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» Palladium Was the Winner in 2014
Palladium Was the Winner in 2014
Near the beginning of every year, we update and publish what can safely be called our most popular piece: the Periodic Table of Commodities Returns.
Below are the latest year-end results, which show the historical performance of commodities from best to worst. A larger, high-definition version of the table is available for download.
Last year we experienced one of the biggest commodity corrections in recent memory—the biggest since 1986, in fact—and we’re happy to put it in our rearview mirrors.
Base Metals Boasted Mettle
Although it came in second overall, right behind palladium, nickel was the real standout of 2014. With a shabby 10-year annualized track record of -1.8 percent, the metal gained nearly 7 percent on the back of supply scares after Indonesia, the world’s largest producer, unexpectedly banned all nickel exports last January to meet domestic demand. By May, the metal had rocketed up more than 50 percent before cooling to 37 percent in July, when it was then the best-performing commodity.
Aluminum also managed to beat its 10-year annualized performance by close to 3 percentage points, owing to global production cuts and increased industrial usage of the metal in automobiles and aeronautics. The 2015 F-150, for example, is the first mass-produced truck in its class to feature an aluminum-alloy body. Because of these developments, Texas-based aluminum-producer Alcoa, which we own in our Global Resources Fund (PSPFX), enjoyed its best year since 2008, delivering 50 percent.
Precious Metals Pressured
Palladium, 2014’s top commodity, performed relatively according to script. For the year it was up 11.35 percent, compared to its 10-year annualized returns of 14 percent. Much like nickel, palladium was spurred by extenuating circumstances. Between January and June, a labor strike in South Africa, the world’s second-largest producer of the metal following Russia, halted production, which depleted reserves and sent palladium to a three-year high of $850 an ounce.
Although nickel doesn’t have an exchange-traded fund (ETF), we manage to capture this growth through a palladium ETF.
The South African labor strike didn’t seem to help palladium’s sister metal, platinum, which ended the year down 11.79 percent. To combat and find solutions to years’ worth of flat sales, six South African platinum producers launched the World Platinum Investment Council in December. CEO Paul Wilson summed up the group’s mission:
To date, the investment potential of platinum has been largely overlooked. We believe that presenting the platinum investment proposition to a wider range of investors will result in it rightfully being considered favorably as an investment.
Silver had its second straight down year, falling 19 percent, despite record sales of Silver Eagle coins. According to the U.S. Mint, 44 million ounces were sold in 2014, outpacing Gold Eagle sales by 59 percent. The U.S. Mint’s stock of bullion completely dried up on Christmas Eve.
However, silver mining also accelerated to record highs last year. This, coupled with weak industrial use of silver in the first half of 2014, led to falling prices.
And then there’s gold, which also fell (slightly) for the second consecutive year. As I’ve already reported, even though the yellow metal dropped 1.72, it still remained a more reliable form of currency than any other globally, excluding the U.S. dollar.
Energy Feeling Sluggish
Besides crude oil, the biggest loser was natural gas. A particularly brutal winter in late 2013 helped make it the top performer for that year. But even though the polar vortex—remember that?—dragged frigid temperatures into the beginning of the new year, natural gas couldn’t quite manage to ignite the flame in 2014, which turned out to be one of the warmest years on record.
Natural gas remains the worst-performing commodity for the 10-year period, down 3.73 percent.
All three energy-related commodities—coal, natural gas and crude oil—showed up in the bottom five, their first time to do so since 2006.
Weighed down by crude oil, which tanked 46 percent in 2014, the energy component of the S&P Goldman Sachs Commodities Index (GSCI) lost 44 percent for the year.
By all accounts, crude oil’s collapse was both unexpected and swift—and it looks as if the bottom has not yet been reached. Goldman Sachs recently reduced its six- and 12-month West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude forecasts to $39 per barrel.
It’s disconcerting to recall that as recently as July, Brent oil set a record for trading between $107 and $112 per barrel for 12 consecutive months. It now trades for less than half that, at approximately $50 per barrel.
The selloff is so extended now that crude’s weekly relative strength index (RSI) is at 8.5, which is even lower than its RSI during the 2008-2009 crisis.
Where’s the Global Demand?
