border with Egypt, which blocks the job-seeking migrants before they enter Israel. The elections are over — you can give us some credit now.”
The same week that Katz posted his morbid message, it emerged that among a group of African men who Islamic State militants in Libya had executed for not being Muslims were three Eritreans who Israel had previously deported for not being Jews.
Taking a cue from Katz, some Israelis responded to the news over social media with expressions of joy and calls for more of the same.
8. Ben-Dror Yemini - journalist
For years, Ben-Dror Yemini has used his regular column in Israel’s best-selling daily newspaper Yediot Ahronot to attack Africans, as well as Palestinians and progressive Israeli Jews. This August, one of his articles may have shattered all previous records for the depths to which an establishment journalist is willing to descend in support of Israel’s war on Africans.
In it, Yemini argues that African men should be transferred out of Israeli cities and into desert detention centers, in order to prevent romantic relationships between them and Jewish Israeli women, specifically, Black Jewish Israeli women. Yemini notes that this motive would be rejected as racist if it were stated aloud, so he advises against raising this point publicly.
Suggesting that Jews in south Tel Aviv were paying an “unbearable price” because of the Africans living among them, he claims that there are arguments for reducing the number of Africans in city centers that “cannot be presented because they are outside the rules of political correctness.”
7. Tie: Nissan Ben Hamo and Rafi Ben Shitrit - city mayors
In August, after Israel’s high court ordered the release of African refugees who had been held in the Holot detention center for more than a year, the government grudgingly agreed to let them go, but with a condition.
In the final days before the deadline decreed by the court, the government issued documents to 1,200 of those being released, declaring that they were not permitted to live or work in either Tel Aviv or the Red Sea resort of Eilat.
The decision to restrict entrance to the two cities which contain the largest African communities in Israel posed a serious challenge for the released internees. Barred from accessing their only real support system in Israel — family and friends — the refugees scrambled to find lodging for the night in smaller towns where they didn’t have close contacts.
Within hours of leaving Holot, 20 were arrested in Tel Aviv for violating the conditions of their release.
Residents in Tel Aviv protest against African refugees in August.
Keren Manor ActiveStills
On the morning that the first 600 were released from Holot, Nissan Ben Hamo, the mayor or Arad, wrote on Facebook that he would not permit any of these Africans to settle in that city. Ben Hamo followed up his tough talk by posting police officers at entrances to the town with instructions to stop Africans coming in.
Ben Hamo also called upon residents to “maintain alertness” and threatened to mobilize the entire town to resist the arrival of Africans, potentially with physical force. He wrote on his Facebook page: “If we have to strengthen our struggle on this issue, I won’t hesitate to call on all residents to join the fight for the city’s well-being.”
Soon, the local authority of Bisan (Beit Shean), a town in the north of present-day Israel, issued a similar declaration that it would not permit African refugees to settle there. Rafi Ben Shitrit, the mayor, urged the town’s police commander to take “immediate action to prevent illegal infiltrators from staying in Beit Shean,” insisting that they were “not only unwanted but dangerous.”
6. Moshe Yaalon - defense minister
In August, Israeli soldiers shot and wounded three citizens of African states attempting to enter Israel from Egypt. When asked about the incident, the army provided several different accounts of the event that contradicted one another.
And when Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon was asked about the incident in Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, he refused to comment.
Yaalon displayed a similar nonchalance about the shooting of an African a few months later.
In October, after a gunman opened fire at the central bus station in the southern city of Bir al-Saba (Beer Sheva), killing an Israeli soldier and wounding 11 others, an Israeli security guard shot an innocent passerby, Eritrean refugee Haftom Zarhum.
Other Israelis at the scene proceeded to kick Zarhum in the face and slam a large bench onto him as he writhed on the floor, cursing him all the while. The crowd then blocked medics who tried to evacuate him to the local hospital.
Eritreans mourn in Tel Aviv on 21 October during a memorial for Haftom Zarhum, who died after he was shot by an Israeli security guard and beaten by a mob in Bir al-Saba.
The killing of Zarhum would seem to be an open and shut case of a murderous hate crime. His attackers were caught on camera assaulting him.
They were even interviewed on Israel’s Channel 2 and gleefully took credit for stomping Zarhum to death.
A week later, one of Zarhum’s attackers returned to Channel 2 and said that he had no regrets over his role in the incident.
And yet, Yaalon’s defense ministry decided that Zarhum would not be recognized as a victim of terrorism because he entered Israel “illegally.” Without this status, his surviving family members are not entitled to any Israeli government compensation.
More than two months have passed since Zarhum was killed. No charges have yet been filed against the men who were responsible for his death.
5. Issac Herzog - opposition leader
Another one of the ways that Israeli society becomes increasingly racist is when centrist parties like Labor adopt right-wing rhetoric in order to chase after right-wing votes.
In recent years, Labor has not played the foil to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but instead acceded to almost all of his hawkish proposals. Instead of standing firm against Israel’s lurch to the right, Labor has attempted to ply votes away from Likud with right-wing proposals.
That tendency has increased ever since Isaac Herzog was elected to lead the party in November 2013. It has been especially evident in Herzog’s solid support for Netanyahu’s military campaigns in Gaza and the West Bank, but also in his support for expelling Africans from Israel.
It was not always so. When the Knesset first voted to amend the country’s “anti-infiltration” law in January 2012 to sanction the roundup, detention and expulsion of African refugees, Herzog opposed the measure.
When the Knesset voted to amend the law a second time in December 2013, Herzog didn’t show up for the vote. And by the time the Knesset voted to toughen it a third time in December 2014, he voted in favor of the amendment, along with several other Labor lawmakers.
In May 2012, Herzog wrote an opinion piece, challenging arguments by human rights groups that Eritreans in Israel deserved protection as refugees.
In March 2015, Herzog repeated this refrain in an attempt to peel anti-African votes away from Netanyahu on the eve of the Israeli national elections, saying, “We need to negotiate with Eritrea on the return of the Eritreans back to Eritrea.”
This year, Labor led a successful effort to abolish the Knesset’s committee on foreign workers, one of the few forums in which the concerns of refugees could receive a hearing in parliament.
In September 2015, Labor publicly complained that Netanyahu’s government has not done nearly enough to expel Africans from the country. In a public statement, Herzog’s Labor Party wholeheartedly adopted the far-right’s propaganda points, insisting without any basis that most refugees in Israel have no valid claim to refugee status.
“The crisis of the refugees from Syria is not similar to the issue of the infiltrators from Africa who are mostly migrant workers,” the statement read. “If only Bibi’s government had created immigration laws, it would be possible to send back to their country those who are in Israel for their welfare and for work. But the Likud government is only good at talking, and it is responsible for the troubles of the residents of south Tel Aviv.”
4. Ayelet Shaked - justice minister
During her first term as a Knesset member, from 2013 to 2015, Ayelet Shaked headed the parliamentary “lobby to return the infiltrators to their countries,” a group dedicated to expelling all African refugees from Israel.
In her second term, Shaked was appointed justice minister, a position she has not shied away from using to advance the lobby’s objectives.
Each time Israel’s high court has struck down amendments to the “anti-infiltration” law as a violation of the country’s basic laws, right-wing lawmakers have raged against the judicial decisions and plotted to neuter the court’s ability to void legislation.
To this end, Shaked introduced a bill in the Knesset to limit the high court’s power to overturn laws. And as judges entered the eleventh hour of deliberations over the Knesset’s third amendment to the “anti-infiltration law” this year, Shaked began to upload videos to the Internet which purported to show African refugees in a negative light.
Shaked expressed a desire to pressure the judges into issuing a ruling that would leave the Africans under lock and key.
Within hours, Shaked removed one of the videos she had uploaded after it was pointed out to her that the footage had been filmed in Turkey, not Israel.
Ultimately, under threat of losing some of their powers, the high court judges agreed to let the government’s third amendment stand, with the caveat that refugees could only be detained for a year.
Disappointed that her victory was only partial, Shaked has begun to examine ways of filing criminal charges against Africans who enter Israel.
3. Gilad Erdan - public security minister
During Gilad Erdan’s brief term as interior minister, he secured the passage of the third amendment to the “anti-infiltration” law that enabled the incarceration of Africans in desert detention centers.
In the new Netanyahu government, Erdan heads the information, strategic affairs and public security ministries.
But before taking on his new roles, Erdan decided that any African who did not have a refugee status application pending must return to Africa, or be imprisoned indefinitely if they refused.
In July, an Israeli court threw out an appeal by human rights groups to quash this draconian directive.
A report by two groups working with refugees in Israel found that some of the Sudanese nationals that Israel had sent back to Sudan were being tortured by government forces upon their return.
African refugees jailed in Holot desert prison camp pray after eating a meal breaking the Ramadan fast in July.
For the remainder of 2015, Erdan’s attacks on refugees consisted not of legal injunctions, but rather of racist incitement.
In April, a massive earthquake shook Nepal. This tragic event was mainly a cause for consternation in Israel because the country is a popular destination for Israeli tourists, and also a popular source of surrogate mothers to bring babies to term for gay Israeli couples.
Then serving as interior minister, Erdan responded rapidly to the quake by ordering the airlift of Israeli citizens out of the danger zone, and to also bring along a small number of local women who were in the final stages of pregnancy with Israeli fetuses.
Appearing on a popular television news show to discuss the development, Erdan emphasized that the Nepalese women’s presence in the country was “temporary.”
“We won’t convert them [to Judaism] and let them stay here,” he said.
The show’s host retorted sarcastically, “Of course, after the birth they will obviously end up in Holot,” referring to Israel’s desert detention center for African refugees.
In response, Erdan burst out in hearty laughter.
Four months later, after Erdan had already left his post at the interior ministry, he admitted that the true purpose of the third amendment to the “anti-infiltration” law was to incarcerate Africans in order to put pressure on them to leave Israel.
As public security minister in the current government, Erdan has used news of Islamic State’s activities in Africa as a pretext to call for tightening the screws even further on refugees in Israel.
Without evidence, he has warned that African refugees could be Islamic State recruits, casting them as “a real security risk.” Erdan has prodded Netanyahu’s Counter-Terrorism Bureau into considering some African refugees as terrorists.
2. Silvan Shalom - interior minister
In Israel, the person with the most influence over the lives of refugees is the interior minister, responsible for deciding who is and who isn’t allowed to enter the country. For the bulk of 2015, that person was Likud legislator Silvan Shalom.
It came as no surprise when Shalom maintained the anti-African policies of his predecessors. At least as far back as 2011, Shalom publicly identified refugees as a “threat.” At that time, when citizens of African states accounted for 13 percent of the population of the southern city of Eilat, Shalom, then minister for development of the Naqab (Negev) and Galilee regions, proposed the building of a border fence to keep Africans out of Israel.
“The fence is critical for the defense of the city of Eilat from terror cells and of course from huge waves of infiltrators flooding the city,” Shalom said.
Though Shalom’s hardline stance came as no shock, the level of anti-Black racism that emanated from his own household managed to exceed the expectations of some outside observers.
Just a month into his term as interior minister, his wife, the broadcaster Judy Shalom Nir Mozes, publicly insulted the US president in a reductionist and racist tweet: “Do u know what Obama Coffee is? Black and weak.”
In August, Shalom decreed that any African refugee freed from Israel’s desert detention centers by a high court order would henceforth be forbidden from living or working in either Tel Aviv or Eilat, turning those cities into “sundown towns.”
Many Israeli cities have long operated as de facto sundown towns. Palestinian citizens of Israel are harassed and run out of these cities once the sun sets, ostensibly in order to prevent romances between Jews and people of other religions.
While some of the groups who chase non-Jews out of town after dark are vigilantes who operate independently, others work in concert with the police and the municipalities.
Also in August, in an effort to undercut the refugee claims of Eritreans, who make up three quarters of the asylum-seeker population in Israel, Shalom defended the dictatorship in Eritrea. “You apparently don’t know what is happening in the country,” he responded to the accusation that Eritrea is an autocratic regime, but admitted that his belief was based on testimony by Eritrea’s own ambassador to Israel.
“Of course. Who [else] would provide the information?” he said.
Before the month ended, Shalom authorized a new rule that would put almost every non-Jewish African living in Israel at risk of being rounded up and taken to the desert detention center Holot.
Prior to the new protocol, only Eritreans and Sudanese who had already lived in Israel for many years could be summoned to Holot. Shalom’s new criteria stipulated that any Eritrean or Sudanese in Israel can be detained in Holot, regardless of the date that they entered the country.
In November, Shalom’s ministry distributed the proposed text of a fourth amendment to the “anti-infiltration” law, seeking to increase the duration that refugees can be incarcerated at Holot. In addition, the new amendment specifies that even asylum-seekers who are parents to young children can now also be forced to live at Holot.
In the last days of December 2015, Shalom resigned his post and quit the Knesset after six women came forward and accused him of serious sex crimes.
1. Benjamin Netanyahu - prime minister
Just days before national elections were held in March, Prime Benjamin Netanyahu published a video recounting what he considered to be the greatest accomplishments of his last term in office.
Among these, he took credit for preventing the entry of African refugees or in his words, “infiltrators.”
“We shut off, completely closed off access to terrorists, to infiltrators to the State of Israel,” he said. “The only state that managed to control its borders.”
This was no idle boast. Eritreans and Sudanese make up more than 90 percent of the asylum-seekers living in Israel. And yet Israel has awarded refugee status to only four of the former and zero of the latter.
In the words of an editorial published by the Tel Aviv newspaper Haaretz in February, “Israel is the least moral country in the world when it comes to awarding asylum to those who deserve it.”
Once Netanyahu secured reelection, he set to the task of divvying out government ministries among party loyalists and coalition partners.
Among those appointed to serve in his new cabinet were all three Likud lawmakers who were featured speakers at a May 2012 anti-African rally in Tel Aviv that devolved into a full-on race riot: Danny Danon, Yariv Levin and Miri Regev.
For years, Netanyahu has led a team of ministers who demonize Africans in the minds of the Israeli public by associating them with terrorism and fatal diseases.
But Netanyahu knows that it isn’t appropriate for the head of the government of a self-styled Western democracy to cast all refugees as criminals.
So while he calls refugees “infiltrators” in Hebrew, his English-language statements mistranslate his slur word as “migrants.”
For four years running, Netanyahu has led Israel’s war on refugees: promoting racists to positions of power, ensuring the passage of anti-African legislation and inciting racial hatred against a defenseless community.
Haaretz accurately summed up Netanyahu’s anti-African legacy in an editorial it published in July, under the headline, “Israel thinks African asylum-seekers aren’t human beings.”
David Sheen is an independent writer and filmmaker. Born in Toronto, he now lives in Dimona in present-day Israel. Website: www.davidsheen.com. Twitter: @davidsheen
Africans in Israel
Yisrael Katz
Ben-Dror Yemini
Yediot Ahronot
Holot internment camp
anti-miscegenation
south Tel Aviv
Nissan Ben Hamo
Rafi Ben Shitrit
Bisan
Anti-Infiltration Law
Bir al-Saba
Haftom Zarhum
Labor Party (Israel)
Isaac Herzog
Ayelet Shaked
israeli high court
Gilad Erdan
Silvan Shalom
Judy Nir Mozes Shalom
sundown towns
Miri Regev
Yariv Levin
Israel's racist ringleaders
Is That Any Surprise?
Permalink Zionism Is Not Judaism replied on Tue, 12/29/2015 - 22:43
Sickening as this is, it is going to get even more sickening, still, as the racist regimes grows desperate in its final death throes.
I can't believe I am really saying this, but here goes. "Oh, the pain... the pain."
Permalink Don newman replied on Fri, 01/22/2016 - 13:43
What a democracy, acts like Jim Crow o. Steroids but claims it is of the highest ethical standing. These genocidal maniacs will never convince any truly intelligent people that they are right in their actions. Long live Palestine and freedom to all oppressed who reside with her.
Israeli leaders still ache to deport African refugees
David Sheen 15 January 2019
Israel steps up its war on mixed marriages
David Sheen 23 July 2018
Trump's envoys enable Israel's worst extremists
David Sheen 13 June 2018
Israel’s anti-African dragnet tightens
David Sheen 31 December 2014
The dirty dozen: Israel's racist ringleaders
Racist ringleaders 2013: Israel's war on Africans intensifies
© 2000-2019 electronicIntifada.net
Submit to EI
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line706
|
__label__cc
| 0.504733
| 0.495267
|
Small Caps Are An Unexpected Source Of Share Buybacks (EES)
October 9, 2017 11:07am NYSE:EES
From WisdomTree: A few years ago, WisdomTree coined the phrase “Forgotten Dividend Payers” to refer to mid-cap and small-cap companies that pay dividends. In a yield-starved environment, within the United States one could dip down the market capitalization-size spectrum to find higher dividend yields.
The Share Buyback Phenomenon
Share buybacks have generated a lot of attention within the low-yield environment that we’ve seen since the global financial crisis of 2008-2009. For example, in 2017, we saw Apple commit to a program to return $300 billion to shareholders by March 2019. $210 billion of this would be in the form of a share buyback.1 The reality for U.S. large-cap firms–especially U.S. large-cap technology firms–is that they choose to utilize share buybacks as an important means of returning cash to shareholders.
But what about small caps?
Long-Term Record Indicates Small Caps with Net Buybacks Have Been Strong
(6/30/1963-6/30/2017)
Looking at the boxes, one can’t help but notice that most of the darkest green boxes (highest average annual returns) occurred in the “Net Buybacks” column. This means that firms that were buying back shares tended to outperform firms that were issuing shares. Additionally, the firms on the smaller end of the market capitalization spectrum (higher rows vertically) also tended to do better than the firms on the larger end of the spectrum (lower rows vertically).
One question that people may ask is, how many firms are represented within the smallest quintile that are engaging in share buybacks? Clearly, it wouldn’t be a static number, but to give people a sense, the lowest number of firms in this category was 61 in May and June 1970. For context, in June 2017, there were 290 firms in this category. So we would feel comfortable that the 16.35% per year would represent a diversified array of U.S. small-cap companies.2
In the Shift to Passive Investing, How Do U.S. Small-Cap Indexes Do on Share Buybacks?
Recently, investors have been largely shifting their assets from actively managed strategies to passivelymanaged strategies, many of which are in exchange-traded funds (ETFs). This means that small-cap strategies tend to be accessed via different variants of the Russell 2000 Index, the S&P SmallCap 600 Index, and the MSCI USA Small Cap Index.
In a way, these “beta” indexes represent the U.S. small-cap equity market. True, some are more selective than others, but their characteristics indicate more what U.S. small caps as a whole are doing rather than any stock selection or weighting strategy.
Decomposition of Shareholder Yield across U.S. Small-Cap Indexes (as of 9/29/17)
For definitions of indexes in the chart, visit our glossary.
The WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Quality Dividend Growth Index and the WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Earnings Index stand out as the only U.S. small-cap indexes shown (out of a relatively broad set) that had positive net buyback ratios. We will discuss why these two Indexes are uniquely positioned to do this with some consistency as opposed to this being a one-time, unique occurrence in this period.
It’s also notable to compare the S&P SmallCap 600 Index, the MSCI USA Small Cap Index and the Russell 2000 Index in terms of their net buyback ratios. They are all negative (meaning that in aggregate these firms are issuing shares), but the Russell 2000 Index was approximately three times as negative (meaning approximately three times as much share issuance) as the S&P SmallCap 600 Index.
WisdomTree’s Approach to Small-Cap Quality
So, the long-term data would suggest that small-cap stocks that are buying back their shares have tended to generate stronger long-term returns than small caps that are issuing more shares. We mentioned earlier that both the WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Quality Dividend Growth Index and the WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Earnings Index are positioned to screen out low-quality firms that may be at greater risk of issuing shares to raise new capital.
WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Earnings Index: Each year, this Index eliminates firms with negative core earnings and re-tilts weight toward firms with the greatest core earnings. The result is that the firms at greatest risk of using share issuance to raise capital may not even be in the Index in the first place.
WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Quality Dividend Growth Index: Each year, this Index undertakes a growth and quality screen, thereby zeroing in on firms with stronger relative earnings growth andhigher return on equity and return on assets (therefore, low leverage).
Conclusion: Small-Cap Quality Dividend Growth Is Best Positioned to Have Higher Net Buybacks
If you were to ask which single WisdomTree U.S. small-cap Index is best positioned to capture any long-term premium associated with small-cap firms that buy back their shares, our answer would be the WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Quality Dividend Growth Index. The fact is that the quality and growth screens have a unique side effect of screening out those firms at the greatest risk of issuing shares to raise capital. It may not mean outperformance over every year, but we think the long term could be quite exciting.
1Source: “Apple Reports Second Quarter Results,” Apple Newsroom press release, 5/2/17.
2Source: “25 Portfolios Formed on Size and Net Share Issuance,” Kenneth French Data Library, updated as of 6/30/17.
Important Risks Related to this Article
Investments focusing on certain sectors and/or smaller companies increase their vulnerability to any single economic or regulatory development.
The WisdomTree SmallCap Earnings Fund ETF (EES) was trading at $35.41 per share on Monday morning, down $0.1 (-0.28%). Year-to-date, EES has gained 9.34%, versus a 14.77% rise in the benchmark S&P 500 index during the same period.
EES currently has an ETF Daily News SMART Grade of A (Strong Buy), and is ranked #13 of 37 ETFs in the Small Cap Blend ETFs category.
This article is brought to you courtesy of WisdomTree.
Tags: dividends EES Equity NYSE:EES share buybacks small cap WisdomTree WisdomTree SmallCap Earnings Fund (ETF)(NYSE:EES)
Categories: NYSE:EES
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line708
|
__label__wiki
| 0.697064
| 0.697064
|
Mafia money pollutes the EU economy
Dirty money often comes to tourist or coastal areas, like Malaga in Andalusia. (Photo: bvi4092)
By Eleonora Bianchini, Martina Castigliani, Giuseppe Pipitone, Mario Portanova
BRUSSELS, 19. Jul 2017, 17:28
Major profits from large-scale illegal activities have to be laundered to enter the so-called clean economy.
The money laundering itself is increasingly done by external specialised groups, which take a 5-8 percent cut for the service, Europol, the EU's police agency, says.
When only considering the Italian mafias, a 2016 report by the EU's judicial cooperation agency, Eurojust, notes their infiltration into the legitimate economy in "Spain (particularly favoured by the Italian Camorra), the Netherlands, Romania, France, Germany, and the UK."
But how are they doing this?
Primarily through "real estate investments and participation in public or private contracts, particularly in the field of construction, public utilities and waste disposal," the report says.
The Transcrime Organized Crime Portfolio (OCP), edited by Paolo Savona and Michele Riccardi, also notes "cases of organised crime investments were found in almost all EU member states (24 out of 28)", predominantly in Italy, France, Spain, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany, and Romania.
Dirty money, the OCP study says, is mostly "in areas with a historically strong presence of organised crime groups (e.g. southern Italy), in border regions, or in areas which may play a crucial role in illicit trafficking (e.g. Andalusia, or Rotterdam and Marseille with their harbours), large urban areas (e.g. London, Amsterdam, Madrid, Berlin) and tourist or coastal areas (e.g. Côte d’Azur, Murcia, Malaga or European capitals).
Southern Spain, for example, attracts dirty money from Italian mafias, Russian criminals and northern European biker gangs.
In recent years, criminal investments focused on "renewable energy, waste collection and management, money transfers, casinos, VLT, slot machines, games and betting".
Europe’s response
Recommendations on these issues have been made repeatedly to the member states and the European Commission through resolutions, reports, and policies approved by the European Parliament, but they have all yet to be enacted.
Among those requesting action are Eurojust and Europol, which are well aware of the risks posed by the mafia.
Nevertheless, the EU does at least have a definition of organised crime.
A Council framework decision from 24 October 2008 defines it as: "a structured association, established over a period of time, of more than two persons acting in concert with a view to committing offences … to obtain, directly or indirectly, a financial or other material benefit."
This definition, however, does not satisfy the Europol investigators because, according to a “Serious and Organized Crime Threat Assessment” (Socta) report in 2017, it "does not adequately describe the complex and flexible nature of modern organised crime networks."
Article 2 of the framework decision requires all member states to consider the offence of organised crime itself as separate from the actual committing of a crime (it suffices to agree to commit or plan for illicit activity) - something that already exists in Italian law.
Yet, ten years later, this issue is still on the table.
Member state differences
Eurojust's 2016 report notes that "not all member states … have adopted similar provisions," and "when they have done so, the extent of the application of and penalties attached to such offences varies greatly, and so do the possibility and requirements for applying special investigative techniques such as wiretapping."
Denmark and Sweden still have no organised crime law. Instead, individual crimes that have been committed are punished with the aggravating factor of colluding with several people.
Germany and the Netherlands have legislation, but it is considered rather lenient. And Bulgaria is only one of the few countries to harmonise its own legislation with the 2008 Council framework decision.
This is the first problem faced when fighting the mafia on a European scale: Member states do not agree on what organised crime is, and in some cases, whether there is even a need for such a definition.
And then there is the fact that the specific offence of mafia association, which was an innovation in the Italian criminal code dating back to 1982, does not exist anywhere else. For example, an investigation into the 'Ndrangheta group, which started in Reggio Calabria, risks running aground in the Netherlands.
For this reason, a 2011 EU parliament resolution asked that all individual member states "make associating with mafias or other criminal rings a punishable crime," and that they do so "even without any specific acts of violence or threats."
This specification responds to the mafias' ability to camouflage themselves, since they have declined considerably in their rates of violence, in Italy and abroad, to avoid drawing too much attention from investigators and public opinion.
Six years later, no country has followed up on the EU parliament's request, however.
As well, in 2013, Europol called for a European version of Italy’s innovative anti-mafia law.
In a report on Italian organised crime, Europol said: "Being a member of a mafia-type organisation must be considered as a crime per se." It added that: “Anti-mafia legislation must be harmonised at EU level, and extradition requests for fugitive mafiosi should be prioritised by receiving competent authorities."
But no progress has been made since.
Alternative punishments
The cornerstone of the fight against organised crime is undoubtedly an EU directive from 3 April 2014 on the freezing and confiscation of the proceeds of crime in the EU.
Originally hailed as a breakthrough, the legislation, as in many cases, ended up being watered down during the approval procedure.
The final text is based on recognising that, although cross-border criminals aim for profit, "the existing regimes for extended confiscation and for the mutual recognition of freezing and confiscation orders are not fully effective."
The problem is specifically "differences between member states’ law."
But not all countries considered this a problem. The UK and Denmark did not sign the directive, and are not bound by it. Poland voted against it; Ireland voted for it but limited it to the crimes covered by its own national law.
When the directive was approved, Sonia Alfano, the former chair of the EU parliament's special committee on organised crime, corruption and money laundering (CRIM), lent her disapproval, saying some “member states prefer to protect defendants rather than victims of crimes."
Countries like Germany, she said, were "given the chance to return assets gained from illicit activities to the EU’s coffers," but “blocked the way and obstructed approval of a more effective, ambitious text."
During the discussion about the confiscation directive, amendments were introduced by the EU parliament’s committee for civil liberties, justice and internal affairs, which clearly stated that an effective fight against organised crime would unquestionably need measures separate from criminal convictions, especially regarding "assets and profits."
But why did these intentions fall by the wayside?
Many obstacles
The problem is best explained in a study by the Icarus Project, led by Nando dalla Chiesa of the University of Milan and by Anna Catasta of the European Initiative Centre in 2016: "The opposition was due primarily to the fear that preventive confiscation would be a disproportionate risk on the issue of the protection of the rights of property."
At the top EU institutions, there also appears to be an endless struggle between protecting rights and pursuing justice.
Moreover, confiscation without conviction has been given the green light many times by the European Court of Human Rights. Judges have clarified that it is not punishment without trial, but a matter of preventive measures.
Although the European system for fighting crime is making small steps forward, it often seems to be going around in circles on the most sensitive aspects.
On 7 October 2016, the EU parliament approved the report on the fight against corruption, prepared by an Italian MEP, Laura Ferrara, which partially adopts the work of Alfano's special committee.
The report's 35 pages echoes the same wish-list to the EU commission, that the offence of "criminal association regardless of consummation of criminal ends" should be punishable.
And yet, there has still been very little progress. It's like a broken record.
This article is the second of a two part investigation on mafias in Europe. It is taken from "United Mafias of Europe: what lacks to fight crime in EU", an investigation published by ilfattoquotidiano.it in Italy. The full investigation and interactive maps can be read here.
The first part was about the free movement of organised crime in Europe.
Italian refugee centre allegedly run by mafia
How the Italian mafia found a Dutch home
Cyprus enforces Russian mafia law
The changing face of Europe's mafia
One of Italy's most powerful mafia syndicates, the 'Ndrangheta, allegedly stole over €32 million from a refugee centre run by a Catholic charity in southern Italy.
One of the biggest mafia trials in Europe in recent years is about to end. Members of the Crupi clan are accused of smuggling vast amounts of cocaine from South America to Italy, using the Netherlands as their main hub.
Cyprus is helping Russian officials to hush up a mafia scam and to hunt down the people who exposed it.
The landscape of European organised crime is “completely changing”, says the director of Europe's leading research institute into organised crime groups.
EU proposes yearly rule of law 'reports'
EU states ought to undergo a yearly "Rule of Law Review Cycle" to help stop countries such as Hungary, Poland, and Romania from backsliding on EU norms, the European Commission has said.
Poland 'optimistic' despite new EU law checks
The European Commission is to propose annual rule-of-law reviews on all EU states, but Poland is "optimistic" that Ursula von er Leyen will let it off the hook.
Romania warned of EU wrath over corruption
Romania could face a barrage of EU sanctions if it created "de facto impunity" for corrupt officials, the European Commission has warned.
Stalling on VAT reform costing billions, says Commission
German media outlet Correctiv, along with other newsrooms, have revealed how criminals annually cheat EU states out of billions in VAT fraud. The EU Commission says solutions exist - but member states refuse to budge on tax unanimity.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line709
|
__label__wiki
| 0.62215
| 0.62215
|
Trial judges overturn the Supreme Court
One person can, and has overturned rulings of Canada’s Supreme Court. Not Prime Minister Harper although I’m sure he would like to. It’s the trial judges appointed by the prime minister that can.
It may seem alarming but it’s nothing new. Appointees from Prime Minister Chrétien did. Whether it’s alarming or not depends on your point of view.
If you think that physician-assisted suicide is a good idea, you would have been pleased when lower court judge, Justice Lynn Smith, overturned an earlier Supreme Court ruling.
In 1993 the Supreme Court ruled against Sue Rodriguez in her bid to have access to physician-assisted suicide. Rodriguez was suffering a terminal illness that prevented from ending her ended her own life.
In 2012, Justice Smith overturned that ruling. She heard testimony from jurisdictions in the U.S. and Europe that allow assisted suicide, and concluded those laws are successful in protecting the vulnerable from being pressured into accepting an unwanted death.
Justice Smith was appointed by the Chrétien government but she was no hack. Before being appointed, she was dean of the University of British Columbia law faculty and a founding director of the Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund.
Those aren’t the criteria our current PM uses. Unlike Chrétien, Harper has made it clear what he looks for in judges. Sean Fine, justice writer for the Globe and Mail puts it this way: “For nearly 10 years, the Conservative government has been seeking candidates it believed would defer to Parliament and not go out of their way to defend individual rights.”
If you think that a two-tier health care system is a bad idea, then you will worry about the ruling of a lone judge, yet to be chosen, who will hear the case of Dr. Day. He claims the constitution supports his extra-billing of patients. The Canada Health Act and the parallel equivalent B.C., the Public Health Act, prohibit extra billing.
The Supreme Court reference in Dr. Day’s claim would not affect all of Canada –yet. The 2005, Supreme Court ruling only affected Quebec’s Health Insurance Act. In the so-called Chaoulli decision, private health care was allowed under Quebec’s Act. Should Dr. Day’s claim be successful, however, it could have implications for all of Canada in a subsequent Supreme Court decision.
How can it be that the Supreme Court is not supreme? It turns out that in its wisdom the Supreme Court has ruled that it isn’t all powerful. That’s because our Constitution is a “living tree,” capable of growth over time. Trial judges are to interpret the Constitution because society’s values change over time.
If this doesn’t seem to ring true, it’s because we are constantly reminded of the immutable U.S. Constitution, especially in the right to bear arms. Canada has no such tradition of “originalism:” we are not bound by the intent of the Charter’s framers.
My hope is that trial judges will feel the weight of Canada’s destiny on their shoulders. I trust that honourable judges will base decisions on the facts and not the machinations of malevolent politicians who would corrupt the judiciary to their own ends.
Canada's Supreme Court, Dr. Brian Day, extra billing, Justice Lynn Smith, living tree, originalism, physician-assisted suicide, Sue Rodriguez, trial judges
Firelight stories shape our culture
Government powers are reduced during an election
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line713
|
__label__wiki
| 0.616609
| 0.616609
|
Josey Puliyenthuruthel October 31, 2018 8 min
What is the #1 megatrend around us in India? If you sift through all the big ones – migration, social media and ease of communication, crony capitalism, deep logistics, middle-class entrepreneurship, to name a few – it is reasonably clear that there is just one big one: the most number of young people anywhere in the world live within our borders.
That makes us in India the world’s biggest market – by volumes, not necessarily value – for a bunch of services and products that the young consume: education, health, food, consumer goods, phone and entertainment services — and, as uniquely, for services offered by government and quasi-government services.
That so-called demographic dividend also comes with its risks. While more than one-third of the world’s youth (age between 15 and 24 years) is in India today, the number of 60-plus people crossed 100 million for the first time when recorded in the 2011 census. Additions to that group are rapidly increasing every year and India’s population bulge in the middle moves upwards.
The writing on the wall is clear for those who want to read it. If India continues on its current trajectory of low tax compliance among its citizens and establishments, it is headed into a breakdown in governance as we know it today. There will be pressure to finance the services offered or supported by the state that we take for granted today.
Most of the Indian state’s decisions in recent years point to a realisation by the powers that govern us: there just ain’t enough money to go around. Whether it is not passing on benefits of low crude oil prices until about a year ago to petroleum product users and, in turn, using it plug the fisc. Or, the hurried – and, with hindsight, ham-handed – imposition of goods and services tax, or GST, which despite its short-term pains promises much in the 2020s. Or, of late, the efforts to keep within India, and for Indians, the benefits of an exploding local digital economy.
Going by the latest data on those who file income tax returns, there is some momentum in a positive direction. For the financial year gone by, the Indian government received over 54 million filings from individuals, which is nearly double the number in 2013. To be sure, all of the 54 million-and-some don’t pay taxes. Still.
One way to boost profits – or, in the case of the government, reduce losses – is to raise revenues (read: tax and other cesses). The other way, of course, is to decrease costs. The four heads that the Indian government spends most on are: interest payments, government salaries, defence expenditure, and subsidies. There is precious little that the state can push on with the first three – yes, even a majority government like the Narendra Modi administration – but yes, it can do a thing or two with the leaky bucket of Indian subsidies.
A big effort in that direction has been the Aadhaar project, started by the previous government under Manmohan Singh. One of the main selling points of the citizen ID project has been better subsidy and benefits targeting. India may be the world’s fourth-ranked economy by purchasing power but its high levels of income inequality mean that the state will have to target subsidies and other support with some degree of accuracy to be able to not squander away resources.
How does it do that? By knowing who to reach that support. How? By uniquely identifying each citizen. How in a dispersed and, often poor, population like India’s? By using a number backed by the biometrics of the citizen.
Nandan Nilekani, former chairman, UIDAI, says in the book: “I dealt with such complex situations and such “bad actors”…”
Aadhaar is arguably the most controversial of Indian government projects in recent years. Even in an era of mass distraction orchestrated by close-to-the-state and other actors on social media, Aadhaar had top-of-mind recall with debates among people aware of the benefits and risks of tools that the state uses. The project ended up in the highest court of the land. With the Supreme Court in effect ruling that Aadhaar was legit, with some exceptions, the controversy has been pretty much laid to rest.
But, the Aadhaar story needed to be told and that is what journalists N S Ramnath and Charles Assisi set out to do in their book The Aadhaar Effect: Why the world’s largest identity project matters. (Early disclosure: I know both Ramnath and Charles professionally.) The book comes from the stables of Founding Fuel, a learning platform for the enterprise of tomorrow.
For anyone with a passing interest in Aadhaar, here’s the review simply: read the book. It may not be the best and last story of the ID project but is rich for how it came about, the various actors in its journey so far, the context in which it was born and grew (hijacked?), and the possibilities ahead. Note to Ramnath and Charles: do revisit the subject in 2028 and give us a new book.
Ramnath and Charles are seasoned story-tellers (Charles is the veteran of the two). They belong to a crop of English business journalists in India who have managed not to let their brains slip to their knees. They combine the fine art of the narrative (‘show, don’t tell,’ as the adage goes) with the depth of facts to back a point. Rarely will you find a logical hole in their argument and that approach shines in this book.
Early on in the book, they set the need in India for a “foundational” as different from a “functional” ID. A foundational ID would just identify who you are (name matched with ID) as different from the functional IDs that we in smaller cohorts are used to: ration card, driving licence, passport etc., which serve a primary function but are also used as proof of identity. Viewed from this simple prism – and keeping in mind the fact that large swathes of the Indian population don’t even have a voter ID – the need for Aadhaar makes sense.
A refreshing point through this book is the reporting by the authors that make it possible for them to give credit for different features and highpoints of the Aadhaar project and journey where it is due. For instance, the foundational vs functional point is made by Shrikant Kurwa, an Aadhaar volunteer who went on to work for the World Bank Identification for Development initiative. The Aadhaar name popped up in a conversation that another volunteer Naman Pugalia had with a villager in Rajasthan. The Lego analogy – expanded inadequately in the book, I thought – came from Pramod Varma, the projects chief technology architect. The ‘identity project versus identification project’ descriptor by Aadhaar critic Usha Ramanathan. Nachiket Mor for the idea to have an ID with just a number authenticated by biometrics.
Authors Charles Assisi (left) and N S Ramnath
Interviews by Ramnath and Charles were long and wide. Nuggets from Nandan Nilekani, the brain and former chief of Unique Identification Authority of India which implemented the project, and wife Rohini Nilekani give a behind the public facade view into their minds. Nandan compares his time at UIDAI with his nearly three-decade stint in corporate circles: “I dealt with such complex situations and such “bad actors”… In some sense, a corporate situation is a piece of cake; intellectually it’s not complicated. In government, it was people with their daggers drawn. You won’t meet them in a dark alley… the big thing about the last ten years was that I have become comfortable with (confrontation).”
Rohini, who describes herself as a Left liberal, says she was frightened and opposed to Aadhaar for one-and-a-half years. “I am suspicious of the state anyway – and that has nothing to do with Aadhaar…” After a lot of arguments – “Loud ones.” – she says, she began to see it “more in the way Nandan saw it”. “We have 500 million people who don’t have access to basic services. Aadhaar is one of the things – not the only thing – to help them,” she tells the authors.
Ever the unreasonable editor, what do I think is missing in the book? For one, much of the background stuff from the first two years of Aadhaar is missing. The book does cover the skirmish between the offices of Nilekani when he was UIDAI chairman and those of the then Comptroller and Auditor General Vinod Rai’s offices with Indian Administrative Services batchmates Sudha Pillai and Gopal Pillai in the background but leaves unsaid other stuff that journalists of the time were regularly briefed on. E.g.: how Nilekani packaged the first phase of the Aadhaar project as a pilot project. It would have been the first time anywhere in the world that a pilot project meant to be a proof of concept that ended up covering 100 million citizens and was extended to another 100 million subsequently.
I would have loved to have deeper answers to three questions: one, when and how did was Aadhaar converted from a voluntary ID to a mandatory one, especially since the book suggests that Nilekani himself was not happy about it? Two, what is the real thinking of the Indian government of today on the surveillance potential of the project and do the laws of the land adequately have the back of citizens on that? Three, is there truth to the savings of some Rs 57,000 crore to the exchequer by way of direct benefits transfer thanks to Aadhaar?
But, these are more in the territory of quibbles about an otherwise solid tome on the world’s largest identity project.
Updated at 09:28 am on October 31, 2018 to add pictures of the authors.
Disclosure: FactorDaily is owned by SourceCode Media, which counts Accel Partners, Blume Ventures, Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Jay Vijayan and Girish Mathrubootham among its investors. Accel Partners and Blume Ventures are venture capital firms with investments in several companies. Vijay Shekhar Sharma is the founder of Paytm. Jay Vijayan and Girish Mathrubootham are entrepreneurs and angel investors. None of FactorDaily’s investors has any influence on its reporting about India’s technology and startup ecosystem.
Vinay Kesari
The Aadhaar judgment and tech policymaking
As the dust has settled on the Supreme Court verdict on Aadhaar, people searching for certainty as opposed to fuel …
October 3, 2018 Future
Sriram Sharma
An aggressive UIDAI sets itself up for a forced, public security audit
The UIDAI citizen identity project is now facing the Streisand effect, with increased scrutiny from international security researchers following a Tribune …
January 12, 2018 Companies
India’s latest export: 20 countries interested in Aadhaar, India Stack
The Indian government’s plans of exporting the technology layer powering Aadhaar, the country’s digital identity system and software stack that …
January 10, 2018 Future
Paranoid about state surveillance? Here’s the FD Guide to living in the age of snoops
The US does it, so does China. Ever since Edward Snowden’s revelations back in 2013, which exposed the extent of …
December 12, 2017 Future
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line715
|
__label__cc
| 0.600006
| 0.399994
|
The Story Behind Rocky Balboa
in Did You Know?, Facts
In the early 70’s Sylvester Stallone wanted to be an actor and was striking out. He was broke, no money and living in New York. Times were so desperate that he hocked his (first) wife’s jewelry.
One day he went to the library just to get warm and stumbled on the stories of Edgar Allen Poe and was inspired to start writing. He moved out to California with his dog and best friend, Butkus, and ends up living in one room where he could open the window and door while sitting on the bed.
California is not going much better and he’s so destitute, he couldn’t feed his dog. He went down to the local liquor store tried to sell for him $50. Someone beats him down to $25 and he took it.
Then one night he saw the heavyweight boxing match: Muhammad Ali vs. Chuck Wepner. Wepner was a boxing ‘stumblebum’ brought out to fight the champ, and heavy underdog. But the fight lasted all 15 rounds and he actually knocked Ali down. Stallone was inspired by the story and wrote the whole movie screenplay for Rocky in just a couple of days.
A few weeks after, Stallone was at a casting call for an acting part. He did not get the part, as usual, and as going out the door, he mentioned that he had a script that he was working on. He asked if they’d be interested in taking a look. They consented.
After reading the script, they liked what they saw, and they offered him $25,000. So, here’s someone who sold his dog for $25 and was offered this seemingly huge sum. There was one condition Stallone had: he had to play the lead role, Rocky Balboa. There was no way. The producers had Ryan O’Neil, Robert Redford, Burt Reynolds, or James Caan in mind to play Rocky.
From there, they sweetened the offer until they reached $375,000. Stallone still refused! Frustrated, their final offer was that he could star in the movie, but he would only get $35,000 for the script and less than a million to produce. He had no choice but to take it.
His first step was to go back to the liquor store to buy back his dog. He staked it out for 3 straight days and the dog and his new owner finally showed. He explained how much the dog meant to him and offered $100. Nope. $500? $1000? Nope. They settled on $15,000 and a part in the movie. The dog is back and actually appeared in the movie.
So even in 1976 $1M is not allot of money for a full feature film. They worked on site in Philadelphia, with a hand held camera and many members of his family had bit parts in the movie. The movie gets done in less than a month and on budget.
The big coming out for the movie before hitting the theaters was a screening for the Director’s Guild in Hollywood. Stallone had his mother with him and the theater was packed with around 900 people from the film industry.
It was not going well. They did not laugh where laughs should have been, and the fight scenes were not eliciting any response at all. Sly and his mother sat there for a while after everyone filed out and he told her that he could come back home, put his life back together, get a job, and so on.
Stallone guided his mother down the 3 flights of stairs to the lobby and there, the entire audience was there waiting for him and started applauding wildly. Stallone wept.
Rocky went on to receive 9 Oscar nominations – 3 wins including best picture. The movie that was made for less than $1M with hand held cameras brought in over $200M. A true underdog that won the heart of the people, the Italian Stallion.
08 Dec 2015 - Did You Know?, Facts, Mysteries, Top 10's
Factuation Presents : The 10 Fun Facts Part 2
28 Oct 2015 - Did You Know?, Facts, Top 10's
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line717
|
__label__cc
| 0.517665
| 0.482335
|
Tickets on sale for It’s A Wonderful Life!
2012-13 Wonderful Life 12
Jay Benson in It’s A Wonderful Life
Tickets are on sale now and going fast for our holiday classic, erectile It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Drama.
Performing this classic story as a radio drama gives us a wonderful opportunity to present you with an insider’s look into the amazing world of live radio. Radio dramas in the 1940s were performed in front of live audiences, sildenafil so actors were in essence performing for two audiences: the one in the studio and the one at home. Actors had to be at the top of their game both in facial interactions (for those who could see) and vocal interactions (for those who couldn’t). Additionally, thumb most actors would play multiple roles, so performers would need a lot of versatility to really tell the story right!
You’ll also get a chance to see what it took to make such a program happen, including watching the Foley artist at work as he creates the sound effects so necessary to add realism to the show! In the early years of film, Jack Foley pioneered the system of creating and augmenting sound effects that bears his name and that is still in place in the film industry today. A wooden chair to create the sound of a creaking door, coconut halves tapped together to replicate horses’ hooves: you’ll witness many similar substitutions of the most ingenious type. We’re offering you an opportunity to actually see what you hear!
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line718
|
__label__cc
| 0.625418
| 0.374582
|
Section 512 of the Copyright Law of the United States (17 U.S.C. §512) limits liability for copyright infringement by service providers if the service provider has designated an agent for notification of claimed infringement by providing contact information to the Copyright Office and through the service provider’s website. FAWM.ORG, LLC (doing business as February Album Writing Month and hereinafter “FAWM”) has designated an agent to receive notification of alleged copyright infringement (our agent is identified below). This notification is made without prejudice or admission as to the applicability of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, 17 U.S.C., Section 512, to FAWM.
1. How to report a claim of infringement
If you believe that any of your exclusive rights under United States copyright law have been violated in a manner that constitutes infringement, and that the allegedly infringing material is accessible on this site or through FAWM as an online service provider, you must notify our designated agent. Section 512 (c)(3)(A) requires that to be valid, your claim of copyright infringement must be written and addressed to our agent (identified below) and must provide the following information (the list below comes straight from the statute; if you do not understand the language please seek independent advice):
Identification of the material that is claimed to be infringing or to be the subject of infringing activity and that is to be removed or access to which is to be disabled, and information reasonably sufficient to permit the service provider to locate the material;
Information reasonably sufficient to permit the service provider to contact the complaining party, such as an address, telephone number, and, if available, an electronic mail address at which the complaining party may be contacted;
A statement that the complaining party has a good faith belief that use of the material in the manner complained of is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law; and
A statement that the information in the notification is accurate, and under penalty of perjury, that the complaining party is authorized to act on behalf of the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed.
When filing an infringement claim, please include any URLs identifying the allegedly infringing material along with any other information that might assist our agent’s investigation of your claim.
Upon receipt of a valid claim (i.e., a claim in which all required information is substantially provided) FAWM will undertake to have the disputed material removed from public view. We will also notify the user who posted the allegedly infringing material that we have removed or disabled access to that material. FAWM has no other role to play either in prosecuting or defending claims of infringement, and cannot be held accountable in any case for damages, regardless of whether a claim of infringement is found to be true or false.
Please note: If you materially misrepresent that material infringes your copyright interests, you may be liable for damages (including court costs and attorneys fees) and could be subject to criminal prosecution for perjury.
2. How to make a counter notification
If you are a FAWM user and you feel that material that you have placed online that has been removed following an infringement complaint is in fact NOT an infringement, you may file a counter notification. Section 512 (g)(3) requires that to be valid, the counter notification must be written and addressed to our agent (identified below) and must provide the following information (again, the list below comes straight from the statute; if you do not understand the language please seek independent advice):
A physical or electronic signature of the subscriber;
Identification of the material that has been removed or to which access has been disabled and the location at which the material appeared before it was removed or access to it was disabled;
A statement under penalty of perjury that the subscriber has a good faith belief that the material was removed or disabled as a result of mistake or misidentification of the material to be removed or disabled; and
The subscriber's name, address, and telephone number, and a statement that the subscriber consents to the jurisdiction of Federal District Court for the judicial district in which the address is located, or if the subscriber's address is outside of the United States, for any judicial district in which the service provider may be found, and that the subscriber will accept service of process from the person who provided notification under subsection (c)(1)(C) or an agent of such person.
Our designated agent will present your counter notification to the person who filed the infringement complaint. Once your counter notification has been delivered, FAWM is allowed under the provisions of Section 512 to restore the removed material in not less than ten or more than fourteen days, unless the complaining party serves notice of intent to obtain a court order restraining the restoration.
It is FAWM’s policy to terminate accounts for users who are found to be repeat infringers.
FAWM.ORG, LLC
Attn: Burr Settles
1201 Jancey St
Pittsburgh PA 15206
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line720
|
__label__wiki
| 0.553773
| 0.553773
|
Category Archives: Confessions of a Twenty-first Century Salonnière
Confessions of a Twenty-first Century Salonnière: My Favorite Art and Literature Blogs
Posted by Romantic and Postromantic Art in aesthetics, Agonia.net, Agonia.ro, art blog, art blogs, art criticism, Catchy like a woman, Catchy.ro, Claudia Moscovici, Confessions of a Twenty-first Century Salonnière, Confessions of a Twenty-first Century Salonnière: My Favorite Art and Literature Blogs, contemporary art, Diana Evantia Barca, fine art, fineartebooks, Levi Asher, Litkicks, Mihaela Carlan, my favorite art and literature blogs, postromantic art, postromanticism, Princeton University, Radu Herinean, Romanticism and Postromanticism, salon, salonnière, Victor Brombert
≈ Comments Off on Confessions of a Twenty-first Century Salonnière: My Favorite Art and Literature Blogs
aesthetic philosophy, aesthetics, Agonia.net, Agonia.ro, Arianna Huffington, art, art and literature blogs, art blog, art criticism, art history, Catchy, Catchy like a woman, Catchy.ro, Claudia Moscovici, Confessions of a Twenty-first Century Salonnière, Confessions of a Twenty-first Century Salonnière: My Favorite Art and Literature Blogs, contemporary art, culture blogs, Diana Evantia Barca, fine art, fineartebooks, fineartebooks.com, history of art, Levi Asher, Litkicks, Litkicks.com, Mihaela Carlan, modern art, My Favorite Art and Literature Blogs, photography, postromantic art, postromantic movement, postromanticism, postromanticism.com, Princeton University, Professor Robert Fagles, Professor Victor Brombert, Radu Herinean, Robert Fagles, Romantic art, Romantic painting, Romanticism, Romanticism and Postromanticism, Salon.com, Salons, The Huffington Post, Victor Brombert
When I openened a twitter account a few months ago, it wasn’t difficult to find the phrase that best captures me: “Born in the wrong century, a would-be salonnière.” Ever since college, when I first learned about Marquise de Rambouillet–the refined hostess who led the most talented artists and writers of her day in scintillating intellectual discussions in the elegant alcove of her drawing room–I knew that I had missed my opportunity and true calling in life. Sure, women may be able to be and do whatever they want today. Society is less sexist, more democratic. But in an era when entertainment news outdoes even socio-political news in popularity and readership, what hope is there for placing art, literature and philosophy at the center of public attention again?
The main problem I encountered in being a contemporary salonnière was: Where are the salons? Most academic discourse struck me as too technical and specialized to draw a large audience. Fortunately, while an undergraduate at Princeton University, I had the enormous privilege to study with scholars who epitomized the salon tradition of worldly intellectuals: Professor Robert Fagles, translator of Homer’s epic poems, and Professor Victor Brombert, a regular contributor to The New York Review of Books, who encouraged my love for world literature and culture to the point where I decided to pursue Comparative Literature for both my undergraduate and graduate studies. Many years later, I discovered quite a number of online salons, where writers, artists and intellectuals converge to discuss their works, in a clear, interesting and sophisticated fashion. I’d like to share with you some of my favorite contemporary salons.
Litkicks.com. I discovered Litkicks ( http://www.litkicks.com/) in October 2009, when I found on the internet an article about a fellow Romanian-born writer, Herta Müller. The article was called “Herta Who?” by Dedi Felman and it was about the dissident writer’s recently awarded Nobel Prize in Literature. At that point, the founder of Litkicks, Levi Asher, also wrote a brief note on the blog about my recently published novel on similar themes, Velvet Totalitarianism, 2009/Intre Doua Lumi, 2011. We got in touch by email and I became a regular reader and occasional contributor on the blog. Litkicks features articles on literature, poetry, art, philosophy, music, cinema and politics.
Levi was a software developer (and culture lover) on Wall Street when he started Litkicks.com in 1994, which became, along with Salon.com, a pioneer culture blog. The website was originally launched to support Beat Generation poetry and experimental fiction. Over the years, it has expanded its scope to include contemporary literature in general, essays on nineteenth and twentieth-century French poetry and fiction (including Michael Norris‘s excellent essays on Proust), lively political articles, and Levi’s top-notch Philosophy Series. Litkicks includes articles on established authors published by the big publishing houses as well as reviews about talented independent writers published by smaller presses. The blog has thousands of readers a day, but thanks to a loyal following of regular contributors and commentators, it retains the intimate feel of a community of friends engaged in intellectual discussions and debates.
Catchy.ro. Founded in 2010 by the Romanian journalist Mihaela Carlan, Catchy.ro (http://www.catchy.ro/) is quickly catching on as Romania’s premier blog. Discussing all aspects of art, entertainment, politics and culture, Catchy.ro is inspired by the highly successful The Huffington Post, founded by Arianna Huffington in 2005 and recently acquired by AOL for a whopping 315 million dollars. Part of The Huffington Post‘s enormous success stems from Arianna Huffington’s pull and connections with wealthy investors. To offer just one notable example, in August 2006, SoftBank Capital invested 5 milliion dollars in the company. However, its success can also be attributed to the high quality of its articles and the popularity of its over 9000 contributors. Without question, The Huffington Post gathered some of the best bloggers in every field it features. Moreover, the blog has not merely adapted, but also stayed one step ahead of the curve in its use of technology, recently introducing “vlogging“–or video blogging–which is taking off and making journalism even more multimedia and interactive.
If I mention Catchy’s precursor in some detail, it’s because I believe these are also some of the features that have helped the Romanian blog grow so quickly during the past year, since its inception. Catchy “like a woman” targets primarily a female audience. But ultimately its panel of excellent journalists–with expertise ranging from art, to literature, to philosophy, to music, to fashion to pop culture and, above all, to the most fundamental aspects of human life itself, like health, love and marriage–draws a much broader audience of both genders and every age group. Like The Huffington Post, Catchy.ro also treads perfectly the line between intellectual writing and pop culture, providing intelligently written articles for a general audience. As some of the more traditional Romanian newspapers have struggled and a few even collapsed, the up-and-coming blog Catchy.ro shows that in every country adaptation is the key to success.
Agonia.net. Started by the technology expert and culture promoter Radu Herinean in 2010, Agonia.net (http://english.agonia.net/index.php) is a rapidly expanding international literary blog. It includes sections on prose, screenplays, poetry, criticism and essays. Agonia.net has the following assets: a) it publishes well-regarded writers and intellectuals, b) it’s contributor-run so that it can grow exponentially and internationally (with sections in English, French, Spanish, Romanian and several other languages in the works) and c) it has a team of great editors that monitor its posts and maintain high quality standards. Agonia. net improves upon the model of online creative writing publishing pioneered by websites like Wattpad.com, which are contributor-run but have no editorial monitoring. Because of lack of editorial control, Wattpad.com has not been taken seriously by readers and publishers despite its vast popularity with contributors. Any literary blog that has a chance at being successful has to have the capacity for handling a large number of incoming contributions while also maintaining reliable editorial standards. Agonia.net seems to have mastered this delicate balance.
In participating in these exciting artistic, literary and intellectual forums, I’m starting to feel like my calling as a 21st century salonnière might not be an anachronism after all. I invite you to explore each of them and see which ones fit your talents and interests best.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line726
|
__label__cc
| 0.5038
| 0.4962
|
Current: Code of Ethics
To learn more about Direct Selling, click here.
To watch video vignettes about the DSA Code of Ethics, click here.
We are proud members of the Direct Selling Association. See the Code of Ethics by which we abide below, or click here.
A. Code of Conduct
Deceptive or Unlawful Consumer or Recruiting Practices
a. No member company of the Association or independent salesperson for a member company shall engage in any deceptive, false, unethical or unlawful consumer or recruiting practice. Member companies shall ensure that no statements, promises or testimonials are made that are likely to mislead consumers or prospective salespeople.
b. Member companies and their independent salespeople must comply with all requirements of law. While this Code does not restate all legal obligations, compliance with all pertinent laws by member companies and their independent salespeople is a condition of acceptance by and continuing membership in DSA.
c. Member companies shall conduct their activities toward other members in compliance with this Code and all pertinent laws.
d. Information provided by member companies and their independent salespeople to prospective or current independent salespeople concerning the opportunity and related rights and obligations shall be accurate and complete. Member companies and their independent salespeople shall not make any factual representation to prospective independent salespeople that cannot be verified or make any promise that cannot be fulfilled. Member companies and their independent salespeople shall not present any selling opportunity to any prospective independent salesperson in a false, deceptive or misleading manner.
e. Member companies and their independent salespeople shall not induce a person to purchase products or services based upon the representation that a consumer can recover all or part of the purchase price by referring prospective consumers, if such reductions or recovery are violative of applicable referral sales laws.
f. Member companies shall provide to their independent salespeople either a written agreement to be signed by both the member company and the independent salesperson, or a written statement containing the essential details of the relationship between the independent salesperson and the member company. Member companies shall inform their independent salespeople of their legal obligations, including their responsibility to handle any applicable licenses, registrations and taxes.
g. Member companies shall provide their independent salespeople with periodic accounts including, as applicable, sales, purchases, details of earnings, commissions, bonuses, discounts, deliveries, cancellations and other relevant data, in accordance with the member company’s arrangement with the independent salesperson. All monies due shall be paid and any withholdings made in a commercially reasonable manner.
h. Independent salespeople shall respect any lack of commercial experience of consumers. Independent salespeople shall not abuse the trust of individual consumers, or exploit a consumer’s age, illness, handicap, lack of understanding or unfamiliarity with a language.
1a. This section does not bring "proselytizing" or "salesforce raiding" disputes under the Code's jurisdiction, unless such disputes involve allegations of deceptive, unethical or unlawful recruiting practices or behaviors aimed at potential salespeople. In those cases, the section applies. As used in this section, "unethical" means violative of the U.S. DSA Code of Ethics. The DSA Code Administrator has the authority to make a determination of what is a deceptive, unlawful or unethical consumer or recruiting practice under the Code using prevailing legal standards as a guide. Compliance with any particular law, regulation or DSA Code of Ethics provision is not a defense to such a determination by the DSA Code Administrator that a practice is deceptive, unlawful or unethical. For example, in a sale to a consumer, compliance with the Federal Trade Commission Cooling-Off Rule does not bar the DSA Code Administrator from making a determination that a particular sales practice is deceptive, unlawful or unethical and that a refund or compensation is required. 1. and 2. These sections cover communications about your own company or another company. For example, a distributor for company A makes misleading statements about company B and/or its products to consumers or prospective salespeople.
Products, Services and Promotional Materials
a. The offer of products or services for sale by member companies of the Association shall be accurate and truthful as to price, grade, quality, make, value, performance, quantity, currency of model and availability. A consumer's order for products and services shall be fulfilled in a timely manner.
b. Member companies shall not make misleading comparisons of another company’s direct selling opportunity, products or services. Any comparison must be based on facts that can be objectively substantiated. Member companies shall not denigrate any other member company, business, product or service – directly or by implication – in a false or misleading manner and shall not take unfair advantage of the goodwill attached to the trade name and symbol of any company, business, product or service.
c. Promotional literature, advertisements and mailings shall not contain product descriptions, claims, photos or illustrations that are false, deceptive or misleading. (Promotional literature shall contain the name and address or telephone number of the member company and may include the telephone number of the individual independent salesperson).
d. Independent salespeople shall offer consumers accurate information regarding: price, credit terms; terms of payment; a cooling-off period, including return policies; terms of guarantee; after-sales service; and delivery dates. Independent salespeople shall give understandable and accurate answers to questions from consumers. To the extent claims are made with respect to products, independent salespeople shall make only those product claims authorized by the member company.
a. A written order or receipt shall be delivered to the customer at or prior to the time of the initial sale. In the case of a sale made through the mail, telephone, Internet, or other non face-to-face means, a copy of the order form shall have been previously provided, be included in the initial order, or be provided in printable or downloadable form through the Internet. The order form must set forth clearly, legibly and unambiguously:
Terms and conditions of sale, including the total amount the consumer will be required to pay, including all interest, service charges and fees, and other costs and expenses as required by federal and state law;
Identity of the member company and the independent salesperson, and contain the full name, permanent address and telephone number of the member company or the independent salesperson, and all material terms of the sale; and
Terms of a guarantee or a warranty, details and any limitations of after-sales service, the name and address of the guarantor, the length of the guarantee, and the remedial action available to the consumer. Alternatively, this information may be provided with other accompanying literature provided with the product or service.
b. Member companies and their salespeople shall offer a written, clearly stated cooling off period permitting the consumer to withdraw from a purchase order within a minimum of three days from the date of the purchase transaction and receive a full refund of the purchase price.
c. Member companies and their independent salespeople offering a right of return, whether or not conditioned upon certain events, shall provide it in writing.
Warranties and Guarantees
The terms of any warranty or guarantee offered by the seller in connection with the sale shall be furnished to the buyer in a manner that fully conforms to federal and state warranty and guarantee laws and regulations. The manufacturer, distributor and/or seller shall fully and promptly perform in accordance with the terms of all warranties and guarantees offered to consumers.
Identification and Privacy
a. At the beginning of sales presentations independent salespeople shall truthfully and clearly identify themselves, their company, the nature of their company’s products or services, and the reason for the solicitation. Contact with the consumer shall be made in a polite manner and during reasonable hours. A demonstration or sales presentation shall stop upon the consumer’s request.
b. Member companies and independent salespeople shall take appropriate steps to safeguard the protection of all private information provided by a consumer, a prospective consumer, or other independent salespeople.
For the purpose of this Code, pyramid or endless chain schemes shall be considered consumer transactions actionable under this Code. The Code Administrator shall determine whether such pyramid or endless chain schemes constitute a violation of this Code in accordance with applicable federal, state and/or local law or regulation.
6. The definition of an "illegal pyramid" is based upon existing standards of law as reflected in In the matter of Amway, 93 FTC 618 (1979) and the anti-pyramid laws of Kentucky, Louisiana, Montana, Oklahoma, and Texas. In accordance with these laws, member companies shall remunerate direct sellers primarily on the basis of sales of products, including services, purchased by any person for actual use or consumption. Such remuneration may include compensation based on sales to individual direct sellers for their own actual use or consumption.
Inventory Purchases a.
Any member company with a marketing plan that involves selling products directly or indirectly to independent salespeople shall clearly state, in its recruiting literature, sales manual, or contract with the independent salespeople, that the company will repurchase on reasonable commercial terms currently marketable inventory, in the possession of that salesperson and purchased by that salesperson for resale prior to the date of termination of the salesperson's business relationship with the company or its independent salespeople. For purposes of this Code, "reasonable commercial terms" shall include the repurchase of marketable inventory within twelve (12) months from the salesperson's date of purchase at not less than 90 percent of the salesperson's original net cost less appropriate set offs and legal claims, if any. For purposes of this Code, products shall not be considered "currently marketable" if returned for repurchase after the products' commercially reasonable usable or shelf life period has passed; nor shall products be considered "currently marketable" if the company clearly discloses to salespeople prior to purchase that the products are seasonal, discontinued, or special promotion products and are not subject to the repurchase obligation.
7a. The purpose of the buyback is to eliminate the potential harm of "inventory loading;" i.e., the practice of loading up salespeople with inventory they are unable or unlikely to be able to sell or use within a reasonable time period. Inventory loading has historically been accomplished by giving sellers financial incentives for sales without regard to ultimate sales to or use by actual consumers. The repurchase provisions of the Code are meant to deter inventory loading and to protect distributors from financial harm which might result from inventory loading.
"Inventory" is considered to include both tangible and intangible product; i.e., both goods and services. "Current marketability" of inventory shall be determined on the basis of the specific condition of the product. Factors to be considered by the Code Administrator when determining "current marketability" are condition of the goods and whether or not the products have been used or opened.
Changes in marketplace demand, product formulation, or labeling are not sufficient grounds for a claim by the company that a product is no longer "marketable." Nor does the ingestible nature of certain products limit per se the current marketability of those products. Government regulation which may arguably restrict or limit the ultimate resalability of a product does not limit its "current marketability" for purposes of the Code.
State statutes mandate that certain buyback provisions required by law must be described in a direct seller's contract. While acknowledging that the contract is probably the most effective place for such information, the DSA Code allows for placement of the provision in either "recruiting literature or contract." The DSA Code is meant to emphasize that the disclosure must be in writing and be clearly stated. Wherever disclosed, the buyback requirement shall be construed as a contractual obligation of the company.
A company shall not place any unreasonable (e.g., procedural) impediments in the way of salespeople seeking to sell back products to the company.
The buyback process should be as efficient as possible and designed to facilitate buyback of products. The buyback provisions apply to all terminating distributors who otherwise qualify for such repurchase, including distributors who are not new to a particular company, or those who have left a company to sell for another company.
b. Any member company with a marketing plan which requires independent salespeople to purchase company-produced promotional materials, sales aids or kits shall clearly state, in its recruiting literature, sales manual or contract with the independent salespeople, that the company will repurchase these items on reasonable commercial terms.
Any member company with a marketing plan which provides its independent salespeople with any financial benefit related to the sales of company-produced promotional materials, sales aids or kits shall clearly state, in its recruiting literature, sales manual or contract with the independent salespeople, that the company will repurchase, on reasonable commercial terms, currently marketable company-produced promotional materials, sales aids or kits.
A member company shall clearly state in its recruiting literature, sales manual or contract with the independent salespeople if any items not otherwise covered by this Section are ineligible for repurchase by the company.
7b. 1998 amendments made it clear that sales aids, kits and promotional materials, while not inventory or necessarily intended for resale, are subject to the repurchase requirement if a company requires their purchase or if there is a financial incentive associated with their sale. It was recognized that "loading" of these items can cause the same harm to plan participants as loading of "inventory."
With respect to the final paragraph of Section 7b., disclosure of an item's eligibility or ineligibility for the buyback is key. Provided that repurchase is not required by this Code provision, for those items a company chooses not to repurchase, the company should clearly and conspicuously disclose to the buyer that the items are not subject to the repurchase requirement. Under such disclosure, a refusal to take an item back will not constitute a violation providing the member is acting in good faith and not attempting to evade the repurchase requirement.
Earnings Representations
No member company shall misrepresent the actual or potential sales or earnings of its independent salespeople. Any earnings or sales representations that are made by member companies shall be based on documented facts.
8. There is ample legal precedent in the form of FTC decisions to afford guidance on the subject of earnings representations. While not controlling, these precedents should be used by the Code Administrator in making determinations as to the substantiation of company earnings claims.
The Code's simple prohibition of misrepresentations was intended, in part, to avoid unduly encumbering start-up companies that have little or no actual earnings history with their compensation plan or established companies that are testing or launching new compensation plans. The prohibition approach is meant to require that companies in these circumstances need only ensure that their promotional literature and public statements clearly indicate that the compensation plan is new and that any charts, illustrations and stated examples of income under the plan are potential in nature and not based upon the actual performance of any individual(s).
A member company shall not require or encourage an independent salesperson to purchase inventory in an amount which unreasonably exceeds that which can be expected to be resold and/or consumed within a reasonable period of time. Member companies shall take reasonable steps to ensure that independent salespeople receiving compensation for downline sales volume are consuming, using or reselling the products and services they purchase in order to qualify to receive compensation.
9. See, Code Explanatory §7a. regarding inventory loading.
Neither member companies nor their independent salespeople shall ask individuals to assume unreasonably high entrance fees, training fees, franchise fees, fees for promotional materials or other fees related solely to the right to participate in the direct selling business. Any fees charged to become an independent salesperson shall relate directly to the value of materials, products or services provided in return.
10. High entrance fees can be an element of pyramid schemes, in which individuals are encouraged to expend large upfront costs, without receiving product of like value. These fees then become the mechanism driving the pyramid and placing participants at risk of financial harm. Some state laws have requirements that fees be returned similar to the repurchase provisions delineated in Code §7a. The Code eliminates the harm of large fees by prohibiting unreasonably high fees. The Code Administrator is empowered to determine when a fee is "unreasonably high." For example, if a refund is offered for only a portion of an entrance fee, to cover what could be described as inventory, and there is nothing else given or received for the balance of the entrance fee, such as a training program, that portion of the entrance fee may be deemed to be unreasonably high by the Code Administrator. This Code section reinforces the provision in Code Part B. Responsibilities and Duties requiring companies to address the Code violations of their independent contractor salesforce.
a. Member companies shall provide adequate training to enable independent salespeople to operate ethically.
b. Member companies shall prohibit their independent salespeople from marketing or requiring the purchase by others of any materials that are inconsistent with the member company’s policies and procedures.
c. Independent salespeople selling member company-approved promotional or training materials, whether in hard copy or electronic form, shall:
Use only materials that comply with the same standards used by the member company,
Not make the purchase of such materials a requirement of other independent salespeople,
Provide such materials at not more than the price at which similar material is available generally in the marketplace, and
Offer a written return policy that is the same as the return policy of the member company the independent salesperson represents.
d. Member companies shall take diligent, reasonable steps to ensure that promotional or training materials produced by their independent salespeople comply with the provisions of this Code and are not false, misleading or deceptive.
B. Responsibilities and Duties
Prompt Investigation and No Independent Contractor Defense
a. Member companies shall establish, publicize and implement complaint handling procedures to ensure prompt resolution of all complaints.
b. In the event any consumer shall complain that the salesperson or representative offering for sale the products or services of a member company has engaged in any improper course of conduct pertaining to the sales presentation of its goods or services, the member company shall promptly investigate the complaint and shall take such steps as it may find appropriate and necessary under the circumstances to cause the redress of any wrongs which its investigation discloses to have been committed.
c. Member companies will be considered responsible for Code violations by their solicitors and representatives where the Administrator finds, after considering all the facts, that a violation of the Code has occurred. For the purposes of this Code, in the interest of fostering consumer protection, companies shall voluntarily not raise the independent contractor status of salespersons distributing their products or services under its trademark or trade name as a defense against Code violation allegations and such action shall not be construed to be a waiver of the companies' right to raise such defense under any other circumstance.
d. The members subscribing to this Code recognize that its success will require diligence in creating an awareness among their employees and/or the independent wholesalers and retailers marketing the member's products or services of the member's obligations under the Code. No subscribing party shall in any way attempt to persuade, induce or coerce another party to breach this Code, and the subscribers hereto agree that the inducing of the breach of this Code is considered a violation of the Code.
e. Individual salespeople are not bound directly by this Code, but as a condition of participation in a member company’s distribution system, shall be required by the member company with whom they are affiliated to adhere to rules of conduct meeting the standards of this Code.
f. This Code is not law but its obligations require a level of ethical behavior from member companies and independent salespeople that is consistent with applicable legal requirements. Failure to comply with this Code does not create any civil law responsibility or liability. When a company leaves the DSA membership, a company is no longer bound by this Code. However, the provisions of this Code remain applicable to events or transactions that occurred during the time a company was a member of DSA.
Required Code Communication
a. All member companies are required to publicize DSA’s Code of Ethics to its sales people and consumers. At a minimum, member companies must have one of the following:
an inclusion on the company’s web site of DSA’s Code of Ethics with a step-by-step explanation as to how to file a complaint; or
a prominent link from the company’s web site to DSA’s Code of Ethics web page; or
an inclusion of the company’s Code of Ethics, or its complainant process, in its web site, or with an explanation of how a complainant may appeal to the DSA Code Administrator in the event the complainant is not satisfied with the resolution under the company code, or the company’s complaint process, with a reference to the web site of DSA’s Code of Ethics.
a. The link should be clear and conspicuous. The location of the link on the company’s website should be prominent so as to be accessible and visible to sales people and the consumer; companies should place the link on a web page which is commonly accessed by salespeople and consumers. Inclusion of a statement, such as, “We are proud members of the Direct Selling Association. To view the Code of Ethics by which we abide please click here,” is also ideal. Companies should specifically link to either www.dsa.org/ethics/ or www.dsa.org/ethics/code/.
b. All members, after submission of their program, are required to state annually, along with paying their dues, that the program remains effective or indicate any change.
Code Responsibility Officer
Each member company and pending member company is required to designate a DSA Code Responsibility Officer. The Code Responsibility Officer is responsible for facilitating compliance with the Code by their company and responding to inquiries by the DSA Code Administrator. He or she will also serve as the primary contact at the company for communicating the principles of the DSA Code of Ethics to their independent salespeople, company employees, customers and the general public.
Extraterritorial Effect
Each member company shall comply with the World Federation of Direct Selling Associations’ Code of Conduct with regard to direct selling activities outside of the United States to the extent that the WFDSA Code is not inconsistent with U.S. law, unless those activities fall under the jurisdiction of the code of conduct of another country’s DSA to which the member company also belongs.
C. Administration
Interpretation and Execution
The Board of Directors of the Direct Selling Association shall appoint a Code Administrator to serve for a fixed term to be set by the Board prior to appointment. The Board shall have the authority to discharge the Administrator for cause only. The Board shall provide sufficient authority to enable the Administrator to properly discharge the responsibilities entrusted to the Administrator under this Code. The Administrator will be responsible directly and solely to the Board. The Board of Directors will establish all regulations necessary to administer the provisions of this Code.
Code Administrator
a. The Administrator shall be a person of recognized integrity, knowledgeable in the industry, and of a stature that will command respect by the industry and from the public. He shall appoint a staff adequate and competent to assist him in the discharge of his duties. During his term of office, neither the Administrator nor any member of his staff shall be an officer, director, employee, or substantial stockholder in any member or affiliate of the DSA. The Administrator shall disclose all holdings of stock in any member company prior to appointment and shall also disclose any subsequent purchases of such stock to the Board of Directors. The Administrator shall also have the same rights of indemnification as the Directors and Officers have under the bylaws of the Direct Selling Association.
b. The Administrator shall establish, publish and implement transparent complaint handling procedures to ensure prompt resolution of all complaints.
c. The Administrator, in accordance with the regulations established by the Board of Directors as provided herein, shall hear and determine all charges against members subscribing hereto, affording such members or persons an opportunity to be heard fully. The Administrator shall have the power to originate any proceedings, and shall at all times have the full cooperation of all members.
a. The Administrator shall determine whether a violation of the Code has occurred in accordance with the regulations promulgated hereunder. The Administrator shall answer as promptly as possible all queries posed by members relating to the Code and its application, and, when appropriate, may suggest, for consideration by the Board of Directors, new regulations, definitions, or other implementations to make the Code more effective.
b. If, in the judgment of the Code Administrator, a complaint is beyond the Administrator's scope of expertise or resources, the Code Administrator may decline to exercise jurisdiction in the matter and may, in his or her discretion, recommend to the complainant another forum in which the complaint can be addressed.
c. The Administrator shall undertake through his office to maintain and improve all relations with better business bureaus and other organizations, both private and public, with a view toward improving the industry's relations with the public and receiving information from such organizations relating to the industry's sales activities.
D. Regulations for enforcement of DSA Code of Ethics
Receipt of Complaint
Upon receipt of a complaint from a bona fide consumer or where the Administrator has reason to believe that a member has violated the Code of Ethics, the Administrator shall forward a copy of the complaint, if any, to the accused member together with a letter notifying the member that a preliminary investigation of a specified possible violation pursuant to Section 3 is being conducted and requesting the member's cooperation in supplying necessary information, documentation and explanatory comment. If a written complaint is not the basis of the Administrator's investigation, then the Administrator shall provide written notice as to the basis of his reason to believe that a violation has occurred. Further, the Code Administrator shall honor any requests for confidential treatment of the identity of the complaining party made by that party.
Cooperation with the Code Administrator
In the event a member refuses to cooperate with the Administrator and refuses to supply necessary information, documentation and explanatory comment, the Administrator shall serve upon the member, by registered mail, a notice affording the member an opportunity to appear before the Appeals Review Panel on a certain date to show cause why its membership in the Direct Selling Association should not be terminated. In the event the member refuses to cooperate with the Administrator or to request a review by the Appeals Review Panel, the DSA Board of Directors, or a designated part thereof, may vote to terminate the membership of the member.
Informal Investigation and Disposition Procedure
a. The Administrator shall conduct a preliminary investigation, making such investigative contacts as are necessary to reach an informed decision as to the alleged Code violation. If the Administrator determines, after the informal investigation, that there is no need for further action or that the Code violation allegation lacks merit, further investigation and administrative action on the matter shall terminate and the complaining party shall be so notified.b. The Administrator may, at his discretion, remedy an alleged Code violation through informal, oral and written communication with the accused member company.
c. If the Administrator determines that the allegation has sufficient merit, in that the apparent violations are of such a nature, scope or frequency so as to require remedial action pursuant to Part E and that the best interests of consumers, the association and the direct selling industry require remedial action, he shall notify the member of his decision, the reasoning and facts which produced it, and the nature of the remedy he believes should be effected. The Administrator's notice shall offer the member an opportunity to voluntarily consent to accept the suggested remedies without the necessity of a Section 4 hearing. If the member desires to dispose of the matter in this informal manner it will, within 20 days, advise the Administrator, in writing, of its willingness to consent. The letter to the Administrator may state that the member's willingness to consent does not constitute an admission or belief that the Code has been violated.
Appeals Review Panel
An Appeals Review Panel consisting of five representatives from active member companies shall be selected by the Executive Committee of DSA's Board of Directors. Each member shall serve for a term of three years. The five members shall be selected in a manner that represents a cross-section of the industry. When an appeal is made by a member company, the Chairman of the DSA Board of Directors shall select three of the five members of the Appeals Review Panel to constitute a three-person panel to review the appeal, and shall name one of them Chairman of that panel. When possible, no company of the three shall sell a product that specifically competes with the Appellant, and every effort shall be made to avoid conflicts in selecting the panel. If for any reason, a member of the panel cannot fulfill his or her duties or fill out a term for any reason, the Chairman of the Board of DSA can replace that person with a new appointment for the remainder of the unfulfilled term with the concurrence of the Executive Committee.
Appeals Review Procedure
a. If a member company objects to the imposition of a remedial action by the Administrator, it shall have a right to request a review of the Administrator's decision by the Appeals Review Panel. A member company must make such a request in writing submitted to the Administrator within 14 days of being notified of the remedial action by the Administrator. Within 10 days of receiving such a request, the Administrator shall notify the Chairman of the Board of DSA who at that time shall select the three-person panel in accordance with Section 4 above. That selection shall take place within 30 days of the member's request for the review.
b. As soon as the panel has been selected, the Administrator shall inform the Appellant of the names of the panelists, including the name of the chairman of the panel. Within 14 days of that notification, the Administrator shall send a copy of the Complaint and all relevant documents, including an explanation of the basis of the decision to impose remedial action, to the panelists with copies to the Appellant. Upon receipt of such information, the Appellant shall have 14 days to file with the panel its reasons for arguing that remedial action should not be imposed along with any additional documents that are relevant. Copies of that information should also be sent to the Administrator.
c. Once the information has been received by the panelists from both the Administrator and the member company, the panel will complete its review within 30 days or as soon thereafter as practicable. The panel shall decide whether the Administrator's decision to impose remedial action was reasonable under all of the facts and circumstances involved and shall either confirm the Administrator's decision, overrule it, or impose a lesser sanction under Part E. The panel shall be free to contact the Administrator and the Appellant and any other persons who may be relevant witnesses to the Complaint, formally or informally as deemed appropriate. A decision by the panel shall be final and shall be promptly communicated both to the Administrator and the Appellant. The costs involved in the appeal such as costs of photocopying, telephone, fax, and mailing, shall be borne by the Appellant.
Codes of Ethics of Member Companies
a. Approval By Administrator
If a complaint is against a member company that has a code of ethics which has been registered with the DSA Code of Ethics Administrator, and the Administrator has issued an opinion that the company code is compatible with DSA's Code of Ethics, the Complainant must first exhaust all remedies under the company code of ethics before filing a complaint with DSA's Code Administrator. If the Complainant has exhausted those remedies and is of the opinion that the company's disposition of the Complaint was unsatisfactory, the Complainant can appeal the company's decision to the DSA Code Administrator. The Complainant must first notify the company of the intent to appeal to DSA. The Complainant must also forward all relevant documentation from the company code proceeding to DSA's Administrator.
After receiving such an appeal, the Administrator shall confer with the company to obtain any additional information concerning the matter as well as an explanation for the company's decision. The Administrator shall decide whether the company's resolution of the complaint was reasonable under all of the facts and circumstances involved. If the Administrator decides in the negative, the Administrator shall work with the company in an effort to resolve the matter satisfactorily to all parties. If the Administrator finds that the member company will not cooperate in that effort, the Administrator can impose remedial action in accordance with DSA's Code of Ethics. The Complainant shall bear all costs of an appeal from a decision under a company code, including such costs as photocopying, telephone, fax, and mailing charges.
b. Alternative Enforcement Process In certain instances, a member company may provide a process whereby complaints can be addressed and which provide an equally acceptable vehicle for complaint resolution. In such instances – provided the process has been formally reviewed and approved by the DSA Code Administrator – the member company’s process may be substituted for and the member company relieved of, adherence to the provision of Section D. Regulations for Enforcement of the DSA Code of Ethics.* In order for a member company’s enforcement process to be approved as an alternative to Section D, the process must contain all the following elements:
The company has adopted an investigation and review process that substantially mirrors that presented in Section D and contains at more than one level the formal review of complaints regarding its salespersons or representatives;
The company has adopted an appeal process to the steps outlined in Paragraph 1 above that includes review by a neutral and competent third party, as approved by the DSA Code of Ethics Administrator;
The company offers a satisfaction guarantee or the equivalent on product sales to consumers who are not salespersons or representatives of the member company; and
The company advises its salespersons or representatives of the dispute resolution process in a sufficiently transparent manner including notices on its web site and in appropriate literature.
c. If a member company meets the above requirements of paragraph b., DSA will indicate on its web site that the member company’s Code of Ethics is an approved Alternative taking precedence over the DSA’s Code of Ethics Section D-Regulations for Enforcement of DSA Code of Ethics.
d. Those companies that are on the Company Code Alternative list will be exempt from the required publication provisions of Section B.2 of the Code and will not have to show on their web sites or in separate literature that complaints against the company should be filed with the DSA Code of Ethics Administrator. The DSA Code of Ethics web site will indicate, however, that all member companies are subject to all other provisions of the DSA Code of Ethics. Further, if the DSA Code of Ethics Administrator finds that any company on the Alternative list has failed to comply with the requirements for such a listing the Administrator may remove that company from the list.
E. Powers of the Administrator
If, pursuant to the hearing provided for in Part D Section 3, the Administrator determines that the accused member has committed a Code of Ethics violation or violations, the Administrator is hereby empowered to impose the following remedies, either individually or concurrently, upon the accused member:
Require complete restitution to the complainant of monies paid for the accused member's products which were the subject of the Code complaint;
Require the replacement or repair of any accused member's product, the sale of which was the source of the Code complaint;
Require the payment of a voluntary contribution to a special assessment fund which shall be used for purposes of publicizing and disseminating the Code and related information. The contribution may range up to $1,000 per violation of the Code.
Require the accused member to submit to the Administrator a written commitment to abide by the DSA Code of Ethics in future transactions and to exercise due diligence to assure there will be no recurrence of the practice leading to the subject Code complaint.
Require the cancellation of orders, return of products purchased, cancellation or termination of the contractual relationship with the independent salesperson or other remedies.
If the Administrator determines that there has been compliance with all imposed remedies in a particular case, he shall close the matter.
Refusal to Comply
If a member refuses to voluntarily comply with any remedy imposed by the Administrator, and has not requested a review by the Appeals Review Panel, the DSA Board of Directors, or designated part thereof, may conclude that the member should be suspended or terminated from membership in the Association. In that event the Administrator shall notify the member of such a decision by registered mail and shall remind the member of its right to have the Administrator's original decision reviewed by the Appeals Review Panel in accordance with Part D Section 5 (Appeals Review Procedure) of this Code.
Appeal for Reinstatement After Suspension or Termination
If the suspension or termination is not appealed, or if it is confirmed by the Appeals Review Panel, a suspended member, after at least ninety days, and a terminated member, after at least one year, may request the opportunity to have its suspension or termination reviewed by the Appeals Review Panel which may in its discretion reinstate membership.
Referral to State or Federal Agency
In the event a member is suspended or terminated, and continues to refuse to comply with any remedy imposed by the Administrator within 30 days after suspension or termination, the Administrator may then consult with independent legal counsel to determine whether the facts that have been ascertained amount to a violation of state or federal law. If it is determined that such a violation may have occurred, the Administrator shall so notify the accused member by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, and if appropriate action has not been taken by the accused member, and communicated to the Administrator after 15 days following such notice, the Administrator may submit the relevant data concerning the complaint to the appropriate federal or local agency.
F. Restrictions
Conferring with Others
At no time during an investigation or the hearing of charges against a member shall the Administrator or member of the Appeals Review Panel confer with anyone at any time concerning any alleged violation of the Code, except as provided herein and as may be necessary to conduct the investigation and hold a hearing. Any information ascertained during an investigation or hearing shall be treated as confidential, except in cases where the accused member has been determined to have violated federal, state or local statutes. At no time during the investigation or the hearing of charges shall the Administrator or a member of the Appeals Review Panel confer with a competitor of the member alleged to be in violation of the Code, except when it may be necessary to call a competitor concerning the facts, in which case the competitor shall be used only for the purpose of discussing the facts. At no time shall a competitor participate in the Administrator's or in the Appeals Review Panel's disposition of a complaint.
Upon request by the Administrator to any member, all documents directly relating to an alleged violation shall be delivered to the Administrator. Any such information obtained by the Administrator shall be held in confidence in accord with the terms of these regulations and the Code. Whenever the Administrator, either by his own determination or pursuant to a decision by the Appeals Review Panel, terminates an action which was begun under the Code, a record of the member accused shall be wiped clean and all documents, memoranda or other written material shall either be destroyed or returned, as may be deemed appropriate by the Administrator, except to the extent necessary for defending a legal challenge to the Administrator's or Appeals Review Panel's handling of a matter, or for submitting relevant data concerning a complaint to a local, state or federal agency. At no time during proceedings under this Code regulation or under the Code shall the Administrator or member of the Appeals Review Panel either unilaterally or through the DSA issue a press release concerning allegations or findings of a violation of the Code unless specifically authorized to do so by the Executive Committee of DSA's Board of Directors.
Pending Members of DSA
Nothing in Part F shall prevent the Administrator from notifying, at his discretion, DSA staff members of any alleged violations of the Code that have come to his attention and which may have a bearing on a DSA pending member’s qualifications for active membership.
G. Resignation
Resignation from the Association by an accused company prior to completion of any proceedings constituted under this Code shall not be grounds for termination of said proceedings, and a determination as to the Code violation shall be rendered by the Administrator at his or her discretion, irrespective of the accused company's continued membership in the Association or participation in the complaint resolution proceedings.
H. Amendments
This Code may be amended by vote of two thirds of the Board of Directors.
As Adopted June 15, 1970
As Amended by Board of Directors through December 7, 2011
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line727
|
__label__cc
| 0.579784
| 0.420216
|
Making way, through the rough
Eye on the Ball
National Cancer Institute May Soften Up Cancer Definition
There are now a group of experts who feel that the current cancer screening tests are too suggestive. Their proposal to the National Cancer Institute is that the word cancer be removed from the conversation with patients after performing some cancer screening procedures. The proposal is a result of the experts’ opinions that many cancer procedures performed are unnecessary and cause undue stress on the patients. The mention of the word cancer to the patient causes the patient to expect treatment and possible death.
“We need a 21st-century definition of cancer instead of a 19th-century definition of cancer, which is what we’ve been using,”
Procedures performed after hundreds of thousands of routine screening tests result in disfiguring and needless suffering. A change in the definition of what is considered cancer is the proposal.
“While the policy change, announced on Monday but not yet made final, has the potential to save 20,000 lives a year, some doctors warned about the cumulative radiation risk of repeat scans as well as worries that broader use of the scans will lead to more risky and invasive medical procedures.”
This comes at the same time a federal panel is suggesting that all smokers and ex-smokers get annual CT scans to detect cancer. This would affect millions of patients.
Cancer is the 2nd leading cause of death in the US, and decisions made by the National Cancer Institute can have a profound impact on the health of the US population. Below is a list of the leading causes of death in the US during 2010, when the official CDC data is merged with data from the book: Death By Medicine released in October of 2012.
Rank Leading Causes of Death in the US in 2010 Deaths Source
Starfield(12), Weingart(112)
Chronic lower respiratory diseases
Stroke (cerebrovascular diseases)
Accidents (unintentional injuries)
Xakellis(7), Barczak (8)
Nurses Coalition(11)
Lazarou(1), Suh (49)
IOM(6)
Weinstein(9), MMWR (10)
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome, and nephrosis
Influenza and Pneumonia
Intentional self-harm (suicide)
Unnecessary Procedures
HCUP(3,13)
Surgery-Related
AHRQ(85)
Tags: Cancer, National Cancer Institute, US death rates 2010
Categories Health
Investigation of Cancer Research Organizations – 1953
During the 1950’s, the Hoxsey Cancer Clinic in Dallas was the world’s largest cancer clinic in the world with branches in 17 states. It did not achieve this feat overnight. It had been treating patients at a rate of 300/ day in Iowa in the 1920’s.
During the 1930’3 the state of Texas was trying to convict Harry Hoxsey of practicing medicine without a license. The prosecutions in Texas ended when the Assistant Attorney General, Al Templeton found that his brother Mike, was cured of his terminal cancer by sneaking to The Hoxsey Clinic for treatment. Al then became Harry’s attorney, later to become a district judge.
In 1949, after the AMA had been blasting away at Dr. Rife for his cures for cancer, they took up the battle against Harry Hoxsey and lost.
Judge W. L. Thorton ruled: “I am of the firm opinion and belief that Hoxsey has cured these people of cancer. Hoxsey has been done a great injustice and . . . articles and utterances by defendant Morris Fishbein (AMA) were false, slanderous, and libelous.”
From the Congressional record of 1953 (Fitzgerald Report, August 3, 1953) :
Patients who received no treatment fared better than those who received surgery, radium, or X-Ray
The American Medical Association (AMA), and the American Cancer Society, state “radium, X-Ray therapy, and surgery are the only recognized treatments for cancer.”
Senator Elmer Thomas was petitioning the Surgeon General to investigate The Hoxsey Cancer Clinic. The Clinic supplied 62 case histories in 1945 and 77 case histories in 1950. Not only did the Surgeon General avoid an investigation, The Council of National Cancer Institute refused to investigate, in favor of hindering, suppressing, and restricting The Hoxsey Cancer Clinic.
My investigation to date should convince this committee that a conspiracy does exist to stop the free flow and use of drugs in interstate commerce which allegedly has solid therapeutic value.
Public and private funds have been thrown around like confetti at a country fair to close up and destroy clinics, hospitals, and scientific research laboratories which do not conform to the viewpoint of medical associations
“Behind and over all this is the weirdest conglomeration of corrupt motives, intrigue, selfishness, jealousy, obstruction, and conspiracy that I have ever seen.”
Realize that during these days in the 1950’s, you could buy rat poison and arsenic with no problem, but a $.25 tube of penicillin required a doctor’s prescription.
When Healing Becomes a Crime: The Amazing Story of the Hoxsey Cancer Clinics and the Return of Alternative Therapies
After the State of Texas failed to bring down Harry Hoxsey, and the AMA failed to bring down Harry Hoxsey, the FDA closed and padlocked all 17 Hoxsey Clinics in 1960.
July 20, 2013: Where are we today in (our search) finding the cure for cancer?
Tags: Cancer, fda, Hoxsey
Leak vs Hack
A Perspective on Mainstream Media
Government Spending/ Accounting Fraud
Tech’s Censorship Gameplan
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line730
|
__label__cc
| 0.539428
| 0.460572
|
Bushveld Igneous Complex
Bushveld Igneous Complex geologic map and mine locations
The Bushveld Igneous Complex (BIC) is the largest layered igneous intrusion[1][2] within the Earth's crust.[3] It has been tilted and eroded forming the outcrops around what appears to be the edge of a great geological basin: the Transvaal Basin. It is approximately 2 billion years old[4] and is divided into four different limbs: the northern, southern, eastern, and western limbs. The Bushveld Complex comprises the Rustenburg Layered suite, the Lebowa Granites and the Rooiberg Felsics, that are overlain by the Karoo sediments.[5] The site was first discovered around 1897 by Gustaaf Molengraaff.[6]
Located in South Africa, the BIC contains some of the richest ore deposits on Earth.[7][8][9][10] The complex contains the world's largest reserves of platinum-group metals (PGMs) or platinum group elements (PGEs)—platinum, palladium, osmium, iridium, rhodium, and ruthenium along with vast quantities of iron, tin, chromium, titanium and vanadium. These are used in, but not limited to, jewellery, automobiles and electronics. Gabbro or norite is also quarried from parts of the complex and rendered into dimension stone. There have been more than 20 mine operations.[11] There have been studies of potential uranium deposits.[12] The complex is well known for its chromitite reef deposits, particularly the Merensky reef and the UG-2 reef. It represents about 75 percent of the world’s platinum and about 50 percent of the world's palladium resources. In this respect, the Bushveld complex is unique and one of most economically significant mineral deposit complex in the world.[13]
GeologyEdit
Chromitite (black) and anorthosite (light grey) layered igneous rocks in Critical Zone UG1 of the Bushveld Igneous Complex at the Mononono River outcrop, near Steelpoort
Gabbro-norite (polished slab), marketed as "Impala Black Granite", Bushveld Complex. It is composed principally of grayish plagioclase feldspar and black pyroxene. The quarry is north of the town of Rustenburg.
Polarized light microscope image of a thin section of part of a grain of orthopyroxene containing exsolution lamellae of augite (long dimension 0.5 mm, Bushveld Intrusion). The texture documents a multistage history: (1) crystallization of twinned pigeonite, followed by exsolution of augite; (2) breakdown of pigeonite to orthopyroxene plus augite; (3) exsolution of augite parallel to the former twin plane of pigeonite.
Origin and formationEdit
The Bushveld Igneous Complex covers a pear-shaped area in the central Transvaal. It is divided into an eastern and western lobe, with a further northern extension.
All three sections of the system were formed around the same time—about 2 billion years ago—and are remarkably similar. Vast quantities of molten rock from Earth's mantle were brought to the surface through long vertical cracks in Earth's crust—huge arcuate differentiated lopolithic intrusions—creating the geological intrusion known as the Bushveld Igneous Complex.
These intrusions are thought to predate the nearby Vredefort impact to the south, by some 30 million years.[14] The effects of these injections of molten rock over time, combined with the crystallisation of different minerals at different temperatures, resulted in the formation of a structure rather like a layered cake consisting of distinct rock strata, including three PGM-bearing layers, referred to as reefs. Large portions of the central area are covered by younger rocks.
The extrusions were emplaced over an early diabasic sill, outcrops of which are visible on the southeastern side of the Complex. These are typically greenish in colour and composed of clinopyroxene, altered to hornblende and plagioclase, and are regarded as the earliest phase of the Complex.
The Complex includes layered mafic intrusions (the Rustenburg Layered Suite) and a felsic phase. The complex has its geographic centre located north of Pretoria in South Africa at about 25° S and 29° E. It covers over 66,000 km2 (25,000 sq mi), an area the size of Ireland.
The complex varies in thickness, in places reaching 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) thick. Lithologies vary from largely ultramafic peridotite, chromitite, harzburgite, and bronzitite in the lower sections to mafic norite, anorthosite, and gabbro toward the top, and the mafic Rustenburg Layered Suite is followed by a felsic phase (the Lebowa Granite Suite).
The orebodies within the complex include the UG2 (Upper Group 2) reef containing up to 43.5% chromite, and the platinum-bearing horizons Merensky Reef and Platreef. The Merensky Reef varies from 30 to 90 cm in thickness. It is a norite with extensive chromitite and sulfide layers or zones containing the ore.
The Reef contains an average of 10 ppm platinum group metals in pyrrhotite, pentlandite, and pyrite as well as in rare platinum group minerals and alloys. The Merensky and UG-2 reefs contain approximately 90% of the world's known PGM reserves. About 80% of the platinum and 20% of the palladium mined each year are produced from these horizons.
Proposed mechanisms of formationEdit
The formation mechanisms of the chromitite seams in the Bushveld Igneous Complex are highly debated: numerous mechanisms have been proposed. The following is a non-exhaustive list of chromitite formations process.
Changes in chemical and physical properties causes the magma to become concentrated in chromite. When this happens the liquidus becomes free from any other phases. Therefore, chromite is the only mineral to crystallize in the melt thus, accumulating in monomineralic layers on the floor of the magma chamber.[15]
Increase in total pressure of the system, oxygen fugacity and alpha-silica.[15]
One of the most accepted mechanisms were proposed by Irvine: it is suggested the chromitites may have formed when a chemically primitive magma intruded into an existing chamber to mix with a differentiated magma.[15][16]
Gravity and size controlled settling and separation of chromite (concurring with olivine and OPX) grains within crystal-rich slurries [15]
The mixing of resident magma and granitic melts derived from fusible country rocks [16]
Mixing of ultramafic magma of layered intrusions, with magma parental to anorthosites [16]
Deformation of the magma chamber, nucleation, ascent and expansion of gas bubbles or the emplacement of a new pulse of magma increasing total pressure conditions.[16]
An increase in oxygen fugacity of the magma within the chamber possibly through the release of gas pressure, differential diffusion of hydrogen, or loss of gasses by diffusion.[16]
Absorption of water by the magma [16]
There has been a proposal of the origins of at least three different processes used to model the PGE mineralization in the area:
Collection by the sulphide liquids, due the PGE's affinity towards a sulphide melt [17]
Directly crystallised from a silicate magma,[17] and then collected by oxide minerals[18][19]
Concentration by hydrothermal and or hydromagmatic fluids [17]
StructuresEdit
The Bushveld Igneous Complex is a layered mafic intrusion (LMI) with well-defined ore bodies of stratiform chromitite layers concentrated with the so-called Critical Zone; these are referred to as reefs. The three main reef deposits are the Merensky reef, UG-2 Reef, and the Platreef. These reefs are mostly continuous to discontinuous chromite layers with amounts of PGE mineralization. The surface rocks are exposed as separate lobes or limbs (the main ones being eastern, western and northern limbs) spans an area of approximately 66,000 km2. This large igneous province comprises the three main igneous suites the Lebowa Granite Suite (large A-type granitic intrusions), Rustenburg Layered Suite (c. 8 km-thick layered mafic-ultramafic cumulate sequence), and the Rashoop Granophyre Suite (granophyric rocks).[20] These are exposed as layered sequences of sheet like intrusions that are commonly subdivided as five main zones (from bottom to surface): Marginal, Lower, Critical, Main, and Upper Zones. These can be seen in sequence within the mentioned lobes. As for the center area, it is dominated by granites and other related rocks.
A large metamorphic contact aureole is observed within the northern limb, the Potgietersrus area.[21]
The Vredefort crater impact structure is predated by the BIC intrusion and has been shown to be likely unrelated to the BIC's mineralization.[22]
The Merensky Reef can be subdivided into 5 layers (from bottom to top):[17]
Mottled Anorthosite (Mer-Ano): light coloured footwall (base of the overlying chromite layers) anorthosite with dark-coloured bands of pyroxene oikocrysts. This layer has a much higher ratio in Pd/Pt minerals (~20:2) and contains Fe-poor sulphides such as chalcopyrite, pentlandite, pyrrhotite with minor amounts of galena and sphalerite.
Lower Chromitite (Mer-ChL): dark coloured layer of subhedral to anhedral chromite with varying grain sizes from 0.5 to 2 mm in diameter, enclosed by plagioclase (some observed relicts within poikilitic feldspar with comparable sizes to the anorthosite base layer) and orthopyroxene oikocrysts. This layer is terminated by a sharp footwall contact. In terms of mineralization, in contains minor amounts (c. 0.7%) of granular pentlandite, chalcopyrite, pyrrhotite and pyrite. The PGE mineralization is dominated by Pt-sulphides and other Pt-minerals with minor amounts of Pd-minerals resulting in a high Pt/Pd ratio (c. 106:4).
Upper Chromitite (Mer-ChU): somewhat similar to the Lower Chromitite layer, but the chromite grains are finer (0.2 to·4 mm) and more densely packed. It is again Pt-mineral dominant with respect to Pd with minor amounts of Cu-Ni-rich sulphides (chalcopyrite, pentlandite and minor pyrrhotite).
Merensky Pegmatite (Mer-Peg): a green-brown layer of coarse-grained to pegmatitic melanorite that is about 2.4 to 2.8 cm thick. It contains blebby patches of intercumulus plagioclase with meso- to adcumulate pyroxenite with some orthopyroxene grains reaching sizes of up to 5 cm. Chromite grains are next to absent with minor amounts near the upper chromitite contact. Sulphide mineralization is again less than c. 0.7% of the minerals and is dominated by Fe-rich sulphides (more pyrrhotite with respect to pentlandite and chalcopyrite). There are lesser amounts of PGMs compared to the chromitites.
Merensky Melanorite (Mer-Nor): Somewhat similar to the previous layer, but is a finer (medium-grained) orthocumulate melanorite with an account 1.6% of disseminated and intergranular to granular Fe-dominant sulphide mineralization (pyrrhotite with some pentlandite and chalcopyrite). It is however more chalcopyrite-rich, but occurs as smaller (< 1.5 mm) grains than those found within the pegmatite. There is intercumulus quartz and is noted to have Rare Earth Element (REE)-bearing minerals and albite–anorthite–orthoclase symplectites.
The UG2 Pyroxenite (Reef): The host rock of the UG2 chomitites is dominated by granular orthopyroxene, interstitial plagioclase and clinopyroxene with minor variable amounts accessory minerals such as phlogopite. The UG2 chromitites are underlain by pyroxenite footwall that is distinct from hanging wall pyroxenite. Chromite subhedral to subrounded (less than 0.5 mm in size) grains are a minor (c. 4%) but constant phase that is embedded with orthopyroxene (and other interstitial phases such as mentioned) throughout this footwall pyroxenite. Large oikocrysts are visible within the outcrops and on mine walls.[15]
The Platreef: this reef structure is divided into three sections:[17]
The Lower Reef is composed of norites and feldspathic pyroxenites that have been recrystalled and overprinted. This layer has abundant country-rock xenoliths particularly near the base of the layer.
The Central or Middle Reef is composed of igneous peridotite and recrystallized "vari-textured" mafic rocks with metasedimentary xenoliths.
The Upper Reef is composed primarily of plagioclase-pyroxenite and norite that gradually changed to norite and gabbronorite towards the Main Zone (see units) contact. There are xenoliths but these are relatively scarce brecciated chromitite within the feldspathic pyroxenite near the top of the reef.
UnitsEdit
Primary stratigraphic units of the Bushveld Igneous Complex
The general mineral assemblage of the chromitite seams in the Bushveld Complex consists of olivine + chromite, chromite +/- bronzite + plagioclase, chromite + plagioclase, and chromite + clinopyroxene.[23]
The BIC's layered sequence is commonly divided into five different zones:
Upper Zone : This is the uppermost component of the Rustenburg Layered Suite (RLS). This zone is a thick gabbroic succession and is laterally dominant in iron-rich cumulates that host one of the worlds largest titanium-magnetite resources.[24] The general rock assemblage is Gabbro + Olivine diorite + Anorthorsite. The upper zone is approximately 1,000-2,700 m thick and is composed of gabbro and anorthosite which overlays more differentiated rocks such as diorite progressively. The Upper Zone composes of 24 major layers of massive magnetite up to roughly 6 m thick. The contact between the Main and Upper Zones is commonly defined via the first occurrence of cumulus magnetite. On the other hand, some workers place the boundary on a notable pyroxenite layer characterized by reversals in stratigraphic trends of Sr isotopic ratios and iron enrichment that is located hundreds of meters under the first occurrence of cumulus magnetite.[20]
Main Zone : This is composed of a succession of gabbronorites with bands of pyroxenite and anorthosite.[24] The Main Zone is roughly 1,600–3,500 m thick. There is a uniform sequence of cumulates consisting of norite and gabbronorite. The anorthosite layers make up roughly 5 percent of the lithology. Moreover, pyroxenite is scarce, and magnesian olivine and chromium spinel are not present in this zone.[20]
Critical Zone : Approximately 930-1500m thick, delimited as its section because it contains several chromitite seams/layers, this is where the chromitite layers are concentrated: composed of Lower Group chromites (LG) LG1-LG7, LG6 (subdivided as LG6A, LG6B), MIddle Group chromites (found between lcz and ucz, t boundary) (MG) MG1 to MG4, and Uper Group chromites (UG) UG1 and UG2 for a total of 13 chromite[20] seams recognized in the Critical zone. Zone subdevided as Upper and Lower critical subzones. However, as many as 25 individual chromite layers have been idientified in the critical zone alone[23] with 14 being ideintifed as major chromitite seams subdevined into four different type: Type I-LCZ base cycles, Type II-UCZ base cycles, Type III-thin intermediate layer within cyclens, Type IV-stringers associated to OPX pegmatoids.[23]
Upper Critical Zone: Approximately 450-1000m thick, defined as Anorthosite layer found between two chromite layers, MG2 and MG3 chromitites, with repetitive or cyclic layers of (the cyclic origin is disputed whether it is multiple injections of new magma[25][26] or if it is by basal settling of a crystal mush transported by slurry flow[27]), chromites overlain by harzburgite (not always present), then pyroxenite, norite and finally anorthosite.
Lower Critical Zone: It is an olivine-rich ultramafic cumulates that is approximately 500 m thick, composed entirely of ultramafic cumulates,[20] dominated by pyroxenite with some presence of cumulus plagioclase in some rock layers. The LGs (LG1-LG7) hosted by this feldspathic pyroxenite contains LG6 is the thickest and most economic chromitite seam in Bushveld with a general rock assemblage of Pyroxenite, Harzburgite, Dunite [23]
Lower Zone: The general rock assemblage is Pyroxenite + Harzburgite + Dunite. The Lower Zone is roughly 900–1,600 m in thickness and is composed of layered olivine-saturated and orthopyroxene-saturated cumulates. The chromitite layers in this zone are only known from the northern and western parts of the complex.[20]
Marginal Zone: (not always present) is a section that is up to 250 m thick, composed of massive, fine to medium-grained norite and gabbronorite[20] with varying amounts of accessory minerals such as quartz, hornblende, clinopyroxene, and biotite. This is a clear indication of metasediments contaminating the magma.[28]
IndustryEdit
This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (February 2019)
MiningEdit
Bushveld Igneous Complex Mines
The area has many different ore deposits, but mostly with a focus on PGEs (primarily platinum and palladium), vanadium, iron (generally from magnetite), chromium, uranium, tin, ...[7] There are multiple major mining companies that are heavily involved within this area, particularly AngloAmerican, African Rainbow Minerals, Impala Platinum, Northam Platinum Ltd., Lonmin plc, and more recently Bushveld Minerals. It has been reported that more than 20 billion metric tons of PGE ore rock has been indicated in South Africa by the different exploration and mining companies of which contains about 38.1 kilotons of platinum metal in mineral reserves and resources in the Bushveld. The sum of PGEs and Gold resources and reserves equates to a total of about 72 kilotons from the Bushveld Complex alone.[20] Most are underground mines (such as Longhole Stoping, Drift-and-Fill mining, etc.[28]), fewer are open pit like the large Mogalakwena mine.[29]
Environmental and health issuesEdit
Mining feasibility studies have identified impacts on surface water, groundwater, wetlands, flora, fauna and related social issues. Additionally, these impacts include increased drainage of salts, sediments thought channels and streams near the mine sites. There has been an increased fleeting dust generation contaminating air and water, surface water runoff is leading to a decrease in water recharge for downstream users, possibly the loss of certain vulnerable flora and fauna species, soil compaction and land erosion; the contamination and quality deterioration of the surface and ground water is driven by seepage from waste rock dumps, stockpiles, gas spills, etc. The mining activities that make large use of water could potentially lead to dewatering of local aquifers. Moreover, construction activity impacts such as removal of natural land and noise from machinery and vehicles may disrupt the surrounding ecosystems.[28]
Depending on the beneficiation and concentration methods, there are different impacts plausible such acid runoff from leaching and metal slimes.[30] Hexavalent Chromite from mine wastes has been shown to be highly toxic.[23]
A study has shown that up to 5% of the world total production of PGEs is lost and emitted as dust entering the global biogeochemical cycle.[9] Nearby towns have shown elevated levels of platinum within the soil, atmosphere and vegetation. Since some of the food production activities are located near these areas, the primary concern is that the local population (several towns and cities, including Rustenburg with more than 500'000 inhabitants[31]) will ultimately be exposed to the contaminants either by skin contact, dietary intake or even inhalation.[10] PGEs such as platinum, palladium, and rhodium have been shown to bioaccumulate under the form of PGE-Chloride in the liver, kidneys, bones and lungs. The intake is generally through metallic or oxide dust that is inhaled or is absorbed through the skin causing contact dermatitis, on the long term causing sensitization and can eventually to lead to cancers.[32] A study from January 2013, has shown an increasing trend of the development of silicosis caused by silica dust and asbestos fibers (particularly chrysotile, amosite, anthophyllite, crocidolite and trelomite) related to workers mining in the Bushveld igneous complex.[33] Similarly, another study has found high concentrations of microscopic (<63 μm) PGE airborne dust particles near the mining areas. These have been found to be transported surface runoff and atmospherically, then further concentrated into soils and rivers such as the Hex River which flows directly into Rustenburg, the most populated municipality of North West Province of South Africa.[8]
A study from Maboeta et al. in 2006, has revealed through chemical analysis that the soil from a tailings disposal facility had higher levels of C, N, NH4 and K in comparison to the other general sampling sites. The difference was attributed to rehabilitation regimes being implemented reducing the abundance of these microbial and bacterial nutrients.[34]
Mining operations in general consumes high amounts of energy, water producing lots of waste rock, trailings and greenhouse gases. A study has shown that PGM mining has a significant impact on the global environment. However, the environmental costs for platinum mines are only slightly higher in energy, somewhat lower in water and moderately higher in greenhouse gas emissions when compared to gold mining.[35]
Social issuesEdit
South Africa's economy is heavily tied to its mining industry and has been greatly affected by low metal prices. Mining companies have had to cut cost by lowering production, closing mines, selling off projects, and reduced the work force. Miners are quite often on strike asking to get the minimum salary, and mines continue to fail safety standards and face labour unrest.[23] A research study in 2016 by eunomix showed that Rustenburg one of the fastest growing cities in South Africa area, has a "abnormally high concentration of young men who are separated from their families due to the migrant labour system". The population is facing lack of education, high crime levels, high rates of HIV spread and other health problems within the workforce. Additionally, they are facing high poverty levels, government deficit and are still heavily dependent on the platinum mining industry which is "responsible for more than 65% of local GDP and 50% of all direct jobs" (over 70,000 jobs). The accommodations and housing are lacking and have seen little to no effort from the mining companies. However, recently (2013–2016), the platinum companies have contributed more than ZAR 370 million into the city; funding local infrastructure, water supply and treatment centres, sporting programmes, tourism, public road expansions, sewage treatrement plants, cultural activities. The primary concern is the combination of high poverty rates and social injustice.[36]
OperationsEdit
There have been much more than 30 individual mine operations mostly mining for PGEs, some chrome, tin, and others (of which most are underground, few are open cut). These are shown below as a non-exhaustive list:
Western Lobe: Rustenburg, Impala, Bafokeng Rasimone,[37] Union,[38][39] Amandelbult[40] (composed of Tumela and Dishaba[41]), Northam, Hartebeestpoort, Styldrift, Elandsfontein,[42] Crocodile River,[43] Thaba, Vametco Mine, Pandora,[44] Lonmin, Marikana.[45] Kroondal,[46][47] Rooiberg Tin mine, Leeuwpoort,[48] Pilanesberg,[49] 2008 Prospects: Frishgewaagd Ledig, Leeuwkop[50]
Eastern Lobe: Lebowa/Bokoni, Twickenham, Marula,[49] Modikwa, Smokey Hills,[49] Two Rivers,[49] Mototolo, Everest,[49] Limpopo and Mogalakwena (Potgietersrus),[51] Maandagshoek, Middelpunt Hill, Blue Ridge,[49] 2008 Prospects: Ga-Phasha,[52] Kennedy’s Vale, Sheba’s Ridge and Booysendal[53]
ReservesEdit
The three largest ore bodies are the Merensky Reef, the UG2 Chromitite Reef and the Platreef:[20]
The Merensky Reef is a predominantly sulfide-rich pyroxinite layer mined on both the eastern and western limbs of the Bushveld Complex not only supplies most of the world’s PGEs but also notable amounts of copper, nickel, cobalt and gold as byproducts.[49]
The UG2 Chromitite Reef, known as the UG2 Reef Upper Group 2, is a chromite-rich layer that lacks sulfide minerals. As a whole, it is possibly one of the largest resources in terms of platinum group elements, larger than the overlying Merensky Reef. and is also mined on both the eastern and western limbs.[49]
The Platreef is the world's third largest PGE deposit (after UG2 and Merensky reefs). The ore body is composed of three "broadly mineralised horizons rather than a distinct reef".[49]
BIC's Approximate Mineral Inventory (PGEs & Gold resources+reserves)*
Ore body
Ore (Mt)
Platinum (t)
Palladium (t)
Rhodium (t)
Ruthenium (t)
Iridium (t)
Gold (t)
Merensky Reef 4200 13000 6100 800 250 51 1200
UG2 Chromitite 7300 20000 13000 3700 940 230 420
Platreef 5200 4500 5400 300 N/A N/A 590
Miscellaneous 850 590 610 58 N/A N/A 58
Total 17550 38090 25110 4858 1190 281 2268
* Table modified from USGS, 2010.[20]
Most of the identified mineral inventory is from the three described reefs, most of it is located within the eastern limb but most of the reserves are found within the western limb.[20]
EconomyEdit
The chrome deposits of the Bushveld forms the majority in terms of the proportion of all the known chrome reserves of the world. This area is very strategic as it is easy and cheap for mining; this is because their continuity in thick seams over scores of miles of strike and their persistence in depth, which has all been proved via deep drilling. Just like the chrome seams, Bushveld's titano-magnetite seams of the Main Zone illustrates similar continuity and persistence though, have not been extracted to date. Contained within the titano-magnetite ore is a persistent fractional percentage of vanadium. Reserves of the titanium and vanadium in these iron ores could potentially be very large. With that being said, it is evident that the ores existing in Bushveld occupy an important place in the world of mineral resources.[54]
Although other major platinum deposits have been found in places like the Sudbury Basin or Norilsk (Russia), the Bushveld Complex still remains as one of the prime sources of PGE ore. There have been many strikes for unfair pay and working conditions, illegal miners (so-called "zama-zamas"), gun-fire conflicts, political swindles and legal fights.[55] The prime use of platinum is for auto-catalytic converters (in cars) and jewellery.[56] That said, the value of platinum which used to be significant larger than that of gold for a long, however it has now plummeted below gold and has stayed below it since late 2014.[57] This is in part due to fluctuations in production rates, global demand, strikes, ...
The total net demand of PGE in 2012 was 197.4 metric tons according to a Johnson Matthey 2013 estimate. The demand of platinum has somewhat steadily been increasing, driven by the more intensive use per capita with developing area and urbanization,[20] the demand reached an all-time high in 2005 of 208.3 metric tons.[56] From 1975 to 2013, the autocatalytic and jewellery industry dominated the market with more than 70% of the gross demand. Jewellery was barely ahead of autocatalysts prior to 2002 with brute gross demand values being somewhat similar or higher. From 2002 to 2003, the gross demand significantly decreased in jewellery (87.7 to 78.1 tons), but has largely increased in autocatalysts (80.6 to 101.7 tons) and has since then almost consistently dominated the market (with 2009[57] being the one exception linked to weak car sales).[58] In 2016, the platinum market continued to be in deficit for the 5th consecutive year, just barely reaching a demand 200,000 oz. In 2017, the two still dominate the market gross demand by far.[59] That being said, the global platinum demand is still expected to increase in subsequent years to 2017.[20]
The price of platinum is quite volatile in comparison to gold, but both have greatly increased over the last century.[57] Despite platinum being far much rarer than gold,[60] 2014 was the last year platinum was valued at a higher price than gold (2018).[57] This coincides with the 2014 South African platinum strike.
Platinum is more likely to be affected by social, environmental, political and economic issues where as gold not as much. This is because platinum has large mineral resources already identified and is not expected to be depleted for many decades (potentially up to year 2040). Furthermore, the resource is geographically restricted with the 3 by far most significant resources BIC, The great dyke (Zimbabwe) and Noril'sk-Talnakh in Russia. An important detail to note is palladium has been and is considered as the alternative to platinum.[20] Recently (2017), the supply-demand gap has greatly decreased.[59] Looking at political and social issues, there have been quite a few platinum mining-related strikes since before the 21st century: 1986 Impala strike, 1986 Gencor, 2004 Impala & Anglo Plats strikes, 2007 South Africa miners' strike, 2012 Marikana killings, Lonmin 2013 strike, 2014 South African platinum strike.
Mining portal
Cumulate rocks
Ultramafic to mafic layered intrusions
Hans Merensky
Waterberg Biosphere
Stillwater igneous complex
^ Pirajno, Franco (2012-12-06). Hydrothermal Mineral Deposits: Principles and Fundamental Concepts for the Exploration Geologist. Springer Science & Business Media. ISBN 9783642756719.
^ Roberts, Benjamin W.; Thornton, Christopher P. (2014-01-07). Archaeometallurgy in Global Perspective: Methods and Syntheses. Springer Science & Business Media. ISBN 9781461490173.
^ Eriksson, P. G.; Hattingh, P. J.; Altermann, W. (1995-04-01). "An overview of the geology of the Transvaal Sequence and Bushveld Complex, South Africa". Mineralium Deposita. 30 (2): 98–111. Bibcode:1995MinDe..30...98E. doi:10.1007/BF00189339. ISSN 0026-4598.
^ Hustrulid, W. A.; Hustrulid, William A.; Bullock, Richard C. (2001). Underground Mining Methods: Engineering Fundamentals and International Case Studies. SME. p. 157. ISBN 978-0-87335-193-5.
^ Chamber of Mines. "Platinum". Chamber of Mines South Africa. Retrieved 1 March 2018.
^ G.A.F. Molengraaff Geology of the Transvaal (1904), Edinburgh & Johannesburg (translation from ~1902 original), pp 42–57.
^ a b Klemm, D. D.; Snethlage, R.; Dehm, R. M.; Henckel, J.; Schmidt-Thomé, R. (1982). Ore Genesis. Special Publication of the Society for Geology Applied to Mineral Deposits. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. pp. 351–370. doi:10.1007/978-3-642-68344-2_35. ISBN 9783642683466.
^ a b Almécija, Clara; Cobelo-García, Antonio; Wepener, Victor; Prego, Ricardo (2017-05-01). "Platinum group elements in stream sediments of mining zones: The Hex River (Bushveld Igneous Complex, South Africa)". Journal of African Earth Sciences. 129: 934–943. Bibcode:2017JAfES.129..934A. doi:10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2017.02.002. ISSN 1464-343X.
^ a b Rauch, Sebastien; Fatoki, Olalekan S. (2015). Platinum Metals in the Environment. Environmental Science and Engineering. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. pp. 19–29. doi:10.1007/978-3-662-44559-4_2. ISBN 9783662445587.
^ a b Rauch, Sebastien; Fatoki, Olalekan S. (2013-01-01). "Anthropogenic Platinum Enrichment in the Vicinity of Mines in the Bushveld Igneous Complex, South Africa". Water, Air, & Soil Pollution. 224 (1): 1395. Bibcode:2013WASP..224.1395R. doi:10.1007/s11270-012-1395-y. ISSN 0049-6979.
^ Oancea, Dan (September 2008). "Platinum in South Africa" (PDF). MINING.com.
^ Andreoli; et al. (June 1987). "THE URANIUM POTENTIAL OF THE BUSHVELD IGNEOUS COMPLEX: A CRITICAL REAPPRAISAL" (PDF). Progress Report No. 4 – via ATOMIC ENERGY CORPORATION OF SOUTH AFRICA LIMITED.
^ R. P. Schouwstra and E. D. Kinloch (2000). "A Short Geological Review of the Bushveld Complex" (PDF). Platinum Metals Review. 44 (1): 33–39.
^ Kamo, S.L; Reimold, W.U; Krogh, T.E; Colliston, W.P (1996), "A 2.023 Ga age for the Vredefort impact event and a first report of shock metamorphosed zircons in pseudotachylitic breccias and Granophyre", Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 144 (3–4): 369, Bibcode:1996E&PSL.144..369K, doi:10.1016/S0012-821X(96)00180-X
^ a b c d e Mondal, Sisir K.; Mathez, Edmond A. (2007-03-01). "Origin of the UG2 chromitite layer, Bushveld Complex". Journal of Petrology. 48 (3): 495–510. Bibcode:2007JPet...48..495M. doi:10.1093/petrology/egl069. ISSN 0022-3530.