In response to unraveling crude prices, several companies, from the small caps to the majors, announced they would be laying off workers in huge numbers. Schlumberger, the world’s largest oilfield-services company, will reportedly be letting go of 9,000 of its workers, or 7 percent of its workforce; Suncor Energy, Canada’s largest, will cut 1,000 members of its staff and slash $1 billion in capital spending.
Many more companies have had little choice but to cut costs by halting exploration and production. The U.S. oil rig count saw its largest one-week drop in six years, losing 74 last week alone. As disconcerting as all this might sound—especially the job losses—these decisions are necessary to rebalance supply and demand and stabilize prices.
After peaking at $10 per 1,000 cubic feet in 2008, prices for natural gas—remember, it’s the worst-performing commodity of the last 10 years—plummeted and never fully recovered, which is why you see a gradually diminishing number of gas rigs in the chart below.
When the shale oil revolution began in 2009, the number of rigs steeply ramped up, adding approximately 200 new rigs each year. And not just any rigs, but much more efficient, technologically-advanced pieces of machinery, capable of extracting crude from places that until now were inaccessible.
That’s what American ingenuity has given the world: cheap oil and cheap fuel. Speaking on CNBC last week, Nobel Prize-winning economist Robert Shiller praised the U.S.’s drive and innovative spirit: “This country is proud of our oil technology and it’s been boosting our spirit, our animal spirits.”
But just as the U.S. has provided the world with plentiful oil, the rest of the global economy has cooled, especially Europe, choking demand.
“The global economy today is much larger than what it used to be,” World Bank Chief Economist Kaushik Basu recently stated, “so it’s a case of a larger train being pulled by a single engine, the American one.”
Tough Times Don’t Last Forever
Speaking to Fox Business last Monday, PSPFX portfolio manager Brian Hicks explained where we continue to see opportunity and value in this low-price environment:
Certainly the [oil] selloff is getting long in the tooth and we’re actually becoming more and more constructive as [it] continues… These prices are not sustainable [and] not high enough to replace production going down a few years from now. We think the stocks look very attractive here, and if you look at their performance to crude oil, they’ve actually been outperforming since mid-December.
Michael Waring, CEO and Chief Investment Officer of Toronto-based Galileo Global Equity Advisors, visited our office last week and reminded our team of the cyclical nature of the energy sector. We’ve been through similar downturns in crude oil, Michael noted—in 1986 and 2008-2009, most recently.
“I’ve seen this movie so many times, I already know the ending,” Michael said, suggesting that oil has tended to move back to its mean eventually.
The chart below shows the inverse relationship between crude and the dollar, going back to 1984. The current standard deviation spread between the two is clearly widening to 1985 and 2008-2009 levels. But as strong as the dollar or as depressed as oil got, both eventually reverted back to their means.
For the past 30 years, the 12-month rolling sigma or volatility for oil is ±30 percent 70 percent of the time; the dollar’s is ±9 percent. Today the odds are high that the dollar will correct and oil will rise. In 30 years, this is the third-widest gap between oil falling and dollar rising. But if you look over the same amount of time, you’ll see that oil has historically bottomed in February and subsequently rallied.
I cannot stress enough how greatly low gasoline prices have benefited consumers. They might also contribute to non-oil-services employment. According to BCA Research:
In the U.S., the decline in gasoline prices should boost household disposable incomes by around $150 billion this year, with an additional $30 billion coming from lower heating bills [and] decreased airline fares… The money spent, in turn, will generate additional demand for goods and services. This will lead to faster employment growth, translating into more income and spending.
I just presented at the 20th Anniversary Vancouver Resource Investment Conference 2015. I’ll be sure to inform you of the main takeaways from the conference.
Watch my preconference interview with Vanessa Collette, host of Cambridge House Live.
This Wednesday, January 21, we will be hosting our first webcast of the year, “Bad News Is Good News: A Contrarian Case for Commodities.” The presenters include me, Director of Research John Derrick and portfolio managers Brian Hicks and Ralph Aldis. Don’t miss out on this special opportunity to gain expert insight on where commodities might be headed this year!
You can register here.
On Wednesday, February 18, we will be conducting our second webcast, which will focus on China and Emerging Europe.
And finally, look out for our Shareholder Report magazine, which will be arriving in mailboxes soon!