^ a b c d e f Latypov, Rais; Chistyakova, Sofya; Mukherjee, Ria (2017-10-01). "A Novel Hypothesis for Origin of Massive Chromitites in the Bushveld Igneous Complex". Journal of Petrology. 58 (10): 1899–1940. Bibcode:2017JPet...58.1899L. doi:10.1093/petrology/egx077. ISSN 0022-3530.
^ a b c d e Hutchinson, D.; Foster, J.; Prichard, H.; Gilbert, S. (2015-01-01). "Concentration of Particulate Platinum-Group Minerals during Magma Emplacement; a Case Study from the Merensky Reef, Bushveld Complex". Journal of Petrology. 56 (1): 113–159. Bibcode:2015JPet...56..113H. doi:10.1093/petrology/egu073. ISSN 0022-3530.
^ Finnigan, Craig; Brenan, James; Mungall, James; McDonough, W (2008). "Experiments and Models Bearing on the Role of Chromite as a Collector of Platinum Group Minerals by Local Reduction". Journal of Petrology. 49 (9): 1647–1665. Bibcode:2008JPet...49.1647F. doi:10.1093/petrology/egn041.
^ Anenburg, Michael; Mavrogenes, John (2016). "Experimental observations on noble metal nanonuggets and Fe-Ti oxides, and the transport of platinum group elements in silicate melts". Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta. 192: 258–278. Bibcode:2016GeCoA.192..258A. doi:10.1016/j.gca.2016.08.010.
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Michael L. Zientek; J. Douglas Causey; Heather L. Parks; Robert J. Miller (May 1, 2014). "USGS Scientific Investigations Report 2013–5090–Q: Platinum-Group Elements in Southern Africa—Mineral Inventory and an Assessment of Undiscovered Mineral Resources". pubs.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2018-04-06.
^ Nell, J. (1985-07-01). "The Bushveld metamorphic aureole in the Potgietersrus area; evidence for a two-stage metamorphic event". Economic Geology. 80 (4): 1129–1152. doi:10.2113/gsecongeo.80.4.1129. ISSN 0361-0128.
^ MARTINI, J. E. J. (1992-07-01). "The metamorphic history of the Vredefort dome at approximately 2 Ga as revealed by coesite-stishovite-bearing pseudotachylites". Journal of Metamorphic Geology. 10 (4): 517–527. Bibcode:1992JMetG..10..517M. doi:10.1111/j.1525-1314.1992.tb00102.x. ISSN 1525-1314.
^ a b c d e f Schulte, Ruth F.; Taylor, Ryan D.; Piatak, Nadine M.; II, Robert R. Seal (2012). "Stratiform chromite deposit model: Chapter E in Mineral deposit models for resource assessment". Scientific Investigations Report: 148. ISSN 2328-0328.
^ a b Scoon, R. N.; Mitchell, A. A. (2012-12-01). "THE UPPER ZONE OF THE BUSHVELD COMPLEX AT ROOSSENEKAL, SOUTH AFRICA: GEOCHEMICAL STRATIGRAPHY AND EVIDENCE OF MULTIPLE EPISODES OF MAGMA REPLENISHMENT". South African Journal of Geology. 115 (4): 515–534. doi:10.2113/gssajg.115.4.515. ISSN 1012-0750.
^ Eales, H.V.; Marsh, J.S.; Mitchell, Andrew; De Klerk, William; Kruger, F; Field, M (1986-01-01). "Some geochemical constraints upon models for the crystallization of the upper critical zone-main zone interval, northwestern Bushveld complex". Mineralogical Magazine. 50 (358): 567–582. Bibcode:1986MinM...50..567E. doi:10.1180/minmag.1986.050.358.03.
^ Mitchell, Andrew A.; Eales, Hugh V.; Krueger, F. Johan (1998-08-01). "Magma replenishment, and the significance of poikilitic textures, in the Lower Main Zone of the western Bushveld Complex, South Africa". Mineralogical Magazine. 62 (4). ISSN 1471-8022.
^ Mungall, James E.; Naldrett, Anthony J. (2008-08-01). "Ore Deposits of the Platinum-Group Elements". Elements. 4 (4): 253. doi:10.2113/GSELEMENTS.4.4.253. ISSN 1811-5209.
^ a b c "Platreef 2017 Feasibility Study" (PDF). Ivanhoe Mines Ltd. 4 September 2017.
^ "ANNUAL FACILITY VISIT 28 February 2002" (PDF). angloamericanplatinum.com.
^ Wesseldijk, Q.I; Reuter, M.A; Bradshaw, D.J; Harris, P.J (1999-10-01). "The flotation behaviour of chromite with respect to the beneficiation of UG2 ore". Minerals Engineering. 12 (10): 1177–1184. doi:10.1016/S0892-6875(99)00104-1. ISSN 0892-6875.
^ "Rustenburg Local Municipality – Population Size". Statistics South Africa. 2011. Retrieved 30 March 2018.
^ Gebel, T. (2000). "Toxicology of platinum, palladium, rhodium, and their compounds". Anthropogenic Platinum-Group Element Emissions. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. pp. 245–255. doi:10.1007/978-3-642-59678-0_25. ISBN 9783642640803.
^ Nelson, Gill (2013-01-24). "Occupational respiratory diseases in the South African mining industry". Global Health Action. 6: 1–10. doi:10.3402/gha.v6i0.19520. PMC 3562871. PMID 23374703.
^ Maboeta, M. S.; Claassens, S.; Rensburg, L. van; Rensburg, P. J. Jansen van (2006-09-01). "The Effects of Platinum Mining on the Environment from a Soil Microbial Perspective". Water, Air, and Soil Pollution. 175 (1–4): 149–161. Bibcode:2006WASP..175..149M. doi:10.1007/s11270-006-9122-1. ISSN 0049-6979.
^ Glaister, Bonnie J; Mudd, Gavin M (2010-04-01). "The environmental costs of platinum–PGM mining and sustainability: Is the glass half-full or half-empty?". Minerals Engineering. 23 (5): 438–450. doi:10.1016/j.mineng.2009.12.007. ISSN 0892-6875.
^ "The impact of platinum mining in Rustenburg A high – level analysis" (PDF). Eunomix Research. 14 March 2016.
^ "Bafokeng Rasimone Platinum Mine". www.srk.co.za. Retrieved 2018-03-14.
^ "Anglo American Platinum to complete sale of Union Mine and MASA Chrome". www.angloamericanplatinum.com. Retrieved 2018-03-14.
^ "Anglo American Platinum > Our Business > Rustenburg Section (Khomanani Mine, Bathopele Mine, Siphumelele Mine, Thembelani Mine, Khuseleka Mine)". 2013-05-27. Retrieved 2018-03-23.
^ "Anglo American Platinum disposes of mineral resources within the Amandelbult mining right". www.angloamericanplatinum.com. Retrieved 2018-03-14.
^ "Platinum Group Metals". www.angloamerican.com. Retrieved 2018-03-30.
^ "AIA: 17 PROPOSED DRILLING SITES FOR THE PROPOSED PROSPECTING OF PHOSPHATE ON PORTION 4 AND 2 OF THE FARM ELANDSFONTYN 349 NEAR HOPEFIELD, WESTERN CAPE | SAHRA". www.sahra.org.za. Retrieved 2018-03-23.
^ "CROCODILE RIVER MINE, South Africa, Independent Technical Report" (PDF). RSG Global.
^ Haren. "Pandora – Lonmin". www.lonmin.com. Retrieved 2018-03-23.
^ Stephan. "Marikana – Lonmin". www.lonmin.com. Retrieved 2018-03-23.
^ "Joint venture agreement Anglo/Kroondal Joint Venture signed". angloamericanplatinum.com.
^ "Social and Labour Plan: Rustenburg Section PSA" (PDF). Anglo American Platinum.
^ Leube, A.; Stumpfl, E. F. (1963-06-01). "The Rooiberg and Leeuwpoort tin mines, Transvaal, South Africa". Economic Geology. 58 (4): 527–557. doi:10.2113/gsecongeo.58.4.527. ISSN 0361-0128.
^ a b c d e f g h i Cawthorn, R. Grant (2010). "The Platinum Group Element Deposits of the Bushveld Complex in South Africa" (PDF). Platinum Metals Review. 54 (4): 205–215. doi:10.1595/147106710X520222.
^ "Leeuwkop Platinum Mine | SAHRA". www.sahra.org.za. Retrieved 2018-03-23.
^ "Anooraq-Anglo Platinum – Ga-Phasha PGM Project Update". www.angloamericanplatinum.com. Retrieved 2018-03-23.
^ "Booysendal". www.northam.co.za. Retrieved 2018-03-23.
^ Cousins, M.Sc., C. A. (1959). "The Bushveld Igneous Complex. The Geology of South Africas Platinum Resources". Technology Review. 3 (94). Retrieved 1 March 2018.
^ "South African mining is in crisis". The Economist. 2017-07-08. Retrieved 2018-03-01.
^ a b "Market data tables". www.platinum.matthey.com. Retrieved 2018-04-06.
^ a b c d "databank.worldbank.org".
^ Jollie, David (2010). "Platinum 2010" (PDF). Platinum – Johnson Matthey.
^ a b "pgm_market_report_may_2017.pdf" (PDF). Johnson Matthey.
^ "USGS Minerals Information: Mineral Commodity Summaries". minerals.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2018-04-07.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bushveld Igneous Complex.
USGS: Platinum-Group Elements in Southern Africa—Mineral Inventory and an Assessment of Undiscovered Mineral Resources
USGS: Stratiform Chromite Deposit Model
Concentration of Particulate Platinum-Group Minerals during Magma Emplacement; a Case Study from the Merensky Reef, Bushveld Complex
Origin of the UG2 chromitite layer, Bushveld Complex
A Novel Hypothesis for Origin of Massive Chromitites in the Bushveld Igneous Complex
Bushveld Igneous Complex by Judith A. Kinnaird (PDF 39 pages) – retrieved 2009-05-22
Photos of Bushveld Igneous Complex (Rustenburg Layered Suite) – field exposures (University of Cape Town) retrieved 2018-03-23
Bushveld Igneous Complex (Rustenburg Layered Suite)- thin section photomicrographs (University of Cape Town) retrieved 2018-03-23
SourcesEdit
Guilbert, John M.; Park, Charles F. Jr. (1986). The Geology of Ore Deposits. New York: Freeman. ISBN 978-0-7167-1456-9.
Richardson, Stephen H.; Shirey, Steven B. (2008). "Continental mantle signature of Bushveld magmas and coeval diamonds". Nature. 453 (7197): 910–913. Bibcode:2008Natur.453..910R. doi:10.1038/nature07073. PMID 18548068.
Viljoen, M. J.; Schürmann, L. W. (1998). "Platinum-group metals". In Wilson, M. G. C.; Anhaeusser, C. R. (eds.). Council for Geoscience Handbook 16, Mineral Resources of South Africa. Pretoria: Council for Geoscience. ISBN 978-1-875061-52-5.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bushveld_Igneous_Complex&oldid=884588497"
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line733
|
__label__wiki
| 0.881867
| 0.881867
|
This article is about the missionary to China. For the wrestler, see Hudson Taylor (wrestler). For the band, see Hudson Taylor (group).
James Hudson Taylor (Chinese: 戴德生; pinyin: dài dé shēng; 21 May 1832 – 3 June 1905) was a British Protestant Christian missionary to China and founder of the China Inland Mission (CIM, now OMF International). Taylor spent 51 years in China. The society that he began was responsible for bringing over 800 missionaries to the country who began 125 schools[1] and directly resulted in 18,000 Christian conversions, as well as the establishment of more than 300 stations of work with more than 500 local helpers in all eighteen provinces.[2]
James Hudson Taylor
Taylor in 1893 with handwritten note and signature
(1832-05-22)22 May 1832
Barnsley, Yorkshire, England
3 June 1905(1905-06-03) (aged 73)
Changsha, Hunan, Qing China
Royal College of Surgeons
Maria Jane Taylor
(née Dyer);
Jennie Taylor
(née Faulding)
Amelia Hudson
Open Brethren
MRCS FRGS
Taylor was known for his sensitivity to Chinese culture and zeal for evangelism. He adopted wearing native Chinese clothing even though this was rare among missionaries of that time. Under his leadership, the CIM was singularly non-denominational in practice and accepted members from all Protestant groups, including individuals from the working class, and single women as well as multinational recruits. Primarily because of the CIM's campaign against the opium trade, Taylor has been referred to as one of the most significant Europeans to visit China in the 19th century.[3][page needed] Historian Ruth Tucker summarizes the theme of his life:
No other missionary in the nineteen centuries since the Apostle Paul has had a wider vision and has carried out a more systematized plan of evangelizing a broad geographical area than Hudson Taylor.[4]
Taylor was able to preach in several varieties of Chinese, including Mandarin, Chaozhou, and the Wu dialects of Shanghai and Ningbo. The last of these he knew well enough to help prepare a colloquial edition of the New Testament written in it.[5]
Youth and early workEdit
Hudson Taylor at age 21
Hudson Taylor worked at Dr. Hardey's, and lodged for a time at his brother's home Mr Richard Hardey, 16 Kingston Square, Hull (top) and then moved and lived in the near poverty of Drainside
Taylor was born on 21 May 1832 the son of a chemist (pharmacist) and Methodist lay preacher James Taylor and his wife, Amelia (Hudson), but as a young man he ran away from the Christian beliefs of his parents. At 17, after reading an evangelistic tract pamphlet entitled "Poor Richard",[6][7] he professed faith in Christ, and in December 1849, he committed himself to going to China as a missionary.[8] At this time he came into contact with Edward Cronin of Kensington—one of the members of the first missionary party of the Plymouth Brethren to Baghdad. It is believed that Taylor learned his faith mission principles from his contact with the Brethren.[citation needed] Taylor was able to borrow a copy of China: Its State and Prospects[9] by Walter Henry Medhurst, which he quickly read. About this time, he began studying the languages of Mandarin, Greek, Hebrew, and Latin.
In 1851, he moved to a poor neighborhood in Kingston upon Hull to be a medical assistant with Robert Hardey, and began preparing himself for a life of faith and service, devoting himself to the poor and exercising faith that God would provide for his needs. He practised distributing gospel tracts and open-air preaching among the poor.[citation needed] He was baptized by Andrew John Jukes of the Plymouth Brethren in the Hull Brethren Assembly in 1852, and convinced his sister Amelia to also take adult baptism.[10]
In 1852 he began studying medicine at the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel, London, as preparation for working in China. The great interest awakened in England about China through the civil war, which was then erroneously supposed to be a mass movement toward Christianity, together with the glowing but exaggerated reports made by Karl Gützlaff concerning China's accessibility, led to the founding of the Chinese Evangelisation Society, to the service of which Hudson Taylor offered himself as their first missionary.
First visit to ChinaEdit
Hudson Taylor travelled by boat around the canals and waterways of China, preaching and distributing Bibles
Taylor left England on 19 September 1853 before completing his medical studies, departing from Liverpool and arriving in Shanghai, China, on 1 March 1854. The nearly disastrous voyage aboard the clipper Dumfries through an Easterly passage near Buru Island lasted about five months. In China, he was immediately faced with civil war, throwing his first year there into turmoil.
Taylor made 18 preaching tours in the vicinity of Shanghai starting in 1855, and was often poorly received by the people, even though he brought with him medical supplies and skills. He made a decision to adopt the native Chinese clothes and queue (pigtail) with shaven forehead, and was then able to gain an audience without creating a disturbance. Previous to this, Taylor realised that wherever he went he was being referred to as a "black devil" because of the overcoat he wore. He distributed thousands of Chinese Gospel tracts and portions of Scripture in and around Shanghai. During his stay in Shanghai, he also adopted and cared for a Chinese boy named Hanban.
Scottish evangelist, William Chalmers Burns, of the English Presbyterian Mission began work in Shantou, and for a period Taylor joined him there. After leaving he later found that all of his medical supplies, being stored in Shanghai, had been destroyed by a fire. Then in October 1856, while traveling across China he was robbed of nearly everything he owned.
Relocated in Ningbo by 1857, Taylor received a letter from a supportive George Müller which led to Taylor and his co-worker John Jones deciding to resign from the problematic mission board which had sent them, and instead work independently in what came to be called the "Ningbo Mission". Four Chinese men joined them in their work: Ni Yongfa, Feng Ninggui, Wang Laijun, and Qiu Guogui.
In 1858, Taylor married Maria Jane Dyer, the orphaned daughter of the Rev. Samuel Dyer of the London Missionary Society, who had been a pioneer missionary to the Chinese in Penang, Malaysia.[11] Hudson met Maria in Ningbo where she lived and worked at a school for girls which was run by one of the first female missionaries to the Chinese, Mary Ann Aldersey.
As a married couple the Taylors took care of an adopted boy named Tianxi while living in Ningbo. They had a baby of their own that died late in 1858. Their first surviving child, Grace, was born in 1859. Shortly after she was born, the Taylors took over all of the operations at the hospital in Ningbo that had been run by William Parker. In a letter to his sister Amelia Hudson Taylor he wrote on 14 February 1860,
“ If I had a thousand pounds China should have it—if I had a thousand lives, China should have them. No! Not China, but Christ. Can we do too much for Him? Can we do enough for such a precious Saviour?[12] ”
Because of health problems, in 1860 Taylor decided to return to England for a furlough with his family. The Taylors sailed back to England aboard the tea clipper Jubilee along with their daughter, Grace and a young man, Wang Laijun, from the Bridge Street church in Ningbo, who would help with the Bible translation work that would continue in England.
Family and China Inland MissionEdit
Hudson Taylor was almost killed in Shanghai during the civil war
Taylor used his time in England to continue his work, in company with Frederick Foster Gough of the Church Mission Society translating the New Testament into a Romanised Ningbo dialect for the British and Foreign Bible Society. He completed his diploma (and a course in midwifery) at the Royal London Hospital with the Royal College of Surgeons in 1862, and with Maria's help, wrote a book called China's Spiritual Need and Claims in 1865 which was instrumental in generating sympathy for China and volunteers for the mission field, who began to go out in 1862, the first being James Joseph Meadows. In the book Taylor wrote:
“ Oh, for eloquence to plead the cause of China, for a pencil dipped in fire to paint the condition of this people. ”
He travelled extensively around the British Isles speaking at churches and promoting the needs of China. At home in the East End of London he also ministered at Newgate Prison. During this time he became friends with Charles Haddon Spurgeon, who pastored the Metropolitan Tabernacle and became a lifelong supporter of Taylor. Also, the Taylors hosted the young Thomas John Barnardo at their house as a potential missionary candidate between 1865 and 1866.
Hudson Taylor alone at night is searched by a thief.
Their second child, Herbert, was born in London in 1861. More children were born to the Taylors, in 1862 Frederick, in 1864 Samuel, and in 1865 Jane, who died at birth.
On 25 June 1865, at Brighton, Taylor definitely dedicated himself to God for the founding of a new society to undertake the evangelisation of the "unreached" inland provinces of China. He founded the China Inland Mission together with William Thomas Berger shortly thereafter. In less than one year, they had accepted 21 missionaries and raised over £2,000 (about £181,800 in 2018 terms[citation needed]). In early 1866 Taylor published the first edition of the Occasional Paper of the China Inland Mission which later became China's Millions.
The following summary by Taylor came to be held as the core values of the CIM in what came to be a classic description of future faith missions:
Object. The China Inland Mission was formed under a deep sense of China's pressing need, and with an earnest desire, constrained by the love of CHRIST and the hope of His coming, to obey His command to preach the Gospel to every creature. Its aim is, by the help of GOD, to bring the Chinese to a saving knowledge of the love of GOD in CHRIST, by means of itinerant and localised work throughout the whole of the interior of China.
Character. The Mission is Evangelical, and embraces members of all the leading denominations of Christians.
Methods. Methods somewhat unusual and peculiar were adopted for working the newly-proposed organisation. It was determined :
1. That duly qualified candidates for missionary labour should be accepted without restriction as to denomination, provided there was soundness in the faith in all fundamental truths.
2. That all who went out as Missionaries should go in dependence upon God for temporal supplies, with the clear understanding that the Mission did not guarantee any income whatever; and knowing that, as the Mission would not go into debt, it could only minister to those connected with it as the funds sent in from time to time might allow.
Support. The Mission is supported entirely by the free-will offerings of the Lord's people. The needs of the work are laid before God in prayer, no personal solicitations or collections being authorised. No more is expended than is thus received, going into debt being considered inconsistent with the principle of entire dependence upon God.[13]
On 26 May 1866, after more than five years of working in England, Taylor and family set sail for China with their new missions team "the Lammermuir Party" aboard the tea clipper Lammermuir. A four-month voyage was considered speedy at the time. While in the South China Sea and also the Pacific Ocean the ship was nearly wrecked but survived two typhoons. They arrived safely in Shanghai on 30 September 1866.
The Lammermuir Party included 16 missionaries and the Taylors' four children.
Return to ChinaEdit
The arrival of the largest party of missionaries ever sent to China—as well as their intent to be dressed in native clothing—gave the foreign settlement in Shanghai much to talk about and some criticism began for the young China Inland Mission. The party donned Chinese clothing, notwithstanding—even the women missionaries—which was deemed semi-scandalous at the time. When other missionaries sought to preserve their British ways, Taylor was convinced that the Gospel would only take root on Chinese soil if missionaries were willing to affirm the culture of the people they were seeking to reach. He argued, from the example of the Apostle Paul, "Let us in everything not sinful become like the Chinese, that by all means we may save some."
They travelled down the Grand Canal of China to make the first settlement in the war-torn city of Hangzhou. Another daughter was born to them in China (Maria Hudson Taylor). Taylor began practising much sought-after medical work and preaching every day under an exhausting schedule. Hundreds came to hear and be treated.
Conflicts within the Lammermuir team limited their effectiveness, but when Taylor's daughter Grace died of meningitis in 1867, they united for a time and sorted out their discord after witnessing Taylor place the cares of his fellow missionaries above even the concern that he had for his ailing daughter. Many of the Lammermuir crew were converted to Christianity.
Riot in YangzhouEdit
In 1868 the Taylors took a party of missionaries up to Yangzhou to start a new work. But problems continued in 1868, when their mission premises were attacked, looted and burned during the Yangzhou riot. Despite the violence and injuries, no one was killed. Unfortunately, the international outrage at the Chinese for the attack on these British nationals (and the subsequent arrival of the Royal Navy) caused also the China Inland Mission and Taylor to be criticised in the British press for almost starting a war. Taylor never requested military intervention, but some voices in the British Parliament called for "the withdrawal of all missionaries from China". However, the Taylors returned to Yangzhou later that year to continue in the work and many converts to Christianity were made.
In 1869 Hudson was influenced by a passage on personal holiness from a book called "Christ Is All" by Henry Law that was sent to him by a fellow missionary, John McCarthy. "The Lord Jesus received is holiness begun; the Lord Jesus cherished is holiness advancing; the Lord Jesus counted upon as never absent would be holiness complete." This new understanding of continually abiding in Christ endured for the rest of his life. At the time, he was quoted by fellow missionary Charles Henry Judd as saying: "Oh, Mr. Judd, God has made me a new man!" Taylor later sent out “How to live on Christ,” a booklet by Harriet Beecher Stowe, that first appeared as an introduction to “Religion As It Should Be,” a book written by Christopher Dean and published in 1847.[14].
Loss of MariaEdit
Chart showing Taylor's descendants (click to enlarge)
In 1868 another child, Charles, was born into the Taylor family, and in 1870, Taylor and his wife made the difficult decision to send their older three surviving children (Bertie, Freddie, and Maria—Samuel died earlier that year) home to England with Miss Emily Blatchley. In July, Noel was born, though he died of malnutrition and deprivation two weeks later due to Maria's inability to nurse him. Maria herself died several days later, with the official cause of death being cholera. Her death shook Taylor deeply, and in 1871, his own health began deteriorating further, leading to his return to England later that year to recuperate and take care of business items.
Hudson Taylor married Jennie Faulding in 1871.
Back in England, Taylor was married to Jane Elizabeth Faulding who had been a fellow missionary since 1866. Hudson and "Jennie" returned to China in late 1872 aboard the MM Tigre. They were in Nanjing when Jennie gave birth to stillborn twins—a boy and a girl in 1873. Two years later, the Taylors were forced to return once again to England because of the death of the mission secretary and their children's caretaker, Emily Blatchley.
During the winter of 1874 and 1875 Taylor was practically paralysed from a fall he had taken on a river boat while in China. In this state of crippling physical hindrance, Taylor confidently published an appeal for 18 new workers to join the work. When he did recover his strength, Jennie remained with the children, (including a new son and daughter, Ernest and Amy, as well as the orphaned daughter of fellow missionary George Duncan) and in 1876 Hudson Taylor returned to China and the 18 requested missionaries followed him. Meanwhile, in England, the work of General Secretary of the China Inland Mission was done by Benjamin Broomhall, who had married Hudson's sister, Amelia.
It was at this time that Hudson's evangelical work in England profoundly affected various members of the famous cricketing Studd family, resulting in three of the brothers converting and becoming deeply religious themselves; one of them, cricketer Charles Studd, became a missionary to China along with fellow Cambridge University converts, known as the Cambridge Seven.
From 1876 to 1878 Taylor travelled throughout inland China, opening missions stations. This was made possible by the signing on 13 September 1876 of the Chefoo Convention, a settlement between Britain and China that made it possible for missionary work to take place legally in inland China. In 1878, Jennie returned to China and began working to promote female missionary service there. By 1881 there were 100 missionaries in the CIM.
Hudson Taylor about 1885.
Taylor returned to England in 1883 to recruit more missionaries speaking of China's needs, and returned to China, working now with a total of 225 missionaries and 59 churches. In 1887 their numbers increased by another 102 with The Hundred missionaries, and in 1888, Taylor brought 14 missionaries from the United States. In the US he travelled and spoke at many places, including the Niagara Bible Conference where he befriended Cyrus Scofield and later Taylor filled the pulpit of Dwight Lyman Moody as a guest in Chicago. Moody and Scofield thereafter actively supported the work of the China Inland Mission of North America.
In 1897 Hudson's and Maria's only surviving daughter, Maria died in Wenzhou, leaving four little children and her missionary husband, John Joseph Coulthard . She had been instrumental in leading many Chinese women to Christianity during her short life.
Boxer crisisEdit
News of the Boxer Rebellion and the resulting disruption of missionary work in 1900 distressed Taylor, even though it led to further interest in missions in the area and additional growth of his China Inland Mission. Though the CIM suffered more than any other mission in China (58 missionaries, 21 children were killed), Taylor refused to accept payment for loss of property or life, to show the 'meekness and gentleness of Christ'. He was criticised by some but was commended by the British Foreign Office, whose minister in Beijing donated £200 to the CIM, expressing his 'admiration' and sympathy. The Chinese were also touched by Taylor's attitude.[15]
Final yearsEdit
Due to health issues, Taylor remained in Switzerland, semi-retired with his wife. In 1900, Dixon Edward Hoste was appointed the Acting General Director of the CIM, and in 1902, Taylor formally resigned. His wife, Jennie, died of cancer in 1904 in Les Chevalleyres, Switzerland, and in 1905, Taylor returned to China for the eleventh and final time. There he visited Yangzhou and Zhenjiang and other cities, before dying suddenly while reading at home in Changsha. He was buried next to his first wife, Maria, in Zhenjiang, in the small English Cemetery near the Yangtze River.
The small cemetery was built over with industrial buildings in the 1960s and the grave markers were destroyed. However, the marker for Hudson Taylor was stored away in a local museum for years. His great-grandson, James Hudson Taylor III, found the marker and was able to help a local Chinese church re-erect it within their building in 1999.[16]
His re-erected tombstone reads:
to the memory
the Rev.
J. Hudson Taylor,
the revered founder
the China Inland Mission.
Born May 21, 1832,
Died June 3, 1905
"A MAN IN CHRIST" 2 Cor. XII:2
This monument is erected
by the missionaries of the China Inland Mission,
as a mark of their heartfelt esteem and love.
In 2013 the land for the cemetery was re-developed and the demolition of the old industrial buildings revealed that the Taylors' tombs were still intact. On 28 August the graves were excavated with the surrounding soil and moved to a local church where they will be reburied in a memorial garden.
LegacyEdit
The beginning of "faith missions" (the sending of missionaries with no promises of temporal support, but instead a reliance "through prayer to move Men by God") has had a wide impact among evangelical churches to this day. After his death, China Inland Mission gained the notable distinction of being the largest Protestant mission agency in the world. The biographies of Hudson Taylor inspired generations of Christians to follow his example of service and sacrifice. Notable examples are: missionary to India Amy Carmichael, Olympic Gold Medalist Eric Liddell, twentieth-century missionary and martyr Jim Elliot, founder of Bible Study Fellowship Audrey Wetherell Johnson,[17] as well as international evangelists Billy Graham and Luis Palau.
Descendants of James Hudson Taylor continued his full-time ministry into the 21st century in Chinese communities in East Asia. James Hudson Taylor III (1929–2009)[18] in Hong Kong, and his son, James H. Taylor IV, who married Yeh Min Ke (the first Chinese member of the Taylor family), who is involved in full-time Chinese ministries.
“ Hudson Taylor was, ...one of the greatest missionaries of all time, and... one of the four or five most influential foreigners who came to China in the nineteenth century for any purpose... —Kenneth Scott Latourette ”
“ More than any other human being, James Hudson Taylor, …made the greatest contribution to the cause of world mission in the 19th century. —Ralph D. Winter ”
“ He was ambitious without being proud... He was biblical without being bigoted... He was a follower of Jesus, without being superficial... He was charismatic without being selfish." —Arthur F. Glasser ”
Chinese tourists have started visiting his home town of Barnsley to see where their hero grew up and the town is planning a trail to guide visitors to landmarks around the town.[19]
TheologyEdit
Taylor was raised in the Methodist tradition but in the course of his life he was a member of the Baptist Westbourne Grove Church pastored by William Garrett Lewis, and he also kept strong ties to the "Open Brethren" such as George Müller. His theology and his practice were non-sectarian.
ChronologyEdit
Birth to age 21, 1832 to 1853Edit
Born 21 May 1832 in Barnsley, England
Converted to Christianity June 1849 in Barnsley
Began medical studies, in hopes of going to China, May 1850 in Kingston upon Hull
Baptised 1851 in Kingston upon Hull
Moved 2 September 1852 to London
First time in China 1854Edit
Sailed for China aboard the Dumfries as an agent of the Chinese Evangelisation Society 19 September 1853 in Liverpool, Lancashire, England
The Dumfries arrived 1 March 1854 in Shanghai, China
Seven months with the William Chalmers Burns 1855–56
Sailed to Shantou (Swatow), Guangdong, China aboard the "Geelong" 12 March 1856
Moved October 1856 in Ningbo, Zhejiang, China
Resigned from the Chinese Evangelisation Society June 1857 in Ningbo
Ningbo Mission started after June 1857 in Ningbo
Married Maria Jane Dyer, 20 January 1858 in Presbyterian Compound, Ningbo
Grace Dyer Taylor born 31 July 1859 in Ningbo Mission House
Undertook charge of William Parker's hospital with Maria, September 1859 outside Salt Gate, Ningbo
Made first appeal to England for helpers 16 January 1860 in Ningbo
Life in London 1860 to 1866Edit
Sailed to England (via the Cape of Good Hope) on furlough aboard the Jubliee with Maria, Grace and Wang Laijun, 19 July 1860 in Shanghai. The Jubliee arrived 20 November 1860 in Gravesend, England
Settled 20 November 1860 in 63 Westbourne Grove, Bayswater, London
Completed the revision of a version of the New Testament in the colloquial of Ningbo for the British and Foreign Bible Society 1860–65
Herbert Hudson Taylor born 3 April 1861 in 63 Westbourne Grove, Bayswater, London
Moved after 9 April 1861 to 1 Beaumont Street, London
Earned diploma of Member of the Royal College of Surgeons 1862 in Royal London Hospital, London
Frederick Howard Taylor born 25 November 1862 in 1 Beaumont Street, Mile End Road, London
Samuel Dyer Taylor born 24 June 1864 in Barnsley, Yorkshire
Moved 6 October 1864 to 30 Coborn Street, London
The China Inland Mission founded, 25 June 1865 in Brighton Beach, Sussex
China's Spiritual Need and Claims published, October 1865 in London
Occasional Paper of the China Inland Mission Number 1 is published, 12 March 1866 in London
Return to China 1866 to 1871Edit
Sailed to China (via the Cape of Good Hope) aboard the Lammermuir with Maria and four children, 26 May 1866 in East India Docks, London. Arrived aboard the Lammermuir 29 September 1866 in Shanghai, China
Settled with the Lammermuir Party, December 1866 in 1 Xin Kai Long (New Lane), Hangzhou, Zhejiang
Maria Hudson Taylor born 3 February 1867 in 1 Xin Kai Long (New Lane), Hangzhou
Daughter Grace Dyer Taylor died 23 August 1867 in a temple at Pengshan, near Hangzhou
Survived riot with Maria, 22 August 1868 in Yangzhou
Charles Edward Taylor born 29 November 1868 in Yangzhou
Entered into "The Exchanged Life": – "God has made me a new man!" 4 September 1869
Son Samuel Dyer Taylor died 4 February 1870 aboard a boat in the Yangtze River near Zhenjiang
Noel Taylor born 7 July 1870 in Zhenjiang
Son Noel died 13 days after birth 20 July 1870 in Zhenjiang
Maria Jane Dyer died 23 July 1870 in Zhenjiang
Furlough and remarriage 1871 to 1872Edit
Sailed to Marseilles on furlough via Saigon, Ceylon, Aden, Suez aboard the MM Ava after 5 August 1871 in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. Arrived in England 25 September 1871 from Marseilles, France (via Paris to London)
Married to Jane Elizabeth Faulding, 28 November 1871 in Regent's Park Chapel, London
Moved 15 January 1872 to 6 Pyrland Road, Islington, London
Third time in China 1872 to 1874Edit
Sailed to China aboard the M M Tigre with Jennie, 9 October 1872 from Marseilles, France (via Paris from London). M M Tigre arrived 28 November 1872 in Shanghai, China
Baby son (twin) Taylor born 13 April 1873 in Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
Baby daughter (twin) Taylor born 14 April 1873 in Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
Fell from steps in a river boat and hurt spine May 1874 in China
Recovering in England 1874 to 1876Edit
Sailed to England on furlough with Jennie, 30 August 1874. Arrived 15 October 1874 in England
Paralyzed during winter 1874–75 in London
An appeal for eighteen workers published January 1875 in London
Ernest Hamilton Taylor born 7 January 1875 in 2 Pyrland Road, Islington
China's Millions, 1 (1), London: Archive, July 1875 .
Amy H. Taylor born 7 April 1876 in Islington
Fourth time in China 1876 to 1877Edit
Sailed to China 8 September 1876. Arrived 22 October 1876 in China
General Missionary Conference 10 May 1877 in Shanghai, China
Sailed to England 9 November 1877. Arrived 20 December 1877 in England
Fifth time in China 1879 to 1883Edit
Sailed to China 24 February 1879. Arrived 22 April 1879 in China
First visit August 1880 in Guangxin River, Jiangxi
Left for England 6 February 1883 in Yantai (Chefoo)
Sailed to England on furlough 10 February 1883. Arrived 27 March 1883 in England
Sixth time in China 1885 to 1888Edit
Sailed to China 20 January 1885. Arrived 3 March 1885 in China
Second visit May 1886 in Guangxin (Kwangsin) River, Jiangxi
Pastor Hsi set apart 5 August 1886 in Shanxi
First meeting of China Council, Appeal for "The Hundred missionaries" 13 November 1886 in China
Sailed to England 9 January 1887. Arrived 18 February 1887 in England
Addressed the Keswick Convention after February 1887 in Keswick, England
Sailed to US aboard the RMS Etruria 23 June 1888. Arrived 1 July 1888 in New York City, attended Niagara Bible Conference and crossed the continent on the Canadian Pacific Railway.
Seventh time in China 1888 to 1889Edit
Sailed to China from Vancouver, Canada via Yokohama, Japan 5 October 1888. Arrived 30 October 1888 in Shanghai, China
Sailed to England via France 12 April 1889. Arrived in England 21 May 1889
Arrived 6 July 1889 in New York City
Sailed to England 17 August 1889. Arrived 24 August 1889 in England
To Every Creature, London: World invisible, October 1889 .
Eighth time in China 1890 to 1892Edit
Sailed to China 17 March 1890 in Shanghai, China. Arrived 27 April 1890 in Shanghai, China
Preached opening sermon at General Missionary Conference 7 May 1890 in Shanghai, China
Sailed to Australia 26 August 1890. Sailed to China 20 November 1890. Arrived 21 December 1890 in Shanghai, China
Arrived with Jennie, March 1892 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Sailed to England via Canada with Jennie, 10 May 1892. Arrived with Jennie, 26 July 1892 in England
Addressed the Keswick Convention 1893 in Keswick, England
Union and Communion published 1893 in England
A Retrospect autobiography published 1894 in England
Provided testimony to the Royal Commission on Opium as an opponent of the trade before 14 February 1894 in England
Ninth time in ChinaEdit
Sailed to China via US aboard the RMS Germanic with Jennie, 14 February 1894 in Liverpool and Queenstown, England
Arrived aboard the RMS Germanic with Jennie, 24 February 1894 in Ellis Island, New York
Spoke at Students' Conference after 24 February 1894 in Detroit, Michigan. Arrived with Jennie, 17 April 1894 in Shanghai, China
Sailed aboard the Oceania (M. M. Oceanien?) with Jennie, 2 May 1896. Arrived, 17 June 1896 in England
Addressed the Keswick Convention after 17 June 1896 in Keswick, England
Daughter Maria Hudson Taylor died 28 September 1897 in Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
Sailed to US with Jennie, 24 November 1897. Arrived with Jennie, 18 December 1897 in US
Separation and Service published 1898 in England
Tenth time in ChinaEdit
Arrived with Jennie, 15 January 1898 in Shanghai, China
A Ribband of Blue, and other Bible Studies published 1899 in England
Conference, 16 January 1899 in Chongqing, Sichuan, China
Attended China Council meetings 28 June 1899 in Shanghai
Sailed to Australia, New Zealand, and US with Jennie, 25 September 1899. Arrived, 5 April 1900 in San Francisco, US
Addressed the Ecumenical Missions Conference after 5 April 1900 in Carnegie Hall, New York City
Sailed to England from US with Jennie as the Boxer Uprising was beginning in China, 9 June 1900. Arrived, 19 June 1900 in England
Retired with Jennie, after 19 June 1900 in Davos, Switzerland
Resigned as Director of the China Inland Mission November 1902
Jane Elizabeth "Jennie" Faulding died 31 July 1904 in Les Chevalleyres, Switzerland
Eleventh and final time in ChinaEdit
Sailed to US (New York City) aboard the RMS Baltic 15 February 1905 in Liverpool, Lancashire, England. Arrived aboard the RMS Baltic March 1905 in New York City
Sailed to China from San Francisco, 23 March 1905. Arrived 17 April 1905 in Shanghai, China
Died 3 June 1905 in Changsha, Hunan, China. Buried 9 June 1905 in Protestant Cemetery (no longer existing) in Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
Re-burialEdit
Remains re-buried at a local church in Zhenjiang,[20][21] after 28 August 2013.[22]
Ah-lah kyiu-cü Yiæ-su Kyi-toh-go Sing Iah Shü : peng-veng fæn Nying-po t'u-wô. Feng p'in-tang-p'in: Yih-pin cü siang-te-go tsih-tsông [The New Testament] (in Ningbo), Part 1, 1865 CS1 maint: Unrecognized language (link).
China's Spiritual Need and Claims (1865)
China & the Chinese an address to the Young (1865)
China's Millions[23]
Union & Communion (PDF), PDF: What says the Scripture, 1893 .
A Retrospect (1894)
After Thirty Years (1895)
Separation and Service (1898)
A Ribband of Blue And Other Bible Studies (1899)
ArchivesEdit
Manuscripts and letters relating to James Hudson Taylor are held as part of the China Inland Mission collection by the Archives of the School of Oriental and African Studies in London.[24]
^ Gee 1905, p. 43.
^ Christian Literature Society for China (1911). The China Mission Year Book (PDF). Shanghai: Christian Literature Society for China. pp. 281–82.
^ Broomhall 1982.
^ Tucker 1983, p. 73.
^ Covell, Ralph R.; Doyle, G. Wright. "J. Hudson Taylor (1832–1905)". Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Christianity. Retrieved 11 June 2018. .
^ "The Tract that Saved Dear Hudson - Poor Richard". OMF International (UK). 15 March 2015. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
^ Taylor, J. Hudson (1987). Hudson Taylor (Men of Faith). Bethany House. ISBN 0-87123-951-5.
^ Taylor, James Hudson (1894). A retrospect (PDF). public domain.
^ Medhurst, W. H. (1838). China: its state and prospects, with special reference to the spread of the gospel; containing allusions to the antiquity, extent, population, civilization, literature, and religion of the Chinese. Boston: Crocker & Brewster. OCLC 5314739. OL 13520937M.
^ Story of Faith Missions – Page 204 Klaus Fiedler – 1997 "Hudson Taylor was baptized in the Hull Brethren Assembly in 1852. He convinced his sister Amelia of the need for believers baptism and actually baptized her, a step which she very soon came to regret (Broomhall, Over the Treaty Wall)"
^ Davies, Evan (1846). The Memoir of Samuel Dyer: Sixteen Years Missionary to the Chinese. London: John Snow.
^ Broomhall, Alfred (1983). Hudson Taylor and China's Open Century: If I had A Thousand Lives. London: Hodder and Stoughton. page needed
^ Broomhall, Marshall (1901). Last Letters and Further Records of Martyred Missionaries of the China Inland Mission. London: Morgan and Scott. External link in |title= (help), appendix
^ Christopher Dean, Religion as it should be, Massachusetts Sabbath School Society, Boston, 1847, 13-25
^ Broomhall, Marshall (1901). Martyred Missionaries of the China Inland Mission with a record of the Perils and Sufferings of Some Who Escaped. London: Morgan and Scott. Retrieved 21 June 2006. page needed
^ Bradley, Mark S. "James Hudson Taylor III (1929—2009)". Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Christianity. Retrieved 11 June 2018.
^ BSF History, BSF International .
^ "Rev. James Hudson Taylor III passed away at age 79 in Hong Kong", The Gospel Herald, 20 March 2009 .
^ "Trail to mark missionary's work". BBC. 28 September 2018.
^ Alexandquan (13 July 2016). "English: 宣德堂镇江Xuande Church in Zhenjiang. Currently in an underground pit as church awaits construction a memorial tower" – via Wikimedia Commons.
^ Alexandquan (13 July 2016). "English: 宣德堂,镇江Xuande church in Zhenjiang" – via Wikimedia Commons.
^ https://omf.org/us/hudson-and-maria-taylors-graves-found-in-china/ Finding of Hudson Taylor Tomb and Re-burial
^ Taylor, J. Hudson, ed. (1886). China's millions. Hazell, Watson, and Viney, London and Aylesbury: China Inland Mission. Retrieved 21 March 2012.
^ "Archives", Library, UK: SOAS .
Davies, Evan (1846). The Memoir of Samuel Dyer: Sixteen Years Missionary to the Chinese. London: John Snow.
Broomhall, Alfred (1982). Hudson Taylor and China's Open Century. 1. Barbarians at the Gates. London: Hodder & Stoughton.
——— (1982b). Hudson Taylor and China's Open Century. 2. Over The Treaty Wall. London: Hodder & Stoughton.
——— (1983). Hudson Taylor and China's Open Century. 3. If I had A Thousand Lives. London: Hodder & Stoughton.
——— (1984). Hudson Taylor and China's Open Century. 4. Survivor's Pact. London: Hodder & Stoughton.
——— (1985). Hudson Taylor and China's Open Century. Book Five: Refiner's Fire. London: Hodder & Stoughton.
——— (1986). Hudson Taylor and China's Open Century. 6. Assault on the Nine. London: Hodder & Stoughton.
——— (1989). Hudson Taylor and China's Open Century. 7. It Is Not Death To Die. London: Hodder & Stoughton.
Broomhall, Marshall (1901). Last Letters and Further Records of Martyred Missionaries of the China Inland Mission (PDF). London: Morgan & Scott.
Cross, FL; Livingstone, EA, eds. (1997), "Taylor, James Hudson", The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, Oxford .
Gee, N. Gist (1905). The Educational Directory for China. Suzhou: Educational Association of China.
Larsen, Timothy, ed. (2003), "Taylor, James Hudson", Biographical Dictionary of Evangelicals, Downers-Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press .
Morrish, George, According to your Faith, London .
Petersen, William J (1986), CS Lewis Had a Wife; Catherine Marshall Had a Husband, Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House . Has a chapter on Hudson Taylor's marriage[which?].
Steer, Roger (1990). Hudson Taylor: A Man In Christ. London: Hodder & Stoughton.
Taylor, Frederick Howard; Taylor, Mary Geraldine (1911). Hudson Taylor in Early Years; The Growth of a Soul. London: Morgan & Scott.
———; Taylor, Mary Geraldine (1918). Hudson Taylor and the China Inland Mission; The Growth of a Work of God. London: Morgan & Scott.
———; Taylor, Mary Geraldine (1965). Hudson Taylor; God's Man in China. Chicago: Moody Press.
Taylor, James Hudson III (2005). Christ Alone: A Pictorial Presentation of Hudson Taylor's Life and Legacy. Hong Kong: OMF Books.
Tucker, Ruth (1983). From Jerusalem to Irian Jaya: A Biographical History of Christian Missions. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan. ISBN 0-310-23937-0.
The China Mission Year Book (PDF). Shanghai: Christian Literature Society for China. 1911.
Historical Bibliography of the China Inland Mission .
Hudson Taylor, Christian History & Biography (52) .
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hudson Taylor.
Wikiquote has quotations related to: James Hudson Taylor
Works by Hudson Taylor at Project Gutenberg
Works by or about Hudson Taylor at Internet Archive
Works by Hudson Taylor at LibriVox (public domain audiobooks)
Christian Biography Resources
Spurgeon's "Interviews with Three of the King's Captains"
Genealogy.com: The family of James Hudson Taylor
Hudson Taylor Centre for Chinese Ministries, Tyndale University College and Seminary, Toronto, ON
Hudson Taylor Grave
New title Director of the China Inland Mission
Dixon Edward Hoste
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hudson_Taylor&oldid=898074396"
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line734
|
__label__wiki
| 0.706835
| 0.706835
|
San Salvador Island
For San Salvador Island of the Galápagos, see Santiago Island (Galápagos).
"Watling Island" redirects here. For the island of Bermuda, see Watling Island, Bermuda.
San Salvador Island (known as Watling's Island[2] from the 1680s until 1925) is an island and district of the Bahamas. It is widely believed that during Christopher Columbus' first expedition to the New World, San Salvador Island was the first land he sighted and visited on 12 October 1492; he named it San Salvador after Christ the Saviour.[3][4] Columbus' records indicate that the native Lucayan inhabitants of the territory, who called their island Guanahani, were "sweet and gentle".[5]
Guanahani
Watling's Island
Island and District
Map of San Salvador Island
Coordinates: 24°06′N 74°29′W / 24.100°N 74.483°W / 24.100; -74.483Coordinates: 24°06′N 74°29′W / 24.100°N 74.483°W / 24.100; -74.483
163 km2 (63 sq mi)
UTC-5 (Eastern Time Zone)
San Salvador from space, 2007
When he made landfall on the small island of San Salvador in 1492, Columbus thought he had reached the East Indies. This was precisely his quest – to find an all-water route to the orient so that European traders, who traded precious spices, could avoid paying tribute to the Middle Eastern middlemen who skimmed profits off overland trading ventures.[6] In addition, Columbus was interested in financing a new Crusade along with a “back door” route to the Middle East in order to fight it. The island was called Guanahani by the Natives of the island, and the name was promptly changed following Spanish colonization. In the 17th century, San Salvador was settled by an English Buccaneer, John Watling (alternately referred to as George Watling), who gave the island its alternative historical name. The United Kingdom gained control of what are now the Bahamas in the early 18th century. In 1925 the name "San Salvador" was officially transferred from another place, now called Cat Island, and given to "Watlings Island," based on historians believing this was a more likely match for Columbus' description of Guanahani. Advocates of Watling's Island included H. Major, the map-custodian of the British Museum; and the geographer Clements R. Markham,[7] as well as the American sea historian Samuel E. Morison.
The American Fr. Chrysostom Schreiner OSB, the first Catholic priest permanently assigned to the Bahamas, served primarily at St. Francis Xavier in Nassau. A history enthusiast, he researched Columbus' landing extensively and promoted San Salvador as the correct landing site. In retirement, Fr. Chrysostom relocated to San Salvador, where he died on 3 Jan 1928. He was buried the next day. Memorial Masses were celebrated in Nassau; Collegeville, Minnesota (the site of St. John's Abbey, his monastery); and New York. Cardinal Hayes referred to him as the Catholic Apostle to the Bahamas; he was a unique religious presence on the islands. His tomb can still be seen on San Salvador.
Today, thanks to its many sandy beaches, the island's prosperous main industry is tourism. About 940 people reside on San Salvador Island and its principal community is Cockburn Town, the seat of local government. The town has a population of 271.[8] A Club Med resort, called "Columbus Isle", is located just north of Cockburn Town.
Nearby is the Pleistocene Cockburn Town Fossil Reef.[9] Fossilized Staghorn coral (Acropora cervicornis), and Elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata) are present near the crest of the fossil reef, and other corals, such as Montastraea, Diploria, and Porites, are preserved.
The Gerace Research Centre (formerly the Bahamian Field Station) is located on the north end of the island on the shores of Grahams Harbour. More than 1,000 students and researchers work from the station every year as a base of operations for studying tropical marine geology, biology, and archaeology.
The island is home to many shallow-water reefs, where snorkelers can observe hundreds of fish species without the use of scuba equipment. It is also known for its quick drop in the submerged platform of the island, allowing for numerous dive sites. The western coast has many wall reefs, with steep drop offs, while the northern coast has many shallow barrier reefs, particularly surrounding Grahams Harbour, a large shallow lagoon.
The island is served by San Salvador International Airport.
The Dixon Hill lighthouse is located on the island south of Dixon Hill Settlement on the east side of the island. It is approximately 160 feet (49 m) tall, and was constructed in 1887 by the Imperial Lighthouse Service.[10] Beside beaches, there are several monuments, ruins and shipwrecks in the area that are major tourist attractions.[11][12]
HurricanesEdit
Hurricane Lili struck San Salvador in 1996.[13] Hurricane Floyd struck in 1999, and caused damage to homes, tourist facilities, businesses, and infrastructure, and caused considerable beach erosion.[14]
On October 4, 2015 report from the Bahamas in the wake of Hurricane Joaquin indicate that several islands are, in the words of one journalist, "completely obliterated". Photojournalist Eddy Rafael observed the devastation from the air as part of an assessment flight that included San Salvador Island.[15]
The damage seemed to be confined to just a few specific areas. The Club Med resort on San Salvador was destroyed, Rafael reported, but the power station looked intact from the air. Club Med later stated that much of the landscaping was damaged, but no guests were present at the time of the hurricane and none of the staff were injured.[15]
Physical oceanographyEdit
San Salvador Island sits on its own isolated carbonate platform surrounded by a narrow shelf that reaches a depth of up to 40 meters.[16][17] Past the shelf, the slope becomes almost vertical and depth quickly increases to 4,000 meters.[16][18] San Salvador Island experiences a semi-diurnal tide, with two high tides and two low tides per day.[19] Water temperature in San Salvador can range from 23⁰C to 29⁰C depending on the location and time of year. Salinity and dissolved oxygen are consistent throughout the island and throughout the year (35 ppt and 6.0% respectively).[18]
Most of San Salvador Island is surrounded by fringing reefs.[18] In many areas, such as Fernandez Bay, the shore is rocky and populated by reef urchins (Echinometra viridis). Moving away from shore, the bottom slopes gradually and may have several patch reefs surrounded by a sandy bottom. These patch reefs are home to hundreds of fish, invertebrates, and algae.[18] The depth continues to increase to about 25 meters at the farthest edge of the shelf, which can be between 400 and 1,500 meters from shore.[18]
Path of the Antilles Current
Antilles CurrentEdit
Wind and wave action in San Salvador is influenced by the Antilles Current. The Antilles Current originates south of the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, and Cuba and moves northward where it merges with the Gulf Stream.[20] This current cools the waters around San Salvador in the summer and warms the water around the island in the winter. This keeps the water temperature relatively mild and consistent throughout the year.[18]
The coasts of San Salvador are very different from each other. The west coast of San Salvador faces the rest of the Bahamian islands and the Grand Bahama bank. Most of these islands are sheltered from significant winds and wave action. This is also true of San Salvador’s west coast; the water is generally calmer and visibility tends to be greater. In contrast, the eastern coast of San Salvador is windward and completely exposed to the rest of the Atlantic Ocean and is not protected by any other geological formations.[17] As a result, wave action is much stronger and visibility is lower. Evidence of currents from the Atlantic Ocean can be found on the east coast in the form of trash and debris on the beaches. During Hurricane Joaquin in October 2015, the SS El Faro cargo ship went down approximately 50 miles east of San Salvador. Several weeks later, pieces of the container that had been swept away by the current were reported on the beaches of San Salvador.[21]
Students from Jacksonville University’s Marine Science Research Institute launched a drifter buoy from a boat at the northern tip of San Salvador Island on June 27, 2016.[22] The drifter was carried north by the Antilles Current and was caught in a small ocean gyre just east of the continental shelf and north of the Abaco Islands. The drifter circled the gyre for several weeks until it was pushed westward by Hurricane Matthew in October 2016. From there the buoy continued drifting southwest toward the western edge of Grand Bahama and was then pushed northwest toward Florida. The drifter landed at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on December 23, 2016. Attempts to recover the drifter have been unsuccessful.
GovernmentEdit
The current Administrator is Mr. Gilbert C. Kemp.
GalleryEdit
View of North Point, Rice Bay, and Dixon Hill Settlement, facing north from the lighthouse in 1998.
View of Grahams Harbour facing west from North Point in 1998. The water tower at left is located at the Gerace Research Centre, but no longer stands.
Seagrass (Thalassia testudinum) bed with several echinoids (Tripneustes ventricosus), Grahams Harbour
Elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata) on the crest of Gaulin Reef
^ "PRELIMINARY POPULATION AND HOUSING COUNT BY ISLAND AND SUPERVISORY DISTRICT, ALL BAHAMAS: CENSUS 2010" (PDF). Bahamas Department of Statistics.
^ Stark, James H. (1891). Stark's History and Guide to the Bahama Islands. Boston: Boston Photo Electrotype Co. p. 151. OCLC 1071967476.
^ William D. Phillips Jr., "Columbus, Christopher", in David Buisseret (ed.), The Oxford Companion to World Exploration, (Oxford: Oxford University Press, online edition 2012).
^ In 1986 the National Geographic Society made an alternative suggestion of Samana Cay. For a brief discussion of the controversy see William D. Phillips, Jr., and Carla Rahn Phillips, The Worlds of Christopher Columbus (Cambridge and New York: Cambridge University Press, 1992), pp. 155-5.
^ Brown, Dee. Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, New York: Henry Holt, p 2.
^ Nash, Gary B. Red, White and Black: The Peoples of Early North America Los Angeles 2015. Chapter 1, p. 18
Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "San Salvador (1)" . Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
^ SAN SALVADOR POPULATION BY SETTLEMENT AND TOTAL NUMBER OF OCCUPIED DWELLINGS: 2010 CENSUS - Bahamas Department of Statistics
^ Curran, HA and B White. Field Guide to the Cockburn Town Fossil Coral Reef, San Salvador, Bahamas. p. 71-96., In Proceedings of the 2nd Symposium on the Geology of The Bahamas, 1984. JW Teeter (ed.).
^ www.thebahamasguide.com/islands/sansalvador/default.htm "San Salvador" Archived 2012-09-12 at Archive.today, The Bahamas Guide, Retrieved 6 March 2001
^ http://www.bahamas.com/islands/san-salvador "San Salvador", The Official site of the Bahamas, Retrieved 21 September 2013
^ http://www.bahamas.com/islands/san-salvador "San Salvador", The Bahamas, Retrieved 21 September 2013
^ Garver, John (January 3, 2003). "Some effects of Hurricane Lili (Oct 1996)". Union College. Retrieved October 10, 2010.
^ Curran, H. A., Delano, P., White, B., and Barrett, M., 2001, "Coastal Effects of Hurricane Floyd on San Salvador Island, Bahamas," In Proceedings of the 10th Symposium on the Geology of The Bahamas, 2001. Greenstein, B. J., and Carney, C. K.(eds.)
^ a b "Hurricane Joaquin Exits Bahamas; Several Islands "Completely Obliterated"". The Weather Channel. 3 October 2015. Retrieved 4 October 2015.
^ a b Littler, M.M.; Littler, D.S.; Blair, S.M.; Norris, J.N. (1986). "Deep-water plant communities from an uncharted seamount off San Salvador Island, Bahamas: distribution, abundance, and primary productivity" (PDF). Deep Sea Research. 33 (7): 881–892.
^ a b Peckol, P.M.; Curran, A.; Greenstein, B.J.; Blair, S.M.; Norris, J.N. (2003). "Assessment of coral reefs off San Salvador Island, Bahamas(stony corals, algae and fish populations)" (PDF). Atoll Research Bulletin. 496: 124–145.
^ a b c d e f Gerace, D.T.; Ostrander, G.K.; Smith, G.W. (1998). "San Salvador, Bahamas". Caribbean Coastal Marine Productivity: 229–245.
^ "Tide Predictions - San Salvador TEC4631 Tidal Data Daily View - NOAA Tides & Currents". tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov. Retrieved 2017-04-20.
^ Talley, L.D. (2011). Descriptive physical oceanography: an introduction. Academic press.
^ "Debris piece in Bahamas matches El Faro's cargo log". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2017-04-20.
^ "Jacksonville Marine Lab/ Bolles School/ Robin Paris drifters deployed in 2016". nefsc.noaa.gov. Retrieved 2017-04-20.
High resolution map of the island
Multi-media exploration of San Salvador's people, plants, sea life, culture and research project topics, Bahamas-Research
Marine life around San Salvador island, photo gallery
Real Life stories of San Salvador www.SanSal.info
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=San_Salvador_Island&oldid=892347035"
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line735
|
__label__cc
| 0.705431
| 0.294569
|
International Task Force to Fight Applying Cryptocurrencies in Tax Crimes
On July 2 the US the Internal Revenue Service declared forming a joint task group to include representatives of tax agencies from five countries. The group is to fight international tax crimes including those involving cryptocurrencies.
The group was named Joint Chiefs of Global Tax Enforcement (J5) and joined efforts of tax authority representatives from the UK, the US, Canada, Australia and the Netherlands. It was established by request of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) which claimed the necessity in more decisive actions against tax crimes. Cryptocurrencies won’t be left unnoticed by the group as well.
“The unique thing about the J5 is the operational collaboration between five countries on tackling professional enablers that facilitate offshore tax crime, cybercrime and the threat of cryptocurrencies to tax administrations, as well as making best use of internationally available data and technology”, stated the director general of Dutch Fiscal Information and Investigation Service Hans van der Vlist.
General director of the Canada Revenue Agency Johanne Charbonneau added, the J5 is strictly committed to international collaboration against tax violations and cyber crimes involving cryptocurrencies. The group is supposed to report on the first results at the turn of this year.
Why Bitcoin Is and Will Always Be the Primary Cryptocurrency?
How Bitcoin Exposes Manipulations by Central Banks
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line736
|
__label__wiki
| 0.637693
| 0.637693
|
Fort Pierce, Florida
City in Florida, United States
Nickname(s):
Location in St. Lucie County and the state of Florida
Coordinates: 27°26′20″N 80°20′8″W / 27.43889°N 80.33556°W / 27.43889; -80.33556Coordinates: 27°26′20″N 80°20′8″W / 27.43889°N 80.33556°W / 27.43889; -80.33556
St. Lucie
Linda Hudson
6.05 sq mi (15.67 km2)
1,945.89/sq mi (751.32/km2)
UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
UTC-4 (EDT)
cityoffortpierce.com
Fort Pierce is a city in and the county seat of St. Lucie County, Florida, United States. The city is part of the Treasure Coast region of Atlantic Coast Florida.[5] It is also known as the Sunrise City,[6] sister to San Francisco, California, the Sunset City. The population was 41,590 at the 2010 census. As of 2012, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 42,645.[7] It was named after the Fort Pierce Army post which was built nearby in 1838 during the Second Seminole War. The military post had been named for Benjamin Kendrick Pierce, a career United States Army officer and the brother of President Franklin Pierce.[8]
Fort Pierce was awarded the 2005 City of Excellence Award by the Florida League of Cities for overall excellence in city government and in 2011, Main Street Fort Pierce, Inc. received the Great American Main Street Award from the National Trust for Historic Preservation in downtown.[9]
2.1 Shore Protection project
2.2 Ecology
2.3 Marina
5 Climate
6.1 Fort Pierce Harbor
8 Tourist attractions
Fort Pierce is located at 27°26′20″N 80°20′8″W / 27.43889°N 80.33556°W / 27.43889; -80.33556 (27.438817, -80.335471).[10]
According to the U. S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 20.8 mi² (53.8 km²), of which 14.7 square miles (38.2 km²) is land and 6.0 square miles (15.6 km²) of it (35.00%) is water.
Environment[edit]
Shore Protection project[edit]
According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, The Fort Pierce Beach Shore Protection project includes 1.3 miles of shore line running from immediately south of the Fort Pierce Inlet southward to Surfside Park. The project is on a two-year renourishment cycle due to impacts to the beach from the federal navigation project at Fort Pierce Inlet. This two-year renourishment cycle is a much shorter renourishment interval than what is typical for other projects along the east coast of Florida.[11]
The initial construction of the project occurred in 1971 and the ninth nourishment was completed in May 2013. Completion of plans and specifications, advertisement and award for the 10th renourishment contract were completed in FY 2014. The project was scheduled to start mid-February 2015. Sand for the project is dredged from an approved offshore borrow area known as the Capron Shoal and then pumped via a pipeline onto the 1.3 miles of beach south of the Fort Pierce Inlet. The sponsor, St. Lucie County, is preparing a General Reevaluation Report (GRR) for the project at their own expense that will evaluate extending Federal participation for an additional 50 years. Current Federal participation expires in 2020.[11]
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers estimates the total cost of the project to be $75.9 million, with an estimated U.S. Federal Government share of $46.4 million. No funding for the project was requested by the U.S. President from the U.S. Congress in Fiscal Year 2016.[11]
Ecology[edit]
The Experimental Oculina Research Reserve preserves the Oculina Banks, a reef of ivory bush coral (Oculina varicosa) off the coast of Fort Pierce, Florida. In 1984, a 92 square-nautical-mile (316 km²) portion of these reefs was designated the "Oculina Habitat Area of Particular Concern". In 1994, the area was closed to all manner of bottom fishing and was redesignated as a research reserve. In 2000, the marine protected area was expanded to 300 square nautical miles (1,030 km²) and prohibited all gears that caused mechanical disruption to the habitat. The city is also known for its large manatee population.
Marina[edit]
Due to the devastation caused at the Fort Pierce City Marina by hurricanes Frances and Jeanne in 2004, FEMA mandated a plan to ensure that the rebuilt facility would be protected from future such events before FEMA would release funding for the repairs. Starting in 2012, construction began to create 12 artificial barrier islands including oyster beds, lime rock artificial reefs, mangrove fringes and coastal dune. The "core" of the islands was constructed of TITANTubes, sometimes referred to as geotextile tubes or geotubes, manufactured by Flint Industries and covered by a coastal marine mattress and then armor stone. The project was completed in 2013 after six years of planning, permitting and construction and a cost of $18 million.
1930 4,803 127.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[12]
As of the census of 2010, there were 41,910 people, 15,170 households, and 9,418 families residing in the city.[13][14] The population density was 2,021.9 people per square mile (982.7/km²).[7] There were 17,170 housing units at an average density of 1,164.7/sq mi (449.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 40.9% African American, 45.3% White, 0.6% Native American, 0.9% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, and 2.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino were 21.6% of the population.[7]
There were 15,170 households out of which 32.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.3% were married couples living together, 19.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.9% were non-families. 32.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.50.[14]
In the city, the population was spread out with 25.9% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 20 to 24, 13.3% from 25 to 34, 13.0% from 45 to 54, 9.8% from 55 to 64 and 6.8% who were 65 years of age or older.[14] The median age was 35.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,869, and the median income for a family was $36,337. Males had a median income of $32,412 versus $26,349 for females.[14] The per capita income for the city was $16,782. 30.2% of the population were below the poverty line.[7]
Government[edit]
See also: List of mayors of Fort Pierce, Florida
The city of Fort Pierce has a council–manager government form of local government. The offices of commissioner and mayor are nonpartisan, and have a term of four years.
The climate of Ft. Pierce is generally a humid subtropical climate, although it closely borders a tropical monsoon and a tropical savannah climate. Summertime temperatures range between 80 and 100 degrees F. Temperatures in the winter range between 55 and 80 degrees F, although some winter days can drop down below 40 degrees, but rarely fall below freezing.
Climate data for Fort Pierce (1981-2010)
Average high °F (°C)
Average low °F (°C)
Average precipitation inches (mm)
(60) 3.09
(145) 6.04
(54) 53.84
Source: National Weather Service [15]
Transportation[edit]
Fort Pierce is located on U.S. Route 1, near its intersection with Florida Route 70. Interstate Route 95 and Florida's Turnpike are nearby, at the west edge of town. The Intracoastal Waterway passes through the city. The nearest airport with scheduled passenger service is in Melbourne; the closest major airport is in West Palm Beach.[16]
Fort Pierce is served by the St. Lucie Transportation Planning Organization (TPO).[17] The TPO is a Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), a federally mandated and federally funded transportation policy-making organization responsible for transportation planning, programming, and financing of State and Federal transportation funds for the City of Fort Pierce. The TPO is governed by a TPO Board, which is composed of elected officials, representatives from the St. Lucie County School Board, and representatives from Community Transit, a division of The Council on Aging of St. Lucie, Inc.[18] The original bus system started as a demand response service bus in the 1990s; it only served St. Lucie County. Soon it expanded to a fixed route system, going to predetermined locations along a route. On June 3, 2002, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) approved funding, expanding the bus service to Martin County, and it became the Treasure Coast Connector.[19][20]
From 1894 to 1968 the Florida East Coast Railway served the city. Until 1963, several long distance passenger trains from Chicago, Cincinnati and New York City made stops there, en route to Miami. These long distances trains included the Illinois Central Railroad's City of Miami and the Louisville & Nashville Railroad's South Wind both heading from Chicago; and they included the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad's East Coast Champion and the Havana Special, originating from New York.[21][22][23][24]
Amtrak and the Florida East Coast Railway have been planning to make stations along Florida's East Coast. The latter operations would be part of the second phase of the private Virgin Trains USA inter-city rail project. The cities cited by Amtrak and the Florida Department of Transportation include: Stuart, Fort Pierce, Vero Beach, Melbourne, Titusville, Cocoa, Daytona Beach and St. Augustine, Florida.[25] In 2018, Brightline (now Virgin Trains USA) announced that it was looking at downtown properties for a site for a new station for the train between Fort Pierce and Miami. Ultimately, the northwestern terminus would be Orlando, with service beginning in 2021. [26] [27]
Fort Pierce Harbor[edit]
According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, an average of 350,000 tons of waterborne commerce moves through Fort Pierce Harbor annually. Major commodities which are dependent on the port include citrus exports, cement and aragonite imports. The last navigation improvements at Fort Pierce were authorized by the U.S. Congress in the Water Resources Development Act of 1988 dated November 17, 1988 and construction was completed in August 1996. The existing entrance channel is 400 feet wide and 30 feet deep, the interior channel is 250 feet wide and 28 feet deep, the existing turning basin is 1,100 feet square and 28 feet deep, and the north access channel is located immediately north of the main turning basin is 1,250 feet long, 250 feet wide and 28 feet deep.[28]
In late 2014 dredging efforts were completed in Fort Pierce Harbor. The dredging effort included both beach placement of beach quality sand on the beach immediately south of the Inlet as well as placement of non beach quality sand in the approved offshore disposal area.[28]
Public high schools in the city include Fort Pierce Central High School, Fort Pierce Westwood High School and Lincoln Park Academy. Private schools include John Carroll Catholic High School and Faith Baptist School (Treasure Coast Baptist Academy) Private middle schools inside city limits include Saint Andrew's Academy and Saint Anastasia Middle School.
Indian River State College is also located in Fort Pierce.
Tourist attractions[edit]
A.E. Backus Museum and Gallery
Arcade Building
Art Mundo at the Art Bank[29]
Dust Tracks of Zora Neale Hurston[30][31]
Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute
Heathcote Botanical Gardens
Historic Main Street[32]
Florida Power and Light Energy Encounter[33]
Lincoln Park Main Street[30]
Old Fort Pierce City Hall
Old Fort Park
Manatee Center[34]
Navy UDT-SEAL Museum (Fort Pierce was the original home of the United States Navy SEALs)
Smithsonian Marine Ecosystem Exhibit[35]
St. Lucie County Marine Center[36]
St. Lucie County Regional History Center[37]
Sunrise Theatre[38]
Zora Neale Hurston's house
Rick Ankiel, Major League Baseball player[39]
A.E. "Beanie" Backus, artist and painter[40]
Kimberly Bergalis, victim of first known case of clinical transmission of HIV
Edwin Binney, co-founder of Crayola Crayons[41]
Jeff Blackshear, NFL guard for the Seattle Seahawks, Baltimore Ravens, Kansas City Chiefs and Green Bay Packers[42]
Roslyn M. Brock, Chairman of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
Ricou Browning, director, actor, producer, screenwriter, underwater cinematographer and stuntman best known for portraying Gill-Man underwater in Universal’s Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) and its two sequels Revenge of the Creature (1955), and The Creature Walks Among Us (1956).
Jamar Chaney, NFL linebacker [43]
Yamon Figurs, NFL and CFL wide receiver[44]
Mark Foley, former U.S. Congressman[citation needed]
Louise Gopher, the first Seminole woman to earn a bachelor's degree.[45]
Ted Hewitt, country music producer- produces Country Music artist Rodney Atkins
John Houghtaling, creator of the Magic Fingers Vibrating Bed.[46]
Zora Neale Hurston, author best known for the novel Their Eyes Were Watching God[47]
Charles Johnson, MLB catcher for the Florida Marlins, Los Angeles Dodgers, Baltimore Orioles, Chicago White Sox, Colorado Rockies and Tampa Bay Devil Rays[48]
Ladislav Karabin, retired Czechoslovakian hockey player, who played for the Pittsburgh Penguins[citation needed]
Khalil Mack, NFL linebacker
Omar Mateen, perpetrator of the 2016 Orlando nightclub shooting
Daniel T. McCarty, 31st Governor of Florida[49]
Terry McGriff, MLB catcher for the Cincinnati Reds, Houston Astros, Florida Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals[50]
Ryan McNeil, NFL defensive back[51]
Wonder Monds, NFL defensive back[52]
Michael P. Nash, Filmmaker
Luther Robinson, NFL defensive end [53]
Larry Sanders, Former National Basketball Association Player[54]
Jeff Schwarz, MLB pitcher for the Chicago White Sox and California Angels[55]
Gary Stewart, country singer[56]
Herbert Strong, professional golfer and golf course architect[57]
Allen R. Sturtevant, Associate Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court[58]
LaDaris Vann, American player of gridiron football
^ "2018 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved Jul 19, 2019.
^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2014-08-01.
^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on 2011-05-31. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
^ Jernigan, Meg. "Things to Do in Fort Pierce, Florida". USA Today. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
^ a b c d "Fort Pierce (city) QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau". census.gov. Archived from the original on 18 November 2015. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
^ Wilson, Jean Ellen (2014). Legendary Locals of Fort Pierce. Arcadia Publishing. p. 7. Retrieved September 17, 2014.
^ "City of Fort Pierce".
^ a b c "U.S. Army Corps of Engineers -- Congressional Fact Sheet -- Fort Pierce Beach FL, Shore Protection Project" (PDF).
^ https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/table/PST045215/1224300. Missing or empty |title= (help)
^ a b c d Data Access and Dissemination Systems (DADS). "American FactFinder - Results". census.gov. Archived from the original on 15 August 2014. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
^ "NOWData - NOAA Online Weather Data". NOAA. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
^ Rand McNally Road Atlas, 2016.
^ "Transportation Planning Organization - Homepage". Stlucietpo.org. 2011-02-02. Retrieved 2013-08-08.
^ "Our Services > Transportation". COASL. Retrieved 2013-08-08.
^ "Home". Treasure Coast Connector. Retrieved 2013-08-08.
^ "Treasure Coast Connector: Services". treasurecoastconnector.com. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
^ American rails, 'City of Miami,' www.american-rails.com/city-of-miami.html
^ Streamliner Schedules, 'South Wind' http://streamlinerschedules.com/concourse/track2/southwind194106.html
^ American Rails, 'The Champion' https://www.american-rails.com/champion.html
^ Streamliner Schedules, 'Havana Special,' http://streamlinerschedules.com/concourse/track2/havanaspecial193302.html
^ "Orlando Sun-Sentinel," Feb 22, 2013, Angel Streeter, "Amtrak still hopeful for service on FEC tracks" http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2013-02-22/news/fl-amtrak-florida-east-coast-railroad-20130215_1_amtrak-service-fec-passenger-service
^ Janny Rodriguez, WPTV September 6, 2018 "Brightline considers Fort Pierce train station," https://www.wptv.com/news/region-st-lucie-county/fort-pierce/brightlineconsiders-fort-pierce-train-station
^ Keona Gardner, TC Palm, September 5, 2018 "Fort Pierce: Brightline wants to build station, hotel at H.D. King site downtown" https://www.tcpalm.com/story/news/local/shaping-our-future/all-aboard-florida/2018/09/05/brightline-interested-h-d-king-site-fort-pierce/1199122002/
^ a b "U.S. Army Corps of Engineers -- Congressional Fact Sheet -- Fort Pierce Harbor" (PDF).
^ "Art Mundo".
^ a b [1] Archived August 1, 2015, at the Wayback Machine
^ "St. Lucie County". Archived from the original on 2013-10-04.
^ "Main Street Fort Pierce". Retrieved 2013-08-08.
^ "Fort Pierce Tourist Attractions". PlanetWare. Archived from the original on 2011-02-16. Retrieved 2013-08-08.
^ "Manatee Observation and Education Center". Manateecenter.com. Retrieved 2013-08-08.
^ "Smithsonian Marine Ecosystems Exhibit: Smithsonian Marine Station (SMS) at Fort Pierce". Sms.si.edu. 2007-02-06. Retrieved 2013-08-08.
^ "St Lucie County Florida Online || St. Lucie County Marine Center". Stlucieco.gov. Archived from the original on 2013-08-09. Retrieved 2013-08-08.
^ "St Lucie County Florida Online || Regional History Center". Stlucieco.gov. Retrieved 2013-08-08.
^ "Sunrise Theatre".
^ "Rick Ankiel Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved December 10, 2012.
^ "A.E. Backus Museum".
^ "Edwin Binney" Retrieved on 2009-03-12
^ "Jeffrey Leon Blackshear". Pro-Football-Reference.Com. Retrieved December 10, 2012.
^ "Yamon Figurs". Pro-Football-Reference.Com. Retrieved December 10, 2012.
^ Bidney, Beverly (31 December 2014). "Louise Gopher bestowed with FSU honorary degree" (PDF). Seminole Tribune. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
^ Fox, Margalit. "John Houghtaling, Inventor of Magic Fingers Vibrating Bed, Dies at 92", The New York Times, June 19, 2009. Accessed June 20, 2009.
^ "Zora Neale Hurston".
^ "Charles Johnson Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved December 10, 2012.
^ "Florida Governor Daniel Thomas McCarty". National Governors Association. Retrieved December 10, 2012.
^ "Terry McGriff Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved December 10, 2012.
^ "Ryan Darrell McNeil". Pro-Football-Reference.Com. Retrieved December 10, 2012.
^ "Wonder Monds". Pro-Football-Reference.Com. Retrieved 14 April 2014.
^ "Luther Robinson". hurricanesports.com. Retrieved October 2, 2014.
^ "Larry Sandersl". Basketball-Reference.Com. Retrieved December 10, 2012.
^ "Jeff Schwarz Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved December 10, 2012.
^ Gary Stewart (singer)
^ Graffis, Herb (October 1944). "Making The Swing" (PDF). Golfdom: 5–6.
^ "Judge Sturtevant Dies in Florida". Burlington Free Press. Burlington, VT. September 17, 1966. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Fort Pierce, Florida.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Fort Pierce.
Official City of Fort Pierce website
Virtual view of the City of Fort Pierce
Municipalities and communities of St. Lucie County, Florida, United States
County seat: Fort Pierce
Fort Pierce North
Fort Pierce South
Hutchinson Island South
Indian River Estates
Lakewood Park
Port St. Lucie metropolitan area
(by population)
10k-250k
Other incorporated places
Indiantown
Sewall's Point
Major census-designated places
Port Salerno
Miami metropolitan area
St. Lucie Inlet
St. Lucie River
Tallahassee (capital)
Seal of Florida
Spanish Florida
British Rule
East Florida
Florida Territory
Seminole Wars
Plantations of Leon County
Florida East Coast Railway
Florida land boom of the 1920s
Everglades (Drainage and development)
State forests
Major hurricanes
Florida Keys (1919)
Tampa Bay (1921)
Okeechobee (1928)
Treasure Coast (1933)
Labor Day (1935)
Dry Tortugas (1944)
Homestead (1945)
Fort Lauderdale (1947)
South Florida (1948)
1949 Florida hurricane
King (1950)
Betsy (1965)
Eloise (1975)
Elena (1985)
Andrew (1992)
Opal (1995)
Charley (2004)
Frances (2004)
Jeanne (2004)
Dennis (2005)
Wilma (2005)
Irma (2017)
Floridians
Haitian-American culture
First Coast
Forgotten Coast
Halifax area
Nature Coast
North Central Florida
Suncoast
Cape Coral–Fort Myers
Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin
Deltona–Daytona Beach–Ormond Beach
Lakeland–Winter Haven
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach
Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island
North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville
Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent
Sebastian-Vero Beach
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater
Escambia
Hardee
Hendry
Miami‑Dade
Mosquito (former county)
Suwannee
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fort_Pierce,_Florida&oldid=906988095"
County seats in Florida
Cities in St. Lucie County, Florida
Populated coastal places in Florida on the Atlantic Ocean
Cities in Florida
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line738
|
__label__wiki
| 0.923839
| 0.923839
|
Stuart Hall (cultural theorist)
Stuart Hall
Stuart Henry McPhail Hall
Kingston, Colony of Jamaica
Merton College, Oxford
Founder of New Left Review, Articulation, Encoding/decoding model of communication, Reception theory
Scientific career
Cultural Studies, Sociology
Karl Marx • Antonio Gramsci • Raymond Williams • Richard Hoggart • Louis Althusser • Michel Foucault
Stuart McPhail Hall FBA (3 February 1932 – 10 February 2014) was a Jamaican-born British Marxist sociologist, cultural theorist and political activist. Hall, along with Richard Hoggart and Raymond Williams, was one of the founding figures of the school of thought that is now known as British Cultural Studies or The Birmingham School of Cultural Studies.[1]
In the 1950s Hall was a founder of the influential New Left Review. At Hoggart's invitation, he joined the Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies at Birmingham University in 1964. Hall took over from Hoggart as acting director of the Centre in 1968, became its director in 1972, and remained there until 1979.[2] While at the Centre, Hall is credited with playing a role in expanding the scope of cultural studies to deal with race and gender, and with helping to incorporate new ideas derived from the work of French theorists like Michel Foucault.[3]
Hall left the centre in 1979 to become a professor of sociology at the Open University.[4] He was President of the British Sociological Association 1995–97. He retired from the Open University in 1997 and was a professor emeritus.[5] British newspaper The Observer called him "one of the country's leading cultural theorists".[6] Hall was also involved in the Black Arts Movement. Movie directors such as John Akomfrah and Isaac Julien also see him as one of their heroes.[7]
Hall was married to Catherine Hall, a feminist professor of modern British history at University College London, with whom he had two children.[8]
2 Ideas
2.1 Encoding and decoding model
2.2 Views on cultural identity and the African diaspora
2.2.1 Presences
2.2.2 Diasporic identity
3 Publications (incomplete)
3.1 1960s
4.2 Book
Stuart Hall was born in Kingston, Jamaica, into a middle-class Jamaican family of African, British, Portuguese Jewish and likely Indian descent.[6] He attended Jamaica College, receiving an education modelled after the British school system.[9] In an interview Hall describes himself as a "bright, promising scholar" in these years and his formal education as "a very 'classical' education; very good but in very formal academic terms." With the help of sympathetic teachers, he expanded his education to include "T. S. Eliot, James Joyce, Freud, Marx, Lenin and some of the surrounding literature and modern poetry", as well as "Caribbean literature".[10] Hall's later works reveal that growing up in the pigmentocracy of the colonial West Indies, where he was of darker skin than much of his family, had a profound effect on his views.[11][12]
In 1951 Hall won a Rhodes Scholarship to Merton College at the University of Oxford, where he studied English and obtained an M.A.,[13][14] becoming part of the Windrush generation, the first large-scale emigration of West Indians, as that community was then known. He continued his studies at Oxford by beginning a Ph.D. on Henry James but, galvanised particularly by the 1956 Soviet invasion of Hungary (which saw many thousands of members leave the Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB) and look for alternatives to previous orthodoxies) and the Suez Crisis, abandoned this in 1957[14] or 1958[9] to focus on his political work. In 1957, he joined the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) and it was on a CND march that he met his future wife.[15] From 1958 to 1960, Hall worked as a teacher in a London secondary modern school[16] and in adult education, and in 1964 married Catherine Hall, concluding around this time that he was unlikely to return permanently to the Caribbean.[14]
After working on the Universities and Left Review during his time at Oxford, Hall joined E. P. Thompson, Raymond Williams and others to merge it with The New Reasoner, launching the New Left Review in 1960 with Hall as the founding editor.[9] In 1958, the same group, with Raphael Samuel, launched the Partisan Coffee House in Soho as a meeting place for left-wingers.[17] Hall left the board of the New Left Review in 1961[18] or 1962.[12]
Hall's academic career took off in 1964 after he co-wrote with Paddy Whannel of the British Film Institute (BFI) "one of the first books to make the case for the serious study of film as entertainment", The Popular Arts.[19] As a direct result, Richard Hoggart invited Hall to join the Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies at the University of Birmingham, initially as a research fellow at Hoggart's own expense.[12] In 1968 Hall became director of the Centre. He wrote a number of influential articles in the years that followed, including Situating Marx: Evaluations and Departures (1972) and Encoding and Decoding in the Television Discourse (1973). He also contributed to the book Policing the Crisis (1978) and coedited the influential Resistance Through Rituals (1975).
After his appointment as a professor of sociology at the Open University (OU) in 1979, Hall published further influential books, including The Hard Road to Renewal (1988), Formations of Modernity (1992), Questions of Cultural Identity (1996) and Cultural Representations and Signifying Practices (1997). Through the 1970s and 1980s, Hall was closely associated with the journal Marxism Today;[20] in 1995, he was a founding editor of Soundings: A Journal of Politics and Culture.[21]
He spoke internationally on Cultural Studies, including a series of lectures in 1983 at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign that were recorded and would decades later form the basis of the 2016 book Cultural Studies 1983: A Theoretical History (edited by Jennifer Slack and Lawrence Grossberg).[22]
Hall was the founding chair of Iniva (Institute of International Visual Arts) and the photography organization Autograph ABP (the Association of Black Photographers).[23]
Hall retired from the Open University in 1997. He was elected Fellow of the British Academy (FBA) in 2005 and received the European Cultural Foundation's Princess Margriet Award in 2008.[2] He died on 10 February 2014, from complications following kidney failure, a week after his 82nd birthday. By the time of his death, he was widely known as the "godfather of multiculturalism".[24][2][25][26] His memoir, Familiar Stranger: A Life Between Two Islands, (co-authored with Bill Schwarz), was posthumously published in 2017.
Hall's work covers issues of hegemony and cultural studies, taking a post-Gramscian stance. He regards language-use as operating within a framework of power, institutions and politics/economics. This view presents people as producers and consumers of culture at the same time. (Hegemony, in Gramscian theory, refers to the socio-cultural production of "consent" and "coercion".) For Hall, culture was not something to simply appreciate or study, but a "critical site of social action and intervention, where power relations are both established and potentially unsettled".[27]
Hall became one of the main proponents of reception theory, and developed Hall's Theory of encoding and decoding. This approach to textual analysis focuses on the scope for negotiation and opposition on the part of the audience. This means that the audience does not simply passively accept a text—social control. Crime statistics, in Hall's view, are often manipulated for political and economic purposes. Moral panics (e.g. over mugging) could thereby be ignited in order to create public support for the need to "police the crisis". The media play a central role in the "social production of news" in order to reap the rewards of lurid crime stories.[28]
Hall's works, such as studies showing the link between racial prejudice and media, have a reputation as influential, and serve as important foundational texts for contemporary cultural studies. He also widely discussed notions of cultural identity, race and ethnicity, particularly in the creation of the politics of Black diasporic identities. Hall believed identity to be an ongoing product of history and culture, rather than a finished product.
In his essay "Reconstruction Work: Images of Postwar Black Settlement", Hall also interrogates questions of historical memory and visuality in relation to photography as a colonial technology. Understanding and writing about the history of Black migration and settlement in Britain during the postwar era requires a careful and critical examination of the limited historical archive, and photographic evidence proves itself invaluable. But photographic images are often perceived as more objective than other representations, which is dangerous. One must critically examine who produced these images, what purpose they serve, and how they further their agenda (e.g., what has been deliberately included and excluded in the frame). For example, in the context of postwar Britain, photographic images like those displayed in the Picture Post article "Thirty Thousand Colour Problems" construct Black migration, Blackness in Britain, as "the problem".[29] They construct miscegenation as "the centre of the problem", as "the problem of the problem", as "the core issue".[29]
Hall's political influence extended to the Labour Party, perhaps related to the influential articles he wrote for the CPGB's theoretical journal Marxism Today (MT) that challenged the left's views of markets and general organisational and political conservatism. This discourse had a profound impact on the Labour Party under both Neil Kinnock and Tony Blair, although Hall later decried New Labour as operating on "terrain defined by Thatcherism".[25]
Encoding and decoding model[edit]
Main article: Reception theory
Hall presented his encoding and decoding philosophy in various publications and at several oral events across his career. The first was in "Encoding and Decoding in the Television Discourse" (1973), a paper he wrote for the Council of Europe Colloquy on "Training in the Critical Readings of Television Language" organised by the Council & the Centre for Mass Communication Research at the University of Leicester. It was produced for students at the Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies, which Paddy Scannell explains: "largely accounts for the provisional feel of the text and its 'incompleteness'".[30] In 1974 the paper was presented at a symposium on Broadcasters and the Audience in Venice. Hall also presented his encoding and decoding model in "Encoding/Decoding" in Culture, Media, Language in 1980. The time difference between Hall's first publication on encoding and decoding in 1973 and his 1980 publication is highlighted by several critics. Of particular note is Hall's transition from the Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies to the Open University.[30]
Hall had a major influence on cultural studies, and many of the terms his texts set forth continue to be used in the field. His 1973 text is viewed as a turning point in Hall's research toward structuralism and provides insight into some of the main theoretical developments he explored at the Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies.
Hall takes a semiotic approach and builds on the work of Roland Barthes and Umberto Eco.[31] The essay takes up and challenges longheld assumptions about how media messages are produced, circulated and consumed, proposing a new theory of communication.[32] "The 'object' of production practices and structures in television is the production of a message: that is, a sign-vehicle or rather sign-vehicles of a specific kind organized, like any other form of communication or language, through the operation of codes, within the syntagmatic chains of a discourse".[33]
According to Hall, "a message must be perceived as meaningful discourse and be meaningfully de-coded before it has an effect, a use, or satisfies a need". There are four codes of the Encoding/Decoding Model of Communication. The first way of encoding is the dominant (i.e. hegemonic) code. This is the code the encoder expects the decoder to recognize and decode. "When the viewer takes the connoted meaning full and straight and decodes the message in terms of the reference-code in which it has been coded, it operates inside the dominant code." The second way of encoding is the professional code. It operates in tandem with the dominant code. "It serves to reproduce the dominant definitions precisely by bracketing the hegemonic quality, and operating with professional codings which relate to such questions as visual quality, news and presentational values, televisual quality, 'professionalism' etc."[34] The third way of encoding is the negotiated code. "It acknowledges the legitimacy of the hegemonic definitions to make the grand significations, while, at a more restricted, situational level, it makes its own ground-rules, it operates with 'exceptions' to the rule".[35] The fourth way of encoding is the oppositional code, also known as the globally contrary code. "It is possible for a viewer perfectly to understand both the literal and connotative inflection given to an event, but to determine to decode the message in a globally contrary way." "Before this message can have an 'effect' (however defined), or satisfy a 'need' or be put to a 'use', it must first be perceived as a meaningful discourse and meaningfully de-coded."[36]
Hall challenged all four components of the mass communications model. He argues that (i) meaning is not simply fixed or determined by the sender; (ii) the message is never transparent; and (iii) the audience is not a passive recipient of meaning.[32] For example, a documentary film on asylum seekers that aims to provide a sympathetic account of their plight does not guarantee that audiences will feel sympathetic. Despite being realistic and recounting facts, the documentary must still communicate through a sign system (the aural-visual signs of TV) that simultaneously distorts the producers' intentions and evokes contradictory feelings in the audience.[32]
Distortion is built into the system, rather than being a "failure" of the producer or viewer. There is a "lack of fit", Hall argues, "between the two sides in the communicative exchange"—that is, between the moment of the production of the message ("encoding") and the moment of its reception ("decoding").[32] In "Encoding/decoding", Hall suggests media messages accrue commonsense status in part through their performative nature. Through the repeated performance, staging or telling of the narrative of "9/11" (as an example; there are others like it), a culturally specific interpretation becomes not only plausible and universal but elevated to "common sense".[32]
Views on cultural identity and the African diaspora[edit]
In his influential 1996 essay “Cultural Identity and Diaspora”, Hall presents two different definitions of cultural identity.
In the first definition, cultural identity is a "a sort of collective 'one true self'… which many people with a shared history and ancestry hold in common."[37] In this view, cultural identity provides a "stable, unchanging and continuous frame of reference and meaning" through the ebb and flow of historical change. This allows the tracing back the origins of descendants and reflecting on the historical experiences of ancestors as a shared truth[37] Therefore, blacks living in the diaspora need only "unearth" their African past to discover their true cultural identity.[37] While Hall appreciates the good effects this first view of cultural identity has had in the postcolonial world, he proposes a second definition of cultural identity that he views as superior.
Hall's second definition of cultural identity "recognises that, as well as the many points of similarity, there are also critical points of deep and significant difference which constitute 'what we really are'; or rather – since history has intervened – 'what we have become.'"[37] In this view, cultural identity is not a fixed essence rooted in the past. Instead, cultural identities “undergo constant transformation” throughout history as they are "subject to the continuous 'play' of history, culture, and power".[37] Thus Hall defines cultural identities as “the names we give to the different ways we are positioned by, and position ourselves within, the narratives of the past.”[37] This view of cultural identity was more challenging than the previous due to its dive into deep differences, but nonetheless it showed the mixture of the African diaspora."In other words, for Hall cultural identity is "not an essence but a positioning".[37]
Presences[edit]
Hall describes Caribbean identity in terms of three distinct "presences": the African, the European, and the American.[37] Taking the terms from Aimé Césaire and Léopold Senghor, he describes the three presences: "Présence Africaine", "Présence Européenne", and "Présence Americaine" (230).[37] "Présence Africaine" is the "unspeakable 'presence' in Caribbean culture" (230).[37] According to Hall, the African presence, though repressed by slavery and colonialism, is in fact hiding in plain sight in every aspect of Caribbean society and culture, including language, religion, the arts, and music. For many black people living in the diaspora, Africa becomes an "imagined community" to which they feel a sense of belonging.[37] But, Hall points out, there is no going back to the Africa that existed before slavery, because Africa too has changed. Secondly, Hall describes the European presence in Caribbean cultural identity as the legacy of colonialism, racism, power and exclusion. Unlike the "Présence Africaine", the European presence is not unspoken even though many would like to be separated from the history of the oppressor. But Hall argues that Caribbeans and diasporic peoples must acknowledge how the European presence has also become an inextricable part of their own identities.[37] Lastly, Hall describes the American presence as the "ground, place, territory" where people and cultures from around the world collided.[37] It is, as Hall puts it, "where the fateful/fatal encounter was staged between Africa and the West", and also where the displacement of the natives occurred (234).[37]
Diasporic identity[edit]
Because diasporic cultural identity in the Caribbean and throughout the world is a mixture of all these different presences, Hall advocates a "conception of 'identity' which lives with and through, not despite, difference; by hybridity".[37] According to Hall, black people living in diaspora are constantly reinventing themselves and their identities by mixing, hybridizing, and "creolizing" influences from Africa, Europe, and the rest of the world in their everyday lives and cultural practices.[37] Therefore, there is no one-size-fits-all cultural identity for diasporic people, but rather a multiplicity of different cultural identities that share both important similarities and important differences, all of which should be respected.[37]
Publications (incomplete)[edit]
1960s[edit]
Hall, Stuart (March – April 1960). "Crosland territory". New Left Review. I (2): 2–4.
Hall, Stuart (January – February 1961). "Student journals". New Left Review. I (7): 50–51.
Hall, Stuart (March – April 1961). "The new frontier". New Left Review. I (8): 47–48.
Hall, Stuart; Anderson, Perry (July – August 1961). "Politics of the common market". New Left Review. I (10): 1–15.
Hall, Stuart; Whannell, Paddy (1964). The Popular Arts. London: Hutchinson Educational. OCLC 2915886.
Hall, Stuart (1968). The Hippies: an American "moment". Birmingham: Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies. OCLC 12360725.
Hall, Stuart (1971). Deviancy, Politics and the Media. Birmingham: Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies.
Hall, Stuart (1971). "Life and Death of Picture Post", Cambridge Review, vol. 92, no. 2201.
Hall, Stuart; P. Walton (1972). Situating Marx: Evaluations and Departures. London: Human Context Books.
Hall, Stuart (1972). "The Social Eye of Picture Post", Working Papers in Cultural Studies, no. 2, pp. 71–120.
Hall, Stuart (1973). Encoding and Decoding in the Television Discourse. Birmingham: Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies.
Hall, Stuart (1973). A ‘Reading’ of Marx's 1857 Introduction to the Grundrisse. Birmingham: Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies.
Hall, Stuart (1974). "Marx's Notes on Method: A ‘Reading’ of the ‘1857 Introduction’", Working Papers in Cultural Studies, no. 6, pp. 132–171.
Hall, Stuart; T. Jefferson (1976), Resistance Through Rituals, Youth Subcultures in Post-War Britain. London: HarperCollinsAcademic.
Hall, Stuart (1977). "Journalism of the air under review". Journalism Studies Review. 1 (1): 43–45.
Hall, Stuart; C. Critcher; T. Jefferson; J. Clarke; B. Roberts (1978), Policing the Crisis: Mugging, the State and Law and Order. London: Macmillan. London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 0-333-22061-7 (paperback); ISBN 0-333-22060-9 (hardback).
Hall, Stuart (January 1979). "The great moving right show". Marxism Today. Amiel and Melburn Collections: 14–20.
Hall, Stuart (1980). "Encoding / Decoding." In: Hall, D. Hobson, A. Lowe, and P. Willis (eds). Culture, Media, Language: Working Papers in Cultural Studies, 1972–79. London: Hutchinson, pp. 128–138.
Hall, Stuart (1980). "Cultural Studies: two paradigms". Media, Culture and Society. 2 (1): 57–72. doi:10.1177/016344378000200106.
Hall, Stuart (1980). "Race, Articulation and Societies Structured in Dominance." In: UNESCO (ed). Sociological Theories: Race and Colonialism. Paris: UNESCO. pp. 305–345.
Hall, Stuart (1981). "Notes on Deconstructing the Popular". In: People's History and Socialist Theory. London: Routledge.
Hall, Stuart; P. Scraton (1981). "Law, Class and Control". In: M. Fitzgerald, G. McLennan & J. Pawson (eds). Crime and Society, London: RKP.
Hall, Stuart (1988). The Hard Road to Renewal: Thatcherism and the Crisis of the Left. London: Verso Books.
Hall, Stuart (June 1986). "Gramsci's relevance for the study of race and ethnicity". Journal of Communication Inquiry. 10 (2): 5–27. doi:10.1177/019685998601000202.
Hall, Stuart (June 1986). "The problem of ideology-Marxism without guarantees". Journal of Communication Inquiry. 10 (2): 28–44. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.1033.1130. doi:10.1177/019685998601000203.
Hall, Stuart; Jacques, Martin (July 1986). "People aid: a new politics sweeps the land". Marxism Today. Amiel and Melburn Collections: 10–14.
Hall, Stuart; Held, David; McGrew, Anthony (1992). Modernity and its futures. Cambridge: Polity Press in association with the Open University. ISBN 9780745609669.
Hall, Stuart (1992), "The question of cultural identity", in Hall, Stuart; Held, David; McGrew, Anthony (eds.), Modernity and its futures, Cambridge: Polity Press in association with the Open University, pp. 274–316, ISBN 9780745609669.
Hall, Stuart (Summer 1996). "Who dares, fails". Soundings, Issue: Heroes and Heroines. Lawrence and Wishart. 3.
Hall, Stuart (1997). Representation: cultural representations and signifying practices. London Thousand Oaks, California: Sage in association with the Open University. ISBN 9780761954323.
Hall, Stuart (1997), "The local and the global: globalization and ethnicity", in McClintock, Anne; Mufti, Aamir; Shohat, Ella (eds.), Dangerous liaisons: gender, nation, and postcolonial perspectives, Minnesota, Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, pp. 173–187, ISBN 9780816626496.
Hall, Stuart (January – February 1997). "Raphael Samuel: 1934-96". New Left Review. New Left Review. I (221). Available online.
Hall, Stuart (2001), "Foucault: Power, knowledge and discourse", in Wetherell, Margaret; Taylor, Stephanie; Yates, Simeon J. (eds.), Discourse Theory and Practice: a reader, D843 Course: Discourse Analysis, London Thousand Oaks California: Sage in association with the Open University, pp. 72–80, ISBN 9780761971566.
Hall, Stuart (2011). "Introduction: queer adventures in cultural studies". Cultural Studies. 25 (2): 139–146. doi:10.1080/09502386.2011.535982.
Hall, Stuart (2011). "The neo-liberal revolution". Cultural Studies. 25 (6): 705–728. doi:10.1080/09502386.2011.619886.
Hall, Stuart; Evans, Jessica; Nixon, Sean (2013) [1997]. Representation (2nd ed.). London: Sage in association with The Open University. ISBN 9781849205634.
Hall, Stuart (2016). Cultural Studies 1983: A Theoretical History. Slack, Jennifer and Lawrence Grossberg, eds. Duke University Press. ISBN 0822362635.
Hall, Stuart (2017). Selected Political Writings: The Great Moving Right Show and other essays. London: Lawrence & Wishart. ISBN 9781910448656.
Hall, Stuart (with Bill Schwarz) (2017). Familiar Stranger: A Life Between Two Islands. London: Allen Lane; Durham: Duke University Press. ISBN 9780822363873.
The Stuart Hall Library, InIVA's reference library at Rivington Place in Shoreditch, London, founded in 2007, is named after Stuart Hall, who was the chair of the board of InIVA for many years.
In November 2014 a week-long celebration of Stuart Hall's achievements was held at the University of London's Goldsmiths College, where on 28 November the new Academic Building was renamed in his honour, as the Professor Stuart Hall building (PSH).[38][39]
The establishment of the Stuart Hall Foundation in his memory and to continue his life's work was announced in December 2014.[40]
Hall was a presenter of a seven-part television series entitled Redemption Song — made by Barraclough Carey Productions, and transmitted on BBC2, between 30 June and 12 August 1991 — in which he examined the elements that make up the Caribbean, looking at the turbulent history of the islands and interviewing people who live there today.[41] The series episodes were as follows:
"Shades of Freedom" (11/08/1991)
"Following Fidel" (04/08/1991)
"Worlds Apart" (28 July 1991)
"La Grande Illusion" (21 July 1991)
"Paradise Lost" (14 July 1991)
"Out of Africa" (7 July 1991)
"Iron in the Soul" (30 June 1991)
Hall's lectures have been turned into several videos distributed by the Media Education Foundation:
Race, the Floating Signifier (1997).
Representation & the Media (1997).
The Origins of Cultural Studies (2006).
Mike Dibb produced a film based on a long interview between journalist Maya Jaggi and Stuart Hall called Personally Speaking (2009).[42][43]
Hall is the subject of two films directed by John Akomfrah, entitled The Unfinished Conversation (2012) and The Stuart Hall Project (2013). The first film was shown (26 October 2013 – 23 March 2014) at Tate Britain, Millbank, London,[44] while the second is now available on DVD.[45]
The Stuart Hall Project was composed of clips drawn from more than 100 hours of archival footage of Hall, woven together over the music of jazz artist Miles Davis, who was an inspiration to both Hall and Akomfrah.[46]
The film's structure is composed of multiple strands. There is a chronological grounding in historical events, such as the Suez Crisis, Vietnam War, and the Hungarian Uprising of 1956, along with reflections by Hall on his experiences as an immigrant from the Caribbean to Britain. Another historical event vital to the film was the 1958 Notting Hill race riots occasioned by the murder of a Black British man; these protests showed the presence of a Black community within England. When discussing the Caribbean, Hall discusses the idea of hybridity and he states that the Caribbean is the home of hybridity. There are also voiceovers and interviews offered without a specific temporal grounding in the film that nonetheless give the viewer greater insights into Hall and his philosophy. Along with the voiceovers and interviews, embedded in the film are also Hall's personal achievements; this is extremely rare, as there are no traditional archives of those Caribbean peoples moulded by the Middle Passage experience.
The film can be viewed as a more pointedly focused take on the Windrush generation, those who migrated from the Caribbean to Britain in the years immediately following World War II. Hall, himself a member of this generation, exposed the less glamorous truth underlying the British Empire experience for Caribbean people, contrasting West Indian migrant expectations with the often harsher reality encountered on arriving in the Mother Country.[47]
A central theme in the film is Diasporic belonging. Hall confronted his own identity within both British and Caribbean communities, and at one point in the film he remarks: "Britain is my home, but I am not English."
IMDb summarises the film as "a roller coaster ride through the upheavals, struggles and turning points that made the 20th century the century of campaigning, and of global political and cultural change."[48]
In August 2012, Professor Sut Jhally conducted an interview with Hall that touched on a number of themes and issues in cultural studies.[49]
Book[edit]
McRobbie, Angela (2016). Stuart Hall, Cultural Studies and the Rise of Black and Asian British Art. McRobbie has also written an article in tribute to Hall: "Times with Stuart". OpenDemocracy. 14 February 2014. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
^ Procter, James (2004), Stuart Hall, Routledge Critical Thinkers.
^ a b c Morley, David, and Bill Schwarz, "Stuart Hall obituary: Influential cultural theorist, campaigner and founding editor of the New Left Review", The Guardian (London), 10 February 2014.
^ Schulman, Norman. "Conditions of their Own Making: An Intellectual History of the Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies at the University of Birmingham", Canadian Journal of Communication, Vol. 18, No. 1 (1993).
^ Chen, Kuan-Hsing. "The Formation of a Diasporic Intellectual: An interview with Stuart Hall," collected in David Morley and Kuan-Hsing Chen (eds), Stuart Hall: Critical Dialogues in Cultural Studies, New York: Routledge, 1996.
^ "Stuart Hall: Culture and Power", Interview Archived 16 March 2009 at the Wayback Machine, Radical Philosophy, November/December 1998.
^ a b Adams, Tim (22 September 2007). "Cultural hallmark". The Observer. Retrieved 17 February 2014.
^ Julien, Isaac, "In memoriam: Stuart Hall", BFI, 12 February 2014.
^ Morley, David; Schwarz, Bill (10 February 2014). "Stuart Hall obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 January 2019.
^ a b c Farred, Grant, "You Can Go Home Again, You Just Can't Stay: Stuart Hall and the Caribbean Diaspora", Research in African Literatures, 27.4 (Winter 1996), 28–48 (p. 30).
^ Kuan-Hsing, 1996, pp. 486–487.
^ Farred 1996, pp. 33–34.
^ a b c Lewis, Tanya, "Stuart Hall and the Formation of British Cultural Studies: A Diasporic Perspective", Imperium, 4 (2004).
^ Levens, R. G. C., ed. (1964). Merton College Register 1900-1964. Oxford: Basil Blackwell. p. 424.
^ a b c Phillips, Caryl, "Stuart Hall", BOMB, 58 (Winter 1997).
^ Williamson, Marcus, "Professor Stuart Hall: Sociologist and pioneer in the field of cultural studies whose work explored the concept of Britishness" (obituary), The Independent (London), 11 February 2014.
^ Farred 1996, p. 38.
^ Berlin, Mike, Bishopsgate Institute Podcast: The Partisan Coffee House: Cultural Politics and the New Left, 11 June 2009.
^ Derbyshire, Jonathan, "Stuart Hall: 'We need to talk about Englishness'", New Statesman, 23 August 2012.
^ Paterson, Richard, and Paul Gerhardt, "Stuart Hall (1932-2014)", BFI.
^ Callinicos, Alex, "The politics of Marxism Today", International Socialism, 29 (1985).
^ "Soundings". Lwbooks.co.uk. Retrieved 17 February 2014.
^ Hsu, Hua (17 July 2017), "Stuart Hall and the Rise of Cultural Studies", The New Yorker.
^ Loudis, Jessica (27 September 2017), "Why We Need Stuart Hall’s Imaginative Left", The New Republic.
^ Hudson, Rykesha (10 February 2014). "Jamaican cultural theorist Stuart Hall dies, aged 82". The Voice. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
^ a b "Stuart Hall obituary". The Daily Telegraph. London. 10 February 2014.
^ Butler, Patrick (10 February 2014). "'Godfather of multiculturalism' Stuart Hall dies aged 82". The Guardian. London.
^ Procter 2004, p. 2.
^ Hall et al. 1978. Policing the Crisis: Mugging, the State and Law and Order.
^ a b Hall, Stuart. "Reconstruction Work: Images of Postwar Black Settlement", in James Procter (ed.), Writing Black Britain, 1948–98: An Interdisciplinary Anthology, Manchester University Press, 2006, p. 92.
^ a b Scannell 2007, p. 211.
^ Scannell 2007, p. 209.
^ a b c d e Procter 2004, pp. 59–61.
^ Hall, S. (1973). Encoding and Decoding in the Television Discourse. Birmingham: Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies, p. 1.
^ Hall 1973, p. 16.
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Hall, Stuart. "Cultural Identity and Diaspora" (PDF).
^ "Goldsmiths renames academic building after Professor Stuart Hall", Goldsmiths, University of London, 11 December 2014.
^ "Goldsmiths Honour Stuart Hall By Naming Building After Him", The Voice, 4 December 2014.
^ Stuart Hall Foundation.
^ "Redemption Song (7 Parts)", BUFVC.
^ "Personally Speaking: A Long Conversation with Stuart Hall (2009)", IMDb.
^ Personally Speaking. Archived 4 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine (2009).
^ "BP Spotlight: John Akomfrah, The Unfinished Conversation" Archived 24 October 2014 at the Wayback Machine, Tate Britain.
^ Hudson, Mark, "The Unfinished Conversation by John Akomfrah: a beautiful paean to identity", The Daily Telegraph (London), 15 October 2012.
^ Clark, Ashley, "Film of the Week: The Stuart Hall Project", Sight & Sound, British Film Institute, 29 September 2014; updated 31 March 2015.
^ Jeffries, Stuart. "Stuart Hall's Cultural Legacy: Britain under the Microscope", The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 10 February 2014. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
^ "The Stuart Hall Project (2013)", IMDb. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
^ Jhally, Sut (30 August 2012). "Stuart Hall Interviewed By Sut Jhally". Vimeo.com. Retrieved 17 February 2014.
Chen, Kuan-Hsing (June 1986). "A working bibliography: writings of Stuart Hall". Journal of Communication Inquiry. 10 (2): 125–129. doi:10.1177/019685998601000211.
Davis, Helen (2004). Understanding Stuart Hall. London: Sage. ISBN 9780761947158.
Grossberg, Lawrence (June 1986). "On postmodernism and articulation: an interview with Stuart Hall". Journal of Communication Inquiry. 10 (2): 45–60. doi:10.1177/019685998601000204.
Grossberg, Lawrence (June 1986). "History, politics and postmodernism: Stuart Hall and cultural studies". Journal of Communication Inquiry. 10 (2): 61–77. doi:10.1177/019685998601000205.
Grossberg, Lawrence; Angela McRobbie; Paul Gilroy (2000). Without Guarantees: In Honour of Stuart Hall. London: Verso. ISBN 9781859842874.
Rutherford, Jonathan (1998), "Cultural identity and diaspora", in Rutherford, Jonathan (ed.), Identity: Community, Culture, Difference, London: Lawrence and Wishart, pp. 223–237, ISBN 9780853158714.
"Scholar Stuart Hall named among the most important Black Britons of all time". The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education. 43 (43): 59. Spring 2004. doi:10.2307/4133554. JSTOR 4133554.
This article's use of external links may not follow Wikipedia's policies or guidelines. Please improve this article by removing excessive or inappropriate external links, and converting useful links where appropriate into footnote references. (February 2014) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Stuart Hall (cultural theorist).
Wikiquote has quotations related to: Stuart Hall (cultural theorist)
Marcus Williamson, Obituary in The Independent, 11 February 2014.
John O'Hara interview with Stuart Hall for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Doubletake program, originally broadcast 5 May 1983: The Narrative Construction of Reality – Stuart Hall. Republished in centerforbookculture.org's "Context" online edition, No. 10. Retrieved 16 April 2008.
Mitchell, Don. Chapter 24: Stuart Hall. In: Key Thinkers on Space and Place. Phil Hubbard, Rob Kitchin, Gill Valentine (2004), pp. 160ff. ISBN 0-7619-4963-1.
Marxist Media Theory
John Simkin, Stuart Hall biography, Spartacus Educational, September 1997 (updated August 2014).
Stuart Hall discussing globalization and power (2003, audio), darkmatter Journal.
Stuart Hall in conversation with Les Back (2010, audio), darkmatter Journal.
Listing on the "people" section of Marxists.org
"Interview of Stuart Hall", Stuart Hall in conversation with Pnina Werbner, March 2006 (film)
"Professor Stuart Hall", Desert Island Discs, BBC Radio 4, 18 February 2000.
Richard Paterson, Paul Gerhardt, "Stuart Hall (1932–2014)", BFI, 11 February 2014.
Alex Callinicos, "Stuart Hall in perspective", International Socialism, Issue 142, 2 April 2014.
Jessica Evans (Department of Sociology), "Stuart Hall: An OU perspective", The Open University, 14 February 2014.
David Morgan President of the British Sociological Association
Michèle Barrett
British New Left
Communist Party Historians Group (Communist Party of Great Britain)
Hungarian Revolution of 1956
Marxist humanism
Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies
Partisan Coffee House
Socialist Society
Socialist Movement
E. P. Thompson
John Saville
Richard Hoggart
Tom Nairn
Peter Worsley
Ralph Miliband
Raphael Samuel
Rodney Hilton
Robin Blackburn
Catherine Hall
Sheila Rowbotham
Dick Hebdige
Isaac Deutscher
Harold Laski
C. Wright Mills
New Reasoner
Universities and Left Review
Socialist Register
Far-left politics in the United Kingdom
Anti-Stalinist left
Eurocommunism
UK underground
Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
SNAC: w6t27h18
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Stuart_Hall_(cultural_theorist)&oldid=905159993"
People from Kingston, Jamaica
British literary critics
Jamaican Rhodes Scholars
Alumni of Merton College, Oxford
British sociologists
British semioticians
British academics
Academics of the Open University
Academics of the University of Birmingham
Black British writers
Presidents of the British Sociological Association
Colony of Jamaica people
Jamaican people of Scottish descent
Jamaican people of Indian descent
Jamaican emigrants to the United Kingdom
Fellows of the British Academy
British feminists
Wikipedia external links cleanup from February 2014
Wikipedia spam cleanup from February 2014
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line739
|
__label__wiki
| 0.859381
| 0.859381
|
59 minutes ago in World
Pogba hints at move away from Manchester United
Pogba’s time at Manchester United has coincided with some insipid performances on the pitch and organizational turmoil at the club. (AFP)
Reuters, Tokyo Sunday, 16 June 2019
Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba suggested on Sunday that he could be open to a move away from the Premier League side, telling reporters in Tokyo that now “could be a good time to have a new challenge somewhere else”.
The Frenchman has been linked in the British media with a move to Real Madrid to work with coach Zinedine Zidane, or with a return to his former club Juventus.
Pogba’s time at Manchester United has coincided with some insipid performances on the pitch and organizational turmoil at the club. “Like you said, there is a lot of talking and a lot of thinking as well,” Pogba, 26, told reporters in Tokyo.
“For me, I have been for three years in Manchester and have been doing great; some good moments and some bad moments, like everybody. Like everywhere else.
“After this season and everything that happened this season, with my season being my best season as well... I think for me it could be a good time to have a new challenge somewhere else.” “I am thinking of this: to have a new challenge somewhere else.”
Pogba, who moved to Old Trafford from Juventus for a then-world record transfer fee of 89.3 million pounds ($112.43 million) in August 2016, has seen Jose Mourinho replaced as coach by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer during his time at the club.
Although inconsistent, the World Cup winner has scored 24 goals in 92 appearances for United and was named in last season’s PFA Premier League Team of the Year.
Pogba and Rashford key to Man United’s future, says Solskjaer
Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is determined to keep Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford at Old Trafford, ...
Pogba thanks Mourinho for improving him as a person
Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba has thanked Jose Mourinho for helping him “improve as a person” ...
Lionel Messi enjoys family vacation in Dubai, bumps into Pogba
Argentinian football player Lionel Messi was spotted enjoying a day at the Dubai Parks and Resorts theme park with his ...
Pogba, Martial ruled out of France squad with injury
Paul Pogba and Anthony Martial have withdrawn from the France squad for matches against the Netherlands and Uruguay due ...
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line742
|
__label__cc
| 0.633427
| 0.366573
|
Posts by Natalie Wexler
Natalie Wexler is a DC education journalist and blogger. She chairs the board of The Writing Revolution and serves on the Urban Teachers DC Regional Leadership Council, and she has been a volunteer reading and writing tutor in high-poverty DC Public Schools.
DC is about to blow its chance to make schools more than tests
EducationBy Natalie Wexler (Contributor) March 1, 2017 1
What gets tested, it’s said, gets taught—and by the same token, what doesn’t get tested gets ignored. Just look at how the school curriculum has shriveled since the advent of high-stakes testing in reading and math fifteen years ago. Now DC has a chance to reverse some of that unintended damage. And it’s about to blow that chance. Keep reading…
DC adult learners may qualify for regular diplomas—whatever those mean
EducationBy Natalie Wexler (Contributor) January 12, 2016 4
DC education officials are planning to grant high school diplomas to adults who complete high school equivalency programs. But some members of the State Board of Education have challenged one program’s rigor, raising the question: What does a DC high school diploma actually signify? Adults in DC who pass the GED exam currently receive a certificate, not a high school… Keep reading…
DC schools are missing an opportunity to equip students for coding jobs
EducationBy Natalie Wexler (Contributor) December 14, 2015 13
In recent years schools in the District have expanded opportunities for students to learn computer coding, an occupation where demand is outpacing supply. But they could do much more to engage low-income students in a potentially lucrative career path that doesn’t necessarily require a college degree. There’s been a lot of talk lately about the importance of… Keep reading…
Lower test scores aren’t necessarily a sign we’re heading in the wrong direction
EducationBy Natalie Wexler (Contributor) December 2, 2015 4
This week Mayor Muriel Bowser and other DC officials released long-awaited results for grades 3 through 8 from the Common Core-aligned tests given last spring. As expected, scores were far lower than on the old tests, especially for low-income and minority students. But that doesn’t necessarily mean DC schools are on the wrong track. Proficiency rates on DC’s… Keep reading…
DCPS schools put unmotivated students in AP classes. That doesn’t work.
EducationBy Natalie Wexler (Contributor) November 17, 2015 37
An influential education columnist is applauding the DC Public School system’s decision to expand Advanced Placement offerings, arguing that any motivated student should be allowed to take the college-level courses. But many high-poverty schools in DC simply assign students to AP classes even if they’re not willing to do the work. In September I wrote a… Keep reading…
Test scores may rise or fall, but the achievement gap persists
EducationBy Natalie Wexler (Contributor) October 30, 2015 24
On Tuesday, officials released dismal scores from the new Common Core-aligned tests students in the District took last spring. The next day, another set of scores showed DC students improving faster than those in the rest of the country. One thing that was consistent in the results was a large gap between rich and poor. The first set of scores, on standardized tests known as PARCC,… Keep reading…
DCPS is expanding AP classes, but at some schools everyone fails the test
EducationBy Natalie Wexler (Contributor) September 29, 2015 23
As part of her Year of the High School initiative, DC Public Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson is expanding Advanced Placement offerings at all DCPS high schools. But at most high-poverty DC high schools, few if any students earn passing grades on AP exams. Starting this year, DCPS is raising the minimum number of AP courses each high school must offer from four to six. Next year,… Keep reading…
How school choice can make it harder to solve the problems of poverty
For those who believe a system of school choice is the answer to our education woes, DC is a model for the rest of the nation. But the decline of the neighborhood school can make it harder to address the needs of poor children in a comprehensive way. DC is a bastion of school choice, with only about a quarter of students attending their assigned neighborhood school. Overall, 44% of DC… Keep reading…
Some are questioning whether all students should be on a college prep track
EducationBy Natalie Wexler (Contributor) August 27, 2015 21
A former professor who spent two years teaching in a high-poverty DC Public Schools high school advocates separating students into a college prep track and other tracks that would lead directly to jobs. But to really know who belongs in which track we need to revamp an elementary school system that has left almost all poor students woefully unprepared for a college prep curriculum. The… Keep reading…
Charters that don’t fill student vacancies may find it easier to boost test scores
Most DC charter schools have a policy of accepting new students at any grade level. But others refuse to take applications past a certain grade. Because students who arrive in later grades can bring down a school’s overall test scores, we need to be careful when comparing schools that have different admissions practices. All schools have some attrition from one school… Keep reading…
Some DC schools are betting that personalization can fix education
EducationBy Natalie Wexler (Contributor) August 12, 2015 1
DC is at the forefront of a movement to make education a more personalized experience, relying in part on technology to tailor learning to each student’s needs and interests. The approach promises to ensure that advanced students are challenged and struggling ones engaged, even if they share the same classroom. In any given classroom, some kids grasp the material easily… Keep reading…
Some DCPS schools have to cope with an influx of midyear transfers
EducationBy Natalie Wexler (Contributor) July 27, 2015 4
Thousands of DC students switch schools midyear, especially at some high schools that are part of the DC Public School system. That has negative consequences both for the students who switch and the schools they enter. A recent report from DC’s Office of the State Superintendent of Education found that over 92% of DC students remain in the same school throughout the year,… Keep reading…
What’s behind the low standardized test scores in one high-priced DC neighborhood
EducationBy Natalie Wexler (Contributor) July 24, 2015 17
Generally, housing prices in DC correlate with neighborhood school test scores. But Garrison Elementary in Logan Circle is a striking exception: it’s a school with math and reading proficiency rates in the mid-20s in an area where the median sale price for a three-bedroom home last year was over a million dollars. Garrison’s principal, Collin Hill, says that… Keep reading…
It’s more expensive to live in a good school district, with a few exceptions
Generally speaking, higher test scores at a DC Public School elementary school correlate with higher housing costs. But there are a few “bargain” neighborhoods, and one outlier school that’s surrounded by pricey housing despite low scores. Keep reading…
A redeveloped mixed-income neighborhood revives a closed DCPS school
At a time of alleged cost overruns and mismanagement on school construction projects and delays in long-promised renovations, does it make sense to spend $28 million to reopen a dilapidated DC Public School? It might, if the school holds the promise of providing a high-quality education to a permanently diverse group of students. A year ago, some parents and community activists… Keep reading…
To keep its best principals, DCPS needs to give them more autonomy
After 35 years as a teacher and principal in DC Public Schools, during which he managed to turn around two struggling schools, Patrick Pope resigned, becoming part of a wave of high turnover among DCPS principals in recent years. He’s now principal of a charter school. If DCPS administrators want to retain successful school leaders like Pope, they need to trust their judgment… Keep reading…
Here’s how standardized tests are impeding learning in DC
EducationBy Natalie Wexler (Contributor) June 25, 2015 14
Standardized tests, which have proliferated in classrooms in DC and elsewhere in recent years, have led teachers to concentrate on reading and math at the expense of subjects like social studies and science. And while the tests have value, they generally don’t improve instruction or boost learning. Testing not only takes significant amounts of time away from instruction,… Keep reading…
There’s a growing feeling that standardized tests are taking time from instruction
Some DC education activists, teachers, and parents are concerned that standardized testing and test prep are taking too much time away from instruction. But there’s no hard data on how much time schools here devote to testing, and it’s not clear education officials are planning to collect it. Testing has been a contentious national issue for years, and the debate… Keep reading…
If you can’t get kids to a mental health clinic, bring the clinic to a school
EducationBy Natalie Wexler (Contributor) June 18, 2015 3
Teachers at high-poverty schools often struggle with behavior problems caused by students’ mental health issues. One solution is to provide mental health services in schools, as a company formed by two clinical psychologists is now doing in DC. Education reformers have tended to focus on what goes on inside classrooms, saying that poverty is no excuse for low expectations. Keep reading…
How one DC charter school is “changing everything” to give kids knowledge
For decades, elementary schools have focused on building skills at the expense of instilling knowledge. One DC charter school network, Center City, is in the forefront of a movement to reverse that approach. Most elementary schools in the US teach reading by focusing on skills like “finding the main idea” or “making predictions.” Especially in high-poverty… Keep reading…
1 2 3 > Last ›
Taxis & Ride-hailing
About GGWash
Browse by place
East of the Anacostia
Greater Baltimore
Fairfax & Falls Church
All about Metro
Housing, explained
The history of Washington
Select a month -- July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 -- December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 -- December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 -- December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 -- December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 -- December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 -- December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 -- December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 -- December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 -- December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 -- December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 -- December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 -- December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 February 2007 -- December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 August 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 January 2006 -- November 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 February 2005 January 2005 -- July 2004 May 2004 April 2004 March 2004 -- May 2003 April 2003
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line749
|
__label__cc
| 0.619303
| 0.380697
|
Empowerment Grants
2017/2018 Annual Report
Power of Stories
Join the Global Network
Become a Global Women Storyteller
by Romanita Hairston | Mar 24, 2017 | My Story | 0 comments
By Stacy Blackmon
During Advent, I read the biblical narratives of Jesus’ birth over and over again. I was particularly drawn to the account in the book of Luke and Mary’s response to a holy encounter. In the first chapter, the angel Gabriel appears to Mary and tells her she will become pregnant with a boy who will become the king whom she is to name Jesus. “And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” (Luke 1:31-33, NRSV)
It is at this point that many people familiar with the story like to skip straight to the dramatic end; Mary’s incredibly devout response to the pronouncement: “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38, NRSV) Between the divine declaration and the devout dedication, though, we get a glimpse of Mary’s humanity, our own reality. “Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be…’” (Luke 1:34, NRSV) Before Mary confirmed she was all in, she had questions; she wanted clarity and probably some reassurance on how someone like her would be able to do something so great. She was young. She was not well-off. She was inexperienced to say the least. But she was called to lead, to give birth to royalty, to exercise courage and faith, defy social norms and transcend natural laws to shape both past and present forever.
This snippet from Luke’s birth narrative is a reminder that God works through ordinary people to do the most extraordinary things! And, centuries after the King of Kings was born, God is still inviting people like Mary, like you and I to play a role in the greatest love story ever to be told. Today, I encourage you to believe! Believe God can work through you to make a difference in the world– right where you are, just who you are, and with what you already have. God may ask you to do something that seems within your reach, like call a family member or visit a sick neighbor. God may also call you to do something that seems like a stretch, like give to a cause until you say “Ouch!” Whatever the invitation, my prayer is that your response will be, “Here am I… let it be with me according to your word.”
A Season of Renewal
In Memoriam: Nell Lockhart, Former Global Women Board Member
Excited About Her Future
Don’t Look Away
Copyright 2019, Global Women, All Rights Reserved
Angel Pittman
Angel Pittman serves as Assistant Director at Touching Miami with Love (TML) alongside her husband of nearly 22 years, Jason Pittman, who serves as CEO. TML serves the urban poor in the inner-city community of Overtown adjacent to downtown Miami and the community of West Homestead at the southern end of Miami-Dade County. These two neighborhoods are two of the poorest communities in the state of Florida plagued with many consequences of poverty including high crime, drug trafficking and use, high pregnancy rate, substandard housing, struggling education, and lack of quality activities. In her role at TML, Angel oversees all marketing and communication, volunteers, fundraising, corporate partnership, donor development, and grant writing. She loves dreaming up new projects and opening new opportunities to youth. She is the co-creator of the award-winning program, Today’s Leaders Youth Development Program, and was awarded the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce Outstanding Businesswoman of the Year in 2013.
Q: What inspires and motivates you to do the work that you do?
A: “It’s our students that inspire and motivate me. In communities’ others define only by the poverty and violence they see, our students continually rise above. They not only show amazing resiliency; they choose to give back.
They are showing up every afternoon to volunteer in our children’s program or join a group to volunteer at a suburban church raising money to fund their mission trip to us. Youth, who don’t always have enough to eat themselves, fast for a full day to identify with global hunger. Excited about new opportunities available they show gratefulness and form a fundraising committee to help pay their way. After thirteen years at Touching Miami with Love, we are able to see the tangible results of investment in the lives of young people—many of them serve alongside us as staff now pouring into the next generation.”
Learn more about Angel’s work here. www.touchingmiamiwithlove.org
Nell Green
Nell Green serves as the Strategic Catalyst for Muslim Internationals (SCMI) and Internationals Ministry Network Coordinator (IMNC) for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. She and her husband, Butch, work in and around Houston, Texas as Field Personnel, ministering to the Muslim community and engaging congregations in outreach with their Muslim neighbors. In her roles, she trains and mentors others in serving refugee communities. She helps connect churches and individuals with refugee families, partners with Interfaith Ministries to meet the needs of newly-arrived refugees and helps coordinate an internationals ministry network which includes an emphasis on prayer and resourcing churches.
Nell is also on the frontlines of the battle against human trafficking in Houston, a city with one of the highest rates of both sex and labor trafficking in the US. Her work includes developing partnerships and providing training for those working to combat trafficking between Texas gateway cities and destination cities. She also acts as an advisor to the Coalition to Combat Human Trafficking in Texas Gateway/Destination Cities. http://cchttx.com/ In addition to her work with refugees and anti-trafficking initiatives, Nell and her daughter Christen own and operate a clothing business, Threads by Nomad. Threads by Nomad celebrates diversity by design; creates practical and versatile designs that inspire women to fall in love with the beauty of diversity through clothing. The social enterprise also prioritizes hiring refugees in the United States, ensuring they are paid a fair wage for their work. Their business model also provides micro-enterprise for artisans overseas.
Nell and her husband have served in Belgium, Senegal, Miami, FL, North and South Carolina, and Houston, TX. They have two adult children, one granddaughter, and a family dog named Francis (after the saint).
Learn more about Nell’s work.
https://www.classy.org/campaign/butch-and-nell-green/c94734
http://www.threadsbynomad.com/
Misty Granade
As an artist, Misty has always been drawn to collage because it speaks to the patchwork nature of our lives. She believes we pull memories, ideas, and dreams from our past and cobble them together with the people and places we encounter in the here and now. It’s a perpetual cycle of incorporating and reworking our own personal materials. It comes as no surprise that gluing things together has been an obsession of hers since she got her first bottle of Elmer’s glue. Her choice of materials may be broader and more sophisticated, but the impulse to illustrate what’s on the inside of her head remains the same.
Recently, Misty has been exploring the intersection of her art and her involvement in women’s social justice issues. Traveling the world and seeing first-hand what economic empowerment can mean for women, she hopes her art can bring to light issues that women face and cause people to pause and evaluate their roles and actions in systems rife with inequality.
Misty lives and works in Madison, AL with her husband and two children. She is currently serving as the President of the Board of Directors for Global Women. She is also on the 2017 Creative Team for Get Messy Art Journal (getmessyartjournal.com); a role that allows her to blog and provide creative inspiration to a community of about 300 artists.
Misty has an art show coming up at Lowe Mill (http://www.lowemill.net/) in Huntsville, AL where her work on sexism will be displayed from October-December 2017.
Learn more about Misty’s work.
http://misty.granades.com
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line757
|
__label__wiki
| 0.907734
| 0.907734
|
Posts Tagged ‘tall ships’
Friendship of Salem Embarks Upon a Youth Journey on the High Seas: Salem, MA to New York
The NPS tall ship Friendship will depart from Salem, MA for New York, NY on Sunday, August 7 with a crew of volunteers, NPS staff and youth from across Massachusetts. The National Park Service and Essex Heritage are inviting the public to wish the crew and their young volunteers a “Bon Voyage” on Sunday on August 7 at 4:30 p.m. as they depart from Derby Wharf at the Salem Maritime National Historic Site, 193 Derby Street, Salem, MA. © 2011 Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com
The National Park Service, in partnership with the Essex National Heritage Commission, invites you to attend the Bon Voyage for the Friendship
The National Park Service, in partnership with the Essex National Heritage Commission, announces its Friendship Sails! A Youth Journey on the High Seas. The NPS tall ship Friendship will depart from Salem, MA for New York, NY on Sunday, August 7 with a crew of volunteers, NPS staff and youth from across Massachusetts. They are spending 2-3 days at sea, sailing to New York City where the young people will join a Youth Summit with their peers from New York City and Baltimore, MD.
The National Park Service and Essex Heritage cordially invite the public to wish the crew and their young volunteers a “Bon Voyage” on Sunday on August 7 at 4:30 p.m. as they depart from Derby Wharf at the Salem Maritime National Historic Site, 193 Derby Street, Salem, MA.
The National Park Service and Essex Heritage are committed to engaging the youth of this region – and especially those from urban and diverse communities – in the heritage and natural resources which are often seemingly “inaccessible” to urban youth. Starting with Friendship Sails! events to Newburyport and Lynn, the new Ship’s Mate Junior Ranger Program, and educational programs like Salem Sets Sail, the National Park Service with the assistance of Essex Heritage has reached more than 15,000 students and their families via the tall ship Friendship. “And this is just the beginning,” said Annie C. Harris, Executive Director of the Essex National Heritage Commission.
“It is such a thrill to see the reaction of these young people when they get out on the ocean. Many live only blocks away from the water but they have not had the opportunity to experience it – until now.” And she adds, “once they do, most of them become really engaged and this so important for our region’s future.”
Five college-aged interns who are currently enrolled in the NPS Massachusetts Parks Student Career Intake Program (SCIP) will assist in preparing the Friendship for her departure, and will participate in every aspect of the sail to New York and back. Participants on the August 7-10 sail to NYC are: Kimberley Brunner of the John F. Kennedy National Historic Site, Suki Jo Chiu of the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area, Manny Cruz and Ryan McMahon both with the Salem Maritime National Historic Site and Victoria Vann of the Lowell National Historical Park.
Students on the return voyage of August 14-16 are: Rich Hansen and Saoran Roeuth both with the Lowell National Historical Park, Sarah Martin of the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park, Nickson Monteiro at the Salem Maritime National Historic Site and Rubby Wuabu with the John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor.
“We are extremely pleased to bring maritime history alive for the young people of our region through our sail aboard Friendship,” said Rita Hennessy, Acting NPS Superintendent of the Salem Maritime and Saugus Iron Works National Historic Sites. “This is an extraordinary, once in a life time opportunity for these young participants to sail on a tall ship. They will experience the adventure of sailing while learning about teamwork, service and leadership.”
The youth will be under the guidance of the NPS crew, Friendship volunteers, and the captain. The students will be chronicling their journey via real time blogs and twitter. Follow the journey at: Friendshipnps.wordpress.com.
The Friendship of Salem is a full-size replica of the original ship constructed by the renowned shipbuilder Enos Briggs in Salem in 1797. She is a 171-foot three-masted “East Indiaman” – the type of merchant ship that made Salem a leader in the opening of international trade with the Far East, Europe and Russia in the years immediately following the American Revolution. The Friendship is the largest wooden, Coast Guard certified, sailing vessel to be built in New England in more than a century. The original Friendship made 15 voyages around the world before being captured by the British during the war of 1812. The new Friendship is part of the National Park Service’s Salem Maritime National Historic Site which includes the last remaining intact complex of colonial era wharves, the 1819 Custom House where author Nathaniel Hawthorne worked and several related maritime structures and Federal Era houses. Friendship is a fully operational sailing vessel. She is permanently berthed at Derby Wharf in Salem but, on special occasions, she sails to ports along the New England coast. This trip to New York City will be her furthest sail to date, but plans are being made to sail to Baltimore, MD to commemorate the War of 1812 next year. Friendship’s keel was laid in 1996 and she was certified by the US Coast Guard as a passenger carrying vessel in 2010.
The Friendship will depart Salem, MA on Sunday, August 7 for New York City and is expected to arrive at the Dennis Connor’s North Cove Marina on the Hudson River in Lower Manhattan on August 10. There the youth aboard will be joined by their peers from the NPS Gateway National Recreation Area and from Fort McHenry National Historic Site along with other students from New York City, Lowell, Massachusetts and Baltimore, Maryland. In total, nearly 100 urban youth will engage in the 3 day youth summit. The ship returns on August 16 to Salem.
About the Essex National Heritage Commission
The Essex National Heritage Commission (Essex Heritage) is the non-profit management entity for Essex National Heritage Area, one of forty-nine heritage partnership parks of the National Park Service. Working in collaboration with the National Park Service, Essex Heritage promotes public/private partnerships and develops and implements programs that enhance, preserve and encourage regional awareness of the unique historic, cultural and natural resources found within the Area. For more information, visit www.essexheritage.org or call (978) 740-0444.
About Salem Maritime National Historic Site
Salem Maritime National Historic Site was designated in 1937, the first National Historic Site in the National Park Service system. The nine acre site includes the homes of merchants and mariners, the Salem Custom House in which the famous author Nathaniel Hawthorne worked, and a replica of the three-masted cargo vessel Friendship. Today, the rangers and volunteers of Salem Maritime NHS continue to inform and inspire visitors with the maritime history of New England and the United States. For more information, visit www.nps.gov/sama or call (978) 740-1650.
Salem: America`s Spellbinding Seaport City
Tags:Essex National Heritage Commission, Friendship of Salem, National Park Service, Salem, tall ships, youth journey
Posted in historical travel, National Park Service | 1 Comment »
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line760
|
__label__cc
| 0.570121
| 0.429879
|
Disney Details
Guide4WDW.com
Home Uncategorized “Hidden Disney” – The Overlooked Story of Captain Gore and His Interesting...
“Hidden Disney” – The Overlooked Story of Captain Gore and His Interesting “Haunted Mansion” Past
Collin Kendall
by: guide4wdw – Collin
Disney is full of hidden backstories and little known facts, but did you know that the Haunted Mansion was at one point designed to feature a shipwrecked sea captain?
In the early years of the development of the original Haunted Mansion attraction, an outrageous amount of different conceptual renderings were developed and then narrowed down one by one until we eventually ended up with the variation of the attraction we get to experience first hand today. Of course, there is a certain level of variation between the U.S. iterations of the iconic Disney attraction, but the history of the attractions story remains largely the same.
Ken Anderson, the Imagineer responsible for creating and designing not only within the Disney parks, but also for his role in animation developed a story for a walkthrough “haunted mansion” concept that has become perhaps the most interesting undeveloped backstory in all of imagineering. It was a story that was for all intensive purposes unnecessarily violent, and so far fetched by Disney standards that it almost became a reality.
Anderson created a character named Captain Gideon Gorelieu, which was one of the least “family friendly” stories ever developed for a Disney attraction. Throughout the proposed concept iteration and even through some light engineering work that was developed early on, Captain Gore played the role of a shipwrecked sea captain on a deadly spree, intent on killing his wife Pricilla. To further the concept, Anderson developed a story where Pricilla was essentially murdered and stuffed into the walls of the chimney by Gore at his his seaside estate. Eventually, as the tipping point of the story, his wife came back and haunted Gore to the point that he eventually hung himself. The entire experience was a bit graphic for Disney, but special effects were already being experimented with when the story was all but scrapped. At the time, the “haunted mansion” was really only the same as what we experience today in that it was in fact a mansion and that the mansion was haunted. The story was no where near the same and even at one point had intentions of tying in a pirate theme.
Today, the only real remnant of Captain Gore can be found in the portrait section of the Haunted Mansion. The captain stands in the image, creepily drenched in water (as was the original animatronic concept) with a harpoon in hand staring into the distance. It’s a very subtle picture in the gallery of “haunts” but one you’ve likely seen or even wondered about as you toured the mansion in your doom buggy.
Of course, you can see why Walt never did go with this story for the attraction, but all things considered, this would have been a truly outstanding addition to the park. It certainly would not have been entirely family friendly, and at the time, “family” was a huge part of Walt Disney’s design process. He wanted a place where adults and kids could have fun together. Ultimately, that is what the mansion became, and today it has slowly grown to prominence as one of the most iconic Disney attractions ever developed.
If you liked this story, be sure to share it with friends and let me know what you think in the comments below! There’s quite a bit more to this story, and the backstory of the Haunted Mansion in general, so if you want to see more, be sure to let me know. Thanks!
Previous articleA Closer Look At “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire: Play It!” – A Somewhat Surprising Disney Attraction
Next articleAll In The Details: How Imagineers Left Their Mark on the Haunted Mansion
A few short years ago, I was sitting in a college apartment trying to figure out what was "next" and came up with this idea to share my accumulated knowledge of the Disney Parks and Resorts with others. The end goal was to help others make the most of their Disney experience and it's been quite the journey!
My Thoughts on the Epcot Announcements – “Skeptical Excitement”
My Top Recommendations
5 Snacks Under $5 at Walt Disney World – Our Top Budget Friendly Snack Recommendations!
Disney World Free Dining is Back for Select 2019 Dates!
All In The Details: How Imagineers Left Their Mark on the...
Collin Kendall - September 7, 2017
by: guide4wdw - Collin Just yesterday, we took you back to a small element of the Haunted Mansions elaborate past and developed history, but today we're...
Disney Ticket Prices Have Officially Increased!
Uncategorized February 11, 2018
A Few Thoughts: Disney Debuts Woody’s Lunch Box Offerings
Uncategorized April 9, 2018
“A Closer Look” – Why I Am Beyond Excited For Toy...
Follow us on Instagram @guide4wdw
© Copyright 2016-2019 Collin Kendall. Guide4WDW.com Is Not Associated With the ©Disney Company or its Affiliates
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line763
|
__label__wiki
| 0.990336
| 0.990336
|
HomeChabad vs. Chabad: Rabbis Duel in Ukraine
Chabad vs. Chabad: Rabbis Duel in Ukraine
Nathaniel PopperNovember 24, 2006
KIEV, Ukraine - Since assuming the title of chief rabbi of Ukraine last fall, Moshe Reuven Azman has hosted Ukraine’s president, helped negotiate American-Ukrainian trade deals and invited Israeli soldiers to his Kiev synagogue.
All of this might appear to be a big step forward for the Brooklyn-based Orthodox Hasidic sect that trained Azman, Chabad Lubavitch. Known to most American Jews for its friendly, bearded rabbis, Chabad had already locked up the position of chief rabbi of Russia in 2002. Having one of its own appointed as the top religious figure in Ukrainian Jewish life, however, has proven to be a bit more complicated.
Another Chabad rabbi, as it so happens, could already lay claim to the title.
Azrael Haikin was elected Ukraine’s chief rabbi in 2003 by a convention of local Ukrainian rabbis, most of them associated with Chabad. When Azman claimed the chief rabbi title in 2005, he was derided by many of his Chabad colleagues. Since then, the two sides have bickered over Ukraine’s Jewish resources, including a weekly one-hour Jewish slot on Ukrainian national television.
Beyond making for a high-profile internecine spat, the competition between two Chabad-trained Ukrainian chief rabbis highlights the sheer power of the Hasidic sect in the Jewish life of the former Soviet Union. Chabad began expanding into the former Soviet Union even before the Iron Curtain came down. During the first post-Communist years the expansion was marked by run-ins with other Jewish movements vying for the same turf, but by now Chabad’s position has become so dominant that its most high-profile problems come from some of its own rabbis.
In Moscow, the chief rabbi of Russia, a Chabad member who is close with President Vladimir Putin, has found himself in tangles with a pesky Chabad rabbi who has lined up independent funders. In Kiev, the competition is between the 40-year old Azman, who was trained in Chabad’s Israeli schools, and the 75-year old Haikin, who was trained in New York.
“Chabad is becoming the dominating force,” said Josef Zissels, the head of Ukraine’s secular Jewish council, or Vaad. “They’re not a monopoly, but they are a quasi-monopoly.”
Even before the current pair took the stage, Ukraine did not lack for chief rabbis. Rabbi Yakov Bleich, who is affiliated with the Karlin Stolin Orthodox movement, assumed the mantle of chief rabbi of Ukraine in 1992, and still holds that title and influence today. A rabbi from the Reform movement, the largest Jewish movement in the United States, calls himself chief Reform rabbi of Ukraine. But whereas those other movements combined have four rabbis in Ukraine, Chabad boasts close to 60. The non-Chabad rabbis frequently express a grudging respect for the expansion of Chabad in the region.
“Many, including my own movement, expected that if we just offered Jews a wonderful way of life we would get some foothold,” said Rabbi Michael Farbman, who is the Reform rabbi in St. Petersburg, Russia. “Chabad also remembered to go out there and buy buildings and build infrastructure and hire staff.”
But Chabad’s relations with other movements in Ukraine are not built only on admiration. The Reform rabbi in Kiev, Alexander Duchovny, said that rabbis from his movement have often been intimidated when working in cities with a Chabad presence. In the early post-Communist days, he said, the Reform movement registered communities in a number of smaller cities, only to watch Chabad rabbis who came in and “paid off the lay leaders” to switch their affiliation to Chabad.
Mayer Stambler, chairman of the Federation of Jewish Communities in Ukraine, acknowledged that some communities did switch affiliation and that, unlike the Reform, his organization does pay the lay leaders of its communities. But, Stambler added, the payments are meant to compensate for the time that these lay leaders give to the congregation.
Bleich, the Karlin Stolin chief rabbi, simply stated that Chabad “comes with so much money that there are very few locals who can stand up to them.”
Some have questioned what all the fighting is for, given that Ukraine has a dwindling population of Jews, numbering less than 200,000, most of whom are unaffiliated. Chabad’s philosophy, however, has always been about reaching the most unaffiliated of Jews, which would seem to make it perfectly suited for the work in the former Soviet Union.
The divisions within Chabad are partially a result of the sect’s success in winning over locals, at least among the wealthier strata. The federation of Chabad rabbis that elected Haikin as chief rabbi is bankrolled by the Uzbeki-Israeli diamond dealer Lev Leviev. Azman has cultivated his own sponsor in Ukraine: the arms dealer and media magnate Vadim Rabinovich. It was Rabinovich’s United Jewish Community of Ukraine that elected Azman chief rabbi last fall.
Now there are the debates about who makes more sense in the leadership position. Azman grew up in the Soviet Union and at 40, has a way with the younger generation. Haikin, by contrast, did not live in Ukraine until he was elected chief rabbi, and this year he was not in the country for the High Holy Days. But the rabbis who elected him say they were looking for the wisdom of age, not local know-how.
“After more than 10 years of establishing community we need answers to rabbinical questions,” said Stambler, the head of the Chabad federation in Ukraine. “Now after there are so many rabbis we realize we need a real rabbi who we can look up to.”
Stambler dismissed the suggestion that Azman could be that person.
“Rabbi Azman is a very nice guy, but he can’t be a rabbi,” Stambler said. “He never learned more than two years in a yeshiva.”
Sitting in his Kiev office, under a picture of himself with Ukraine’s president, Azman defended his learning in Israel and pointed to the struggle he went through to reach his current position. Azman grew up in St. Petersburg and learned about Judaism in an underground yeshiva. After a stint in Israel, Azman came to Kiev and began leading services in a basement room of the historic Brodsky Synagogue, which had been turned into a puppet theater during the Soviet era. Azman eventually pushed Rabinovich to build a new puppet theater so that he could take over the entire synagogue.
The Rabinovich-backed United Jewish Community says that Azman is the right man for the job.
“Azman is open minded — the modern person,” said Eduard Dolinsky, the organization’s executive director. But, he added, “these days there are different Chabads.”
Nathaniel Popper traveled to Ukraine on a World Affairs Journalism Fellowship administered by the International Center for Journalists. The Fellowship is funded by the Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation.
This story "Chabad vs. Chabad: Rabbis Duel in Ukraine" was written by Nathaniel Popper.
Nathaniel Popper
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line765
|
__label__cc
| 0.691028
| 0.308972
|
The Impact of the Arab Spring on Islamist Strategies
Ioana E. Matesan
Ioana Emy Matesan is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Political Science at Syracuse University. She received her BA in Political Science and Economics from Monmouth College and her MA in Political Science from Arizona State University. Her research interests focus on international security, political violence, Islamist movements, and Middle East politics. At Syracuse University she has been involved in a variety of research initiatives focused on conflict and international security, including the Spoilers of Peace Project (in the Program for the Advancement of Research on Conflict and Collaboration), the Global Black Spots Research Project (in the Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs), and the Project on Post-Conflict Justice and Islam (in the Institute for National Security and Counterterrorism). Her research has appeared in Nations and Nationalism and The National Strategy Forum Review. She is a recipient of the Hassan Yabroudi Award for best graduate paper in Middle Eastern Studies at Syracuse University and the Hardt Graduate Fellowship in Religion, Conflict, and Peace Studies from the Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict at Arizona State University.
Democracy and democatization, Middle East, Palestine, Political violence
The revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt created a contagion effect that inspired a series of uprisings by sending two signals: first, that even entrenched authoritarian regimes are vulnerable; and second, that nonviolent tactics can be effective in bringing about dramatic political changes. Subsequent developments, especially in Libya and Syria, convoluted these messages. Nonetheless, the political openings and the electoral victory of Islamists in Egypt and Tunisia continue to send the signal to many Islamist opposition groups that nonviolent means and participation in politics can be effective ways to produce political change. The chance of gaining power through electoral means can give Islamists strong incentives to join in the demands for democratic institutions and change their stance towards political participation. The appeal of nonviolent tactics, however, is undermined when external threats surpass domestic considerations. When the primary concern of the public is about outside threats and the main enemy is external rather than a domestic despot, the impact of the Arab Spring on views regarding the efficacy of nonviolent tactics is diminished. Similarly, when an Islamic group is primarily concerned with the “far enemy,” the incentives for moderation offered by political participation are undermined.
Matesan, Ioana E.. “The Impact of the Arab Spring on Islamist Strategies.” Journal of Strategic Security 5, no. 2 (2012): 27-46.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line771
|
__label__wiki
| 0.730614
| 0.730614
|
Chuck Wansley
Vocalist and Bandleader Chuck Wansley, for years known as 'The Wedding Singer’ in Los Angeles, is one of today’s premier jazz performers. A native New Yorker and lifelong musician, Chuck began his professional career at 18, touring worldwide as drummer/singer with the international youth group Up With People, promoting a global mission of peace through music, representing countries as ambassadors of goodwill.
Read more about Chuck Wansley
BRIAN SMITH: Vocalist, Bassist & Harmonica Player. Rock n’ Roll, R & B, Rockabilly and Blues. For the past 30 years his career with Nanette Workman has taken him to Europe, the U.S.A and most clubs, concert halls & theaters throughout Quebec. Steve Hill, Martin Deschamps, Guy Bélanger, Breen Leboeuf, Andrée Waters & Bob Walsh are just a few artists Brian has accompanied.
Check him out on Youtube: “BRIAN SMITH NUIT BLUES”
Read more about Brian Smith
Hella ayelet gal
Hella is a writer and singer from Israel. She moved to the states on 2012. Hella is well known for her international and unique style. She started performing at the age of 18 while doing her service in the IDF. Later on she was discovered by a well known producer who introduced her to the music industry. Ever since then Hella performed all over the world in the most luxurious private and corporate events alongside musicians like George Michael, Boney m, Philip kirkorov, Nikolay Baskov, Alla Pugacheva, Michael Shufutinsky and many more.
Read more about Hella ayelet gal
Winston Scott
Winston Scott an accomplished trumpeter is also the Senior Vice President Office of External Relations and Economic Development Florida Institute of Technology. If the name Capt. Winston Scott sounds familiar, that is because he is also a former shuttle astronaut who served as a mission specialist on STS-72 in 1996 and STS-87 in 1997, and has logged a total of 24 days, 14 hours and 34 minutes in space.
He is also a member of the FIT Jazz Syndicate as Florida Tech’s premier ensemble for advanced improvisation.
Read more about Winston Scott
Matthew Mill
With a career that now spans over 20 years, Matthew has firmly established himself as a musician, instructor and music producer. He has been listed as a sideman for a number of groups throughout Florida and has performed for Walt Disney World and the Universal Theme Parks. His music can be heard live all over Central Florida and later this year, he will enter the recording studio with his Jazz Collective "The Forefront" and release a debut album with that group. Matthew has had the great fortune to share the stage with many incredible musicians includ
Read more about Matthew Mill
Enrique Sanchez is a trumpet player, born and raised in Orlando, Florida. At the age of 12, he discovered a love for the trumpet and jazz music which later led to achievements such as playing lead trumpet for the Florida All-State Jazz Band, The Grammy Band, and the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra. Enrique studied Jazz trumpet at the prestigious Juilliard School in New York City.
Read more about Enrique Sanchez
James Zito
James Zito is a recent graduate from the Osceola County School For The Arts. He has been selected to be apart of some of the most prestigious jazz ensembles in Florida and in the U.S. including All-State and Tri-State jazz bands and most notably as the only guitarist for the 2015 Jazz Band of America. In addition, James will be attending the Manhattan School Of Music in New York City in the fall.
Read more about James Zito
Jesse Jones Jr.
— excerpt from muscians website bio:
Read more about Jesse Jones Jr.
Lorri Hafer
excerpts from her website—
Read more about Lorri Hafer
Len Bentley
Len Bentley finished his music and teaching degrees at Los Angeles State College. He embarked on a professional career on the West Coast and Hawaiian Islands
This profession linked him with other great show talents, like Dave and Ricki Nelson, the actor Bill Holden, Don Ho, Mickey Rooney, Chuck Mangione, Phil Harris and the Jerry Lewis telethon, to name a few.
Read more about Len Bentley
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line776
|
__label__cc
| 0.531833
| 0.468167
|
The Mythology of Science
By R. J. Rushdoony
On the surface, a myth is the illusion of an age or a culture whereby life and its origins are interpreted. As such, the myth has an axiomatic truth to the age and is its criterion for judging and assessing reality.
But much more is involved in the concept of myth. A myth is the attempt of a culture to overcome history, to negate the forces and ravages of time, and to make the universe amenable and subject to man. The myth reveals a hatred of history. History shows movement in terms of forces beyond man and in judgment over man; history rides heavily over man, is inescapably ethical, shows a continuing conflict between good and evil, and clearly reveals man as the actor, not the playwright and director. And this man hates. To fill a role he never wrote, to enter on stage at a time not of his choosing, this man resents. The purpose man then sets for himself in his myths is to end history, to make man the absolute governor by decreeing an end to the movement that is history. Where his myths acknowledge man’s lot in history, man ascribes his sorry role, not to his depravity, but to jealousy of the gods. The goal of the myth, ever more clearly enunciated over time, has become the destruction of history and the enthronement of man as the new governor of the universe.
The means used by man to accomplish the goal of his myth is magic. The purpose of magic is the total control by man over man, nature, and the supernatural. Whatever the form magic takes, this is its goal. The relationship of magic is therefore basically to science rather than to Biblical religion. Under the influence of Christianity, science escaped the constraints of magic. The purpose of science gradually ceased to be an attempt to play god and became rather the exercise of dominion over the earth under God. The redeemed Christian is God’s vicegerent over the earth, and science is one of man’s tools in establishing and furthering that dominion. For science to overstep that role is to forsake science for magic. The purposes of modern science are increasingly those of magic, the exercise of total control. The essential goal of modern science is knowledge in order to have prediction, planning, and control. Thus, magic has again triumphed, and modern science is popular precisely because man today, wedded again to the world of myth, demands magic to overcome history, to eliminate the ethical struggle and to place man beyond good and evil and beyond judgment. On the whole, modern science has taken readily to this new role, and it is enjoying its status as magician in the mind of modern man. Science has become magic and is governed by myth.
Basic to God’s nature as sovereign is His omnipotence. It is not only an assertion of the Bible, but also a basic presupposition of every page, that all things are possible with God, and with Him nothing is impossible. It is not surprising that man, having succumbed to the lure of myth and believing himself to be his own god, should proceed on the premise that all things are possible with man, scientific man.
The examples of this faith are many and striking. The world of history condemns the sun to death. The sun was created, and therefore the sun can die. It is not eternal nor any does it have self-regenerative power enabling it to revive itself at will. The sun has a history; it moves in terms of a predetermined and predestined plan not its own. The sun, like the entire universe, and man included, belongs to the world of history. It must die. But, man the myth-maker wants a world refashioned according to his own imagination, created by his own word. History must therefore either be arrested, or, having run its course, be recreated by the new god, the new great magician, scientific man.
The optimism of science is boundless. Having declared that scientists will create a new sun, it is nothing for them to plan the creation of life. A famous biochemist has said, “This century will go down in history as the century when life ceased to be a mystery…Life is only chemistry. It is complicated, yes. But we no longer have any reason to believe it is beyond human understanding.” There is, of course, no trace of humility in this statement, but it is absurd for gods to be humble; humility belongs to men. A British scientist has stated, “I feel certain that in another decade or two we ourselves will be able to create life. I no longer find it necessary to believe in God.” Of these scientists, Gunther writes with assurance, “They have found the key to life.”
This then is the new mythology of man, the mythology of science. It expresses the basic presuppositions of the humanism of the day, so that its absurdities, contradictions, and pretensions have the ring of infallible truth rather than irrational myth. The magicians of every age have been imposing, and their prestige great. Their accomplishments have often been, whether in Egypt, Babylon, or in the modern world, very real. But their foundations are untenable and their future, one of collapse, as the myth breaks on the rocks of reality.
Article adapted from The Mythology of Science by R.J. Rushdoony.
See more at www.chalcedon.edu
The One, the Many, and the Mythology of Science
By John B. King, Jr., Ph.D.
The objective of the present article is to compare the worldviews of ancient mythology and modern science in order to show the deep mythological structure of the latter.1 Such a comparison is both interesting from an academic point of view and has great apologetic value. In particular, since opponents of Christian theism have tended to dismiss Christianity as mythological and unscientific, establishing the linkage between mythology and modern science returns the charge upon these naturalistic detractors, thus providing both defensive and offensive value. To this end, therefore, it will be shown that, unlike Christianity, ancient mythology and modern science share deep philosophical structures and that Christianity, by contrast, presents a distinct and demythologized view of the cosmos. To begin this discussion, it will be necessary to consider some implications of God’s triune nature.
Formal Considerations (Philosophical Structure)
Because God is a triune being, God is eternally one and eternally three. Accordingly, within God’s being the one (unity) and the many (particularity) are coeternal, equally ultimate, and mutually conditioning. Moreover, since God’s image is necessarily impressed upon His creation, the one and the many are equally derivative within the created order and thus equally basic to a Christian epistemology. However, when God’s triune nature is denied, one loses the metaphysical basis upon which unity and particularity harmoniously relate and is, therefore, driven to one of three basic philosophical frameworks: radical particularity, radical unity, or a dialectical tension between unity and particularity. Consequently, since these limited options are quickly exhausted in human thought, mythology, and science necessarily utilize the same basic paradigms and, therefore, share common philosophical structures.
If the first option (radical particularity) is chosen, the universe is conceived as an aggregate of disconnected parts (or events) subject to no unifying law and, therefore, driven entirely by chance. As a result, the universe reduces to a sea of brute particulars, involving a radical conflict at each and every point. On the mythological plane, this is the worldview of ancient polytheism (such as Babylonian mythology) in which the various gods battle one another for supremacy. On the scientific plane, this outlook becomes manifest in Darwinian evolution and the survival of the fittest. Thus, due to a common rooting in chance, Darwinism and ancient polytheism share a common mythological structure with both views positing an upward evolution from the waters of chaos. Needless to say, for such a viewpoint, the lack of an objective order destroys any basis for human knowledge.
If the second option (radical unity) is chosen, the universe is conceived as a seamless whole devoid of concrete particulars and thus devoid of any real tension or mechanism. Accordingly, in this perspective, the universe reduces to a blank and amorphous unity, which erases all distinctions and thereby eliminates the uniqueness of each and every event. On the mythological plane, this is the view of Vedantic Hinduism in which the various particulars be they gods or daily events are reduced to phenomenal manifestations of the Brahman, the all-pervading, universal spirit. On the scientific plane, this is the view of Einstein’s unified field theory which attempted to collapse all events into phenomenal manifestations of a single deterministic field. Thus, due to a common monism, Einstein’s field theory and Vedantic Hinduism share a common mythological structure with both views reducing events to surface phenomena of underlying deterministic (and cyclic) fields. Needless to say, for such a viewpoint, the lack of objective differences destroys any basis for the observation and correlation of discrete particulars (i.e., data). This lack of distinctions also produces a confusion between the subject and object of knowledge. Thus, scientific data becomes both illusory and subjective due to a lack of discreet objects and subjects. Since scientific theories are thereby stripped of their substance and reduced to a mind game, the basis for a meaningful science again vanishes.
Finally, if the third option (dialectical tension between unity and particularity) is chosen, the universe becomes the product of an eternal struggle between order and chaos which operates through a dialectical tension. Thus, such a theory posits a fractured universe which derives from the interplay of antagonistic forces. After all, in such a universe there is a basic tension at each and every point as order seeks to mold the chaos, and chaos seeks to burst the forms of order. On the mythological plane, this is the worldview of Taoism in which the events of life arise from a dynamic struggle between yin and yang. On the scientific plane, this view is encapsulated in the Copenhagen interpretation (i.e., complementarity) of the wave-particle duality in quantum mechanics. Thus, due to a common dualism, both Taoism and the Copenhagen School of quantum mechanics share a common mythological structure in which events reduce to a dynamic struggle between order and chaos. For such a viewpoint, of course, the presence of two equally basic, independent, and antagonistic principles destroys any unity of conception. Moreover, since this position is simply a schizophrenic composite of the two positions outlined above, neither of these principles (order or chaos) could provide an adequate basis for knowledge even when taken by themselves. To the extent that chaos dominates, concrete reality opposes all order, and to the extent that order dominates, such order dissolves all concrete reality. Thus, even if one could escape the tension of these opposing principles, he would still be faced with the alternative of knowing nothing about anything (chaos) or else knowing everything about nothing (order). Needless to say, the basis for a meaningful science vanishes completely on such premises.
As should be evident from the preceding discussion, ancient mythology and modern science share common philosophical structures. Thus, despite its pride in rationality and objectivity, modern science is simply a repackaging of ancient myth. The reason for this identity is simple. When the Trinity is denied, one’s thinking is driven toward one of three basic philosophical frameworks, and since these limited options are quickly exhausted in human thought, science and mythology necessarily utilize similar paradigms.
Material Considerations (Cosmic Impersonalism)
However, the connections between science and mythology run deeper than the formal considerations of philosophical structure and extend to a material identity as well. In particular, when science and mythology are substantively considered, both are seen to posit an ultimate impersonalism (cosmic impersonalism). After all, in its attempt to personify nature, mythology necessarily confuses God with creation. Accordingly, since God is thereby made dependent upon a finite and impersonal world, what mythology actually achieves is not the personification of nature but rather the ‘impersonification’ of deity. Since mythology is therefore fundamentally impersonal and naturalistic, modern science is simply a more consistently impersonal species of myth. When the reason for this common impersonalism is traced to its root, it is seen to derive, once again, from a rejection of the Triune God. Thus, in addition to the formal similarities of philosophical structure, the material identity of cosmic impersonalism also springs from a denial of the Trinity. To demonstrate this point, it will be necessary to examine some deeper implications of God’s triune nature.
In this regard, the primary consideration is the recognition that God’s triune nature establishes His infinite personality and thus a philosophy of cosmic personalism. Because God is both one and many, He has community within His own being and is both personal and rational. Since the Triune God can compare (oneness) and contrast (many-ness) within His being, He is internally benchmarked and thus internally self-defined. Accordingly, since God defines Himself in terms of Himself alone and not in relation to a finite, impersonal world, He does not become dependent upon such a world and is not thereby reduced to a finite, impersonal level. On the contrary, since God emerges as an infinite person, He possess infinite knowledge and power and is capable of affecting a rationally ordered creation. Thus, by preventing a mythological confusion between God and creation, God’s triune nature guards His infinite personality and simultaneously establishes a demythologized and well-ordered cosmos. So understood, God’s triune nature establishes the necessary and sufficient basis for an objective science grounded in an ultimate cosmic personalism. Given this fact, the denial of the Trinity not only accounts for the common philosophical framework (formal identity) between mythology and science, but also accounts for their common impersonalism (material identity). Thus, modern science is mythology due to its identical combination of formal (philosophical structure) and material (cosmic impersonalism) characteristics.
That impersonalism is the hallmark of mythology can be seen from the fact that in every case considered above, concrete personal existence derives from abstract impersonal principles. After all, despite the surface differences between the various mythologies, they are merely different variations upon the impersonal themes of being (spiritual unity and order) and nonbeing (material plurality and chaos). Thus, in Babylonian cosmology there is an upward evolution from nonbeing to being as the feminine waters of chaos give birth to a masculine spiritual order. In Hindu mythology, by contrast, there is a downward fall from being to nonbeing in which a masculine spirit produces a feminine material world through a process of differentiation. Finally, in Taoist cosmology, there is a continuous struggle between being and nonbeing with a masculine heaven and a feminine earth locked into an eternal, procreative tension. In all cases, however, the underlying principles are abstract and impersonal with the adjectives “masculine” and “feminine” providing no more than a poetic overlay. In short, regardless of which theory is chosen, personality has no rooting in such a universe and, therefore, reduces to an epiphenomenon. Consequently, since modern science moves in terms of these same philosophical structures and imbibes the same cosmic impersonalism, modern science is mythology.
Historical Considerations (Theological Degradation)
Moreover, beyond this thematic and topical analysis, the common impersonalism of mythology and science can be seen by considering the historical development of mythology and thus its gradual transformation into the latter. To begin this discussion, it will be helpful to consider the work of the world-renowned historian of religions, Mircea Eliade. According to Eliade, archaic cultures evidence a devolution from monotheism to polytheism in which the new gods are identified with immanent forces in the universe (Eliade, 118-128). Initially, these primitive peoples worship a personal god who is a celestially structured supreme being, in other words a god of the sky or the heavens. However, over time the supreme being becomes more remote and less important as a result of man’s increasing preoccupation with the immanent “natural” forces of his daily life. As these forces become progressively more important, man divinizes them with the result that his religion degrades into a crude and impersonal polytheism:
We may add that the same situation is found in the religions of more civilized peoples, that is, of peoples who have played an important role in history. The Mongol name for the supreme God is Tengri, which means sky. This Chinese T’ien means at once the sky and the god of the sky. The Sumerian term for divinity, dingir, originally meant a celestial epiphany clear, brilliant. The Babylonian Anu also expresses the idea of sky. The Indo-European supreme god, Dieus, denotes both the celestial epiphany and the sacred (cf. Sanskrit div, to shine, day; dyaus, sky, day; Dyaus, Indian god of heaven). Zeus and Jupiter still preserve in their names the memory of the sacredness of the sky. The Celtic Taranis (from taran, to thunder), the Baltic Perkunas (lightning), and the proto-Slavic Perun (cf. Polish piorun, lightning) are especially revealing for the later transformations of the sky gods into storm gods.
There is no question of naturalism here. The celestial god is not identified with the sky, for he is the same god who, creating the entire cosmos, created the sky too. This is why he is called Creator, All-powerful, Lord, Chief, Father, and the like. The celestial god is a person, not a uranian epiphany. But he lives in the sky and is manifested in meteorological phenomena thunder, lightning, storm, meteors, and so on. This means that certain privileged structures of the cosmos the sky, the atmosphere constitute favorite epiphanies of the supreme being; he reveals his presence by what is specifically and peculiarly his majesty (majestas) of the celestial immensity, the terror (tremendum) of the storm.
The history of supreme beings whose structure is celestial is of the utmost importance for an understanding of the religious history of humanity as a whole. We cannot even consider writing that history here, in a few pages. But we must at least refer to a fact that to us seems primary. Celestially structured supreme beings tend to disappear from the practice of religion, from cult; they depart from among men, withdraw to the sky, and become remote, inactive gods (dei otiosi). In short, it may be said of these gods that, after creating the cosmos, life, and man, they feel a sort of fatigue, as if the immense enterprise of the Creation had exhausted their resources. So, they withdraw to the sky, leaving a son or a demiurge on earth to finish or perfect the Creation. Gradually their place is taken by other divine figures the mythical ancestors, the mother-goddesses, the fecundating gods, and the like. The god of the storm still preserves a celestial structure, but he is no longer a creating supreme being; he is only the fecundator of the earth, sometimes he is only a helper to his companion (paredros), the earth-mother. The celestially structured supreme being preserves his preponderant place only among pastoral peoples, and he attains a unique situation in religions that tend to monotheism (Ahura-Mazda) or that are fully monotheistic (Yahweh, Allah). (Eliade, 120-122)
It is useless to multiply examples. Everywhere in these primitive religions the celestial supreme being appears to have lost religious currency; he has no place in the cult, and in the myths he draws farther and farther away from man until he becomes a deus otiosus. Yet he is remembered and entreated as the last resort, when all ways of appealing to other gods and goddesses, the ancestors, and the demons, have failed. As the Oraons express it: “Now we have tried everything, but we still have you to help us.” And they sacrifice a white cock to him, crying, “God, thou art our creator, have mercy on us.”
The divine remoteness actually expresses man’s increasing interest in his own religious, cultural, and economic discoveries. Through his concern with hierophanies of life, through discovering the sacral fertility of the earth, and through finding himself exposed to religious experiences that are more concrete (more carnal, even orgiastic), primitive man draws away from the celestial and transcendent god. The discovery of agriculture basically transforms not only primitive man’s economy but also and especially his economy of the sacred. Other religious forces come into play sexuality, fertility, the mythology of woman and of the earth, and so on. Religious experience becomes more concrete, that is, more intimately connected with life. The great mother-goddesses and the strong gods of the spirits of fertility are markedly more dynamic and more accessible to men than was the Creator God.
And yet their worshippers’ primitives and Hebrews alike had the feeling that all these great goddesses and all these vegetation gods were unable to save them, that is, to ensure them existence in really critical moments. These gods and goddesses could only reproduce and augment life; and they could perform that function only during normal times; in short, they were divinities who governed the cosmic rhythms admirably, but who proved incapable of saving the cosmos or human society in moments of crisis (historical crisis among the Hebrews).
The various divinities who took the place of the supreme beings were the repository of the most concrete and striking powers, the powers of life. But by that very fact they had become “specialists” in procreation and lost the subtler, nobler, more spiritual powers of the Creator Gods. In discovering the sacredness of life, man let himself be increasingly carried away by his own discovery; he gave himself up to vital hierophanies and turned away from the sacrality that transcended his immediate and daily needs. (Eliade, 125-128)
As can be seen from Eliade’s discussion, pagan religions degenerate into polytheism in an attempt to fill a void left by an overly transcendent god. In particular, since such a god is thought to lack immanence and hence relevance, this transcendent god is pushed into the background and replaced through an attempted divinization of the more immanent and concrete forces in the world. Moreover, since these immanent forces remain natural and impersonal, they lack the “subtler, nobler, more spiritual powers of the Creator Gods” and therefore become subject to human manipulation through magic, the pseudo-science of the ancient world.
However, as the philosophical development tends toward a greater and more conscious impersonalism, these so called “divinities” are later collapsed into phenomenal manifestations of impersonal fields. Thus, in India the crude polytheism of the Vedic period (2000 – 1500 B.C.) gave way to a more philosophical monism of the Upanishads (800 BC 500 A.D.) and of such later writers such as Sankara (eighth century AD) and Ramanuja (eleventh century AD).
P.T. Raju writes:
Taking both geography and history into account, it is now the practice of writers to trace Hinduism to the Mohenjo-daro civilization (4000-3000 BC), an adequate picture of which is still not easy to give. All that is assertable in a general way is that the civilization very likely knew some form of yogic meditation, that it had some form of Shakti (Mother Goddess) worship, and that it had the cult of animal worship also. The Aryan tribes began invading India sometime between 2000 and 1500 BC, conquered the early settlers, driving them toward the South, and then conquered the South also. At the same time, they began to superimpose their own religion on the religions of the conquered, which were many, as the different tribes followed their different religions and worshipped different gods and goddesses. In this process of superimposition, the religion of the Aryans themselves began to be transformed. The gods of the non-Aryans, like Shiva, became identified with the gods of the Aryans, like Rudra, through similarity of forms and functions. But the original Vedic gods continued to occupy a higher place than those of the non-Aryans. When the Aryans finally established their monotheism of the Brahman, this pure demythologized religion was given the place of the highest prestige, and ritualistic, were interpreted as subsidiary to the worship and realization of the Brahman.
The evolution of the worship of the Brahman reveals an interesting development of the religious life and thought of the Indo-Aryans. They were first polytheists, worshipping through sacrifices (not necessarily animal sacrifices) to gods such as the Fire-god, Wind-god, the god of death, the Dawn, Varuna the god of the Waters enveloping the world and ruling in the highest heaven, the god of clouds called Indra, and so on. They Aryans were what are philosophically called hylozoists, consubstantiatists who made no distinction between spirit and matter, or animatists who worshipped the natural forces as living, thinking beings like themselves without distinguishing between the animating and thinking spirit and the body. This religion may be called animatism as distinct from animism, in which man distinguishes between spirit and body and worships the former. Both animatism and animism are forms of polytheism. But the latter, when the spiritual conception is enlarged, elaborated, and developed into that of the Brahman, can become monotheism or even monism. The idea of the anima in a body is found in the concept of presiding deity or simply deity of the earth, sound, eye, and so on of the Upanishads.
Next, as logical development of religious thought and practice, we find what Max Muller called henotheism or the worship of each one of some of the gods as the highest and supreme. This tendency shows the Indo-Ayran mind was wavering between one god and another in the attempt finally to fix one as the Supreme. Such gods are Varuna, Prajapati, and so on. From this henotheistic conception of the Brahman, which was taken by some religious thinkers like Guadapada (c. sixth century), and Sankara (eighth century), as nonpersonal and monistic. (Raju 2,3)
On the basis of the preceding discussion, the historical development and philosophical trajectory of mythology can be readily assessed. As shown by the respective works of Mircea Eliade and P.T. Raju, mythology is seen to degenerate from a personal monotheism through a crude polytheism to a more abstract monism (or dualism) and thus toward an increasing impersonalism. In terms of this orderly progression, therefore, there is only one development consistent with the internal logic of mythology, namely the impersonal world of modern science. Consequently, when considered from the perspectives of philosophical structure, impersonal content, and historical development, ancient mythology and modern science are seen to be identical in all vital and crucial respects. Thus, modern science is mythology since it partakes of the same philosophical structure, is animated by the same impersonalism, and forms the logical telos of mythology’s historical development.
Consequently, it is both hypocritical and short sighted for modern scientists to dismiss Christianity as myth. After all, since modern science is the most rigorously consistent form of mythology, such a change reveals a profound lack of awareness. Moreover, such a dismissal is also short sighted since it is precisely Christianity which sets forth the demythologized world upon which true science depends. However, in setting forth the cosmos as ultimate, modern science implicitly divinizes the universe (i.e., produces a mythological confusion between God and creation) and therefore sets forth an ultimate impersonalism. In so doing, it destroys the personal basis for a rational cosmic order and a receptive human mind, both of which are essential to the scientific enterprise.
In Christianity, by contrast, God’s triune nature ensures that God is self-dependent and therefore independent of the created order. God’s infinite personality is not reduced, nor is the creation divinize by a mythological confusion between God and creation. God remains God, and the cosmos remains the demythologized product of His handiwork. It is rationally ordered as a result of God’s fully conscious (omniscient) and all powerful (omnipotent) personality. Moreover, since man is created in God’s image, it is precisely God’s infinite personality which establishes man’s finite personality, and thus a receptive, scientific mind. Accordingly, science works precisely because Christianity is both true and personal. Given this fact, the long-term health of modern scientists to renounce their current mythology and embrace the Triune God.
May God be pleased to grant such repentance for the sake of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Frutjof Capra, The Tao of Physics (Boston: Shambhala, 2000).
Mircea Eliade, The Sacred and the Profane (New York: Harvest, 1957).
P.T. Raju, The Green Asian Religions: An Anthology (New York: Macmillan, 1969).
Additional Comment
In the years since R.J. Rushdoony wrote The Mythology of Science, the apologetic target has shifted somewhat. Previously, apologetic encounters with scientists centered around the philosophy of Western materialism. Today, however, Eastern spiritualism is gaining an increasing foothold in the scientific community. Indeed, while a strong current of Western materialism still remains (as evidenced by the never-ending search for “fundamental particles”), there is an ever-growing tendency to interpret the results of cosmology and quantum mechanics in terms of various fields. Moreover, since these fields are thought to be nonmaterial, and all embracing, the attempt is often made to harmonize these field interpretations with Eastern spiritual concepts. Thus, due to the fact that the apologetic target has broadened somewhat, a broader approach will be needed in future discussions of faith and science. It is the problem in order to highlight some of the necessary considerations involved in a broadened apologetic. For the reader wishing to learn more about this new trend in science, Fritjof Capra’s The Tao of Physics is strongly recommended since it is masterfully written and constitutes perhaps the first popularly written synthesis of physics as Eastern mysticism.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line781
|
__label__wiki
| 0.871288
| 0.871288
|
other art in the historic heart
There is a diverse range of public art to enjoy in the Historic Heart – from Marcus Canning’s striking Ascalon at Cathedral Square to the beautiful large scale mural by Rone at Hibernian Place. Take the time to roam the streets of Perth's east end. The art of the Historic Heart is waiting to be discovered.
Our Art Walk is now available on our Historic Heart of Perth App - free to download from the App Store or Google Play.
The Art Walk on our App is interactive, but you can also explore Historic Heart’s art with the help of our website. Details below and on the ART WALK 1 page of our website.
Hibernian Place Muse (2018)
Artist Rone
Renowned street artist Rone has painted a women’s face on a wall within Hibernian Place - a new precinct in the Historic Heart which is now home to the Westin Hotel, and a range of bars, cafes and restaurants.
Geelong-born Rone is internationally renowned for his larger-than-life female muse paintings, often on a raw concrete canvas. He has painted throughout the US, Europe and Asia. “I am very happy with the end result,” Rone, 37, said. “The challenge for me as an artist is to create something beautiful from a raw, unfinished surface. I hope that’s what I achieved.”
Mural artworks in Pier Street Laneway (2018)
Artist Drew Straker 'the Muralist'
Pier Street laneway
One of 3 new artworks in the Pier Street laneway by Perth artist Drew Straker.
Straker's unique murals appear to light up streets like neon signs, but are actually 2D and created using only spray paint and a ‘neon glow’ technique (of white lines under a transparent colour).
For further details on the artist see Muralist's Instagram page
Historic Heart
Mural Artwork 1 (2017)
Artist Helen Smith
A non-referential geometric abstraction, Helen often explores bold conjunctions of colour and shape to enliven surfaces. The brilliant use of hot pink, brown, yellow and acqua in circular motifs creates a bold interplay with the square web of Jeremy Kirwan-Ward's work on the opposing walls on Pier Street.
For further details on the artist visit Helen Smith's website
Mural Artworks 2 & 3 (2017)
Artist Jeremy Kirwan-Ward
Jeremy has created an interwoven grid pattern which stems from the built environment in which these artworks are located, where there is a conjunction of facades and an opening to a laneway. The work is in keeping with Jeremy's longstanding interest in geometric and dimensional illusions and play on perception.
For further details on the artist visit Jeremy Kirwan-Ward's website
Kangaroos on the Terrace (1997)
Artists Joan Walsh-Smith and Charles Smith
Cnr Barrack Street and St George’s Terrace, Perth
These seven bronze statues of life sized kangaroos are said to represent a mob of kangaroos who have been lazily feeding, but are then startled by the traffic and are about to take off and bounce away down the terrace.
This public artwork gives visitors a reason to pause, to consider the contrasting busyness of the city and the peacefulness of the Stirling Gardens, and how we like the kangaroos are caught in between.
Ascalon (2011)
Artists Marcus Canning and Christian de Vietri
1 Cathedral Avenue, Perth
Ascalon, the striking, billowing white sculpture that stands before St George’s Cathedral is an abstract interpretation of the legend of St George and the dragon. The sculpture depicts the triumph of good over evil, with the sculpture’s angled pole and white billow representing St George’s lance, cloak and steed, and its black base reminiscent of the defeated body of the dragon.
The name of the sculpture is taken from the name of St George’s lance in medieval romances – itself a derision of the city of Ashkelon in Israel – the sculpture is a fittingly commanding statement at the forecourt of the cathedral.
Visit the St Georges Cathedral website to find out more.
Point Zero is the marker from which all distances to and from Perth are measured, and represents the centre point and civic heart of the city. Situated on the south-east corner of the Old Treasury building on the corner of Cathedral Avenue and St Georges Terrace, the marker was chosen during the building’s life as the state’s first post office. An understated plaque marking the adoption was laid in 1975.
Dirty Deeds (2015)
Artists Marcus Canning and Tom Mùller
Petition Kitchen, Cathedral Square, Perth
This artwork illustrates where the two holding cells for the Police Court used to stand and the kind of people who spent time there. ‘A miserable little box,’ was how the cells were described by one commentator in the press at the time, ‘shocked at the smallness and want of ventilation and light’ by another. The footprint of the original cells can now be seen etched into the granite outside the restaurant, including the tiny windows and entry doors to the cells.
A perusal of the forty misdemeanours described in the artwork provides a colourful snapshot of the early days of the colony and developing city where a populace made up of convict and post-convict labour alongside abundant supplies of ‘sly-grog’ influenced much of the street behaviours of the day.
Visit the Cathedral Square website to find out more about this artwork.
Captain James Stirling (1979)
Artist Clement P Somers
City of Perth Library, 573 Hay Street Hay Street
This statue of Captain James Stirling was created in 1979 to celebrate Western Australia's 150th anniversary.
Sir James Stirling (28 January 1791 – 22 April 1865) was a British naval officer and colonial administrator. His enthusiasm and persistence persuaded the British Government to establish the Swan River Colony and he became the first Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Western Australia.
The Strike (1991)
Artist Greg James
Perth Mint, 310 Hay Street, East Perth
This sculpture depicts Arthur Bayley and William Ford, the two gold prospectors whose discovery 120 years ago at Fly Flat, Coolgardie, triggered the greatest gold rush in Western Australian history.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line782
|
__label__cc
| 0.586367
| 0.413633
|
Corporate Restructuring and Bankruptcy Blog – 2014
Nevada is one of many states that adopted some iteration of the Uniform Common Interest Ownership Act, an act designed in part to aid homeowners’ associations (“HOAs”) in recovering delinquent fees from their members. As codified in Nevada under NRS Chapter 116, Nevada law affords HOAs a super-priority lien for nine months worth of unpaid fees and maintenance charges.
While an HOA lien arising after a lender’s deed of trust is recorded has priority over a first mortgage, courts in Nevada have been split as to whether this super-priority lien simply establishes a priority of payment, or whether foreclosure of an HOA lien can actually extinguish a lender’s statutorily subordinated deed of trust. Compare 7912 Limbwood Court Trust v. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., 979 F.Supp.2d 1142 (D. Nev. 2013) (“[A] foreclosure sale on the HOA super-priority lien extinguishes all junior interests, including the first deed of trust.”) with Bayview Loan Servicing, LLC v. Alessi & Koenig, LLC, 962 F.Supp.2d 1222 (D. Nev. 2013) (“The super-priority amount [of an HOA lien] is senior to an earlier-recorded first mortgage upon its own foreclosure, but it is in parity with an earlier-recorded first mortgage with respect to extinguishment, i.e., the foreclosure of neither extinguishes the other.”).
In its recent decision in SFR Investments Pool I, LLC v. U.S. Bank, 334 P.3d 408 (Nev. 2014), the Nevada Supreme Court put the debate to rest, holding that foreclosure of an HOA super-priority lien does indeed extinguish a lender’s deed of trust.
In SFR Investments, a homeowner who was delinquent on his HOA dues defaulted on his mortgage. Prior to the default, the mortgagee recorded a first deed of trust on the property that secured a debt of nearly $900,000, and the HOA recorded a lien against the property for approximately $1,200. Both the lender and the HOA pursued nonjudicial foreclosure of their liens. Before the lender’s sale went forward, the HOA completed a foreclosure sale through which SFR Investments purchased the property for a mere $6,000. SFR Investments then filed a suit to enjoin the lender’s sale and to quiet title. The trial court dismissed the suit, reasoning that in the absence of a judicial foreclosure, a first deed of trust cannot be extinguished by foreclosure of a super-priority HOA lien. The Nevada Supreme Court reversed and vacated the trial court’s order denying a preliminary injunction.
In so doing, the Nevada Supreme Court found that the plain language of the uniform act “establishes a true priority lien” and, in accordance with the statutory language and general foreclosure principles, “its foreclosure will extinguish the first deed of trust.”
The court also determined that an HOA may pursue either judicial foreclosure, (i.e., a foreclosure accomplished through a court action), or nonjudicial foreclosure, (i.e., a foreclosure accomplished out of court generally through a trustee’s sale).
The majority overruled the lender’s due process challenge to the adequacy of the notice provisions applicable in the context of a nonjudicial foreclosure of an HOA lien, noting that the notice of default and sale requirements under NRS Chapter 116 only require notice to be given to lenders that notify the HOA of their security interest, and do not require the content of such notices to specify that a super-priority lien is involved or the amount of the lien. Notably, the Nevada Supreme Court did not reach the issue of whether the foreclosure sale could be voided as commercially unreasonable.
Many have characterized the central holding of SFR Investments — that an HOA lien foreclosure can extinguish a mortgage — as having potentially staggering consequences for the lending industry.
From the perspective of the Nevada Supreme Court, however, the fix is an easy one for lenders. Indeed, the Nevada court’s ruling only requires lenders to monitor HOA assessments and pay them where necessary to protect their security interests. Nonetheless, the decision could lead to a change in lending practices in Nevada (and other states that have similarly adopted the uniform act) and a tightening of the credit market as lenders adjust for additional risk to their security interests.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line783
|
__label__cc
| 0.545413
| 0.454587
|
Crime & Law Enforcement
Prohibition's Boost to Organized Crime
Prohibition in the United States was set into motion by the Eighteenth Amendment to the national Constitution and the Volstead Act (“Prohibition”). Prohibition’s purpose was to ban the manufacture, sale, and transport of alcohol (“Prohibition”). “The onset of Prohibition unleashed an unsurpassed level of criminal violence, and violence is the specialty of the gangs” (Abadinksky, 2003, p. 67). Prohibition provided opportunities for gangs to grow into organized crime empires and “led to a new level of criminal organization” (Abadinksky, 2003, p. 67). Prohibition acted as a catalyst for the growth of organized crime by providing an illegal structure for organized crime to generate revenue while denying the government tax revenue on alcohol. Prohibition also caused many health problems due to production of alcohol by “unregulated clandestine home manufacturers” (“Prohibition”).
Organized crime flourished under Prohibition by providing opportunities “for organized crime to take over the importation (“bootlegging”), manufacture, and distribution of alcoholic beverages. Al Capone, one of the most infamous bootleggers of them all, built his criminal empire largely on profits from illegal alcohol” (“Prohibition”). The organized crime families used their experience “gained by years of struggle against reformers and concealed agreements with politicians was brought into service in the organizing and distribution of beer and whiskey” (Abadinksky, 2003, p. 109). Prohibition allowed organized crime members to take advantage of political connections and utilize criminal networks already established.
Ken Burns: Prohibition
Prohibition resulted in a significant loss in government revenue. “From 1919 to 1929, federal tax revenues from distilled spirits dropped from $365 million to less than $13 million, and revenue from fermented liquors from $117 million to virtually nothing” (Blocker, 2006, p. 236). The “cost of enforcing prohibition was high, and the lack of tax revenues on alcohol (some $500 million annually nationwide) affected government coffers” (“Prohibition”) . Prohibition’s attempt to clean up America resulted in significant revenue loss for the government and significant revenue gain for organized crime.
Prohibition resulted in numerous health problems stemming from a lack of government oversight in alcohol manufacturing. “There were many cases of people going blind or suffering from brain damage after drinking “bathtub gin” made with industrial alcohol or various poisonous chemicals” (“Prohibition”). Other unregulated alcohol manufacturing methods also caused health issues, such as “amateur distillers used old automobile radiators to distill liquor, and the subsequent product was dangerously high in lead salts – which usually led to fatal lead poisoning” (“Prohibition”). Some argue that health related problems resulting from prohibition are minimal compared to cirrhosis and alcoholism that would have flourished without prohibition (Blocker, 2006). There is no proof, however, that cirrhosis and alcoholism would have flourished without prohibition.
The government finally realized prohibition was ineffective and only resulted in an increase in organized crime, a decrease in government revenue, and numerous health problems as a result of unregulated alcohol manufacturing practices. “The conclusive proof of Prohibition’s failure is, of course, the fact that the Eighteenth Amendment became the only constitutional amendment to be repealed” (Blocker, 2006, p. 233). Prohibition provided the catalyst that fueled organized crime growth. Organized crime sustains itself now by controlling illegal activities such as prostitution and drug trafficking. Would organized crime cease to exist if the government legalized and taxed prostitution and certain drugs? Organized crime has a history of making money off illegal ventures. Legalizing, taxing, and regulating some of these ventures, such as prostitution, would decrease opportunities for organized crime, increase tax revenue for the government, and improve health issues due to the regulatory nature of government involvement
Abadinksky, H. (2003). Organized crime (7th ed.). Belmont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth Learning.
Blocker, J. S. (2006, February). Did prohibition really work? Alcohol prohibition as a public health innovation. American Journal of Public Health, 9(2), 233-243.
Prohibition. Retrieved from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prohibition
Twentieth Century History
Bootlegging In America
by suziecat757
Canada Political & Social Issues
OPP: Angela Davis-Witty Silent on Apparent Kirkland Lake Organized Crime
by Stephen Sinclair0
Paternity Fraud, The Perfect Crime (The Female Abuser)
by Marc Hubs2
Boardwalk Empire - The Times and Crimes of Atlantic City
by Mohan Kumar17
Parents Who Kill: Alexandra Tobias Killed Her 3 Month Old Son When He Interrupted Her Facebook Game
by Antonia Monacelli22
Strange but Sweet: The Love and Life of Virginia and Alvin Ridley
by Melissa Michelle-Robert aka Mim0
Reflections on "Going Postal" in Light of, but not Making Light of the Santa Barbara Isla Vista Shooting Tragedy
by Mel Carriere16
Very hulpful for my history thesis paper...thank you!
Aunice Yvonne Reed
7 years ago from Southern California
Very informative. I've always been in favor of legalization of drugs and prostitution. It just makes sense. We have to stop trying to tell people how to live their lives. Bottom line is, they do exactly what they want to anyway, legal or illegal.
Hello, hello,
9 years ago from London, UK
I think you got a very gott point there. Maybe this is the answere. Something has to be done soon. Look at the state of the world. Thank you.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line787
|
__label__wiki
| 0.837115
| 0.837115
|
NIH-developed test detects protein associated with Alzheimer’s and CTE
Written by Ken Pekoc
Washington, DC - An ultrasensitive test has been developed that detects a corrupted protein associated with Alzheimer’s disease and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a condition found in athletes, military veterans, and others with a history of repetitive brain trauma. This advance could lead to early diagnosis of these conditions and open new research into how they originate, according to National Institutes of Health scientists and their colleagues. In their new study, published in Acta Neuropathologica, the researchers explain how they adapted a diagnostic test originally developed for prion diseases to detect abnormal clusters of tau protein. Like other proteins involved in neurological diseases, tau protein clusters can seed themselves and contribute substantially to the disease processes of Alzheimer’s and CTE. The study involved brain samples from 16 Alzheimer’s patients, two boxers with CTE, and numerous control cases involving other brain diseases.
The test is extremely sensitive. For example, if a pinhead-sized sample of brain tissue from an Alzheimer’s patient were pulverized and diluted into a thousand gallons of liquid, the test still could detect tau seeds in a pinhead-sized volume of that dilution. The test is called AD RT-QuIC: Alzheimer’s disease real-time quaking induced conversion.
Scientists at NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases developed RT-QuIC about a decade ago to detect Creutzfeldt-Jakob (CJD) and other prion diseases. Since then, they have repeatedly improved and adapted it to detect other neurological diseases, such as Parkinson’s and dementia with Lewy bodies. The test, which already is used in clinical settings to diagnose sporadic CJD, is noted for its rapid and accurate results.
Their latest findings could be a major advance for Alzheimer’s diagnostics because the study points to tau seeds as potential biological “markers” for Alzheimer’s disease in the brain. Scientists are testing therapies to slow the accumulation of tau clusters and the progression of neurological disease. In these efforts, they need more sensitive and accurate tests to better select clinical trial participants and assess whether new therapeutic strategies work as hoped.
Alzheimer’s affects about 5.7 million people in the United States alone at an estimated annual cost of $232 billion, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line789
|
__label__wiki
| 0.749863
| 0.749863
|
Yugpurush – The man who inspired Mahatma Gandhi
Who Inspired Mahatma Gandhi?
An award-winning Play arrives in UK in January 2018
1,032 Shows across 310 cities worldwide
The story of Mahatma Gandhi’s non-violent struggle for the independence of India is well known, together with his ideologies of truth and compassion. He inspired leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela, and his values of non-violence and love had a global impact on millions of people and shaped the history of entire nations. But who inspired Mahatma Gandhi?
The hugely successful, award winning play ‘Yugpurush – Mahatma’s Mahatma’, reveals the untold story of the man and the inspiration behind the Mahatma – his spiritual guide Shrimad Rajchandra.
Yugpurush reveals a soul-stirring depiction of the genesis of a Mahatma, from a young Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. With over 1,000 shows performed in 12 months across India, UK, USA, Canada, the Middle East, Africa, Far East and Australasia, Yugpurush has won the hearts of audiences from diverse backgrounds, ages and communities, resulting in standing ovations and a raft of awards.
Coinciding with Mahatma Gandhi’s 70 th death anniversary, having completed 1,032 shows across 310 cities worldwide in just one year, Yugpurush will arrive in the UK from 19th January to 4th February 2018 for a special tour in English with more than 10 performances across London, Oxford, Birmingham, Manchester and Leicester.
This UK Tour of Yugpurush is supported by the High Commission of India (London) and will be one of the concluding highlights of the successful UK-India Year of Culture.
Tushar Gandhi, the great -grandson of Mahatma Gandhi urged that the play be taken all over the world, at a time when the message of non-violence is more pertinent than ever. “These two greats have sown in us the seeds of becoming better
human beings. It’s now upon us to irrigate it with our own experiences…”
Guiding Force Behind a Leader A guiding force shaped Mahatma Gandhi’s thought process and prepared him as a leader. Yugpurush brings to light that guiding force – Shrimad Rajchandra. "The more I consider His life and His writings, the more I consider Him to have been the best Indian of His times." – Mahatma Gandhi on Shrimad Rajchandra in a Letter to HSL Polak, April 26 1909.
Gandhi met Shrimad for the first time in Mumbai, India upon his return from England as a barrister in 1891. Despite being only two years older, Shrimad’s inner equipoise, knowledge of the scriptures and enlightening wisdom left a deep-rooted impression on Gandhi, who soon proclaimed Shrimad as his spiritual mentor. Shrimad’s inherent adherence to the principles of truth, non-violence and compassion crystallised into the fundamental tenets of India’s freedom movement which resulted in India’s Independence.
Yugpurush invites the audience to journey through Mahatma Gandhi’s internal and external advances on the spiritual path through his interactions and letters from Shrimad Rajchandra. Through various incidents, the play highlights the values of expanding one’s capacity to love and work for others selflessly, respecting diversity, supporting truth, fostering trust, and building lasting communities. This play highlights a powerful experience of looking within, upholding truth and fearlessness, as well as transforming character and consciousness. The legacies of Shrimad and Gandhi continue to offer new paradigms to global peace and human progress.
Yugpurush has taken cities across the world by storm, running to full houses and standing ovations, watched by over 650,000 people. The artistic merits of the play have been endorsed by multiple awards and accolades by the Indian performing arts industry, namely the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Excellence Award 2017 for ‘Best Drama’ and the Transmedia Gujarati Screen and Stage Awards for the Best Drama, Best Director and Best Actor in a Supporting Role. The Play gained two entries in the Limca Book of Records which is the Indian equivalent of the Guinness Book of World Records. Firstly, for the most varied languages performed of one play (7), and secondly for the most performances of one play in a single day (10). Supporting a Charitable Cause. The play supports the construction of Shrimad Rajchandra Hospital in Dharampur, India – a new 250-bed multi-specialty charity hospital for the economically disadvantaged of South Gujarat, which ranks amongst the poorest areas in the state, facing poverty, malnutrition, illiteracy and lack of health awareness.
2017 marks the 150 th birth year of Shrimad Rajchandra. To celebrate this year, ‘Yugpurush – Mahatma’s Mahatma’ has been produced under the guidance of Shrimad Rajchandra’s devotee and the founder of Shrimad Rajchandra Mission Dharampur, Pujya Gurudevshri Rakeshbhai. Pujya Gurudevshri states, “The birth and life of the Great Ones are worth remembering. They awaken our latent strength and kindle the desire to become like them.” The celebrations of the 150 th birth anniversary, aim to spread Shrimad Rajchandra's values of non-violence and truth that shaped Mahatma Gandhi’s beliefs, and to share this untold story of a remarkable relationship that influenced the course of world history.
For the schedule of shows, bookings and testimonials, please visit: www.yugpurush.org/uk
Tags: carousel, mahatma Gandhi, Mahatma's Mahatma, yugpurush, Yugpurush UK Tour
ILUK October 5, 2017
India@70 marks the culmination of UK – India 2017 Year of Culture with a joyous celebration of British and Indian music and dance
ILUK September 18, 2017
India Bazaar in Pictures
ILUK May 9, 2017
Fatima Sana Shaikh back with onscreen Dad in Thugs of Hindostan
by ILUK December 24, 2017
Classic signs of domestic abuse
AR Rahman, celebrates silver jubilee in music with the “ Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow ” concert
Holidays at Costa del Sol – Relax at nature’s own sun coasts
Shabana Azmi gets candid with Indian Ladies UK
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line791
|
__label__cc
| 0.557452
| 0.442548
|
Home » Music News » Country Music News
IT’S ALL ABOUT THE PIZZA AT KELSEA BALLERINI’S SOIREE FOR RECORD-BREAKING #1 SMASH “LOVE ME LIKE YOU MEAN IT”
NASHVILLE, TN (August 12, 2015) – Following a formal gathering at ASCAP, rising new artist Kelsea Ballerini celebrated her first GOLD-selling, #1 single “Love Me Like You Mean It” with friends, family and members of the music industry Monday [...]
CMT LAUNCHES WORLDWIDE PREMIERE OF OLIVIA LANE’S “YOU PART 2” MUSIC VIDEO
NASHVILLE, TN (June 23, 2015) – CMT launched the worldwide premiere of firecracker songstress Olivia Lane’s official music video for her new single, “You Part 2,” across its multiple platforms including CMT Pure, CMT.com, CMT Artists app [...]
KELSEA BALLERINI SOARS TO TOP 5 AT COUNTRY RADIO WITH DEBUT “LOVE ME LIKE YOU MEAN IT”
Emerging Songwriter-Artist Continues To Wow With THE FIRST TIME Debuting Top 5 On Billboard Country Albums Chart Kelsea Ballerini celebrating her Top 5 single “Love Me Like You Mean It” MEDIA [...]
Luke Bryan Reveals Kick the Dust Up Tour- Jacksonville date 9/17
Luke Bryan has confirmed he’ll launch the new Kick the Dust Up tour in May of 2015. Its name references a song Bryan has recorded for an upcoming album. Bryan made the announcement at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum on Wednesday morning [...]
Are you ready for Florida Country Superfest !!! Coming June 13-14th in Jacksonville Florida at Everbank Field !!
Florida Country Superfest organizers announced today that Kenny Chesney, Zac Brown Band, Keith Urban, Brantley Gilbert, Cole Swindell, Tyler Farr, David Nail, Colt Ford, The Swon Brothers and Danielle Bradbery will headline the second edition of the [...]
« 1 … 9 10
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line793
|
__label__wiki
| 0.682942
| 0.682942
|
explore All Grand Canyon Coverage↝
Grand Canyon in focus ⬿
Arizona issues permits for three uranium mines near Grand Canyon
The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) has approved water and air quality permits for three uranium mines near the Grand Canyon, including the Arizona 1 mine and the proposed Canyon Mine near Red Butte, a site held sacred by the Havasupai Nation. Brenda Norrell reports.
Sacred place of prayer for the well-being of the world approved for uranium mining in Arizona — as disaster reveals truth of danger of nuclear power in Japan
Arizona issues uranium mining permits that endanger water supply in Southwest
GRAND CANYON, Ariz. — As the earthquake and tsunami hit Japan, revealing the true danger of nuclear power, Arizona approved uranium mining in the Grand Canyon in a sacred place where prayers are said for the protection of the world.
Gathered at sacred Red Butte in the Grand Canyon to oppose uranium mining here in 2009, Supai said this is a sacred place where they go to offer prayers for the wellbeing of the world.
Speaking of the Supai responsibility to protect the land, water, and air here from the poisons of mining, Supai Waters said, “If we do let this happen, we would be the murderers of the world. We cannot let that happen.”
Supai Waters said that protection of the Grand Canyon also affects the weather patterns and climate of the earth.
“My people have lived in the canyon since time immemorial. The canyons contain power points and vortexes. If there is tampering or pillaging, the earth will not be the same. There are places where we guard. These sacred places have to do with the weather, the wind, the sun, the celestial movements. That is why we are here protecting it,” Supai Waters said.
Matthew Putesoy, vice chairman of the Havasupai Nation, said the Grand Canyon is a national treasure, inviting 5 million people every year to explore and be inspired by its beauty. “To the Havasuw ‘Baaja, who have lived in the region for many hundreds of years, it is sacred. As the ‘guardians of the Grand Canyon,’ we strenuously object to mining for uranium here. It is a threat to the health of our environment and tribe, our tourism-based economy, and our religion.”
American Indian Nations joined local residents to oppose this threat to their water and air.
However, Arizona regulators caved in to the pressure from the corporation — Denison Mines based in Toronto, Canada — and the coopted US government.
“Ignoring widespread public opposition, the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality today issued three air- and one aquifer-pollution permits for three uranium mines located on public lands within Grand Canyon National Park’s immediate watershed,” said the Center for Biological Diversity, Sierra Club and Grand Canyon Trust. (See statement below.)
The press statement was issued on March 10, 2011. The earthquake and tsunami struck Japan on March 11.
The Havasupai territory in the Grand Canyon is targeted by this new uranium mining from Denison Mines based in Toronto, Canada. At the same time, Navajo communities and the aquifer that provides their drinking water are threatened by new uranium mining along the borders of their lands in New Mexico. Already, the same area of Church Rock, N.M., was the site of one of the United States worst radioactive spills.
Between Albuquerque and Grants, where Navajos and Pueblos live, there are even more new uranium mining permits issued by the state of New Mexico: http://www.cibolabeacon.com/articles/2011/03/04/news/doc4d70271827536314023640.txt
Listen to Native Americans and local residents speak out against this uranium mining at the summit in July of 2009. Recordings by Earthcycles and Censored News. Scroll down the list for 93 audio recordings from the summit at Red Butte: http://www.earthcycles.net/nts
There will be a benefit concert to Stop Uranium Mining at the Grand Canyon on March 26th in Flagstaff at the Orpheum Theater.
From: http://www.stopuraniummining.org/ Facebook: www.facebook.com/stopuraniummining
Arizona Regulators Risk Damage to Water, Air Near Grand Canyon With Uranium Mine Permits
Press statement from Center for Biological Diversity, Sierra Club and Grand Canyon Trust
GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, Ariz.— Ignoring widespread public opposition, the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality today issued three air- and one aquifer-pollution permits for three uranium mines located on public lands within Grand Canyon National Park’s immediate watershed. Two of the mines, EZ and Pinenut, are located north of Grand Canyon; the Canyon mine is located south of Grand Canyon. All three must undergo federal approval prior to opening.
“Arizona regulators are throwing caution to the winds by risking even more radiological contamination of the soil and water of the Grand Canyon region,” said Taylor McKinnon of the Center for Biological Diversity, which has fought to protect air and water around the Grand Canyon. “The Department of Environmental Quality has a statutory duty to protect the environment and should have denied the permits. Now it will face appeal.”
A U.S. Geological Survey report issued in 2010 found “elevated radioactivity is evident at all sites” previously mined or explored for uranium on public lands north of Grand Canyon. The report also found that “fifteen springs and five wells in the region contain concentrations of dissolved uranium that exceed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency maximum contaminant level for drinking water and are related to mining processes.”
In issuing the permits, the state refused to require monitoring for fine particulate matter uranium dust, which can enter the bloodstream through inhalation; alpha radiation can then impact cells and DNA, causing cancer and genetic defects. Fine particulate dust has been linked to several forms of toxicity in humans.
The aquifer pollution permit lacks aquifer water-quality monitoring down-gradient of the mine. It also lacks a remediation plan or bonding for such a plan in case aquifer contamination occurs. The permit issued is a “general” permit — the kind used for gas stations and other common facilities. Under the Napolitano administration, Arizona environmental regulators required a more stringent “individual” permit for the Canyon uranium mine.
“Given the potential threat to the groundwater and ultimately the seeps and springs of Grand Canyon, it is outrageous that the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality is not requiring the most stringent protections and is moving forward with permitting this mine under a permit that is supposed to be for activities that pose little threat to the aquifer,” said Alicyn Gitlin with the Sierra Club’s Grand Canyon Chapter.
Deep aquifers have already been contaminated by uranium mining around Grand Canyon. Officials are still unsure how to clean up uranium pollution leaching into two Grand Canyon National Park creeks from the closed Orphan Mine on the south rim.
“State regulators in Arizona can’t guarantee that mining won’t contaminate regional aquifers. If that happens it would be impossible to clean up, and the damage would be permanent,” said McKinnon. “The state of Arizona is playing a foolish game of Russian roulette with a precious and irreplaceable resource.”
Today’s permits were issued as the U.S. Department of the Interior conducts public meetings on its proposal to protect 1 million acres of public land around Grand Canyon National Park from new mining claims and the development of existing claims lacking valid existing rights. All three mines permitted today occur within the million-acre area; none of the mining claims in the area have valid rights.
Contact: Taylor McKinnon, Center for Biological Diversity, (928) 310-6713
Alicyn Gitlin, Sierra Club, (520) 491-9528
Roger Clark, Grand Canyon Trust, (928) 774-7488
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line799
|
__label__wiki
| 0.510476
| 0.510476
|
Tag Archives: fast-paced
A Town Without Pity
The Chaos of Order
Toby Ball’s debut novel,The Vaults (St. Martin’s Press) is a fine first work. Fans of crime novels and/or the suspense/thriller genre will find this an enjoyable read. Ball is true to the convention of short chapters and brief vignettes and anecdotes that keep the reader turning to the next page.
The Vaults are essentially a record (literally a criminal record) of one city’s depravity, and when the sole archivist, Arthur Puskis, notices that something is amiss with his detailed system of categorizing the files, the reader is led along a trail of corruption that reaches to the highest level, mayor Red Henry’s office. Set in the 1930’s, the story involves tales of big labor, organized crime, political corruption, and journalistic heroes, somewhat reminiscent of a Doctorow novel.
The story is best when it does what it purports to do: tell an action tale. The plot is carefully constructed, and the pace is fast. This reviewer’s primary criticism is that it became difficult to truly care about where the story was headed because it was difficult to actually care about the characters themselves.
In the first half of the book, character after character is introduced with little development and few clues as to what makes them tick or motivates their behavior. The character one is inclined to be most attracted to at the outset, Puskis, essentially disappears for a good portion of the first half of the book, only to reappear more prominently toward the end to help tie the story together. Frings, the reporter, who is the closest thing to a hero this book offers, is a rather shallow fellow and not overly likeable. In the end, Poole, the Private Investigator whose travails run parallel to Frings’ throughout the book, probably comes across as the person with the most conviction and integrity in the story.
There are a few moments where there’s an attempt at social commentary, such as when Puskis contemplates whether the improved technology introduced to the Vaults will take away a layer of humanity from the information people receive or when Puskis and Van Vossen, who has set out to write a book about the tales hidden away, contemplate the significance of the collective humanity contained in the Vaults and come to the realization that order cannot be imposed on the natural universe by man. Generally speaking, though, there is little of this. That type of thought and discourse is not really the point of this novel.
Overall, the writing is strong and unforced. The reader has to occasionally suspend belief to allow for some of the events to connect, but that is why they call it fiction. This book is recommended.
This review was written by Dave Moyer, author of the novel Life and Life Only. A review copy was provided by the publisher.
Tagged as 1930s, A Town Without Pity, action tale, archivists, Arthur Puskis, book review, books, brief vignettes, corruption, crime novel, criminal files, criminal records, Dave Moyer, debut novel, depravity, E. L. Doctorow, enjoyable reading, fast-paced, fiction, Gene Pitney, humanity, integrity, investigative reporter, Joseph's Reviews, journalistic heroics, labor unions, Life and Life Only, Mayor Red Henry, minimal character development, new authors, organized crime, P. I., politics, Private Investigator, recommended books, short chapters, St. Martin's Press, strong writing, suspense thriller, suspension of belief, The Chaos of Order, The Vaults, third look review, Toby Ball, violence
The Vaults by Toby Ball
If The Vaults by Toby Ball is made into a movie, it will have to be shot in black and white. A film noir mood permeates the City, from the desolate squatter camps in abandoned factories to City Hall, where heavyweight-boxer-turned-mayor Red Henry rules with a predator’s innate understanding of his opponents’ weaknesses. It’s big-city America in the 1930s, the heyday of the newspaper, when deeply flawed men can become heroes by exposing corruption. That’s where we meet Francis Frings, the Gazette’s star reporter, who’s working on a story that implicates the entire criminal justice system and threatens to topple Red Henry.
The hardboiled characters who populate Frings’ world – his lover, a sultry jazz singer; his hootch-swilling editor – are richly drawn. Frings’ investigation, alone, would make a compelling crime thriller. But his investigation is just one of three that threaten the mayor’s kingdom, and therein lies the genius of Ball’s novel: Three “heroes” with vastly different motivations – and no knowledge of one another – simultaneously begin tugging on the threads of the central mystery. Ethan Poole is a private eye with socialist leanings who’s not above blackmail. Arthur Puskis is the rigidly methodical archivist of the City’s criminal files. Mayor Henry lashes out at all who threaten his kingdom, his brutality kept in check only by the pragmatic consideration of public relations.
Ball’s writing is fast-paced and terse. He rotates the action from one investigation to the next, and in the process, fleshes out a world of ingenious criminality, unionizing, strike-breaking, smoky nightclubs, and insane asylums. The characters’ quests are provocative and timeless: Truth, Justice and The Purpose of Life. The book’s one weakness is the implausibility of the operation that Mayor Henry kills to protect. But The Vaults is such a good read that it hardly matters.
The Vaults (St. Martin’s Press) is Ball’s first novel. It’s a winner, and anyone who reads it will be standing in line to get his second.
Review by Kimberly Caldwell Steffen. A review copy was provided by the publisher.
Tagged as 1930s, America, archivist, Arthur Puskis, big city America, black and while, blackmail, book review, books, City Hall, complex storyline, corruption, crime, crime thriller, criminal justice system, criminal records, criminality, debut novel, Dirty Old Town, Ewan MacColl, fast-paced, fiction, film noir, films, hardboiled characters, heavyweight boxer, heroes, historical fiction, insane asylums, investigation, investigative reporter, jazz singer, Joseph's Reviews, justice, Kimberly Caldwell Steffen, Kindle Edition, labor unions, Mayor Red Henry, multiple protagonists, music, mystery novel, new author, newspapers, novels, original work, P. I. thriller, politics, predator, Private Investigator, recommended books, Rod Stewart, socialists, St. Martin's Press, terse, the City, The Dubliners, the Navajo Project, The Pogues, The Rod Stewart Album, The Vaults, Toby Ball, truth
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line801
|
__label__cc
| 0.738818
| 0.261182
|
Tag Archives: Marjorie Herrera Lewis
When the Men Were Gone
When the Men Were Gone: A Novel by Marjorie Herrera Lewis (William Morrow, $26.99/$15.99, 240 pages)
When the Men Were Gone, based on a true story, is Marjorie Herrera Lewis’ debut novel about Tylene Wilson, an assistant principal at a Texas high school who takes over the school’s football team during World War II, when all of the men are either at war or returning home dead.
Wilson has grown up an avid fan and shares many childhood memories with her father, but when she steps up to make sure the boys get one last chance to play football before the war comes calling, she is seen in a less than favorable light by many of the locals. Her heroic gesture is met more with scorn than gratitude, because “everybody knows” that coaching football in Texas is clearly a man’s job.
When Wilson finally clears the imminent hurdles with her principal and the school board, the team takes the field for its first game against a powerhouse program in front of a full house with reporters from hours away descending upon Brownwood, Texas.
It turns out that Wilson does know what she’s doing, and Lewis tells both an inspiring and enjoyable story. She does well to avoid too much commentary and simply leads the reader through the thoughts and actions of the characters, bring the story to a satisfying conclusion.
The book, however, is arguably a bit too lean at less than 250 pages. Its primary drawback is that a little more meat at times could have made for a better, more complete story. This does not seem to have been the goal for Lewis, but more could have been done to shore up the characters and plot.
Lewis herself covered the Dallas Cowboys for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and endured some taunting from some insiders before winning them over. She went on to join the Texas Wesleyan University football staff. Though not autobiographical, Lewis apparently relied upon her knowledge and personal experiences to lend credibility to the inspiring account.
Well recommended.
Dave Moyer
A review copy was provided by the publisher. When the Men Were Gone will be released in hardbound and trade paper versions on October 2, 2018.
Dave Moyer is the Superintendent of Schools for the Elmhurst Unit District 205 public school district, located just north of Chicago, Illinois. He is the author of Life and Life Only: A Novel about baseball, love and Bob Dylan.
Tagged as A book review site, a novel, based on a true story, Bob Dylan, book preview, book review, book review site wordpress, book reviews, Brownwood, Dallas Cowboys, Dave Moyer, debut novel, fiction, football, hardbound book release, high school football, inspirational story, Joseph's Reviews, Life and Life Only, Marjorie Herrera Lewis, new books, October book releases, recommended books, sexism, sports novel, Texas, Texas Wesleyan University, trade paperback, When the Men Were Gone, William Morrow, women in sports, Wordpress book review site
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line802
|
__label__wiki
| 0.767086
| 0.767086
|
Home Celebrities Martyn Eaden – Bio, Family, Facts About Chrissy Metz’s Husband
Martyn Eaden – Bio, Family, Facts About Chrissy Metz’s Husband
Martyn Eaden is among the many personalities who became famous through their spouses. Professionally, he is a freelance screenwriter whose expertise has been proven in a number of popular movies and television series. Martyn Eden married Chrissy Metz, a plus-size American actress in 2008 and even though they are no longer together as husband and wife, he has remained an interesting part in Chrissy’s love story. Let’s get to know some interesting facts about the British screenwriter and copywriter.
Martyn Eaden’s Biography
Since his emergence to the limelight, Martyn Eaden has revealed very scanty information about himself and his background. What we know so far is that he was born in the United Kingdom. Some sites also claim that he is Caucasian and he also holds American nationality. Details about his educational background and qualifications are still not revealed to the public.
Professionally, Eaden is a screenwriter, he has written a couple of screenplays like Death Factory, a 2014 horror film that was directed by Steven Judd. Eaden also wrote the screenplay for Spurned, a 2016 movie thriller that talks about a separated couple trying to make amends. The film was directed by Merik Tadros and it featured actors like Megan Hensley, Scott Donovan and Pej Vahdat. Martyn Eaden led a very low profile sticking to his own profession until he met the Chrissy Metz.
Martyn Eaden Family
Martyn is among those top celebrities whose true identity and family background is not yet known. However, we know the family he shared with the American actress and singer Chrissy Metz. Through his marital bond with the plus-size actress, he became a son-in-law to her parents Denise and Mark Metz and a brother-in-law to her siblings and stepsiblings.
Martyn Eaden and Chrissy met for the first time after the actress relocated to Los Angeles to begin her acting career. The two loved each other the very first day they met and they realized they couldn’t spare enough time to be together. Almost immediately, they tied the knot and their wedding was quite a private one with no member of their families making it to the event. The ceremony was held in a courthouse located in Santa Barbara, California, but the news about their separation began to circulate in January 2013. It was followed by Eaden’s move for divorce from Metz on November 2014 and on December 11, 2015, their divorce case was finalized on the grounds of irreconcilable differences. Prior to their separation, the couple shared no children together.
Facts About Chrissy Metz’s Husband
Martyn’s net worth
Martyn may not be as popular as his ex-wife but he is definitely making a huge income from his professional career as a copywriter. Although he is yet to reveal just how much he earns from his career, it is assumed that he earns between $60,000 to $100,000, however, his net worth is still under review. On the other hand, his ex-wife Chrissy is reportedly worth up to $7 million, thanks to her roles in shows like This Is Us which earned her substantial income, as well as numerous award nominations. Her annual earning is roughly $3.75 million.
He was Chrissy’ first boyfriend
While it is yet unknown why Martyn and Chrissy ended their marital union, what’s most important is that the marriage ended quite amicably, even though they received reactions by their family members when Martyn filed for the divorce. Chriss’s mother who also felt disappointed at their separation revealed that the copywriter was indeed her daughter’s first love and that it was their love for each other that kept them together. Even when Martyn tendered the divorce letter, Chrissy was hopeful that everything will be fine in the end. She wished the divorce petition will be ignored but Martyn was determined to end it all with her. He persuaded the judge to grant the divorce and even refused spousal support as part of their divorce settlement. He requested that the court allows him to gain sole ownership of his car and bank accounts.
See Also: Vanessa Vadim – Bio, Kids, Siblings, Family, Facts About The Director
Martyn Eaden is often mistaken to be Josh Stancil
Chrissy Metz ex-husband, Josh Stancil- image source
Martyn Eaden and Chrissy never hung out in public during their union and as a result, no picture of him is displayed on any social platform. As a result, a picture of her former boyfriend and Cameraman, Josh Stancil is often mistaken for Eaden. She met Stencil after her divorce from Martyn Eaden. They even got married in 2016 and separated shortly afterwards. Currently, she is hooked up with Hal Rosenfeld, a composer. Martyn has since his divorce from Chrissy kept himself off the limelight. Currently, he is believed to still be single.
Chika Udeh
Tanya Hyjazi – 6 Things You Need To Know About Chumlee’s Ex-girlfriend
Who Is Eddie Gallagher’s Wife (Andrea Gallagher)? Here are Facts to Know
Meghan Brock – Bio, Family, Everything About David Johnson’s Wife
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line804
|
__label__wiki
| 0.525169
| 0.525169
|
South_Sudan_2015_Jeffrey_Abyei_328518.JPG
Women dance during a conference on peacebuilding in Abyei, a contested region along the border between Sudan and South Sudan. Under a 2005 peace agreement, the region was supposed to have a referendum to decide which country it would join, but the two countries have yet to agree on who can vote. In 2011, militias aligned with Khartoum drove out most of the Dinka Ngok residents, pushing them across a river into the town of Agok. Yet more than 40,000 Dinka Ngok have since returned with support...
Women dance during a conference on peacebuilding in Abyei, a contested region along the border between Sudan and South Sudan. Under a 2005 peace agreement, the region was supposed to have a referendum to decide which country it would join, but the two countries have yet to agree on who can vote. In 2011, militias aligned with Khartoum drove out most of the Dinka Ngok residents, pushing them across a river into the town of Agok. Yet more than 40,000 Dinka Ngok have since returned with support from Caritas South Sudan, which has drilled wells, built houses, opened clinics and provided seeds and tools for the returnees. Peace remains elusive, however, and Caritas is supporting a series of conferences between all the stakeholders in the area.
contested area
Cordaid
Agok
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line805
|
__label__cc
| 0.580734
| 0.419266
|
[Press release] Elsevier Announces the Launch of Atlas: Research for a Better World | Elsevier
Elsevier Announces the Launch of Atlas: Research for a Better World | Elsevier.
Only three articles so far, may be worth returning to in the future. Bonus – all scientific articles referred to will be available for free.
Excerpt from the press release
ublishing about the science behind global issues that affect us all in a format that can be read by all
Oxford, January 5, 2015Elsevier, a world-leading provider of scientific, technical and medical information products and services, today announced the launch of a new virtual journal: Atlas. Published as a virtual journal, Atlas selects already published research on topics that hold high societal relevance or address global issues, and summarizes and presents the science in a lay-friendly, story format to reach an as wide as possible global audience.
Atlas showcases research that can (or already has) significantly impact(ed) people’s lives around the world. Articles published are selected by an external advisory board made up of representatives of some of the world’s most renowned Non-Government Organisations (NGOs), including the United Nations University and Oxfam. Every month the Board selects a paper from a shortlist of suggested articles published in any of Elsevier’s 1800+ journals. Once selected, the author(s) of the paper are awarded “The Atlas” and work with a team of dedicated Atlas science journalists to summarize the research into an easy-to-digest, lay-friendly story format which will be published online. Additionally, all articles featured on Atlas will include a direct link to the full research paper on ScienceDirect which will be made freely available for all.
– See more at: http://www.elsevier.com/about/press-releases/research-and-journals/elsevier-announces-the-launch-of-atlas-research-for-a-better-world#sthash.fGan6rY2.dpuf
January 20, 2015 - Posted by Janice Flahiff | Educational Resources (High School/Early College(, Health Education (General Public) | Elsevier, health research, journals, publishing, science research
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line810
|
__label__cc
| 0.733552
| 0.266448
|
← Libraricating
‘Gilead’ by Marilynne Robinson →
‘The Silkworm’ by Robert Galbraith
J.K. Rowling has a sense of humour. After it became public that Robert Galbraith was a pseudonym for her new crime novel series, she came to the Theakston’s Crime Writing Festival dressed in a suit and tie! Rowling has implied that the new series which started with ‘The Cuckoo’s Calling’, will go the distance as long or longer than the Harry Potter series, with at least six or seven instalments. This second in the series was, in my opinion, way better than the first, so I think she is finding her stride in this genre, and with the characters of Cormoran Strike and his assistant Robin. Although I don’t think this series holds any of the genius that she displayed with Harry Potter, I am looking forward to what is coming next. The series definitely now ‘has legs’, a pun in poor taste if you know that the protagonist is a war veteran with a debilitating injury.
‘The Silkworm’ is set in the literary world of authors and publishers and editors, perhaps because the author knows the publishing industry. When Owen Quine goes missing after writing a despicable controversial book, his wife calls Cormoran Strike to investigate. Quine has gone off before, but when it becomes clear that there are several people who are angry about the poisonous portraits he has written into the new book, and when his body is discovered in brutally bizarre circumstances, the investigator realizes there might be several people who wanted Quine silenced. I love how Cormoran gathers all of the suspects into one room near the end and flushes out the culprit – reminds me of the old classic whodunits. Cormoran as a character, in my mind’s eye, kind of reminds me of a younger, more handsome version of Fitz from Cracker (Robbie Coltrane).
Robert Galbraith even has his own website! (Robert Galbraith Website) I especially enjoyed the FAQs there.
This entry was posted in Fiction and tagged J.K. Rowling, Robert Galbraith, The Silkworm. Bookmark the permalink.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line811
|
__label__cc
| 0.59731
| 0.40269
|
Beyonce Donates Supplies To Underfunded Schools
Here’s a spot of good news to brighten your day: 2,000 students in the United States will receive brand new…
Arizona Charter School Under Fire For Teaching ‘Benefits…
In Arizona, a charter school has come under heavy criticism for using books that feature questionable religious teachings. The Americans…
10 Tweets From The Brothersphere
These days the “Twitterverse” is inescapable and who can believe that just a decade ago the term “tweet” was…
The Awakening: Youth Lead Civil Rights Movement Into…
Young people have always been leaders of change within the movement. Despite being thought of as the unengaged generation, there…
Watch Roland Martin Get ‘Happy’ With Langston University
“NewsOne Now” host Roland Martin loves to offer his words of wisdom every week on the radio and TV One.…
The Worst State In America For Black Children
When most people think of racial disparities in economics and education, the Deep South—due to its vast history of being…
Baby Mama Claims Metta World Peace Won’t Pay…
There seems to be little of his name sake in Metta World Peace‘s life. He was recently take n to…
State Of Black America 2014 Panel: How To…
With the release of the National Urban League‘s 38th annual State Of Black America Report, a panel discussion involving key figures of…
Should Algebra II Be Taken Out Of Secondary…
Several states are in talks about dropping Algebra II from secondary education. Do we really need it? Listen to “The…
Checking Race On Employment Applications In Higher Education:…
A new generation of young, Black scholars is working diligently to infuse the Ivy League with fresh perspectives and intersectional…
First Lady Michelle Obama Discusses Education On BET’s…
First Lady Michelle Obama stopped by BET’s 106 & Park today, Friday, Nov. 19, to discuss education and youth empowerment.…
Arne Duncan: ‘White Suburban Moms’ Scared Their Kids…
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan is wrong on several key issues — primarily the privatization of the public school…
Career Day At St. Thomas More Catholic School…
Career Day at St. Thomas More in SE!! Had an amazing time with the students telling me all of the…
Wu-Tang’s GZA Using Hip-Hop To Teach Science In…
Gary Grice, aka The GZA is known by many as The Genius of the Wu-Tang Clan, despite ending his formal…
20 DC Area Public Schools Closing Next Year
DC public schools is scheduled to close 20 schools that are “underperforming or under enrolled” next year, according to ABC7.…
Jim Crow: Mississippi’s ‘School to Prison’ Pipeline Targets…
Mississippi is a state long recognized for it’s systemic and systematic racism and bigotry, particularly towards Black Americans. The findings…
KYS Block Party At Martha’s Table
Rich The Kid: The World Is Yours 2 Tour
Summer Walker: Girls Need Love Tour, DC
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line813
|
__label__cc
| 0.732871
| 0.267129
|
Locations, Theories, Concepts
The actual location of the city of Carcosa is difficult to determine, if, indeed, it has one single location at all. Carcosa is usually located on the shores of Lake Hali, or possibly Lake Demhe, sometimes described as lake-seas, and then only at certain times. These may be the ancient names for lakes that no longer exist in the same form.
The nebulosity of Carcosa, both in location and nature, is one of its defining themes.
In The Play Edit
In the play we know of Carcosa as a ghost city, which may or may not exist completely on the surface of the alien planet on which the play is apparently set. There are twin suns that appear to orbit the planet (though, in theory, the planet must orbit the suns) and black stars blink out of a bright sky. Carcosa appears on the far shore of The Lake of Hali, across from the city wherein the play takes place.
On Another Planet Edit
Given the alien nature of the suns and stars, it is usually assumed that Carcosa is not of this earth, and its association with the Hyades has led to many sources assuming that it is located there. It is often associated with the star Aldebaran.
Lin Carter has used Carcosa as the name of a planet, the site of the Immemorial City, furthering the confusion.
On Earth Edit
Bierce's tale An Inhabitant of Carcosa places the ruins of the city on a planet from which the Hyades can be seen in the night sky above, clearly identifiable as such, implying this is Earth (or at least Earth as it once was). However, given that the Hyades is a name from Greek mythology, it seems likely that the city existed some time after the Classical period, or it is identified as such through some older name being translated.
Suggested real world locations include Arabia's Rub al-Khali region, and the Gobi desert. In addition, the name suggests a connection with Carcassonne in France. Philip Jose Farmer placed Khorkasa in Africa. Cold Case : Rona hints that it may be found in New Mexico, in the T'charcosa Badlands. In addition, the vagueness of city status for Hastur and Alar raises further questions of identity and location.
The Rest Of Your Life sets Carcosa in America as a sort of afterlife or spiritual trap.
Bearing a slight similarity in name, La Certosa is a small island in the Venetian Lagoon. Venice has a strong association with masquerade balls, and in autumn and winter it is prone to sea fog.
The Dreamlands? Edit
Carcosa has much in common with the Dreamlands, the dream reflection of earth that draws unwitting people into its fantastic realm - one theory has it that Carcosa is one of earth's oldest dreams that's been stolen away from earth and exists somewhere in the void between the stars. The Dreamlands physics of an alien planet might better support the black stars of the play, or the images of Carcosa's spires rising high behind the moon.
This theory is being worked up for the Call of Cthulhu scenario I Asked of Death Beside Me, in an attempt to unite the various apparent contradictions into a feasible 'truth'.
Retrieved from "https://kinginyellow.fandom.com/wiki/Location_of_Carcosa?oldid=8642"
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line818
|
__label__cc
| 0.715593
| 0.284407
|
Lawaspect.com
Plagiarism Cheker
Essay Category
Law Notes
Petroecuador (Ecuador) and Sinopec (China) Oil Joint Venture
Petroecuador and Sinopec agreed to create a Joint Venture that was supposed to be a big opportunity for both, the Latin American and the Asian country. These two companies are different in many ways, especially in the size of their profitability and technology development.
Sinopec International Petroleum belongs to Sinopec Corp., which is one of the largest integrated energy and chemical companies in China. It business mainly covers oil and gas activities. It is China's largest producer and supplier of refined oil products by annual volume processed and major petrochemical products and its second largest crude oil producer, following Petrochina. In 2007 it was ranked in the Top 500 Enterprises of China and in 2009, it was ranked in the 9th place in Fortune Global 500 and in 2010 in the 7th place (first Chinese corporation to place itself in the top ten). Sinopec reported in the first half of 2010 increased profits of 6.7% (35.46 billion yuan).
Petroecuador is the national oil company of Ecuador. This state-owned company operates three different divisions. The first is for exploration and extraction, the second is for refinery operations and the last one is for transportation and marketing of the refined products to the internal market of the country. It owns three large refineries in Esmeraldas, La Libertad and Shushufindi, each with a capacity of 110,000 bpd, 45,000 bpd and 20,000 bpd respectively. The production of Petroecuador ended in 2010 with a growth rate of 2.4%.
We can see by the difference of the growth rates, that Siponec has the power in the economic aspect. China is one of the biggest economies in the world nowadays and if Siponec y is one of the most important oil companies, that demonstrates that there’s no equity in power.
The goals of these countries are similar and different en many ways. To start, Ecuador is in the search of foreign investment and with this joint venture is searching for a one billion dollars investment to explore and exploit de Bloc 42, which is located in the eastern part of the country called Pastaza. Other goals for this country are a donation of 1.4 million dollars, two lines of credit, one of them to buy Chinese military planes for the air force of Ecuador. It is curious to find in the goals a donation, so it would be interesting to find out a deep explanation for this situation.
In the other hand, China is searching with this joint venture an access to the Andean nation, which in recent years has become a magnet for China. This Bloc includes two oilfields with reserves of 120.1 million barrels of heavy crude that would help to satisfy the increasing demand of these products in China.
One the most important elements in deciding how profitable and advantageous is the Joint Venture is the alternative of other partner for a similar and feasible negotiation. For China, the options can be a greater that for Ecuador, because Siponec is the company with the investment power. First it would be important to determine if Sinopec is interested in the Latin America geographical sector. In order of production, the Latin-American oil supplier countries are Venezuela, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Ecuador and Colombia. Sinopec has realistic alternative with these other three oil supplier countries (Mexico stays out of the options) where it can invest for the oil extraction.
Ecuador, on the contrary doesn’t has these advantages because is a poor country and even it has the natural resource, it lacks of the technology and economic development to benefit from it. Even though, Petroecuador could count on Petrochina as a possible alternative, because of the already existing relationship between this two companies. Petroecuador and Petrochina signed a contract that guaranteed a sell of 2880 million oil barrels for China to be delivered in 2011 in exchange of a billion dollars in anticipation. This negotiation demonstrates an already existing relationship that could facilitate future negotiations or investments.
For Ecuador, the indirect actor in this situation is the assessor of the president. The president is the one taking the decisions, but he has a person of trust that knows about the area and can give reasonable and appropriate advises. The United States and the small intern governments of Ecuador can be considered as interested observers. The United States is interested in this because in the last years the countries of Latin America has been doing what the United States asked them to do and they were in some level their servants because of the power and the dependency they had o the big supremacy.
The United States won’t be please to realize that a new emerging powerful economy is entering in those places where they had a main power. The small governments in Ecuador are also interested observers; because owing to the fact that Petroecuador is a state-owned company, the profits it gains are suppose to be redistribute to the country in shape of public works.
The process of the negotiation consisted in meetings between the minister of non-renewable natural resources of Ecuador and about twenty Chinese business representatives of Sinopec in Quito, the capital of Ecuador. The purposes of these meetings were to determinate the common goals and the outcome of the negotiation for each party. This agreement was signed when the chair of he National Committee of the Chinese Political Consultative Conference, Jia Qinglinf visited Quito. In this meeting the President, Rafael Correa was present to give the authorization to the agreement.
The results of the negotiation were a Chinese investment of one billion dollars for exploration and exploitation of the Bloc 42 in Pastaza. Petroecuador holds the 60% stake of the joint venture and Sinopec with the 40% that remains. It also included a donation of 1.4 million dollars and the two lines of credit. One of them for 2.9 million dollars to be paid in ten years and the second for 438 million dollars to buy the Chinese military planes to be used in the Ecuador’s air forces.
There were not found record of influence of different national cultures for this negotiation. Even though the negotiators are from two countries with completely different cultures and customs, this type of negotiations involve huge amounts of money and that makes culture less relevant.
•(AUDIO) Petroecuador y Sinopec crearán empresa mixta (2009) Recovered on march 12th 2011: http://confirmado.net/economia/6720-audio-petroecuador-y-sinopec-crearan-empresa-mixta.html •Equipo de Prensa. Petroecuador formará empresa mixta con Sinopec – Ecuador (2009). Recovered on march 12th 2011: http://www.bnamericas.com/news/petroleoygas/Petroecuador_formara_empresa_mixta_con_Sinopec1 •Empresa Mixta entre Sinopec y Petroecuador (2009).
Recovered on march 12th 2011: http://www.china-files.com/es/link/5105/empresa-mixta-entre-sinopec-y-petroecuador-2 •PetroEcuador Analysis Across the Oil and Gas Value Chain. Recovered on march 12th 2011: http://www.reportlinker.com/p0118024/PetroEcuador-Analysis-Across-the-Oil-and-Gas-Value-Chain.html#ixzz1HLsnfH00 •Petroecuador eyes joint ventures with two state oil companies. (2009). http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-11661186/Petroecuador-eyes-joint-ventures-with.html
Samsung group for future expansion
The ethnic groups in Malaysia and lts culture
Management practices of cross-national businesses in China
Criminals in the Corner Office
Competitive Intelligence Report of Sinopec’s Batam Project
Strategic Group
Swatch Group
Hyundai Group
Case Study-KBR
Summary - group communication theories
Law Dissertation Writing Service
Outline Answer Writing Service
Law Assignment Writing Service
Law Essay Writing Service
Manuel v. City of Joliet
Murr v. Wisconsin
Microsoft v. Baker
Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia, Inc. v. Pauley
Salman v. United States
Hi there, would you like to get such a paper?
How about receiving a customized one?
HAVEN’T FOUND ESSAY YOU WANT? FOR ONLY $13.90/PAGE
GET YOUR CUSTOM ESSAY SAMPLE
Plagiarism Cheker Law Essays Law Schools Law Notes Case Briefs
47 Bergen St--Floor 3, Brooklyn, NY 11201, USA
© 2019 Law Essays and Papers
Sorry, but copying text is forbidden on this
website. If you need this or any other sample, we
can send it to you via email.
Please, specify your valid email address
We can't stand spam as much as you do
No, thanks. I prefer suffering on my own.
Remember that this is just a sample essay and since it might not be original, we do not recommend to submit it. However, we might edit this sample to provide you with a plagiarism-free paper
Edit this sample
YOUR TOPIC ISN’T HERE?
We can write it from scratch
Working 24/7
100% Purchase
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line821
|
__label__wiki
| 0.645667
| 0.645667
|
Prof. Leonard K CHENG, President of Lingnan University
Trading facts in US-China dispute
Prof. Leonard K CHENG
Economic policy can clearly have a huge impact on the lives of a nation’s people. This impact can be positive as, arguably, in the case of both President Franklin D Roosevelt’s New Deal, which sought to ameliorate the effects of the Great Depression in 1930s America, and in the implementation of China’s economic liberalisation policy, which is estimated to have lifted hundreds of millions out of poverty.
Conversely, global history has repeatedly shown that, in extremis, misguided policies can lead to civil strife.
Rigorous research by trained and experienced economists can provide politicians with analysis and advice that enable them to make more informed and, hopefully, better choices.
As well as being President of Lingnan University, Professor Leonard K Cheng is also Chair Professor of Economics. Over the years, his research work has influenced the handling of financial crises and the arguments used in fractious international negotiations. Even though the responsibilities that come with his role of President currently leave little time for his own research, a study he had worked on is impacting on a dispute that has been grabbing headlines around the world.
Since coming to office, United States President Donald Trump has attempted to make good on his election promise to drastically reduce the US trade deficit with China. To that end he has slapped tariffs on a variety of imports from China and is threatening to greatly widen the range of goods affected.
Leaving aside the efficacy of these tactics, there has also been doubt cast as to just how meaningful the quoted figures for the US-China trade balance actually are. To help separate the statistical wheat from the chaff, a decade ago Professor Cheng was invited to join an international group of economists and quantitative analysts in analysing the export data from the two countries.
The goal of this project was to calculate, not the gross imbalance, but the value added embodied in exports in the course of this bi-lateral trade. This is because many of the parts used in the manufacture of Chinese export goods are produced elsewhere in the world. Therefore, for example, the value of the Chinese input in the manufacture of an iPhone may only amount to about ten dollars, with the rest of the value added coming from the imported intermediate goods used.
By analysing more relevant data, Professor Cheng and the other members of the team were able to calculate that, over the years, the value added in China to its exports had risen from around 40 per cent of their worth to, approximately, 60 per cent, today. The comparable figure for exports from the US is about 80 to 90 per cent.
Their research showed that, as its economy has become technologically more sophisticated, the value added in China has increased and also that, even in terms of this more appropriate method of calculation, China still runs a surplus with the United States. However, this surplus is much smaller than the one claimed by President Trump.
These findings have since been used in the trade discussions between the two countries and enabled China’s negotiators to point out it wasn’t fair to seek equality in the gross value of exports between the two countries.
To know more about Professor Leonard K Cheng's research projects, please click Lingnan Scholars.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line827
|
__label__wiki
| 0.74047
| 0.74047
|
Hill Update: National Defense Authorization Act
May 21, 2016 Lara Friedman 1 Comment
President Barack Obama delivers a health care address to a joint session of Congress at the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C., Sept. 9, 2009. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson) This official White House photograph is being made available only for publication by news organizations and/or for personal use printing by the subject(s) of the photograph. The photograph may not be manipulated in any way and may not be used in commercial or political materials, advertisements, emails, products, promotions that in any way suggests approval or endorsement of the President, the First Family, or the White House.
by Lara Friedman
[As we have over the past few months, LobeLog is posting excerpts from the Legislative Round-up published weekly when Congress is in session by the inimitable Lara Friedman of Americans for Peace Now about what Congress is up to and what individual members are saying, particularly about Israel-Palestine and Iran.]
Bills, Resolutions, & Letters
(NEW US-ISRAEL MOU) H. Res. 729: Introduced 5/13 by Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) and having 26 cosponsors, “Expressing support for the expeditious consideration and finalization of a new, robust, and long-term Memorandum of Understanding on military assistance to Israel between the United States Government and the Government of Israel.” Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. Press release touting the resolution: Ros-Lehtinen, Deutch, Granger and Lowey Introduce Bipartisan Resolution Urging Expedited Completion of New, Robust and Long-Term Memorandum of Understanding on U.S. Military Assistance to Israel.
(FY17 NDAA – HOUSE VERSION) HR 4909: Introduced 4/12 by Thornberry (R-TX) and Smith (D-WA), the “National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017.” For Middle East-related provisions in the base bill, see the May 5, 2015 edition of the Round-Up. All 379 amendments (submitted) are here; the Arms Services Committee’s amendment floor tracker, tracking the fate of those amendments ruled in order, is here. Details of all Middle East-related amendments and their fate are discussed in Section 2, below. NOTE: A similar round of amendments should be expected on the Senate NDAA, which will be on the Senate floor next week. For more on the Senate version of the NDAA, see below.
(FY17 NDAA – SENATE VERSION) S. 2943: On 5/12 the Senate Armed Services Committee completed its markup of the Senate version of the NDAA (the committee’s press release is here) and released a summary of the bill (here). On 5/18, the bill was formally introduced as S. 2943, and is expected to be on the floor next week, where it will undoubtedly be the target a round of amendments similar to what was seen in the House this week, including, quite possibly, new and much anticipated bipartisan (barely) Iran sanctions provisions (as discussed in last week’s Round-Up). Middle East-related provisions in the base bill are discussed in Section 3, below.
(FY17 DOD APPROPS) HR 5293: On 5/17, the House Appropriations Committee released the committee-adopted version of the FY15 Department of Defense Appropriations bill (press release here). The bill was formally introduced on 5/19. Middle East-related details of the bill are discussed in Section 3, below.
(TARGETING IRANIANS & OTHERS) HR 5203: Introduced 5/12 by Forbes (R-VA) and 4 cosponsors, the “Visa Integrity and Security Act of 2016.” Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, the Committees on Homeland Security, and the Foreign Affairs Committee. NOTE: Like earlier legislation passed by Congress related to the Visa Waiver program (see this article in the Hill for background: Visa Waiver Program Improvement Act short on prevention but punitive towards Iranian Americans), this new bill, under the guise of concerns about security, targets Iranians (as well as specified other nationalities) seeking to come to the U.S. for purposes of visiting, studying, or conducting business; it also targets Iranians applying for immigrant visas to the U.S. (for example, to join family members who are U.S. citizens). As noted in the 12/31/15 edition of the Round-Up (in the context of the Visa Waiver legislation, but in analysis that applies here equally): It must be emphasized that in all the years of U.S.-Iran tensions, Congress has NEVER BEFORE tried to limit the Visa Waiver Program [or put arduous – indeed, probably impossible to satisfy – special conditions on visitor, student, and immigrant visas] in this manner. Only now, with the advent of the JCPOA era, is Congress seeking to subvert new security concerns (unrelated to Iran) to demonize travel to [and from] Iran, penalize those who engage in such travel, and effectively discourage travel to and relations with Iran…”
(GOP HOUSE MEMBERS CALL ON OBAMA TO EXPLAIN HIMSELF) Trott et al letter: On 5/17, Rep. Trott (R-MI) led a letter to President Obama, co-signed by 23 House colleagues, calling on the president to “clarify your position on the most recent statements made by Mr. Rhodes and actions taken by your administration that are contrary to the promises made before the JCPOA was signed.”
(GOP SENATORS CALL FOR WHITE HOUSE OFFICIAL TO BE FIRED) Kirk-Cornyn-Barrasso letter to Obama: On 5/16, in the wake of the recent profile of Ben Rhodes in the New York Times,
Senators Kirk (R-IL), Cornyn (R-TX), Barrasso (R-WY) and Perdue (R-GA) sent a letter to President Obama calling on him to “dismiss Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes before he further tarnishes the Office of the President.” The Free Beacon reported on the letter, here (the article is re-posted on Kirk’s website in the place you’d normally expect a press release on a letter that Kirk is leading). Perdue’s press release is here.
(PRESSURE EGYPT ON HUMAN RIGHTS) Beyer et al letter: On 5/12, Rep. Beyer (D-VA) and 27 House colleagues sent a letter to Secretary of State Kerry urging him to “continue to press Egyptian officials to end the campaign of harassment that threatens to close down vital institutions promoting basic human rights and freedoms protected by the Egyptian Constitution.” Beyer’s press release is here.
FY17 NDAA – On the House Floor (Mideast-related amdts)
(FY17 NDAA – HOUSE VERSION) HR 4909: Introduced 4/12 by Thornberry (R-TX) and Smith (D-WA), the “National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017.” For Middle East-related provisions in the base bill, see the May 5, 2015 edition of the Round-Up. All 379 amendments (submitted) are here; the Arms Services Committee’s amendment floor tracker, tracking the fate of those amendments ruled in order, is here. Details of all Middle East-related amendments are below. NOTE: A similar round of amendments should be expected on the Senate NDAA, which will be on the Senate floor next week. For more on the Senate version of the NDAA, see below.
Amendments Made “in order” and Adopted (in various groups of en bloc amendments)
(ISRAEL/IRAN) Roskam (R-IL): (original text here; revised text here) This amendment was amended substantially before being adopted. Originally the amendment was described as follows: “Establishes the sense of Congress that Israelshould be delivered the defensive mechanisms necessary to ensure its independent capability to remove any existential threats and defend its vital national interests. It also requires the President to report on the necessary defensive mechanisms required and on the availability for sale or transfer of these items to Israel.” As noted in last week’s Round-Up, the amendment went beyond asserting/supporting Israel’s right to self-defense, to asserting/supporting Israel’s right to “remove” anything it (or Congress) defines as an existential threat to Israel – and the amendment explicitly defines as such a threat “nuclear and ballistic missile facilities in Iran.” In effect, it was a green light for Israel to attack Iran and calls for the U.S. to provide systems needed to make such an attack possible. While such an approach may appeal to Roskam, it apparently met with objections from others in Congress, leading Roskam to re-draft the amendment. The new version is summarized as follows: “Establishes the sense of Congress that Israel should be able to defend its vital national interests and protect its territory and population against existential threats and mandates that the President report on the necessary defensive mechanisms required and requested by Israel to protect itself against existential threats and on the availability for sale or transfer of these items to Israel.” The new language does not assert anything about Israel “removing” threats.
(ISRAEL) Higgins (D-NY) & Loudermilk (R-GA): “Authorizes the provision of maritime assistance to Israel in order to protect its offshore energy resources and infrastructure from state and non-state actors.” [Higgins & Loudermilk have also offered this as a freestanding bill: HR 5066]. Loudermilk’s 5/18 press release on the amendment is here.
(ISRAEL/WATER) Meng (D-NY): “LATE REVISED Authorizes the Secretary of Defense, with the concurrence of the Secretary of State, to enter into agreements with governments of foreign countries, such as Israel and other nations that excel in addressing water scarcity and water resource development issues, in order to develop land-based water resources in support of and in preparation for contingency operations.”
(IRAN) Roskam (R-IL): “Requires the President to report on the use by the Government of Iran of commercial aircraft and related services for illicit military or other activities.” Roskam spoke on the floor 5/18 in support of his amendment (and tying it explicitly to Boeing).
(IRAN) Pompeo (R-KS) & Lipinski (D-IL): “Requires the Secretary of Defense to submit a report to Congress on cooperation between Iran and the Russian Federation and to what extent such cooperation affects United States national security and strategic interests.” Pompeo issued press release on passage of the amendment is here. Lipinski spoke in support of the amendment 5/18 on the House floor.
(IRAN) Meng (D-NY) & Zeldin (R-NY): “Extends the requirement for three years, consistent with the FY13 NDAA, that the President report to Congress on the use of certain Iranian seaports by foreign vessels and the use of foreign airports by sanctioned Iranian air carriers.”
(IRAN) Ruiz (D-CA): “Authorizes assistance and training to countries bordering the Persian Gulf, Arabian Sea, or Mediterranean Sea in an effort to deter and counter illicit smuggling and related maritime activity by Iran. The program will run through FY2020.” Ruiz spoke on the House floor 5/18 in support of his amendment.
(IRAN) Peters, Scott (D-CA): “Expresses the Sense of Congress that the United States should work with our Gulf Cooperation Council allies to encourage an enable an integrated ballistic missile defense system to prevent an attack by Iran against such countries.” Peters spoke on the House floor 5/18 in support of his amendment:
(IRAN) Moulton (D-MA), Wilson (R-SC), Duncan (R-SC), O’Rourke (D-TX): “REVISED Requires the President to officially notify Congress whenever Iran conducts a ballistic missile launch (including ballistic missile tests) and inform the Congress as to actions the President will take in response, including diplomatic efforts to pursue additional sanctions, including through passage of a United Nations Security Council resolution.” Moulton and Wilson spoke on the floor 5/18 in support of the amendment.
(SYRIA) Moore, Gwen (D-WI): “Expresses the sense of Congress regarding the intentional targeting of attacks against medical facilities and medical providers in Syria.”
(SYRIA) Nolan (D-MN): “Prohibits funding from the Syria Train and Equip program to recipients that the Secretary of Defense has reported as having misused provided training and equipment.”
(SYRIA) Yoho (R-FL) & Conyers (D-MI): “Provides for a prohibition on transfer of man-portable air defense systems to any entity in Syria”
Amendments NOT Made “in order” (and therefore not considered)
(ISRAEL/GOLAN) Lamborn (R-CO): “Expresses a sense of Congress that it is in the United States’ national security interest for Israel to maintain control of the Golan Heights.”
(PALESTINIANS) King (R-IA): “Prohibits the use of funds authorized by the NDAA from being used to transfer weapons or other military assistance to the Palestinian authority [sic].” NOTE: There is no funding authorized by the NDAA for the Palestinians, for any purpose;
(ISRAEL/GOLAN) Boustany (R-LA): “Expresses a sense of Congress that Golan Heights is a vital to Israel’s security and at a time when Syria’s civil war has unleashed countless terrorist organizations on Israel’s Northern border, including the Golan Heights the UN and other international organizations should not issue statements or call for actions that would jeopardize Israel’s security, but rather should insist that any peace process must be based on direct bilateral negotiations between Israel and her neighbors.” Boustany press release (and video of his defense of the amendment before the rules committee)
(ISRAEL/TUNNELS) Quigley (D-IL) and Polis (D-CO): “REVISED Increases funding for the Israeli Anti-Tunnel Defense System by $21 million and decreases funding for the W80-4 life extension program by the same amount.”
(IRAN) Yoho (R-FL), Franks (R-AZ) & Lamborn (R-CO): “Requires that any future purchase of nuclear goods from Iran be subject to DOD reprogramming. Requires that any OFAC license would have to sit with the congress for 90 legislative days.”
(IRAN) Walorski (R-IN) and Roskam (R-IL): “Prevents the DoD from using FY17 funds to contract, or conduct significant transactions with Iranian persons such as those who are on the SDN list, part of the IRGC, or part of the Government of Iran.”
(IRAN) Ellison (D-MN) and Jones (R-NC): “Adds language that clarifies that the bill is not an authorization for the use of military force in Iran.”
(SYRIA) Nolan (D-MN): “Prohibits funding from the Syria Train and Equip program to recipients that engage in a consistent pattern of gross violations of internationally recognized human rights.”
(SYRIA) DeLauro (D-CT) & Granger (R-TX): “Prohibits the Department of Defense from entering into a contract or subcontract with Russia’s state-arms dealer Rosoboronexport unless the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretary of State and Director of National Intelligence, certifies that the firm ceased transferring weapons to Syria, Russia pulled out of Crimea, Russian forces have withdrawn from the eastern boarder of Ukraine, and that Russia is not otherwise actively destabilizing Ukraine. Any such certification would be reviewed by the Defense Department Inspector General.”
(SYRIA) Gabbard (D-HI), Nolan (D-MN), Takai (D-HI) & Jones (R-NC): “Removes the extension of authority for the Syria train and equip program.”
(SYRIA) Yoho (R-FL) & Peters, Scott (D-CA): “Expresses a sense of Congress condemning Assad’s regime for its use of chemical weapons, including chlorine, on the people of Syria. Includes a sense of Congress that the President should offer material support for the collection of evidence of chemical weapons use in Syria.”
(SAUDI ARABIA) Conyers (D-MI), Grijalva (D-AZ), Ellison (D-MN) & McGovern (D-MA): “States that none of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available for fiscal year 2017 for the Department of Defense may be obligated or expended to transfer or authorize the transfer of any cluster munitions to Saudi Arabia.”
Amendments Withdrawn
(IRAN) Lamborn (R-CO), Franks (R-AZ), Pompeo (R-KS), Hartzler (R-MO): “Expresses a sense of Congress that none of the funds authorized by this Act or otherwise made available to any Federal department or agency should be obligated or expended to purchase heavy water produced in Iran.” Lamborn spoke on the House floor 5/17 about his amendment: “…The reason this amendment was withdrawn and won’t be under consideration in the Committee on Rules for discussion later today is because it deserves to have stand-alone treatment. It is that important… We must not authorize funds to purchase heavy water from Iran. Because this issue is so important, I will work with leadership to make sure that we consider this later as stand-alone legislation.”
(IRAN) Maloney, Sean (D-NY): “Requires the Director of National Intelligence to establish an integration cell among intelligence agencies to monitor Iranian implementation of and compliance with the JCPOA. Also encourages the creation of a joint intelligence fusion cell to combat Iranian support for terrorist proxy entities.”
(IRAN) Pompeo (R-KS) & Hill (R-AR): “Prohibits funds authorized or made available by this act to be obligated or expended to purchase heavy water produced in Iran.”
FY17 NDAA – Senate Version
On 5/12 the Senate Armed Services Committee completed its markup of the Senate version of the NDAA (the committee’s press release is here) and released a summary of the bill (here). That summary notes that the bill authorizes $239 million for U.S.-Israeli cooperative missile defense programs, including a $135 million increase to support continued development of the Arrow, Arrow 3, and David’s Sling programs. It notes too that the bill also authorizes $42 million for procurement of Tamir interceptors from the Iron Dome short range rocket defense system and $50 million for the U.S.-Israel anti-tunneling cooperation program.
On 5/18, the bill was formally introduced as S. 2943:, and is expected to be on the floor next week, where it will undoubtedly be the target a round of amendments similar to what was seen in the House this week, including, quite possibly, new and much anticipated bipartisan (barely) Iran sanctions provisions (as discussed in last week’s Round-Up).
Middle East-related provisions in the base bill are as follows:
Sec. 1226: “Additional elements in the annual report on the military power of Iran.” This section amends an existing required report to Congress on Iran to included “an assessment of Iran’s cyber capabilities, including an assessment of Iran’s ability to mask its cyber operations through the use of proxies, irregular forces, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, and other actors” and “an assessment of any assistance to, assistance from, or cooperation by Iran with other countries and non-state actors to increase cyber capabilities.”
Section 1272: “Extension and expansion of authority to support border security operations of certain foreign countries.” This section takes existing authority to support border security operations of certain foreign countries, currently applicable to the Governments of Jordan and Lebanon, and extends/expands it to apply to the Governments of Egypt and Tunisia. It notes specifically that it applies to “Efforts of the armed forces of Egypt and the armed forces of Tunisia to increase security and sustain increased security along the border of Egypt and the border of Tunisia with Libya, as applicable.”
Section 1273: “Modification and clarification of United States-Israel anti-tunnel cooperation authority.” This section increases available funding for this anti-tunnel cooperation from $25 million in FY16 to $50 million in FY17 and specifies that not less than 50% of the amount provided by the US in FY16 “shall be used in fiscal year 2017 for research, development, test, and evaluation activities for purposes of such section in the United States.”
Section 1640: “Deterrence of adversaries in cyberspace.” This section a report on deterrence of adversaries in cyberspace: “Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff shall submit to the President and the congressional defense committees a report on the military and nonmilitary options available to the United States to deter Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, and terrorist organizations in cyberspace.” It also goes into detail about what must be included in the report.
Section 1662: “Iron Dome short-range rocket defense system codevelopment and coproduction.” This section stipulates that of funds appropriated for Procurement, Defense-wide, and available for the Missile Defense Agency, “not more than $42,000,000 may be provided to the Government of Israel to procure Tamir interceptors for the Iron Dome short-range rocket defense system through coproduction of such interceptors in the United States by industry of the
Section 4201: “ Research, development, test, and evaluation.” This section (a detailed table) earmarks $238.835 million for Israeli Cooperative Programs (the FY17 Administration request was for $103.835 million). The table sub-earmarks those funds as follows: $50 million for the Arrow (base program); $25 million for the Arrow-3; and $60 million for David’s Sling.
FY17 Defense Approps – Middle East-related Elements (HOUSE)
On 5/17, the House Appropriations Committee released the committee-adopted version of the FY15 Department of Defense Appropriations bill (press release here, bill text here. On 5/17, the bill was formally introduced as HR 5293, along with the accompanying committee report. Middle East-related details of the bill and report are discussed below.
(Bill language) Funding for Israel: Section 8068 of the bill earmarks a total of $600,735,000 in funding for “Israeli Cooperative Programs.” This funding, which is above and beyond the $3.1 billion in cash military aid (FMF) provided annually to Israel under the Foreign Operations Appropriations bill, breaks down as follows:
$62 million for “procurement of the Iron Dome defense system to counter short-range rocket threats, subject to the U.S.-Israel Iron Dome Procurement Agreement, as amended;”
$266.511 million for the Short Range Ballistic Missile Defense (SRBMD) program, “including cruise missile defense research and development under the SRBMD program, of which $150,000,000 shall be for co-production activities of SRBMD missiles in the United States and in Israel to meet Israel’s defense requirements consistent with each nation’s laws, regulations, and procedures, of which not more than $90,000,000, subject to previously established transfer procedures, may be obligated or expended until establishment of a U.S.-Israeli co-production agreement for SRBMD;
$204.893 million for “an upper-tier component to the Israeli Missile Defense Architecture, of which $120,000,000 shall be for co-production activities of Arrow 3 Upper Tier missiles in the United States and in Israel to meet Israel’s defense requirements consistent with each nation’s laws, regulations, and procedures, of which not more than $70,000,000, subject to previously established transfer procedures, may be obligated or expended until establishment of a U.S.-Israeli co-production agreement for Arrow Upper Tier;” and
$67.331 million for the Arrow System Improvement Program “including development of a long range, ground and airborne, detection suite.”
(Bill language) Funding for Jordan: Funding for Jordan is made available in several areas of the bill:
Under “Operation and Maintenance, Defense-Wide,” it is provided that an unspecified amount of funds “may be used to support the Government of Jordan, in such amounts as the Secretary of Defense may determine, to enhance the ability of the armed forces of Jordan to increase or sustain security along its borders, upon 15 days prior written notification to the congressional defense committees outlining the amounts intended to be provided and the nature of the expenses incurred.”
Section 9012 of the bill stipulates that “Up to $500,000,000 of funds appropriated by this Act for the Counterterrorism Partnerships Fund may be used to provide assistance to the Government of Jordan to support the armed forces of Jordan and to enhance security along its borders.”
(Report language) US-Israel Anti-Tunneling Technology: While not specifically earmarked in in the bill, the report notes that “In fiscal year 2016 the United States and Israel jointly initiated the development of a system to detect tunnels built by its enemies, in an effort to prevent future terrorist ncursions on the Israeli border. This new system may also have an application in curbing illegal migration on United States borders. Of the funding provided in fiscal year 2016, Israel promised to match contributions with a combination of actual funding and in-kind contributions of up to the appropriated level of $40,000,000. For fiscal year 2017, the Israeli government has requested and the Committee recommendation provides an additional $42,700,000 to continue this effort. The Committee understands that when practical, every effort will be made to complete portions of this research that are better accomplished in the United States by United States vendors and military research and development centers.”
(Report language) Security Clearance Determinations: The report notes that “The Committee is interested in understanding trends related to security clearance determinations, both initial or periodic reinvestigations, and denials due to Foreign Preference or Foreign Influence. The Committee directs the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Director of National Intelligence, to submit a report to the congressional defense committees not later than 180 days after the enactment of this Act that includes the number of denials or revocations of security clearance requests for fiscal year 2016 and fiscal year 2017 and a list of countries and the number of times each was cited per Guideline B (Foreign Influence) or Guideline C (Foreign Preference) as the disqualifying security concern cause for denial, revocation, or adjudicative delay exceeding one year.” On 5/17, Rep. Israel (D-NY) issued a press release taking credit for this provision (and making clear that, while the Committee’s language does not mention the word “Israel,” this provision is entirely about Israel and accusations of anti-Israel bias in the U.S. government). The press release fails to make clear that the language is in the report, NOT the actual bill; technically that means that the requirement for the report would not have the weight of law; in practice, Administrations tend to treat report language as binding. Also see: Jerusalem Post: Amendment introduced to tackle anti-Israel bias in US Navy security clearances
(Report language): Iran: In the report’s discussion of funding for “Overseas Contingency Operations/Global War on Terrorism” it notes that, “Iran continues to threaten international stability, even though the nuclear agreement with Iran has been negotiated. Iran’s new-found positive public appearance masks its actions to reestablish Persian dominance in the Middle East. It has proxy forces on several battlefields and is working in the cyber arena to destabilize both military operations and global commerce.”
Analysis, military Congress, Iran, Israel, JCPOA, Lara Friedman, military, NDAA, nuclear deal, Pentagon
Lara Friedman
Lara Friedman is the president of the Foundation for Middle East Peace (FMEP). With more than 25 years working in the Middle East foreign policy arena, Lara is a leading authority on U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East, with particular expertise on the Israeli-Arab conflict, Israeli settlements, Jerusalem, and the role of the U.S. Congress. She is published widely in the U.S. and international press and is regularly consulted by members of Congress and their staffs, by Washington-based diplomats, by policy-makers in capitals around the world, and by journalists in the U.S. and abroad. In addition to her work at FMEP, Lara is a non-resident fellow at the U.S./Middle East Project (USMEP). Prior to joining FMEP, Lara was the director of policy and government relations at Americans for Peace Now, and before that she was a U.S. Foreign Service Officer, serving in Jerusalem, Washington, Tunis and Beirut. She holds a B.A. from the University of Arizona and a Master’s degree from Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service; in addition to English, Lara speaks French, Arabic, Spanish, (weak) Italian, and muddles through in Hebrew.
Previous Article← Israel’s New Defense Minister Is Cause for Concern
Next ArticleIndia Cements Role in Iran with Chabahar Deal →
delia ruhe
Americans owe it to themselves to read Chas Freeman’s latest book, ‘America’s Continuing Misadventures in the Middle East’, which brings up to date his earlier Middle East Misadventures book – either that, or at least read his recent speech on the topic. This is how empires fall.
By the look of this report on Congressional activity, Republicans are setting the stage for Hillary Clinton’s first war – which, if it follows the historical pattern traced by Freeman, promises to be a colossal failure. Gawd help America.
Drawing Down Diplomacy in Iraq
Trump’s Bluster Diplomacy
Trump’s Withdrawal from the JCPOA Could Boost China’s Support for It
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line828
|
__label__wiki
| 0.858986
| 0.858986
|
macroafricaintel | South Africa – Mmusi’s DA (2)
April 26, 2019 ~ macroafricaintel ~ Leave a comment
Figurehead with little influence
In response to a question about one of his points about Maimane not being an effective leader thus far, Wits’ Southall has this to say. “There was always a suggestion that [Maimane] was backed as a relatively inoffensive black successor by Zille, and he has to try to span the awkward divisions across race within the DA, wherein there is quite a powerful old white guard. So the battles within the DA tend to reflect that.”
New African also sought to know why Wits’ Southall thought Maimane had thus far failed to capture the public imagination.
“Maimane is a preacher, so has some reasonable ability to capture the public imagination in public speaking, but is not particularly ‘charismatic’, and in fact is less publicly appealing in many ways than Zille in her prime, who speaks fluent Xhosa, was a very good campaigner in the townships, and could dance with the best of them.”
“Maimane is a bit stilted. To be fair, its a difficult role he has to fill. And as an opposition leader, he has to compete with [Julius] Malema, who is bombastic, full of fiery speeches, and makes a public spectacle, and is always in the news. In fact, he creates news, Maimane doesn’t.”
A recent incident vindicates some of the points raised by Wits’ Southall. No, the pertinent example is not the “forty-four out of ten South Africans don’t have a job” slip of the tongue Maimane suffered on the campaign trail in March.
It is rather the faux pas Maimane committed during Ramaphosa’s question and answer session in parliament in early March, when he attempted to ask a question in the local language. He made a mistake in the use of the right protocols in his reference to Goodwill Zwelithini, the Zulu king.
His error forced Mandla Mandela, Nelson Mandela’s grandson, who is a member of parliament (MP), to point out the difference between a ‘King Zwelithini’ and a tribal chief like himself.
“The honourable member just misled the house”, echoed Mandela, “there is a difference between a king and a traditional leader being a chief…King Zwelithini is addressed as such ‘His Majesty’”. Thereafter, national assembly speaker Baleka Mbete ruled that Maimane “be sensitive to the protocols”; amidst laughter by some of the black MPs. Maimane asked the remainder of his question in English afterwards.
The slight error on the right protocol was not the substance of Maimane’s question; which was on land expropriation. But to be corrected on such small but very important local nuances is probably evidence of why Maimane still does not appeal very much to the hearts of many black South Africans. He should not have to be corrected on these things.
Maybe a slight bump
So what are the DA’s chances in the upcoming elections in May? New African asked Langelihle Malimela, Johannesburg-based Senior Africa Analyst at IHS Markit.
“The DA is unlikely to progress much further than the 22 percent that it managed in the 2014 poll. I would hesitate to put a number to this, but I think that they will climb by perhaps three to five percent.”
“This is largely because the DA has done the majority of its growth over the years by eating into the share of other smaller parties, rather than eating into the ANC. In this regard, they have probably approached a ceiling and are unlikely to grow a lot more, at least for the time-being.”
“They have encroached a little in recent times on ANC votes, but not substantially. This is because the data shows that as ANC voters have begun to punish the ANC for corruption etc. in recent times, the majority of them have done so by not voting at all, rather than voting for another party, including the DA.”
“This tells you that the opposition in South Africa still struggles to take advantage of the ANC’s blunders.”
“In terms of manifestos, really the ANC and DA cancel each other out. Both place great emphasis on growing the economy, cleaning out corruption and improving education.”
“Where the DA has tended to fall short is in the realm of Black Economic Empowerment (or BEE). This is a policy regime that aims to transform South Africa’s economy by giving preferential access to economic opportunities to people of colour in South Africa.”
“Given that the DA is an historically white party, it has always been equivocal in how it approaches this matter and voters have tended to pick up on this.”
“The latest manifesto flatly rejects BEE in the manner that it has been implemented by the ANC, which has resulted in the enrichment of a quite small, politically connected elite, increased corruption and largely failed to change the demographic make-up of the South African economy.”
“But in its place, the DA has not been able to suggest a coherent alternative that prioritises redress, and speaks to the aspiration of a rapidly urbanising black middle class.”
An edited version was published in the April 2019 issue of New Africa magazine
Mmusi Maimane, the head of South Africa’s main opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) party, should ordinarily be popular with most South Africans. He is black and so should naturally appeal to black South Africans. And since he is married to a white woman, whites should naturally warm up to him as well.
As head of the DA, which is still adjudged by most black South Africans, as a party that promotes the interests of whites, Maimane ought to fit in perfectly. But that has not been the case. In other words, Maimane’s black heritage has not proved to be as much of an asset as the DA likely hoped.
Ironically, President Cyril Ramaphosa, Maimane’s counterpart in the ruling African National Congress (ANC), likely ticks most of the boxes on the key traits the DA likely sought in their leader.
Ramaphosa has mass appeal with Blacks, Whites and Indians in South Africa. And yet this should ideally be Maimane’s forte.
What the DA has going for it as a party, however, is a reputation for service delivery. It has demonstrated this in the relatively better-run Western Cape province, which it has been governing since 2009.
But why is this reputation not resulting in more popular support? One of the reasons is that memories of apartheid still run deep. There is hope that this might change in the future, however.
Younger South Africans, who naturally would increasingly have vague memories of apartheid, might eventually buy into the DA’s message; especially if the ruling ANC continues to flounder on the provision of basic public services and does not succeed in checking the corrupt activities of its cadres. But that future is probably still a long way off.
Thus, there is a sense Maimane is probably resigned to the fact that the DA may not be a ruling party at the federal level for a long while. And it is almost certain the DA would not be one under Maimane’s leadership.
What do experts think? New African asked Roger Southall, emeritus professor of sociology at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, who first highlights points on the subject from an earlier paper he wrote and thereafter answers our follow-up questions.
“The Democratic Alliance, the official opposition, had sought to divest itself of the tag of being the party of white liberalism by becoming more racially diverse and progressively transforming its free-market [orientation] into a social market orientation.”
“However, for all that it had increased its vote share and representation in parliament from one previous election to another, it had proven incapable of taking advantage of the ANC’s dismal record of governance and an upsurge of popular ‘Zuma must Fall’ sentiment which had swept the country during the latter years of his presidency.”
“Although it had played an important role in demanding accountability by Zuma in parliament and via the courts, the DA had been outshone in this regard by the theatrical performances of the EFF [Economic Freedom Fighters].”
“Despite the many scandals of the Zuma administration, the DA’s likeable but ineffectual leader, Mmusi Maimane, had failed to capture the public imagination.”
“Worse, his predecessor, Helen Zille (who remained Premier of the DA-ruled Western Cape) had antagonized vast swathes of the black public (whose support the party was desperate to attract) by a long series of ill-advised ‘tweets’ which highlighted what she regarded as the constructive aspects of colonialism.”
“To be sure, a solid party performance in the 2016 local government elections had led to ANC defeats and the forging of coalitions between the DA, the EFF and smaller parties to run Johannesburg and Nelson Mandela metro (Port Elizabeth) but these were soon to come under severe strain.”
“Indeed, the latter one had collapsed in a racially-charged dispute in August 2018. Most damagingly, the DA had fallen out with Patricia De Lille, its own mayor of Cape Town, in an extended fractious battle in which unspecified charges of corruption were rebutted by equally unspecified charges of the party being run by a white cabal.”
“De Lille’s eventual resignation from the DA, after various court battles, threatened to fracture its hold over the Western Cape’s Coloured community and, as a result, its control over the province (which it had swept in 2014 with 59 percent of the provincial vote).”
An edited version was published in the April 2019 issue of New African magazine
macroafricaintel | South Africa: Will Ramaphosa bring down the house? (2)
Out of his hands
In a nutshell, while Ramaphosa’s position as ANC president may not be secure, he has deftly ensured that his anti-corruption effort would be able to take on a life of its own with or without him on the saddle.
“South Africa is a constitutional democracy in which the head of government does not decide who gets prosecuted for corruption or any other crime. Not even Jacob Zuma could decide that, much to his regret”, says Steven Friedman, a research professor and renowned political scientist at the University of Johannesburg.
“Ramaphosa did not even appoint the head of the prosecution service alone – he was careful to ensure that she was chosen by a committee consisting mainly of professional lawyers so that he could not be accused of influencing the process”, adds Friedman.
“Who is prosecuted will, therefore, be determined by the National Director of Public Prosecutions [Advocate Shamila Batohi], an independent person recently appointed with the support of the entire legal profession”, the UJ professor avers further.
Already, the South African president has announced a new special investigative unit to prosecute the state capture allegations: “We have agreed with the new National Director of Public Prosecutions, that there is an urgent need to establish in the office of the NDPP an investigating directorate dealing with serious corruption and associated offences, in accordance with section 7 of the NPA Act.”
So, he is certainly heading in the right direction. The key question is whether he would be able to stay the course as the casaulties of his anti-corruption war start to get closer to home.
Oxford Analytica’s Robinson has cogent views on the question. “While his administration has faced public criticism for not hastening anti-corruption investigations, especially the slow pace of prosecutions or some notable withdrawn cases (e.g., Estina Dairy Farm, Ajay Gupta arrest warrant), the fact is that if Ramaphosa tries to interfere in ongoing investigations he risks going down the path of politicising South Africa’s anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies as his predecessor did – which is what allowed the process of state capture to emerge in the first place.”
IHS Markit’s Malimela also has some views on this. “Given the evidence that has come out of the state capture Inquiry, it is hard to see Ramaphosa trying to protect anyone.”
“Remember that South African courts are very independent, and while Ramaphosa has a slim majority in the ANC, the ANC has been losing power overall in any case, and thus in a parliament where they enjoy an ever slimmer majority, it is very difficult from here on, to protect anyone against whom the NDPP finds solid evidence (which won’t be hard).”
“The new NDPP is very highly qualified, competent and respected, and has left the ICC [International Criminal Court] where she worked for 9 years to return to the NPA where she began her career. Much is expected of her.”
“My point is that, it may not be all up to him, and how far he will go. And that was his intention. He has played it very well in the sense that he is giving law enforcement institutions the space and resources to do their work: and they are starting to. But it will be a marathon, not a sprint.”
An edited version was published in the March 2019 issue of New African magazine
macroafricaintel | South Africa – Will Ramaphosa bring down the house? (1)
April 5, 2019 ~ macroafricaintel ~ Leave a comment
In mid-February, Bantu Holomisa, president of the United Democratic Movement (UDM), a political party, exclaimed “we now know the cost of state capture…billions of rands have been stolen and state-owned enterprises (SOEs) have been weakened”. Holomisa made these remarks at UDM’s manifesto launch in Port Elizabeth against the backdrop of renewed load shedding by the country’s state power utility monopoly, Eskom, which the UDM president attributed to state capture. “Like Prasa, Eskom is no longer able to perform service as it should”. He was only stating the obvious.
At his second State of the Nation Address (SONA) a week before, President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the matter quite succinctly. “The revelations emerging from the Zondo commission of inquiry into state capture and other commissions are deeply disturbing, for they reveal a breadth and depth of criminal wrongdoing that challenges the very foundation of our democratic state”. More importantly, “where there is a basis to prosecute, prosecutions must follow swiftly and stolen public funds must be recovered urgently”, the president added.
Incidentally, Holomisa’s speech a week after, happened at exactly the same time the ruling African National Congress (ANC) president was addressing party faithfuls at their own manifesto rollout in Limpopo. “President Ramaphosa may be a decent man, but he is just one man”, Holomisa remarked.
“There is nothing to stop the ANC from deciding to remove him just as they recalled Thabo Mbeki and replaced him with a person facing over eight hundred criminal charges”, the UDM president added. Holomisa was also speaking from personal experience: the ANC expelled him in 1996, after he testified before the Desmond Tutu-led Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Incidentally, Ramaphosa had, only just days before, during his response to the SONA debate in the South African parliament, been defending himself against accusations by Congress of the People (COPE) president Mosiuoa Lekota, a former member of the ANC and former minister of defence, that he betrayed his struggle comrades to the apartheid regime when he was a student leader. Ultra-leftist Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party has called for a judicial commission of inquiry into the accusations by Lekota.
And about a month before, EFF leader Julius Malema also asked Ramaphosa to clear the air on the actual relationship between his son Andile and Bosasa (registered as “African Global Operations”), a facilities management firm implicated in state capture that was recently liquidated by its sponsors after banks refused to do business with it.
In light of this context, how far will Ramaphosa go to fight corruption within the ruling ANC and the state? How far can he really go? New African posed these questions to top political analysts.
Treacherous politics
“Ramaphosa has already started to tackle corruption by replacing the boards of corrupted firms and hiring credible prosecutors”, says Adeline Van Houtte, Africa analyst at The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) in London. “Cracking down on corruption and prosecuting offenders remain key elements of Ramaphosa’s agenda”, she adds.
“But whether Ramaphosa succeeds depends on elections outcome on May 8th. But even if the ANC wins, he will face ferocious opposition to the clean-up from within his party. He will therefore need to tread carefully as it would be easy for rivals to remove him from the party leadership”.
Thus, “Ramaphosa is constrained in different ways in terms of combatting corruption at the state level and within the ANC itself”, says Oxford-based Jason Robinson, a senior Africa analyst at Oxford Analytica.
Langelihle Malimela, Johannesburg-based senior economics and country risk analyst at IHS Markit, provides additional context. “It is all likely to drag though, for some time. In other words, it will be some time before many prominent people are actually put on trial.”
“What Ramaphosa has done is to place emphasis on building institutions and following due process. It has served him well in the sense that, when he has gone after someone, such as his firing of the SARS [South African Revenue Service] commissioner, he has prevailed in the ensuing legal storm.”
“On the downside, it makes him appear indecisive and slow. But he is trying to ring-fence these institutions and put them on solid footing in case he is removed in future by the party.”
macroafricaintel | South Africa: What is Malema’s game?
February 8, 2019 ~ macroafricaintel ~ Leave a comment
In November, South Africa’s public enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan filed a complaint with the police against Julius Malema, the firebrand leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), an ultra-leftist political party increasingly gaining ground amongst poor black South Africans. Shortly afterwards, Mr Malema filed his own charges against Mr Gordhan, calling him corrupt. Hitherto, Mr Malema had largely not been challenged quite so strongly by those at the receiving end of his sharp rhetoric.
That Mr Gordhan chose to go through the legal route could also be interpreted to mean he is confident no skeletons would be found in his cupboard. Mr Malema and his party do not believe that for a second. Still, there are not many cadres of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party that would be willing to take Mr Malema on that determinedly.
The EFF alleges Mr Gordhan has a foreign bank account – which ministers are not allowed to have – with the Royal Bank of Canada, for instance, a claim he denies. An investigation by News24, a South African newpaper, shows the bank account details were probably made up, however. It reports Mr Gordhan does not have Canadian citizenship nor is he in the process of acquiring one. So, he could not have been able to open the said account. It remains to be seen what the legal process would reveal.
Rising stature
But Mr Malema and his EFF party are having other effects on South African politics. Without a doubt, the ANC has tilted more to the left than would ordinarily be the case were the EFF not gaining popularity. For instance, the ANC argues the expropriation of land without compensation being championed by the EFF was ANC policy from the outset.
Most would agree, however, that had the EFF not made it a major issue, the ANC would probably not have been too eager to follow through on it so quickly. In early December, the South African parliament adopted the report of its constitutional review committee that recommended the amendment of the Constitution to allow for the expropriation of land without compensation. A clear win for the EFF.
The EFF could also rightly claim credit for now free tertiary education. Although former president Jacob Zuma probably did it self-servedly, having little else to show for a legacy, he was nudged along by the EFF’s rhetoric. And there have been quite a number of other political wins for the EFF. Mr Malema did mention before the fact that former finance minister Nhlanhla Nene was not as honest as was perceived; on the extent of his association with notorious acolytes of Mr Zuma, the Guptas, for instance.
Truth is, Mr Malema has been proved right more times than he has been proved wrong. Lately, however, he has been going off script. If his accusations against Mr Gordhan are proved to be wrong and malicious, it would hurt his credibility greatly. Maybe on Mr Gordhan, he is simply shaking the tree in the hope a fruit would fall down.
Evidence is beginning to emerge that Mr Malema enjoys an expensive lifestyle. His residence in a posh area of Johannesburg is believed to have been acquired via the patronage of a wealthy cigarrete tycoon. His increasingly vociferous verbal attacks and not so subtle threats against some journalists are also disturbing. There is also the issue of the failed VBS Bank which allegedly implicates EFF’s deputy president Floyd Shivambu and the party itself.
More disturbingly, Mr Malema’s rhetoric has recently begun to border on the violent. True, he often qualifies his remarks afterwards to suggest he did not mean that at all. Still, those at the receiving end are no longer taking his attacks lying down. His public spat with a female journalist of Indian descent is well-known, for instance.
Amid all these, it begs the question about whether the EFF can be taken seriously. And whether Mr Malema, should he get the chance, would make a good president for South Africa. To his credit, were he not of stronger stuff, he would long have been in oblivion by now, after Mr Zuma kicked him out of the ANC. So, he is certainly presidential material. But for a complex country like South Africa, is his makeup complicated enough to manage the many nuances of the job? More importantly, what is the EFF’s strategy? New African sought the views of Darias Jonker, director for Southern Africa at Eurasia Group, a global political risk consultancy.
“The strategy of the EFF is to come to power as soon as possible, and to merge with the ANC in the medium- to long-term to consolidate power and rule the country for as long as possible. Given this objective, their tactics change regularly as the political situation – and particularly the situation in the ANC – changes.”
Since Mr Zuma’s departure, the EFF has been struggling to find a new narrative. And since the ANC has been pre-empting it on some of its trademark policies, and even joining it to champion some, there is increasingly little difference between them.
Eurasia’s Jonker provides some background: “The party was created following Zuma’s ANC kicking them out, and thus an anti-Zuma narrative was pushed due in equal parts resentment towards Zuma and political opportunism that benefitted from voter dissatisfaction with Zuma.”
The EFF initially sought to work with Cyril Ramaphosa, Mr Zuma’s successor. So they did not boo him in parliament like they did Mr Zuma and largely went along with his policies. And until recently, there has not been much the EFF could whip the ANC president with. The Marikana massacre no longer has as much bite since Mr Ramaphosa promised he would visit the widows there with none other than Mr Malema himself; having been accused of insensitivity for not doing so hitherto.
A recent revelation that the president’s son donated a huge sum of money towards his father’s campaign for the ANC presidency and Mr Ramaphosa’s less than convincing forgetfulness in his explanation to parliament about the matter, suggests there might be something to fight him with at last. That is, if he continues on his dogged anti-corruption path.
On the defensive
“Although the EFF is willing to work with Ramaphosa if that brings them to power, they are being threatened by Ramaphosa’s anti-corruption campaign and overall reform agenda”, opines Eurasia’s Jonker. “In particular, two issues are at stake here: investigations by the South African Revenue Service (SARS) into Malema’s tax affairs and investigations by the South African Reserve Bank and law enforcement agencies into the collapse of VBS Bank. With VBS, the EFF allegedly benefited when funds went to companies linked to close relatives of Malema and Shivambu, and then were used to pay for services procured by the EFF or by properties occupied by Malema and his family.”
“Malema’s tax affairs have been a persistent problem for him: initially SARS was scrutinizing benefits he received from companies that won tenders in Limpopo province while he had lots of influence there as leader of the ANC Youth League, but then SARS also started looking at the illegal cigarette industry and in particular Adriano Mazzotti – an alleged manufacturer of illegal cigarettes and patron to both the EFF and Malema.” Consequently, Jonker believes “the EFF has been doing whatever it can to deflect these issues. Thus the attack on Gordhan, Treasury and the SARB [South African Reserve Bank]. They have also moulded these attacks into propaganda that feeds into resentment towards White Monopoly Capital.”
“Ironically, the EFF now has a shared interest with the Zuma faction in weakening and removing Ramaphosa. The two sides are thus working towards the same objective and are likely to be sharing and leaking information that could incriminate Ramaphosa and his allies. We saw this with the leak of information concerning Nhlanhla Nene’s meetings with the Guptas, and probably also Ramaphosa and his son’s links to Bosasa and the Watson family. These dirty tricks will continue, and indeed the fightback against Ramaphosa will continue, for as long as the Malema and Shivambu are threatened with potential legal action. Thus, we expect this to continue through to the 2024 election.”
An edited version was published by New African magazine in January 2019
macroafricaintel | South Africa – Inquiry nation
December 11, 2018 ~ macroafricaintel ~ Leave a comment
Nhlanhla Nene, the former South African finance minister, probably now wishes he stayed away from public office after his unceremonious exit a few years ago from the administration of former president Jacob Zuma. His “integrity” was paying off. He had some lucrative board memberships and there were probably more on the way before he was beckoned upon again to serve his fatherland. What did Mr Nene do? He lied about the extent of his association with the Guptas, a now infamous Indian family which rose to stupendous wealth on the back of the South African Commonwealth. This was revealed at the ongoing commission of inquiry into state capture led by deputy chief justice Raymond Zondo. Malusi Gigaba, another former minister, whose video of himself engaged in a private indiscretion became public, had to resign as well. His exit from cabinet was not particularly due to the video scandal, though. The Public Protector, the country’s anti-graft body, asked President Cyril Ramaphosa to take action against him in late October for allegedly lying under oath.
The two star politicians are a good study of contrasts. Their personalities are different. Mr Nene is ideally discreet, quiet and not one for the limelight if he can help it. Mr Gigaba, on the other hand, is attention-seeking, aims to be suave, and dresses flashily. And even as Mr Gigaba insists he has done nothing wrong, and that his resignation was not an admission of guilt, revelations since then suggest he may have likely lied about some of his activities in government. Mr Nene’s case is pitiable because there was really no need for him to lie in the first place. There is probably no senior member of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party under Mr Zuma’s leadership who did not have to deal with the Guptas at some point in time. And it is to Mr Nene’s credit that he never succumbed to the pressure they put on him to do wron
Public interest is served by probes
Asked about his thoughts on the trend of inquiries under Mr Ramaphosa’s leadership, Darias Jonker, director for southern Africa at Eurasia Group, a political risk consultancy, in London says, “This is a positive trend for Ramaphosa, in the sense that it is a safer tactic to use in his strategy to remove or neutralize his opponents within the ruling African National Congress. First, by building up a solid case against them there is less room for them to wriggle out of these allegations once they get tested in court. Second, because the inquiry is public the allegations against the Zuma patronage network are being aired in the open and the public is becoming increasingly aware of the scale and audacity of the patronage network. This will boost Ramaphosa’s image as a reformer. One downside is that the inquiries take time, and some people are impatient with the slow pace and want to see arrests and court cases: but Ramaphosa is playing a long game.”
Ronak Gopaldas of Signal Risk, a risk consultancy, in Cape Town shares similar sentiments. He believes the corruption inquiries are “definitely positive.” He opines further: “From a governance and institutional perspective, we have seen a positive shift since Ramaphosa took over. There is a cleanup being undertaken and these commissions are attempts to get information out in the open and to build consensus. It also provides Ramaphosa with necessary ammunition to act against those implicated without burning his political capital within the ANC, which remains tenuous given the narrow victory margin in December.”
But would it indeed help to curb corruption as envisaged? Mr Jonker believes so: “The inquiries are part of Ramaphosa’s anti-corruption reforms and will drastically reduce the grand scale corruption in national and provincial government and in SOEs [state-owned enterprises]. Smaller scale corruption will, however, persist across government and be a particular problem on the local government level.” For his view, Signal Risk’s Gopaldas says “the commisions themselves are simply a start – much will however depend on whether Ramaphosa is able to act decisively against corruption, reform the ANC and replace captured organisations with competent technocrats. In this sense, the commissions should be seen as the diagnosis rather than the cure.”
Simply put, these inquiries make a difference. And there is empirical evidence to back the claim. New research by Eric Avis and Frederico Finan, both of the University of California at Berkeley, and Claudio Ferraz of Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio de Janeiro published by the Journal of Political Economy in October finds in Brazil that “being audited in the past reduces future corruption by 8 percent, while also increasing the likelihood of experiencing a subsequent legal action by 20 percent.” Expectedly, there is now palpable hesitation on the part of some ANC politicians to testify before the Zondo commission. It is increasingly clear quite a couple of them lied about the extent of their malfeasance and misdemeanour under Mr Zuma. Could the revelations cost the ANC at the polls? What does Eurasia’s Jonker think? “Yes and no. The opposition will use the revelations to paint the ANC as endemically corrupt, which it largely is. However, other major opposition parties also have serious corruption allegations haunting them, and voters know this too.”
But Ramaphosa wins as well
There are other ongoing commissions of inquiry. One has just been commissioned to investigate the Public Investment Corporation (PIC), the investment manager of the state pension fund. There would probably be more. Consequently, Mr Jonker of Eurasia Group believes there could be inquiry fatigue at some point, “especially if there are no arrests of high-level state capture participants.” That said, even as the motivation for establishing these inquiries might not be entirely altruistic, they are inadvertently beginning to serve the public interest.
Ironically, some day in the future, there might be inquiries into how past inquiries conducted their affairs. But not yet; that is even as Mr Ramaphosa’s foes probably wish otherwise. Could the costs of these inquiries become a subject of inquiry at some point, for instance? Eurasia’s Jonker does not think so. “No. Ramaphosa’s detractors are complaining about the cost in an effort to undermine him, but in reality the cost of the inquiries are a fraction of the sums that were taken from the public purse through corruption and patronage. The public knows this and it is not keeping tabs on the costs involved.” Besides, “many voters who turned away from the ANC because of the corruption and mismanagement during the Zuma years will return to vote for Ramaphosa now that he is being seen as a fighter of grandscale corruption,” he adds.
Also published in my BusinessDay Nigeria newspaper column (Tuesdays). See link viz. https://www.businessdayonline.com/columnist/rafiq-raji/article/south-africa-inquiry-nation/
macroafricaintel Weekly | 10 Dec [Update]
Click here for PDF version
Date Data / Event Period Forecast Previous
10 Dec Nigeria GDP, % yy Q3 2018 0.8 [act. 1.8] 1.5
11 Dec South Africa Mining Production, % yy Oct 2018 -1.7 -1.8
11 Dec South Africa Manufacturing Production, % yy Oct 2018 -0.1 0.1
12 Dec South Africa CPI, % yy (mm) Nov 2018 5.3 (0.3) 5.1 (0.5)
12 Dec South Africa Retail Sales, % yy Oct 2018 2.8 0.7
13 Dec South Africa PPI, % yy (mm) Nov 2018 6.8 (0.4) 6.9 (1.4)
31 Dec South Africa PSCE, % yy Nov 2018 5.2 5.8
31 Dec South Africa M3. % yy Nov 2018 5.7 6.0
– Seychelles CPI, % yy (mm) Nov 2018 4.1 (0.2) 3.4 (0.2)
– Tanzania CPI, % yy (mm) Nov 2018 2.9 (0.2) 3.2 (-0.3)
– Botswana CPI, % yy (mm) Nov 2018 3.8 (0.4) 3.6 (0.7)
– Namibia CPI, % yy (mm) Nov 2018 5.3 (0.4) 5.1 (0.4)
– Nigeria CPI, % yy (mm) Nov 2018 11.4 (0.9) 11.3 (0.7)
– Ghana CPI, % yy (mm) Nov 2018 9.2 (0.6) 9.5 (0.7)
– Ethiopia CPI, % yy (mm) Nov 2018 11.1 (0.3) 11.5 (-0.3)
– Mauritius CPI, % yy (mm) Nov 2018 2.7 (0.3) 2.8 (0.4)
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line831
|
__label__wiki
| 0.759859
| 0.759859
|
I have five more pages to write today, and yet I just spent an hour and a half researching Sirius Black's tattoos. As nit-picky as the fandom is, I thought it very surprising that I couldn't find an analysis of them. Or even really good hi-res scans of them. Or anything at all on them.
The closest I got to the main tattoo was an alchemical symbol for amalgam, usually of mercury and silver, but in that case it would be inverted. Would inverted amalgam mean 'put asunder'? It could also be half of the symbol for Sirius, if oddly twisted, and the small one above it had the meaning of 'odelman', which I suppose could be some kind of on-set humour.
The ass-rune on his belly totally means that he bottoms, even though that's not what it symbolizes at all. But wouldn't it be funny if it did.
But the most curious thing about them, to me, is that there's writing around the main symbol; and while I have no idea what it says, it looks similar to how the Marauder's Map was laid out in the movie. Which made me think that it's actually a spell conducted in a similar fashion. But what spell? And would he have gotten them before being sent to Azkaban, or inked all of it himself while in the prison? Since he had been involved in making the Map, he certainly would have known how to do something like that.
But then again, he's got his prisoner number on his neck, so it could also mean that they were inked by the Ministry. If it's binding or a tracking spell, how would he have gotten around it? And since none of this is even hinted at in book-canon, why am I even theorizing on it?
Ps. Some of it has to say 'Cuaron ships teh puppies' in ancient Accadian. Or maybe 'I am Mulciber's prison bitch'.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line833
|
__label__wiki
| 0.944018
| 0.944018
|
Russia vetoes UN resolution on MH17 tribunal
Russia vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution Wednesday that sought to set up a special tribunal to try those responsible for shooting down flight MH17 over Ukraine.
(AFP) Russia vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution Wednesday that sought to set up a special tribunal to try those responsible for shooting down flight MH17 over Ukraine.
Eleven of the 15 members of the Security Council voted in favour of the resolution, which had been drafted by Australia, Belgium, Malaysia, the Netherlands and Ukraine.
Angola, China and Venezuela abstained. The Council session began with a moment's silence in honour of the 298 people killed, among which were four Luxembourg residents, in the July 17, 2014 disaster.
The resolution was supported by Britain, France and the US, which accuse pro-Russian separatist rebels of shooting down the Boeing 777 with a Buk surface-to-air missile supplied by Russia.
Moscow denies involvement
Moscow denies involvement and blames the Ukrainian military. On Wednesday, its ambassador Vitaly Churkin launched into a lengthy defense of Russia's actions, dishing the blame onto others.
Churkin said Russian investigators had been denied equal access to the crash site and criticized what he said would have been criminal prosecution carried out "in a closed fashion."
"What are the grounds to be assured of the impartiality of such an investigation?" Churkin asked in a speech to the Council, lashing out against "aggressive... propaganda in the media."
Western powers on the Council, as well as Australia and the Netherlands, whose citizens together with Malaysia accounted for most of the victims, castigated Russia for its veto.
They insisted the veto would do nothing to silence efforts to seek international justice for the perpetrators.
"It is tragic that Russia has used the privilege entrusted to it... to frustrate international peace and security," said US ambassador Samantha Power.
"The United States believes firmly that those who carried out this unspeakable crime cannot remain unnamed and unpunished," Power added.
"There cannot and will not be impunity."
A wreath with an inscription reading "To the victims of the air crash" is pictured at the site where the downed Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 crashed, near the village of Hrabove (Grabovo) in Donetsk region, eastern Ukraine September 9, 2014.Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 broke apart over Ukraine due to impact from a large number of fragments, the Dutch Safety Board said on Tuesday, in a report that Malaysia's prime minister and several experts said suggested it was shot down from the ground. REUTERS/Marko Djurica (UKRAINE - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST CONFLICT)
Rebuke on Russia
Thirty-nine Australians perished on board MH17. The country's Foreign Minister Julie Bishop attended the Council vote in person, delivering a stinging rebuke on Russia.
"In a world with an increasing number of violent terrorist groups and other non-state actors... it is inconceivable that the Security Council would now walk away from holding to account those who brought down a commercial airplane," she said.
"The veto only compounds the atrocity," Bishop said.
"Excuses and obfuscation by the Russian Federation should be treated with the utmost disdain."
She pledged to the families and friends of the victims that "Australia will continue to do everything we can to ensure the perpetrators of this barbaric act are held to account."
She added that Australia and other members of the joint investigation team would decide on an "alternative prosecution mechanism to ensure that truth does prevail and those responsible for this unspeakable act will be brought to justice."
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott echoed his foreign minister's remarks, calling Russia's actions "outrageous."
"By its actions, Russia has shown complete disregard for the families' right to know who was responsible and to see these criminals face justice," he said in a statement.
Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders expressed his "deep, deep disappointment" and said his thoughts went out to the families of the victims who had placed hope in the creation of a tribunal.
Most of the passengers on the flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur were Dutch.
Afraid of the truth
The flight was downed over rebel-held east Ukraine during heavy fighting between Kiev's armed forces and pro-Russian separatists.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin accused Russia point blank. "There can be no reason to oppose this unless you are a perpetrator yourself," he said.
"This tribunal is about the truth. If you are afraid of truth you are definitely on the wrong side."
Before the vote, Malaysia's transport minister appealed to the Council to adopt the resolution and said a tribunal would be best placed to "deliver justice to the families of the victims."
"All those who travel by air will be more at risk if the perpetrators are not held to account," Liow Tiong Lai said.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line836
|
__label__cc
| 0.597663
| 0.402337
|
WAIC
Weston MA, Just For Fun
weston’s First-Ever, Community-Building Winter Festival
The Women’s Community League of Weston (WCL) is organizing a community-building event in Weston’s Town Center on Sunday, December 9, 2018 from 2 to 5:30 p.m. There will be an inspiring tree-lighting ceremony, caroling by the Weston Friendly Society and Weston High School students, and an ice skating rink (weather permitting)! The Weston Rotary will sponsor marshmallow roasting around fire pits, and the Weston Dads will grill hot dogs and hamburgers. Weston Town Hall will be decorated for the holidays, and participants can enjoy such activities as cookie decorating, face painting and balloon animals. The WAIC (Weston Arts and Innovation Center) will have an open mike night. Numerous businesses will contribute, and some stores will be open for a Sunday shopping stroll. And last but not least, Santa is rumored to be making an appearance….
The WCL is the oldest service organization in Weston, and 2019 marks its centennial year. As you may know, the WCL has donated nearly $1 million to Weston students and organizations over the years, living up to its motto of “building community since 1919,” while offering educational, social, and philanthropic programs to members of the Weston community. Historical contributions include:
WCL began the school milk and lunch programs in Weston.
WCL gave the first computer to the Fire Department in 1990.
WCL originally purchased computers for three police cars.
WCL donated $45,000 to the Weston Recreation Center building.
WCL has a named room within the Library in recognition of its $25,000 donation.
These are just some of the examples of how the WCL has contributed to the Weston community in the past. In current times, its members continue to give back in ways both big and small. The WCL Garden Club maintains the containers at the Field School and sponsors the Memorial Garden in the Middle School drop-off area. Social and educational programs are often hosted in the Barn or in private homes, including chef's nights, "Friendsgiving,” gardening programs, and Speakers Series featuring speakers on contemporary topics. Last month, the WCL partnered with the WCCA (Weston Children’s Community Association) and Weston PTO to have author Nataly Kogan, a TEDxBoston speaker, discuss her mission to help others find more joy in everyday moments.
The WCL has been in the Josiah Smith Tavern (JST) and Barn since 1952. In 1974, the WCL raised the money needed to renovate the JST Barn and Stalls. And for 44 years, the WCL Clothing Exchange has operated every Tuesday (September through June) from this building. Staffed by volunteers, all funds raised are designated for scholarships to Weston High School students. Weston residents can consign or donate clothes and household goods to the Exchange. Lunches are served on Tuesdays as residents gather to socialize and shop.
As the centennial year of the Women’s Community League approaches, we hope you will help us create a new community-building tradition in Weston by attending and enjoying the Weston Winter Festival. There will be something for everyone! Mark your calendars for the celebration - Sunday, December 9, 2018, 2-5:30 p.m.
Tagged: Women's Community League of Weston, Weston MA, Weston Winter Festival, Weston High School, Weston Friendly Society, Weston Rotary, Weston Dads, WAIC, WCCA, Nataly Kogan, Weston PTO, WCL, Josiah Smith Tavern
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line839
|
__label__cc
| 0.634423
| 0.365577
|
Case of the Day: Third Point LLC v. Fenwick
H/T to Antonin I. Pribetic for bringing to light the case of the day, Third Point LLC v. Fenwick, 2011 ONSC 2068, an Ontario case on a letter rogatory from the New Jersey Superior Court seeking a summons for a deposition in Ontario. Canada is not a party to the Hague Evidence Convention, which is why resort to a letter rogatory was necessary.
The Ontario case does not spell out the facts of the underlying case in detail, but in short, Fenwick (who was not a party to the New Jersey case) was a securities analyst employed by Cormark Securities. He was the author or co-author of a document on Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd., one of the companies he covered, which councluded that “Fairfax was likely to perform with its peer group.” The plaintiffs in the New Jersey case alleged that the defendants there “did their best to dissseminate false information so that they could profit when the price of the shares of Fairfax declined.” The plaintiffs claimed reputational damage. The defendants sought to depose Fenwick, because they believed that his analysis was inconsistent with Fairfax’s claims.
After referring to the relevant statutes (the Canada Evidence Act and the Ontario Evidence Act) and the general principles that the court has power to enforce a letter of request, that it will do so when possible for reasons of comity, and that the court will not enforce a letter of request if “contrary to public policy or otherwise prejudicial to the sovereignty or the citizens of Canada,” the court identified six relevant factors: (1) relevance of the evidence; (2) necessity of the evidence for trial; (3) whether the evidence is otherwise available; (4) public policy; and (5) undue burden. Fortunately (from the perspective of U.S. lawyers if not of Canadian witnesses), the court held that it could grant the application even if the evidence was sought in the course of pre-trial discovery and not for use at trial. Even if the factors are satisfied, the court has discretion to deny to execute the letter rogatory or to limit its scope.
Although the letter rogatory, which was a request from the New Jersey court rather than the parties to the New Jersey litigation, asserted that the evidence sought was relevant, the judge undertook an independent and somewhat searching examination of the asserted relevance of Fenwick’s testimony and found none. This is surprising from the U.S. perspective, where relevance is defined broadly. Relevance for purposes of the law of evidence is defined as “evidence having any tendency to make the existence of any fact that is of consequence to the determination of the action more probable or less probable than it would be without the evidence.” Relevance for purposes of pre-trial discovery is defined even more broadly to include testimony that is relevant for purposes of trial and testimony that “appears reasonably calculated to lead to the discovery of admissible evidence.” The theory of relevance suggested by the defendants was that the Fenwick report “suggests Fairfax stock is not undervalued to any significant extent.” The third amended complaint alleged that Fairfax’s stock price had fallen from 1.42 times book value in 2007 to “amost 1.0 ‘today'”. The judge acknowledged this reference to harm that continued into 2011 but found it insufficient to make Fairfax’s analysis as of February 2011 relevant:
Assuming [the defendants’] interpretation of the [Fairfax] analysis is correct, why is it relevant? It is possible Fairfax alleges that it continues to suffer reputational damage in 2011 but I have not seen anything which suggests that is so except, perhaps, the paragraphs in the third amended complaint to which I have already referred.
It seems to me that the judge is applying too strict a test here. It’s not clear why the reference to continuing reputational harm in the pleadings was insufficient to satisfy the judge’s concerns about relevance. But in any event, it followed from the judge’s view of the irrelvance of the evidence that the evidence was not necessary for trial.
The remainder of the opinion is fairly straightforward: the judge found that the evidence might have been otherwise obtainable from other analysts who covered the company, and that public policy did not bar the application, even though Fairfax asserted that the application was objectionable insofar as it supposedly asked Fairfax to provide expert testimony. The court also suggested that the application was overbroad in some respects, though the overriding concern seemed to be with the relevance of the evidence sought.
It is interesting to compare the result here with the likely result under the Evidence Convention. Article 12 of the Convention provides:
The execution of a Letter of Request may be refused only to the extent that—
(a) in the State of execution the execution of the Letter does not fall within the functions of the judiciary; or
(b) the State addressed considers that its sovereignty or security would be prejudiced thereby.
Execution may not be refused solely on the grounds that under its internal law the State of execution claims exclusive jurisdiction over the subject-matter of the action or that its internal law would not admit a right of action on it.
(A state party to the Convention, by making a declaration under Article 23, may also refuse to execute letters of request seeking production of documents for pretrial discovery purposes, but in the case at hand the applicants sought only testimony, not documents).
Particularly in civil law systems, where the examination is generally conducted by the court, parties seeking evidence under the Convention would have to tailor the letter of request narrowly so as to permit the court to question the witness pursuant to its own procedures. But the court in the state of execution does not—or at least, should not, under Article 12—make its own inquiry into the relevance of the evidence sought to the underlying action.
Tagged: Canada, Letter Rogatory
Antonin I. Pribetic says:
Good post. It would be far simpler and cost-effective if Canada became a signatory to the Evidence Convention. It does not seem to be a priority for the last few federal governments.
In my view, the Ontario judge struggled with the paucity of evidence supporting the applicants’ (defendants’) relevance arguments. While the third amended complaint is lengthy, the relevance inquiry for considering letters of request (letters rogatory) is based upon Ontario standards for ordering pre-discovery production from non-parties (Rule 30.10) or oral discovery of non-parties with leave (Rule 31.10).
In any event, Justice Grace concludes by stating that “application is dismissed without prejudice to the applicants filing a further application with letters of request revised to address the concerns I have, with reluctance, expressed.”
It would be far simpler and cost-effective if Canada became a signatory to the Evidence Convention.
Agreed. It’s surprising to me that Canada is not a party to either the Evidence Convention or the Apostille Convention. Any idea why?
According to on the Hague Conference on Private International Law website:
“The Convention does not include a Federal State Clause. Such a clause would have allowed Canada to extend the application of the Convention only to the provinces and territories that implemented the Convention. Without such a clause, the Convention would have to be implemented in all Canadian provinces and territories, which is difficult to achieve.”
I don’t know what the Canadian federal government’s position is on the Apostille Convention.
Thanks–that’s interesting. The U.S. and Canadian approaches to federalism in this area seem quite different. Here, a federal statute authorizes the federal courts to execute letters of request, without the need for implementing legislation in the states. I take it that for particularly Canadian reasons that won’t work in Canada. I found this explanation on the web, and of course I always trust everything I find on the Internet:
Canada is a federal state comprising 14 jurisdictions: a federal government, ten provincial governments and three territorial governments. Currently in Canada, treaty-making is a power reserved for the executive branch of government, and is derived from Royal Prerogative. It is therefore the federal government that will negotiate international obligations and ratify (or accede to) international instruments on behalf of Canada.
However, due to constitutional division of powers in Canada, it is the subject matter of the international instrument that will determine which level of government will be competent to pass implementing legislation. If, under the Constitution Act, the subject-matter falls under provincial jurisdiction, as is often the case with private international law instruments, it will be up to each province to pass implementing legislation. Under Canadian law, there is a well-established principle that the federal government cannot pass implementing legislation in areas that fall within provincial jurisdiction (A.G. Can. V. A.G. Ont. et al. (Labour Conventions Case), [1937] 1 D.L.R. 673). Unlike other federal states, in Canada there is no residual power (to complement the treaty-making power) enabling the federal government to legislate to give force of domestic law to the treaties it negotiates when they fall under provincial jurisdiction. Only if the subject matter of the treaty is federal can the federal government pass implementing legislation. At times, the subject matter falls into shared jurisdiction, and it may be necessary for implementing legislation to be passed by both the provincial and federal levels of government.
If letters rogotary are granted by a Canadian court and depositions in connection with US litigation proceed in Ontario, will the depositions be governed by US law or by Ontario law?
John, let me first refer to you my disclaimer, which notes that I don’t give legal advice here. So if you are looking for legal advice in an actual case, please speak with your lawyer.
From the US perspective, some departures from the US practices that govern depositions are permissible when the deposition occurs in a foreign country pursuant to a letter of request or letter rogatory. Rule 28(b)(4) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure provides:
Evidence obtained in response to a letter of request need not be excluded merely because it is not a verbatim transcript, because the testimony was not taken under oath, or because of any similar departure from the requirements for depositions taken within the United States.
But fundamentally, the question of what rules the foreign court will use when acting on a US letter of request will depend on the law of the foreign country, not on US law.
Heraeus Kulzer Revisited « Letters Blogatory
Leave a comment to John Smith Cancel reply
« New-ish Hague Service Convention Table Case of the Day: Osorio v. Dow Chemical Co. »
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line840
|
__label__wiki
| 0.628968
| 0.628968
|
Running Out of Rails: Trump’s 100 Days
Every president has 100 days with which to set the stage for his administration, setting the tone for the rest of his tenure as president. Couple this with the great political, economic, and social dilemmas that are rending our nation apart, and that tone grows that much more important to a nation gnawing on anxieties and divisions that spilled over from the previous administration into this one. Let us not forget, however, that this man, so his most ardent supporters assured us, was a political ringer.
Donald Trump was supposed to be a titan of deal making, quite literally “writing the book” on it. His ran on getting things done, ahead of schedule, with everyone involved a winner. In a deeply divided political year, to the true believers, this was exactly what the doctor ordered. After all, for most of eight years, the Republican Party has been playing underdog in practically every political fight on Capital Hill. Finally armed with not only the White House, but a high octane deal making machine White House, the sky was not only the limit, it was promised.
When the starting bell rang and the gates opened on January 20, 2017, what we were told to expect was a thoroughbred champion-to-be. What crossed the finish line, however, has been a horse of a completely different color. With zero significant legislative victories, a handful of largely meaningless executive orders, nosebleed inducing 180º flip flops, a clown car of personnel changes indicative of vicious infighting, and a growing foreign policy scandal that simply will not go away, the first 100 days of Trump’s presidency clearly has not gone as planned.
“We’re going to win so much. You’re going to get tired of winning.”
-Donald Trump-
Let’s start with what we were promised. First, Donald Trump and his stalwart supporters promised us that, despite his numerous flaws, the smash mouth real estate developer tycoon was a brilliant and strategic negotiator, the likes of which has never been seen. His pedigree as a successful deal broker that his vocal supporters claimed made him worth the gamble. With his Midas touch deal making, he promised he’d unify not only the Republican Party but the entire country. After eight years of scorched earth demagoguery in Congress and from the White House, Americans yearned for this.
Second, Donald promised to deliver on priorities that all Americans cared about: jobs. While on the campaign trail, not a week would go by without Donald eviscerating the Chinese for cheating and stealing American jobs through “unfair trade deals”. Donald promised to get America back to work by getting forceful with the Chinese. Once and for all, Donald Trump promised to not allowing China to “rape our country” anymore. He promised, on “day one“, to formally declare China a currency manipulator in breach of international law.
Third, Donald promised to secure the homeland, once and for all. His trashing of the Obama’s demonstrably feckless foreign policy, especially when it came to dealing with ISIL/ISIS. The Donald made a big show of being willing to say “Islamic terrorism“, over and over again, announcing that not only could he defeat ISIS, where Obama had proven to be totally ineffective, he said that he would do so in less than 30 days. He would not only defeat ISIS, he would do so without involving the United States in the Middle East or getting involved in Syria.
Finally, among many policies that Donald Trump (and the Republican Party) promised to do immediately was to repeal (and replace) ObamaCare. Even though legislation repealing and defunding ObamaCare has passed the Congress on numerous occasions, faced numerous court challenges, and has been the source of deep political outrage from Republicans and conservatives ever since it was passed without a single Republican vote, it withstood all of this, largely through the veto power under Obama, and helped along with a shocking betrayal by the Supreme Court. If there was ever a low hanging pitch begging to be smacked out of the political park, this was it.
So 100 days later, how have Donald Trump’s central campaign promises held up?
“…[Donald] is a chaos candidate, and he’d be a chaos president.”
-Jeb Bush-
Take just five minutes to browse any social media site, and you’ll find that the virtual (or too often very real) blood letting has only gotten worse under Trump, far surpassing even the worst days under Obama. After “The Donald” angrily declared war on the House Freedom Caucus, with several of his surrogates openly threatening political retribution, any illusion that Trump is interested in unifying either the party or the nation are simply gone. Quite simply, as far as his promise to unify party and country in his first 100 days is concerned, Trump has been a fantastic failure to the point that it defies description.
In regards to China, Trump’s drumbeat of hard line rhetoric and tough talk has turned into a soggy bowl of noodles. Very obviously, Donald Trump failed to deliver on his “Day One” promise of formally declaring China a currency manipulator. Twenty-four hours quickly became forty-eight. Days and weeks passed. Other than an executive order calling for an investigative review of trade balances, China falls completely off of Trump’s radar. Then, suddenly, Trump has done a complete 180 and said China isn’t a currency manipulator after all. On dealing with China, Trump has failed spectacularly.
Trying to deliver on tough talk on Islamic Terrorism, Donald began his administration by green lighting a military operation in Yemen that cost an American serviceman his life and killed left women and children noncombatants dead. Even after Trump has done several victory laps after the Yemen raid (that has yet to have produced any actionable intelligence) and then dropping a MOAB on some terrorists in Afghanistan a few weeks later, ISIS remains very conspicuously no “defeated“. Then, after promising not to get involved in Syria, he gets involved in Syria. After 100 days, Trump has not only failed to deliver on his promise, he’s broken those promises while getting people killed in the process. Looks kind of like a fail to me.
And as far as the low hanging pitch right in the middle of the strike zone? To be fair, he had help with the aborted “Trump Care” plan. Despite having months to come up with a plan, after conspicuously challenged by Marco Rubio to give details about his big plan to replace the failing ObamaCare, and the Republicans having years to devise their own plan, the American Health Care Act was rolled out onto the launch pad, then quietly rolled back off of the launch pad without a vote. ObamaCare was the one thing Trump and the Republicans were voted in, election after election to do something about. Honestly, 100 days is about 99 more days than should have been necessary to have fulfilled this promise.
“You know what they say about men with small hands…”
-Marco Rubio-
Trump was billed as the king of deal makers. He ridiculed his opponents as being “low energy” politicians that didn’t have what it takes to get the job done. It should be crystal clear 100 days into Trump’s phony phoned in presidency that, if there is one thing that Donald Trump knows a lot about, it’s not having what it takes to get the job done. As far as what tone Trump’s first 100 days in office have set? Probably somewhere along the lines of a flatbed of bag pipes being slowly fed to a rush hour bridge collapse.
Yes, that bad.
100 days, China, currency manipulator, deal maker, Donald Trump, jobs, libertyisftw, MOAB, ObamaCare, Republican, republicans, russia, syria, terrorism, Trump, Trump Care, trump white house, Unification, Unifying, white house
Marxist America
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line842
|
__label__wiki
| 0.896004
| 0.896004
|
Warner Bros. Consumer Products and Hot Topic Celebrate Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows with Exclusive Product Boutique at Locations Nationwide
BURBANK, Calif., Nov. 4, 2010 /PRNewswire/ — Warner Bros. Consumer Products (WBCP) and its longtime retail partner, Hot Topic (Nasdaq: HOTT), have announced the creation of exclusive Harry Potter merchandise boutiques in anticipation of the Warner Bros. Pictures’ release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1, in theaters November 19, 2010. These dedicated boutiques will feature all-new products inspired by the famous wizard at each of Hot Topic’s 680 locations in the United States and Canada. Additionally, an in-store mobile application will offer challenges and rewards to customers who participate through their iPhone and Android mobile devices.
Beginning today, the innovative Harry Potter-themed boutiques at all Hot Topic stores will offer fans an extensive product line, featuring junior and young men’s and women’s apparel, including exclusive Gryffindor and Slytherin polo and tie combination tees, along with bags, throws, jewelry, key chains, stationery, posters and more — all just in time for the debut of the final title of the blockbuster film franchise.
“As fan excitement grows towards the climax of the Harry Potter films, we are delighted to once again team up with Hot Topic to create these unique boutiques,” said Karen McTier, Executive Vice President of Domestic Licensing and Worldwide Marketing, Warner Bros. Consumer Products. “The offerings are quite extensive and fans of all ages will be excited once they step inside the stores and immerse themselves in the film-inspired product.”
“Hot Topic has always been a premier destination for Harry Potter fans and we are thrilled to partner with WBCP on this latest venture,” said Betsy McLaughlin, CEO, Hot Topic. “The films resonate greatly with our customer base and we are fortunate to be able to provide exclusive product at all of our locations nationwide, as well as online.”
In conjunction with the product boutique launch, Hot Topic and WBCP will also offer the SCVNGR destination-based mobile promotional application, which will allow customers to unlock digital “badges” by visiting Hot Topic locations and participating in various challenges. Each of the five badges represents one of the four school houses in Harry Potter, along with one for Hogwarts. Customers are encouraged to visit the store weekly for a chance to collect all five and also to unlock the featured rewards: a mini-movie poster and 20% off any in-store Harry Potter item, redeemable at all participating Hot Topic stores. Some of the whimsical challenges include dressing up as a favorite character and posing for the camera or describing their least favorite flavor of Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans.
In addition to the merchandise boutiques, certain items will be exclusively available online at www.hottopic.com. The site is also set to host an online sweepstakes where Harry Potter fans can enter to win a trip to the star-studded U.S. premiere of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, becoming among the first to see the final installment of the record-breaking film saga. The premiere event will be held in Summer 2011, with the city and exact date to be announced next year.
About Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 begins as Harry, Ron and Hermione set out on their perilous mission to track down and destroy the keys to Voldemort’s immortality — the Horcruxes. On their own, without the guidance or protection of their professors, the three friends must now rely on one another more than ever. But there are Dark Forces in their midst that threaten to tear them apart as Harry draws ever closer to the task for which he has been preparing since the day he first stepped into Hogwarts: the ultimate battle with Voldemort. This film has been rated PG-13 for some sequences of intense action violence, frightening images and brief sensuality.
For downloadable press materials on this film, please visit: http://press.warnerbros.com and for downloadable film clips and other EPK materials please visit: www.epk.tv.
To view the multimedia assets associated with this release, please click: http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/warnerbros/47063/
www.harrypotter.com
About Warner Bros. Consumer Products
Warner Bros. Consumer Products, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, is one of the leading licensing and retail merchandising organizations in the world.
About Hot Topic
Hot Topic, Inc. is a mall and web based specialty retailer operating the Hot Topic and Torrid concepts, as well as the e-space music concept, ShockHound. Hot Topic offers music/pop culture-licensed and music/pop culture-influenced apparel, accessories, music and gift items for young men and women principally between the ages of 12 and 22.
Warner Bros. Consumer Products
Rita Cooper, Director, Worldwide Public Relations
Rita.cooper@warnerbros.com
818/ 954-3821
Leigh Rodwick, Director, Marketing
lrodwick@hottopic.com
626/839-4681 ext.2468
(TM) & (C) Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Harry Potter Publishing Rights (C) J.K. Rowling.
(s10)
HARRY POTTER and all related characters and elements are trademarks of and (C) Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (s10)
SOURCE Warner Bros. Consumer Products
Photo:http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20101104/MM93025
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
Photo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20101104/MM93025
Video:http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/warnerbros/47063
Web Site: http://www.hottopic.com
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line843
|
__label__cc
| 0.712131
| 0.287869
|
« Q & A (May 2012)
The Birth of a Movement »
The Odor of Socks
June 1, 2012 by Maggie McNeill
What! Would you make no distinction between hypocrisy and devotion? Would you give them the same names, and respect the mask as you do the face? Would you equate artifice and sincerity? Confound appearance with truth? Regard the phantom as the very person? Value counterfeit as cash? – Molière, Tartuffe (I, v)
The internet has made it much more difficult to lie about an entire group of people; now that everyone can blog, “tweet” and otherwise self-publish the members of that group can speak up for themselves, thus revealing the truth for everyone to see. As I pointed out in “Objectification Overruled”,
…the average person doesn’t deal with members of any given minority nearly as often as with members of the majority, and if hate or fear toward that group can be maintained he isn’t likely to have an intimate enough relationship with any of its members to learn that the prejudice and propaganda are false. If black people or Jews are segregated into ghettos and prohibited from frequent interaction with the majority, members of that majority don’t get the opportunity to learn the truth about them; and if homosexuals and whores are criminalized they are afraid to expose themselves…
The internet, however, allows whores to write about our lives without revealing our legal names to cops and prosecutors, and blogs like this one expose large numbers of people to the fact that most hookers are pretty much like anyone else, with a wide variety of temperaments, personalities, interests, educational levels, personal histories, etc. Needless to say, this makes prohibitionists very angry; their whole strategy relies on convincing the public that the vast majority of us are broken dolls with bad childhoods, a history of sexual abuse, poor education and a total absence of other options (either because of extreme deprivation or because we were literally enslaved by evil “pimps”). As I’ve pointed out to a number of journalists, can you imagine prohibitionists using me as a poster child? “This poor, eloquent, 33-year-old masters-degreed librarian with high self esteem had no choice but to accept sexual slavery?” They’d be laughed out of the marketplace of ideas so fast their pointy heads would spin. No, they have to make it seem as though people like me are fabulous beasts in stark contrast to emotionally damaged “child” prostitutes who are regularly dragged down streets behind pimps’ cars without sustaining life-threatening injuries or being seen by any witnesses. But how can they accomplish that when there are so many of us telling the truth? “Well, Maggie’s not representative, nor is Brandy, nor Kelly, nor Emily, nor Aspasia, nor Norma Jean, nor Brooke, nor Audacia, nor Tracy, nor Charlotte, nor Elena, nor Cheryl, nor Melissa, nor Sina, nor Ariane…” It begins to get pretty damned unbelievable as that list increases in length.
When I was in library school I once did a research paper on collection packing; I called it “Censorship by Commission” (as opposed to traditional censorship, which is accomplished by omission). Collection packing is when an unethical librarian purchases (with library funds) a large number of books representing a minority view, so that a casual library patron will believe that view is more mainstream than it actually is. For example, an unscrupulous creationist librarian might obtain as many books on “scientific creationism” as she could find and file them alongside books on geology and evolutionary theory, instead of consigning them to the religion section or the 001.9 ghetto where they belong. Prohibitionists do this as well; they present the “reframed experiences” of “survivors” to support their claims, but since these are a small minority the usual approach (as practiced by Farley, Kristof, et al) is to present the same stories over and over again with slightly-altered details so as to “pack the collection” of available narratives.
This can only go so far against the huge number of vocal whores, however; even the most credulous of prohibitionist marks will eventually notice that while we regularly post new material and interact with our readers, the supposed plethora of “human trafficking victims” are represented only in third person. And so a new weapon has become necessary: the sock puppet. Every tool can be used for good or ill, and while the anonymity of the internet makes it possible for whores to speak out without fear of arrest or other persecution, it also allows trolls to set up multiple accounts so as to create phantom “supporters” of their views. Some writers and activists suspect that a number of “big names” are directly behind the ever-increasing number of supposed “survivors” who write in an eerily-similar manner and tend to tell the same stories, but I think it’s far more likely that some of the copious grant money flowing from the likes of the US State Department, the Hunt Alternatives Fund and Google is going to hire full-time shills (some “survivors” but most just ghostwriters) to write blogs, post in comment threads and insult activists on Twitter.
You may feel I’m being paranoid, but I have several strong reasons for believing this. First, the number of such accounts has increased dramatically in the past year; if terrible experiences in prostitution were common, one would’ve expected that the proportion of “survivor” narratives to “happy hooker” narratives would have remained relatively constant for the past decade (with perhaps a gradual increase as “trafficking” hysteria grew). But that isn’t the case; the proportion has instead grown quickly in just the last few months. Second, these narratives appear to pop up just where they can do the most damage (such as in places considering the Swedish Model) rather than in areas such as Australia where they wouldn’t have a great deal of effect. Third, they often seem to be targeted against specific writers; for example, few if any self-professed “prostituted women” ever called themselves “call girls” before, but since January the phrase (which is especially associated with the works of Tracy Quan, Brooke Magnanti and yours truly) is suddenly popping up in the blog titles and screen names associated with neofeminist-flavored anti-sex worker propaganda. Finally (and in my mind most damningly), the style of many of these accounts is the same: they use the same terms, the same tactics and the same idiosyncratic phrases; they rely on the same propaganda techniques and commit the same logical fallacies; and they tend to tell the same stories and rely on the same sources (though this last is true of most anti-sex worker activists). These various online personas are either maintained by one small group of prohibitionists, or else a somewhat larger group of professionals working from a style sheet as the writers of Doc Savage and Tom Swift books did. But in either case, the result is the same: a number of mysterious “women” who share similarly stylized and melodramatic pimp-dominated “histories” in prostitution, and whose blogs, comments and “tweets” all bear the unmistakable odor of dirty socks.
“Mind Reading” looks at “authorities” who claim to be able to read minds and unerringly discern the motives of people they wish to persecute.
Posted in Miscellaneous, Perception | Tagged archeofeminism, censorship, ethics, internet, neofeminism, pimps, prohibitionist myths, stage names, stereotypes, survivors, Swedish model | 30 Comments
on June 1, 2012 at 7:21 am | Reply laida
it always annoyed me that in almost every portrayal of sex workers even by amazing authors or film makers the whore is either an evil person or a virtuous woman who is the victim of a pimp or circumstances and should be pitied and saved.how people view sex workers depends also highly on their political views as well,for the ”right wingers”we fall into the immoral,the lazy category.for leftists and especially for the good for nothing communists we are victims and the proof for everything that is wrong with society, especially for the latter our existence is a proof of the evilness of the middle and upper classes,but we cant even concider ourselves to be proletariats, because theese are revolutionists ,we are only victims.i think that in the u.s the problems you face with decriminalization has a lot to do with theese two extreme views on sex work,for the conservatives,it shouldnt be decriminalized,because its immoral and sets a bad example for the children.for leftists(although they are not really socialists or even communists,the u.s or even the e.u has nothing to do with socialism)we are victims to be rescued via the swedish model.
on June 1, 2012 at 7:38 am | Reply krulac
I’m hoping that many conservatives will “come around” and become “hip” to the folly of prohibitionist laws. In reality – THEY HATE THEM – when they involve firearms, or sugary sodas, or anything else that THEY like to involve themselves in. Logically – it should only be a matter of time before they realize that it’s impossible to fight off the prohibitionist laws they don’t like – while trying to maintain the ones they do. They all have to go away.
And – as far as the religious – who’s a more pious follower? The person who navigates a life around sin and maintains his/her faithfulness to their beliefs – or one who is raised and lives in “pious” society free of “sin” – one who is never “tempted”? It would seem to me that if the great religions are correct – then the world is really meant for “temptation” and testing the “believers”.
on June 1, 2012 at 2:40 pm | Reply pws (@pws4)
There are tons of Republican politicians who think that prohibitionist laws are ridiculous and act accordingly in their personal lives. (In fact, I tend to think there are more genuine prudes in the Democratic party than in the Republican party, although both parties have their share of partiers.) However, none of them is going to come out against prohibition because they like being Senators, Governors or whatever. (Probably the best recent example I can think of is former Republican presidential candidate John McCain, who thought most of this stuff was ridiculous and was a Goldwater style Republican. It didn’t matter, no way was he going to say, “Don’t you think these laws we have about prostitution are absurd?” in public.)
Besides which, if you are an important politician the prohibition laws don’t effect you as much. Lobbyists are known to keep nice looking women on their staff who will do “whatever it takes” to get the laws their sponsors want passed. That’s when they don’t just hire local escorts to take care of the politicians they want to influence.
on June 1, 2012 at 4:25 pm | Reply laida
its true that if politicians of any party hold publically such a view,they put their positions at great risk.ive heard obama has lost voters since he openly supported gay marriage,and gay rights are much more supported by the general public than sex workers rights are ,although im not sure if it has hurt him all that much,since i doubt that the more conservative states voted for obama at the first place,both for political reasons and still some dont like the fact that they have a black president.as a side note it drives me insane that the same people who say they respect gays and blacks say they cant respect sex workers or sexually open women,because especially the latter chose to be that way,while blacks and gays didnt.”respecting”sb because they had no choice is not actual respect,its pity.
on June 1, 2012 at 6:54 pm | Reply krulac
its true that if politicians of any party hold publically such a view,they put their positions at great risk
This is changing. Ron Paul has a fanatical following and he’s strongly for decriminalizing prostitution – which is why he got the endorsement of Nevada’s prostitutes and one brothel started a program called “Pimpin’ for Paul”. LOL
It’s only going to take ONE articulate national politician with balls and this train will head down the track quick. There’s a lot of stories out right now about Mayor Bloomberg of New York City and his “nanny policies” of banning foods that he thinks are unhealthy. There is really a lot of anger out there in Conservative circles over Bloomberg – but I told the conservatives on one blog I visit a lot – that I support Bloomberg and will henceforth and forever forward SUPPORT ALL prohibitionist laws that Conservatives hate. And the reason I’ll do this is because they support prohibitionist laws that I hate. We can all come together – realize this is a folly – and get rid of all prohibitionist laws – or we can continue this circle jerk into eternity.
As far as Obama losing votes over his gay marriage stance …
IF he has lost votes – it’s not because of his stance it’s because of …
1. He flip-flopped. He said over and over again during the 2008 campaign he was against gay marriage, now – only months from what will be a very tough reelection for him – he suddenly has a “magical epiphany” and now supports gay marriage (personally). His motivations here are completely transparent to any idiot but there’s more …
2. His announcement that he personally supports gay marriage is a bullshit cop-out, and even harms the gay marriage cause because Obama has also said that gay marriage is a STATE ISSUE. Currently 44 states ban gay marriage by state law and now Obama has personally ratified their right to do so. What Obama said basically was … “Hey I LOVE the idea of gay marriage personally but … heh, let’s leave that issue to the states okay?” And there are 44 states around the nation that are applauding that announcement.
3. When Arizona passed an anti-illegal immigrant law – Obama’s Justice Department went swiftly into legal action to get the law declared unconstitutional. They are still fighting that law tooth and nail. However – with 44 states now banning gay marriage – how many of those state laws are being challenged by Obama and his Justice Department? To my knowledge – not a single one.
Bullshit walks – and if Obama is losing in the polls over gay marriage – it’s not because of his “personal” support for it – it’s because people recognize the bullshit reasons he made the announcement – and they’re also able to recognize that his announcement has no “meat” in it and actually hurts the gay rights cause.
on June 1, 2012 at 7:45 am | Reply Sailor Barsoom
In middle school, I thoroughly enjoy the Tom Swift, Jr. books, and had no idea that there was a Tom Swift, Sr. series before that.
I didn’t discover Doc Savage until my thirties, though I had seen him mentioned in a short story, where the villain used his new-found ability to control his body’s systems to make himself look like “Conan and Doc Savage rolled together.”
I woke up early and couldn’t get back to sleep. Ah well. I’m off to do grooming now, so that I look presentable this first day.
on June 1, 2012 at 7:50 am | Reply TheDudesAreEmerging
all bear the unmistakable odor of dirty socks….
Specifically in Kristoff’s case they are very dirty……oh so very, very dirty. *pukes*
on June 1, 2012 at 10:25 am | Reply Brooke Magnanti
Here’s a thought: when someone identifies one, try to DM them click-through links to a page not otherwise published on your blog and collect the IP addresses (as per Bloggerheads’ unveiling the TabloidTroll account here http://www.bloggerheads.com/archives/2012/04/dennis-rice-tabloid-troll/ ) Might make interesting reading.
on June 1, 2012 at 10:57 am | Reply Notorious P.A.T.
“A prominent British historian has admitted that he has been publishing hostile comments about rival historians at Amazon.co.uk under a pseudonym.” In 2007, John Mackey, the CEO of Whole Foods, was caught using a sock puppet to predict a dark future for Wild Oats Markets. Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Michael Hiltzik lost his column in the Los Angeles Times in 2006 when the publisher concluded he had replied to online critics using a pseudonym.
pseudonym. ”
http://www.thenation.com/blog/historian-trouble-orlando-figes-and-his-sock-puppet
You never know!
on June 1, 2012 at 11:49 am | Reply TheDudesAreEmerging
British journalist Johan Harri is accused of doing a similar thing – he set up a pen name simply to attack people on wikipedia that he disagreed with (!!?).
That and he was recently done for plagiarism.
on June 1, 2012 at 12:46 pm | Reply Rich
I will write more. However, I respectfully request your permission to use information from the first three paragraphs for a personal legal pleading. Nonetheless, please consider that an individual advocating publicly or anonymously for a despised group has far less of an affect than the fear-anxiety-damage and suppression of spirited advocacy induced upon the out-group when authorities (under the cover of the law or motivated simply by unjust unfounded prejudice) attack, marginalize, demonize, infantilize, ostracize, or unfairly label just one member of the despised group. All it takes is one public humiliation, one public shunning, one public excommunication, one public persecution and one public hanging. So, feeling paranoid is its own shield of self-protection and almost certainly will be used against you as a sign that justifies the hurt, abuse and cruelty which will soon be heaped upon you by the authoritarians and their followers. And finally a question, Maggie. I dated a prostitute for the past 11 years although, she didn’t reveal that part of her history until 6 months ago. So, why can’t I remove her from my DNA, from my soul.
on June 1, 2012 at 1:24 pm | Reply Me
I had thought about applying for that job with the Hunt Alternative Fund several weeks ago as their “Demand Abolition Managing Director”. How ironic would that be?
on June 1, 2012 at 11:18 pm | Reply M
I don’t think it’s a shill. I think it’s ‘reeducation’. Or maybe, it’s a lot of ‘cross-fertilization.’ It’s a lot of well-funded, institutionalized cross-fertilization.
A document on CATW’s website, a speech by Dorchen A. Leidholdt, is really emblematic of what I’m talking about. At the heart of the speech is Sarah, a woman who was abused, trafficked into prostitution at 14, pimped, got an STD & not can’t have kids because of that. Leidholdt met Sarah while working at a Rape Victim’s Center.
Leidholdt writes “I had taught Sarah about feminist theory; now she taught me about the lives of women and girls in prostitution.” Later she writes: “Sarah left Women Against Pornography to found the first organization of prostitution survivors to fight the sex industry.”
http://action.web.ca/home/catw/readingroom.shtml?x=53793
So I think that that is what’s going on, but on a much larger, more institutionalized scale. It’s basically Women Against Pornography – Act Two- with more experience, a lot of right-wing-conservative money, law degrees, positions at major universities and in the government.
I think a part of Demand Abolition’s ‘strategy plan’ is to provide resources to victims so that they can be the voices of the campaign against prostitution.
I don’t doubt that a good number of people have horrific experiences in this industry. I think the stigma can make even happy hookers start to view themselves as victims. Um, so I think…you’re pimped. You get arrested, then you wind up in a half-way house for hookers. you learn to think of your past experiences through the lens of abolitionists. If you’re an especially smart person, the individuals who run these organizations give you special training…basically provide you with a script of what to say to the press and what to say at benefits and what to say on your blog… And hell, if you’ve been in low-end prostitution all your life, and treated like shit by cops & the general public, being the spokesperson of a campaign against the sex trade and repeatedly being recognized as a hero is a pretty good gig. It’s also an instant ‘out’ from status of ‘social outcast.’
I think that is what’s going on.
And of course, it’s a positive feedback loop. The more ‘survivors-demanding-abolition,’ the more legislation along end-demand lines, the more funding for rescue shelters, the more survivors-demanding-abolition, the more legislation along end-demand lines, the more funding for rescue-model, not harm-reduction services…
on June 2, 2012 at 8:57 am | Reply Comixchik
All right, let’s think for a minute of a job where men are brutalized, beaten for the entertainment of others, and where the “victims” often end up with lasting physical damage- Oh, and they make a lot of money along the way. It’s called professional boxing, and men do it, voluntarily. And it’s legal.
Look, sometimes there are unpleasant parts of working in porn, and prostitution. Like any other job, occasionally there are parts of the job that one may not particularly enjoy, and there are risks to it. While the risks can be reduced, and would be if it were legal, I don’t know that it can ever be made risk free. And like any intensely physical job, there can be occasional physical harm. It’s not a job for everyone, and certainly not for a 14 year old. And yes, there are abuses.
But the same is true for any other job out there. Workers suffer physical harm doing construction work, yet we’re still building buildings. Jobs often involve doing things you don’t always enjoy. There will be abuse in work as long as the capitalists are in charge.
But we focus on sex work, because it’s about sex, which we in the USA seem to have a immature fascination with, and it’s way for women to independently make a lot of money. We look at it in ways we don’t look at other jobs.
Are people trafficked? Yes., occasionally. And even more are trafficked for farm work, domestic work, and factory work. But a hysterical obsession with sex work won’t solve that. Making sex work more illegal, and harder won’t solve it. If we were serious about attacking the abuses, we’d be listening to the majority of sex workers, not the sock puppets and self appointed experts.
Mining too. Black Lung has made a comeback in traditional underground mining, because the bosses find it cheaper to do without safety gear.
The focus on sex work in the US probably also has a lot to do with independence. They hate it when you can work independently. When I was attending college there were a couple of Chinese girls running a food truck selling some good tasting chicken dishes. Then Marriott got the college food concession, and suddenly there were all kinds of new regulations on campus that the food truck couldn’t follow. (Like having an on premises restroom.) It was obviously being done for the sole purpose of shutting it down.
You’ll find this is true with using any skill that you control by yourself to make a living as an independent contractor as opposed to working for some large entity. Of course, prudery adds a hysterical psychological edge too it, but it’s also about eliminating independence among the workers.
on June 1, 2012 at 1:30 pm | Reply Dean Clark
Became aware of collection packing a few years ago when I saw my local library system had many copies of a politician’s bio. I stopped counting at 50. I have never known anyone who bought this book or who has mentioned reading it.
Dean Clark
on June 1, 2012 at 11:42 pm | Reply asmallnotch
I was thinking about why so many politicians are so hypocritical about sex work as some other commentators and was struck by the similar between that attitude and some arguments around privatization.
Prostitution is something that cannot be ended, but that is, in a way, bad because that means there are no direct, immediate negatives to abusing it. A sort of tragedy of the commons.
A private sector can be destroy by over taxation but prostitution will never be eliminated. So there aren’t any disincentives to making it illegal or placing restrictions on it, in terms of personal difficulties.
So selling out sex workers to prohibitionists has no downsides. They get the votes and the services.
But just singling out politicians is minimizing the issue, because clients, especially those that hire the most expensive escorts, have so much power (A group probably larger than both parties) that they don’t seem to be on a higher moral standing.
on June 2, 2012 at 10:31 pm | Reply aspasialibertine
I damn near lost it at the sock puppets! LOL!
Yes, according to abolitionists, I am not only “unrepresentative” but I’m pretty much the lovechild of a unicorn and Bigfoot: an educated, sane, empowered whore who is also a mixed race woman of color from an ‘urban’ environment without a pimp and not on drugs. I am definitely not supposed to exist within their narrative.
you sound like the woman i’ve “dated” for the past 11 years. (chuckle please). no way to remove her from soul. BTW, you “do” exist, thank gawd.
on June 3, 2012 at 6:59 am | Reply Laura
Saying any whore isn’t “representative” is as disgusting, arrogant and wrong as saying any non-whore woman who helps men out sexually isn’t “representative”. It isn’t just the whores who get this ###***, unfortunately. NO group should. Unfortunately, it’s common with non-whore women, Muslims, religious fundamentalists, etc. I could add to this list but won’t and the fact I could add to it is really sad and wrong. This goes with the ###*** lies: 1 person who doesn’t fit the unfair stereotypes is an exception (i.e., seen as a “write-off” and not wanted to be heard about to begin with…lol…gag); 1 person doesn’t count as far as making change in the world goes, etc., etc. Non-whore women who have never had an STD (gasp…eyeroll); never broken up the relationship and/or marriage of any men they’ve seen; are able to have sex without emotional attachment (that’s possible? Gasp…eyeroll); have limits on who they’ll date (you mean there’s 1’s who don’t date married and/or otherwise attached men? WOW…eyeroll) and specifically don’t charge for sex with it having nothing to do with their literal and/or willful brain power (that WONDERFUL (gag) belief that we’re either too literally dumb to charge $’s or willfully dumb to charge) ARE REAL. It’s very sad that individuals are “written off” so much in the world because the list of individuals who have changed the world for the better and/or worse is huge. Those who are constantly saying whatever person in whatever group isn’t “representative” might want to make the effort to interact with people in these groups instead of treating them like they’re invisible and/or demonizing them with ###*** arrogant stereotypes, etc. Thanks for listening.
on June 4, 2012 at 1:19 pm | Reply Sailor Barsoom
You’re right. I think.
I’m not sure because, once again, you’ve written in a gushing, scrambled, stream-of-consciousness way in which the only thing which is obvious is that you are upset about something.
I know it’s annoying when I play writing critic, and I know that I don’t do it to everybody who maybe has it coming. But you see, I care more about you than anybody else, so I make the effort for you.
Again, I think you’re right.
Laura fussed at me for this post. And you know what? She was right to.
When we got to her place, I grabbed the trash and headed for the dumpster. In part, I did this because I’ve just gotten into the habit of doing that. But also, I wanted to get away from her and her fussing for a moment, and think it over. I needed a chance to get out of defense mode, which wasn’t going to happen while she was fussing at me, and think it over because I had this nagging feeling that maybe I really had done something wrong.
And once away from the fussing and able to think, I realized that I had in fact done something wrong. It wasn’t disagreeing with her; I said in the above post that she’s probably right and besides, people sometimes do disagree. And it wasn’t just that I had criticized her. I had, and I expected her to not like it (how many people actually enjoy being criticized?), and that was why I was so careful to word things nicely, and to make sure she got the point that I think she’s probably right. But the problem wasn’t that I’d criticized her, or that I wasn’t sufficiently polite. No, the problem was that I had publicly scolded her, like Big Daddy with a noisy child at the store. And that’s not right.
There are reasons I did that, and I want to state them here. Not because it makes what I did OK (what I did was not OK), but because the reasons do exist, and I want to set them out there.
You see, I love Laura. So very much, and I happen to think she’s pretty wonderful. Now of course I think she’s wonderful; I love her. But some other people do to, so my opinion of her is supported by people who are not in love with her like I am. And I want other people to see how wonderful she is. And then I read that thing she posted, and I worry that this isn’t making a good impression. That people will read it and think, “Wow, what a bitch. What’s she even trying to say?” And Laura isn’t a bitch, well not usually. And I don’t want people to get the wrong idea about her, so here I come fluttering in to try to correct things. And in so doing, I in effect say to her, “Hush little girl; do you want these people to think you’re a bad person?” And that’s not my place. I was motivated by love and a desire to have her seen well, but I didn’t show her the respect that a grown man should show a grown woman.
Of course she was offended, of course she was hurt. And of course she was embarrassed. This sort of thing is embarrassing to anybody above the age of about two. Laura isn’t two. Laura is in her forties, and at that age even her parents, were they still alive, shouldn’t do her that way. I damn sure shouldn’t. Who the hell do I think I am?
That’s why my attempt to word things nicely didn’t matter. No matter how well I word a public scolding, it’s still a public scolding, and I should never, ever, ever do that to the woman I love. Hell, I shouldn’t do it to anybody.
Now I’ve already apologized to Laura in person, but because I wronged her publicly, I wanted to apologize publicly as well. I cleared that with her before doing this.
Laura, I am sorry, and I have learned a lesson. Thank you for putting up with me.
Dear Sailor B, THANK YOU. Apology accepted. I love you too.
on June 8, 2012 at 10:43 pm | Reply Sailor Barsoom
[kiss]
on June 3, 2012 at 2:37 am | Reply V. W. Singer
So long as societies are based around the nuclear family,it will be in the interests of those in power to suppress prostitution.
Perhaps with the increasing number of single parent families, and the Mens’ Rights (MGTOW) movements, this might change.
Perhaps with the increasing number of single parent families, and the Mens’ Rights (MGTOW) movement, this might change.
Sock puppets are an obvious weapon, used by every government in every war. Counter propaganda is the only way to fight this.
As you say Maggie, the internet allows sex workers to reach out. However, not everyone is interested in reading news and facts. How about a (free) prostitute run “true stories” site? Sort of like Penhouse Letters. Sexy tales witten (anonymously) by “real” prostitutes and other sex industry women (and men), with a forum section. It will allow your point of view to be presented in a “fictional” form and in a way that the public (men at least) will want to read. Kind of like Alt.Sex.Stories in the newsgroups or BDSM Library on the net.
on June 3, 2012 at 8:44 am | Reply Maggie McNeill
A lot of escorts’ individual blogs are like that; some consist of little else. And though I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that, I also don’t really think it serves any real normalization function; prohibitionists simply view it as porn.
on June 8, 2012 at 12:30 am | Reply Mark
My Lady! I am overwhelmed with shock, surprise, and indignation at your latest remarks:
“(A)n unscrupulous creationist librarian might obtain as many books on ‘scientific creationism’ as she could find and file them alongside books on geology and evolutionary theory, instead of consigning them to the religion section or the 001.9 ghetto where they belong.”
Does not the road to enlightenment require a fair hearing be offered to all notions, no matter how absurd? Is it so bad that people regularly give credence to the claims of creationists, or parapsychologists, or evolutionary psychologists, or whores who think prostitution should be illegal? After all, one would think that the more exposure the mainstream has to such crackpots, the more clearly they will become inured to the ridiculous notions they espouse.
Really. I mean Really!
To include such things so that people can see them is one thing, but to “pack” them in, while keeping out the serious stuff, is not a good thing to do.
on December 20, 2012 at 4:24 am | Reply White lies, allies and coconuts. « It's Just A Hobby
[…] fakes. When sex workers as a group suggest that certain people may not be all they seem, that the “call girl” accounts all stink to high heaven, it is not the place of those on the outside to defend them, but instead to try to understand why […]
on April 3, 2014 at 2:53 pm | Reply White lies, allies and coconuts | Sometimes, it's just a cigar
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line844
|
__label__wiki
| 0.561526
| 0.561526
|
Tag Archives: ACP countries
BRITAIN DISARMING, GERMANY REARMING: SOUND FAMILIAR?
June 17, 2015 Melvin 1 Comment
David Cameron and Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister address a press conference in Berlin on 7 June 2012. Photograph: Carsten Koall/AFP/Getty Images
Two hundred years ago, on June 18th, 1815, the British won the war against Napoleon.
Or so you thought. As is generally the case with Europe, it’s not quite that simple.
British troops were only 36% of the allied troops that gained the victory. Take away the Irishmen fighting in the British army, and the percentage of British troops was well below a third of those on the victorious side.
Other troops that fought in this allied cause, all wanting to end Napoleon’s domination of Europe, came from Prussia (eastern Germany) and what are today Belgium and the Netherlands. The battle took place on Belgian soil.
This is not to diminish the British contribution. One result of the battle was that the United Kingdom became a global superpower and was unrivaled in Europe for almost one hundred years.
But it’s a classic example of how British relations with Europe are never that simple. Also, of how the Brits can misread Europe, seeing their country as far more important than it really is.
Which brings us to the promised referendum on British relations with the EU, to take place in 2017.
There are 28 countries in the European Union, with more on the sidelines wanting to join the club. Britain is the third biggest economy in the Union. It is, right now, the most successful economy, attracting hundreds of thousands of people to its shores every year. These are mostly from Europe and, it is thought, attracted primarily by Britain’s generous social support system. People from Eastern Europe can work in the UK and receive benefits for their progeny back home in Poland, Romania and Bulgaria. These benefits enable them to provide quite comfortably for their families, even if they earn a very small income in London or whatever other city they reside in.
British people get angry at this as they are the ones paying for it in their taxes. But, as a member of the EU, the British government can do nothing about it. The EU guarantees the free movement of people within member nations.
London wants to change this. Most of the other members do not. The Polish leader made it clear to British Prime Minister David Cameron this is something he cannot change. And that is correct. If the UK stays in Europe, it won’t change. Mr. Cameron may hope it does, but it won’t – unless Germany is willing to change it, and that’s not likely.
Many (maybe most) British people are fed up with the EU, which they also heavily subsidize in other ways. They want to withdraw from the organization and go back to the way they were 50 years ago.
What they don’t realize is that they cannot go back to the 1960’s, to the pre-EU days.
It’s not an option.
Prior to entering the European Common Market (as the EU was then called), Britain had an extensive system of trade with nations farther afield. “Imperial preferences” left over from the days of the Empire, ensured close trade ties with the dominions of the Commonwealth: Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. These trade agreements were torn up by Britain when they joined Europe. It is unlikely that they can restore them more than 40 years later.
At the same time, in the 60’s, the British still had close trade ties with all their former colonies in Africa, the Caribbean and Pacific, the ACP countries. These gave Britain cheap food, while the British were able to sell manufactured products to these countries without the hindrance of tariffs.
After Britain joined the European Community, it was a matter of urgency to help these less developed nations. The Lome Convention was signed in 1975, taking effect in April 1976. It gave preferential access to Europe for member countries’ food and mineral exports. This treaty, agreed to in the capital of the former French colony of Togo, effectively embraced all former British, French and Dutch colonies. As this agreement was to help less developed countries, it did not extend to the British dominions, who were on their own.
Effectively, Great Britain, thirty years after World War II, handed over its former Empire to the European Union, now dominated by Germany. What a supreme irony of history!
There is no turning back.
This is not to say that Britain will be entirely on its own if it separates from the EU. Norway and Switzerland are two European countries that are not members of the EU. Both have a per capita income that is higher than the EU average.
But it won’t be easy for Britain, certainly not as easy as the anti-Europeans are making it out to be.
The Treaty of Rome, signed in 1957 by the original six members of the European Community, pledged member countries to form “an ever closer union.” The EU today is very different from the old European Common Market. It is far more intrusive and controlling than it was at the beginning. And it is already talking about greater cooperation, with an EU Army not too far ahead.
Bible prophecy shows that another superpower is set to arise, a European power that will be a revival of the Roman Empire. You can read about this new power in Revelation chapters 13 and 17. Note the following words from chapter 17:
12 “The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. 13 These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. 14 These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.” (Rev 17:12-14) Clearly, this is not talking about the Roman Empire of two thousand years ago, as this superpower will be in existence when Christ returns. The good news is that this “beast” power will not last long and will lead directly into the prophesied Kingdom of God.
Is Britain prepared for isolation, facing a German dominated European super-power on its doorstep, without any say in its composition and its purpose?
Interestingly, just four days ago, British defense chiefs warned that the country’s defenses had been so greatly diminished that the nation was now “feeble” on the world stage. As Britain no longer has a deployable aircraft carrier, only one ship, HMS Ocean, is equipped to host US Marines and their MV 22 Osprey vertical take off aircraft, in the event of military action by Russia. As Russia is rapidly increasing its military potential, warnings of a coming conflict between the West and Moscow are growing. The UK’s response is to go down the road of disarmament. The similarities with the 1930’s are quite blatant – Britain is once again disarming while Germany is rearming.
Berlin is spending an additional 8 billion euros (US 9 billion) on the new MEADS air defense system and the multi role combat ship 180. 3.9 billion euros ($4.37 billion) has also been set aside for four new battleships.
Germany is also working toward an EU Army, which will add to its military capacity.
Outside of the EU, Britain will have to fend for itself, something it seems ill-prepared for at this time. Even a Conservative government is clearly more inclined to cut defense over higher health care costs, at a time of growing international tensions.
Individual Britons need to think carefully before the vote in the referendum. There may be sound reasons to reject the EU, but there could also be serious consequences. Britain’s relationship with Europe can be compared to a marriage. It was certainly a mistake to marry in the first place, but divorce is not an easy option and needs to be considered carefully.
ACP countriesAustraliabeastBelgiumBerlinBritainBritishBritish dominionsBritish Prime MinisterBritish troopsBritsBulgariaCanadaCaribbeanCommonwealthconservativeDavid CamerondisarmamentDutchEastern EuropeempireEUEU ArmyEuropeEuropean Common MarketEuropean CommunityEuropean UnioneurosFrenchGermanyHMS OceanImperial preferencesIrishmenKingdom of GodLambLome ConventionLondonMEADS air defenseMoscowMV 22 OspreyNapoleonNetherlandsNew ZealandNorwayPacificPolandPrussiareferendumRevelationRoman EmpireRomaniaRussiaSouth AfricaSwizerlandten hornsten kingsTreaty of RomeUnited KingdomUS MarinesWorld War II
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line848
|
__label__wiki
| 0.799957
| 0.799957
|
Siemens Gamesa Begins Operation of its 130 MWh Thermal Energy Storage System
The system aims to deliver system evidence of the storage on the grid and to test the heat storage
Anjana Parikh
Energy Storage, Large Scale
Renewable energy developer and wind turbine manufacturer, Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy (SGRE) has started the operation of its electric thermal energy storage system (ETES).
The newly-opened pilot project in Hamburg-Altenwerder in northern Germany can store 130 MWh of energy for up to one week while the storage capacity of the system remains constant throughout the charging cycles. The company plans to use this storage technology in commercial projects and increase storage capacity and power.
The ETES, the pilot project of the company, makes it possible to store large quantities of energy in a cost-effective manner, which in turn, separates electricity generation and use.
The Spain-based engineering company located in Zamudio, SGRE is leading the way forward in the renewable energy sector.
The innovative heat storage facility contains around 1,000 tons of volcanic rock as an energy storage medium. It is fed with electrical energy converted into hot air using a resistance heater and a blower that heats the rock to 750°C. When the demand peaks, ETES uses a steam turbine for the re-electrification of the stored energy. The ETES pilot plant can store up to 130 MWh of thermal energy for a week. Also, the storage capacity of the system remains constant throughout the charging cycles.
The ETES aims to deliver system evidence of the storage on the grid and to test the heat storage extensively.
Siemens Gamesa also plans to use its storage technology for commercial purposes and wants to utilize ETES to increase storage capacity and power.
“Decoupling generation and consumption of fluctuating renewable energy via storage is an essential contribution to implementing the energy system transformation. We, therefore, need cost-effective, efficient and scalable energy storage systems,” said Andreas Feicht, State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy.
“With the commissioning of our ETES pilot plant, we have reached an important milestone on the way to introducing high-performance energy storage systems. Our technology makes it possible to store electricity for many thousands of households at a low cost. We are presenting an elementary building block for further expansion of renewable energy and the success of the energy transition,” commented Markus Tacke, CEO of Siemens Gamesa. The technology reduces costs for larger storage capacities to a fraction of the usual level for battery storage.
The main objective of the project is to store energy in the range of several gigawatt hours (GWh) in the future.
The Institute for Engineering Thermodynamics at the Hamburg University of Technology and the local utility company Hamburg Energie are partners in the innovative Future Energy Solutions project, which is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy under the research program called ‘6. Energieforschungsprogramm’.
In May this year, Mercom reported that Siemens Gamesa recorded a revenue of €4.6 billion ($5.2 billion), an increase of 6% on a year-over-year (YoY) basis in the first half of FY 2019, and by 7% in the second quarter, to €2.3 billion ($2.6 billion) due to a strong performance in its offshore service.
Energy storage has been gathering renewed interest in India, and the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) recently issued invitations requesting proposals to develop gravity storage project. The ministry believes that with the increasing share of renewables in the country, there will soon be a requirement for energy storage to absorb fluctuations and for grid balancing.
Early this month, the Madhya Pradesh Power Management Company Limited (MPPMCL) issued an expression of interest (EoI) inviting energy storage companies for setting up a 500 MW project in Madhya Pradesh.
Image credit: NAVFAC [CC BY 2.0]
Anjana is a news editor at Mercom India. Before joining Mercom, she held roles of senior editor, district correspondent, and sub-editor for The Times of India, Biospectrum and The Sunday Guardian. Before that, she worked at the Deccan Herald and the Asianlite as chief sub-editor and news editor. She has also contributed to The Quint, Hindustan Times, The New Indian Express, Reader’s Digest (UK edition), IndiaSe (Singapore-based magazine) and Asiaville. Anjana holds a Master’s degree in Geography from North Bengal University, and a diploma in mass communication and journalism from Guru Ghasidas University, Bhopal.
Electric Thermal Energy Storage Systemgigawatt hour rangeGreenko GroupRenewable EnergySiemens Gamesa
AIIB to Provide $100 Million Loan to L&T for Solar and Wind Projects Financing in India
Nearly 10 GW of Renewable Capacity Added to Green Energy Corridor: RK Singh
Bangladesh Invites Companies to Fund and Develop 100 MW of Solar Projects
UAE Signs MoU with IRENA to Introduce Renewable Energy Studies in its Education System
Is Group Captive the Next Attractive Solar Market in 2019?
Power Finance Corporation Raises $300 Million Through Syndicated Loan
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line850
|
__label__cc
| 0.646339
| 0.353661
|
The Triangle: Episode 9: What was lost by Mindy McGinnis
Posted by mervih under serial box, the triangle, thriller
The Triangle has 10 episodes, all available from The Triangle’s page at Serial Box.
Publisher: Serial Box 2019
Writers: Dan Koboldt, Mindy McGinnis, and Sylvia Spruck Wrigley
After tragedies and revelations, our intrepid heroes are formulating a plan to get away from the island. However, that means the Russians must be convinced to help and they aren’t likely to do that. Segarra talks to the Russian submarine captain like a man to man, a commander to another who wants what’s best for his men. It seems to work and the group starts to build a raft from the remains of the boats. However, one young man has revenge on his mind and he steals the one pistol the group has.
The rash actions of one young man might just undue the fragile understanding between Segarra and the Russian commander. Worse, it might end all their dreams of returning to home.
This episode cranks up the tension again. Even though we might have most of the answers, our heroes are far from safe.
The Triangle: Episode 8: Revelations by Dan Koboldt
Posted by mervih under mystery, serial box, the triangle
This episode answers most of the questions which I have about the island. Some of the characters and happy with the answers and some not so happy. However, they still don’t have a way off the island and they know that it’s going to be very difficult to get away. MacBride also speculates that they might not even want to get off because the US government won’t let them walk around knowing what they now know. Vice Admiral Segarra is worried about Miller, their wounded soldier whom they rescued from the Russians. He wants to know more and heads out to the city with Maria St. Claire. They intend to search it for more clues. Instead, they’re again captured by the Russians.
Segarra is increasingly frustrated with his inability to find out what happened to the USS Wasp, the warship which disappeared in the Bermuda Triangle. He feels useless and a failure, so he wants to take decisive action. Meanwhile, David Hammond is almost happy. He feels useful again and is working. St. Claire has been reminded of how the Americans use her country and is furious about it. MacBride doesn’t know whether to be happy about the revelations or worried about his future.
Even though we now find out a lot about what’s going on, the characters are far from safe. In fact, they may never get home. The only thing they can do is attempt to negotiate with the Russian submarine commander. The episode ends with another big revelation.
The Triangle: Episode 7: The Cold War by Sylvia Spruck Wrigley
The tragic events which ended the previous episode, push Vice Admiral Segarra to action. Now, the Russian submarine commander is the enemy and Segarra wants some explanations from him. However, he’s stopped by the troops but some very interesting information slips from them.
Segarra wants to rescue his wounded soldier Miller and now he knows a way to do it. The plan is dangerous but if the group can pull it off, Miller will be safe and Segarra can plan for a way to force the Russian submarine commander to stop what he’s doing. Michael Hammond is very much against the plan, especially because it puts Tessa Dumont into danger. However, Tessa doesn’t like Hammond’s possessive instincts. Arguing escalate to the point where the conspiracy theorist MacBride acts as the voice of reason. But the dangerous plan is put into action.
In this episode, we get a bit of evidence of what’s happening on this strange island. The group argues more but this time on personal level rather than professional. The group’s actions will most likely force the Russian commander to respond. They have lots of guns and a working nuclear submarine with torpedoes. Our intrepid heroes have one pistol. Things don’t look good.
The Triangle: Episode 6: Dark Demonstration by Sylvia Spruck Wrigley
Writers: Dan Koboldt, Mindy McGinnis, and Sylvia Spruck Wrigley.
After the unexpectedly horrible ending of the previous episode, our heroes are stunned for a little while. But not for long. Alastair McBride is spinning outrageous theories and revealing some military secrets. They prove that something terrible, indeed, something most unnatural, is in the water around the island. Tessa Dumont has finally made the radio work but now Michael Hammond and the others don’t want anyone to come to the island, at least not before they find out how the rescues can land safely. David Segarra and Marie St. Claire want to further investigate the city and they go there. But the Russian soldiers are most likely there, so the duo must be very careful.
Meanwhile, Dumont and Hammond talk with the pair of young boys who are also on the island and find out what happened to them. Apparently, they lost their parents in the storm which brought then to the island. However, when St. Claire hears about it, she’s sure that no such accident has occurred in at least five years. How are the boys on the island? Are they lying or is something else going on?
Segarra and St. Claire find out something that changes all their expectations and the episode ends in another tragedy.
Now we find out why nobody leaves. But if nobody can leave, how and why can they come in? If it possible somehow to use that to leave? And can the group talk with the commander of the old Russian submarine and convince him to try? Should they?
The Triangle: Episode 5: Castaways by Mindy McGinnis
In the previous episode, our heroes found out that they’re definitely not alone on the mystery island. Marie St Claire is unhappy that they still haven’t got food or water or reliable shelter. She’s trying to get the others to build a shelter. But Tessa Dumont is focused on getting a signal out and getting help. She’s also worried that they others are starting to agree that they’re stuck when they don’t work on getting away. She has no interest in staying on the island. Her fears just increase when the little girl, Olivia, show them a pool with fresh water.
Someone has been leaving small food gifts to St. Claire. She tries to shadow the mysterious person who is doing that but instead of catching them, she stumbles upon a wealthy couple on a beached yacht. She sees that they the items which were stolen from the group’s boat and finds them suspicious in other ways. When the others hear about the couple, they want to barter their antenna back. But why were the items taken in the first place? Why are these people on the island? Can their boat leave, and if not why not?
While we get a few answers, this episode gives us even more questions. That’s not a complaint! Of course, I don’t expect us to get most of the answers until the last episode, if even then, depending on what happens then. Another fast-paced and engaging chapter which urges me to read more!
The Triangle: Episode 4: We are not alone by Dan Koboldt
At the end of the previous episode, our intrepid heroes found something amazing: an old Soviet nuclear submarine and a city which seemed to glow golden. They decide to investigate the city first. The buildings seem to be made of metal but they can force one door open. Most of them are disappointed when they find just an old laboratory. However, Tessa Dumont stays to read the old notebooks which seems to date from the 60s to find out more about the mysterious island. Michael Hammond stays with her while the others want to explore the submarine despite vice admiral Segarra’s warning that the nuclear drive could be damaged. However, they’re soon captured and make a remarkable discovery: the submarine’s crew is mostly young and very much alive. Their captain insists that he’s not part of any faction but also says that he and his crew serve the Soviet Union. It fell 28 years ago and most of the soldiers look far too young to have been part of it. How and why has the submarine come there? It seems that they’ve been on the island a while, definitely more than a few months. Why haven’t they left?
This chapter adds more questions. While conspiracy theorist McBride is part of the group who is captured by the soldiers, he knows to keep quiet and not start trading conspiracy theories with the soviet captain. So the chapter has less humor than the earlier chapters. I was a bit disappointed with how the golden city was down played; the submarine was explored far more. No doubt the city will be explored more in the upcoming chapters.
But the plot continues to be fast-paced with unexpected twists and the characters are interesting. I think the sub has traveled through time or perhaps the island exists on another time. However, the laboratory seems to have been unused for a long time so that seems to be a strike against time travel.
Can the submarine leave? And will the soviet captain take the group with him? How is it possible that such an island isn’t in the charts? Are all who have been lost in the Bermuda Triangle here? If so, why can’t they leave? Because if they could, surely someone would have left by now. Or maybe the other missing people, including a whole US battleship, are somewhere else? I can’t wait to find out.
The Triangle: Episode 3: the Moon People by Sylvia Spruck Wrigley
The Triangle has 10 episodes, available from The Triangle’s page at Serial Box starting April 24th.
In the previous episode, our heroes shipwrecked on a mysterious island in the middle of a storm. They also found a little girl, Olivia, who was apparently a survivor of one the planes who had previously disappeared into the Bermuda Triangle. How had the girl survived and who else might be on the island? In fact, how is it possible that the large island, with a mountain, isn’t in any charts? Another storm rose and Olivia led the group to relative safety in a nearby cave where they fell asleep.
One of the group, a soldier called Miller, had been grievously wounded in the crash but when the group wakes up, she’s gone with no hint of why she’s left. Indeed, since she was unconscious when the group fell asleep, McBride is wondering if someone or something has kidnapped her. However, vice admiral Segarra is convinced that they would have woken if someone had entered the cave. Segarra and McBride start to search her. Meanwhile, Dumont is searching for anything to use as an antenna so that she could sent a distress signal. St Clair is building a shelter for them, to use a base of operations. They have very little water left and no food.
Segarra and McBride found another inhabitant, an old man. Segarra tries to talk with him but he answered by getting his gun and takes a few shots, but deliberately missing them. The group is mystified. Then their bottles of water disappear and even though they have only about an hour of daylight left, they need to search for water.
Now, the team members’ specialties are showing. Dumont and St Clair are both very focused on their own task, St Clair with building the shelter and getting food while Dumont searches for anything useful to fix the radio. Hammond, on the other hand, is very worried. He’s worried about the little girl who vanishes for most of the day and that nobody will find them or this island. He’s also attracted to Dumont but I’m pretty sure that’s one-sided. McBride is again the comic relief. While he and Segarra are looking for Miller, McBride talks about how he and Segarra can write a book about their experience and the book tour. He’s also the first to suggest supernatural events or aliens as the reason for everything.
This episode gives us more mysteries and ends in a huge cliffhanger. The characters are focusing on different things and getting frustrated because the others don’t agree on what’s most important. This brings some friction between them. The pace is somewhat slower than in the previous episode but we get to know the characters a bit better. The cliffhanger is, of course, a great way to read the next episode.
I’m getting a strong “Lost” vibe with this episode. I was hugely disappointed with the last season of that show so I’m just hoping that the authors know what they’re doing. 🙂
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line851
|
__label__wiki
| 0.816003
| 0.816003
|
Where did Donald Trump go to college and what did the President study?
Aisling MoloneyThursday 26 Oct 2017 3:38 pm
(Picture: Getty)
This is a question a lot of people are asking after the television personality’s ascent to the highest office in the world.
Donald Trump, the 45th President of the United States, likes to remind us all that he ‘went to an Ivy League college’ and that, ‘I was a nice student. I did very well. I’m a very intelligent person.’
Man who raped and murdered Lucy McHugh is jailed for 33 years
Did you know that the most intelligent people like to tell you that they are in fact, intelligent people?
President Trump graduated from the Wharton School of Finance and Commerce at the University of Pennsylvania in 1968.
He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics.
Donald Trump in his senior year photo (Picture: Wikipedia/Public Domain)
A group of Penn State students march through campus imploring voters to cast their ballots for Hillary Clinton (Picture:Getty)
Trump began his college education in August 1964 at Fordham University, but after two years he transferred to Wharton School of Finance and Commerce the University of Pennsylvania as it was one of the few places that offered real-estate studies in US academia at the time.
He wanted to learn about real-estate at college because he was inspired to become a real-estate developer from his father’s work and Manhattan developer William Zeckendorf, he said he would be ‘even bigger and better’ than Zeckendorf.
Donald Trump in 1976 (Picture :Tom Allen/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
Donald Trump’s real-estate business was passed down to him from his grandfather and through his parents as Elizabeth Trump and Son, which became The Trump Organisation after Donald Trump took over the company in 1971.
Trump grew up in Jamaica Estates in Queens and attended Kew-Forest School from kindergarten through to seventh grade.
When he was 13 his parents enrolled him in the New York Military Academy which was a private boarding school because he was discovered to be skipping school and going into the city instead.
Donald Trump as a real-estate mogul (Picture: Getty)
Teenage Donald looks out from his 1964 military academy yearbook, standing next to a young woman smiling brightly beside a pair of artillery guns. The caption reads ‘Ladies Man: Trump.’ It turns out the woman at his side was not an early conquest but Frances D’Agati, then 19 and a college secretary, who says she hardly knew the future tycoon (Picture: Getty)
One of the big thorns in Donald Trump’s side is that he never served in the army, and received numerous deferments to being drafted during the Vietnam War.
He was an athletic, 22-year-old who stood at 6 feet 2 inches and played football, tennis, squash and golf.
When he was in college he obtained four student deferments, on graduating in 1968 he was deemed fit for service and was briefly classified as fit by a local draft board.
He then received a diagnosis that would leave him out of the life or death war zone of Vietnam forever, that was heel spurs.
Bit rocky on the heel spur there Mr President (Picture: EPA/SHAWN THEW)
A heel spur is a bony outgrowth from the heel bone and generally has no effect on a person’s daily life.
Due to the fact that young Donald Trump had heel spurs, he was given a 1-Y medical deferment, this was a temporary disqualification from serving in Vietnam, but the temporary disqualification remained in place until 1972, which meant he never served because he was disqualified from serving in the Vietnam War.
The draft lottery began in December 1969 and this saw Donald Trump also received a high number which meant the probability of him being called up was low, but the fact that he had a medical exemption meant that the lottery number was irrelevant.
In 1990 Donald Trump told Howard Stern that avoiding sexually transmitted diseases was his ‘personal Vietnam’.
MORE: What we know about the classified JFK assassination files being released today
MORE: Who is Jeff Flake and why does his resignation matter?
Dad visits daughter after she tried to killer herself when asylum was rejected
Trump suggests incest between 'send them back' congresswoman and her brother
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0027.json.gz/line853
|
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.