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Foreign and emerging market investing involves special risks such as currency fluctuation and less public disclosure, as well as economic and political risk. Because the Global Resources Fund concentrates its investments in specific industries, the fund may be subject to greater risks and fluctuations than a portfolio representing a broader range of industries.
The Goldman Sachs Commodity Index is a composite index of commodity sector returns, representing an unleveraged, long-only investment in commodity futures that is broadly diversified across the spectrum of commodities.
Fund portfolios are actively managed, and holdings may change daily. Holdings are reported as of the most recent quarter-end. Holdings in the Global Resources Fund as a percentage of net assets as of 9/30/2014: Alcoa, Inc. 1.40%; Chevron Corp. 1.90%; Devon Energy Corp. 1.82%; EOG Resources, Inc. 2.13%; Ford Motor Co. 0.00%; Schlumberger Ltd. 0.00%; Suncor Energy, Inc. 2.13%.
Standard deviation is a measure of the dispersion of a set of data from its mean. The more spread apart the data, the higher the deviation. Standard deviation is also known as historical volatility.
All opinions expressed and data provided are subject to change without notice. Some of these opinions may not be appropriate to every investor. By clicking the link(s) above, you will be directed to a third-party website(s). U.S. Global Investors does not endorse all information supplied by this/these website(s) and is not responsible for its/their content.
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4. Kelly Kelly
Better known as Barbie Blank, she is yet another former model who defied all odds during her WWE tenure. It’s hard to believe that a model who signed back in 2005 had a strict eye-candy role in SyFy’s ECW, and still emerged as the best performer on the roster.
Some of her best woman bouts that have ever taken place in the WWE were between her and Beth Phoenix, in their 2011 series of matches. While she wasn’t the most athletic WWE Diva, she surely wasn’t afraid to take a beating in the ring, or get thrown around like a rag doll.
Her success came as a result of her determination to never give up.
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Bruce Dickinson one of those old guys who thinks being disconnected is charming
Don't you hate those people who take some sort of pride in their distance from the modern world? Like hugely-specific unabombers who draw the line at technological developments after an arbitrary point. Amongst their number is Bruce Dickinson:
"I understand that in this day and age everybody has to have a big social media presence, and you have to look after your social media, and blah blah blah — okay, that's great," he said. "We've got a great team and they just look after the social media. I just completely ignore it. It's as if I live in another world, devoid of Twitter, devoid of Facebook, devoid of all the bullshit that gets talked about by all of these people. I just live in my own little head world. That's what makes the records. So I have no idea what's going on on Twitter, and I couldn't care less."
Asked if there is anything in particular about social media that bothers him, he said: "No, because I don't let myself get bothered. I pay no attention to it. I don't even know how to access Twitter. I mean, my mobile phone is a Nokia that I can't even take a picture on. It's held together with tape. That is my mobile phone, and people look at it with horror. People say, 'Well, why don't you have an iPhone?' Because it gets polluted by shit."
Ooh, you've got a Nokia, have you, Bruce? What are you, some kind of teenager with your trendy mobile walkabout everywhere phone? What's wrong with a traditional landline? Obviously not one with a dial, with all that 'having to look numbers up in a phonebook' shit, you just want to blow in a tube and get a telephonist to look after the connections, right?
It's worth remembering that when he's not being Grandpa Simpson or in Iron Maiden, Dickinson flies planes and runs an airline. With a taped-up Nokia which presumably connects through GPRS. He's a pilot.
"This is your captain speaking. Not though the intercom, which is just showy, I'm shouting through a rolled-up in flight magazine. Just so you know,I don't have time for all these bullshit dials and screens in the cockpit. I'm just using a barometer and a map in the back of an encyclopedia. Now, please pay attention to the talk about safety features on this plane, and be assured we haven't been polluted by shit like safety masks or whatnot. I don't even know how to use the switch for the landing gear, by the way."
More from No Rock on bruce dickinson, twitter
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MLB Is Sitting On Their Thumbs
We’ve just seen a Super Bowl Champion crowned in the National Football League which has always been the segue into the countdown for the Major League Baseball season. But as the NFL season has come to an end, while pitchers and catchers are preparing to report, MLB is missing something which is that their marquee free agents still have not found teams to play for in 2019.
In recent years we’ve seen free agency become more drawn out as owners and general managers have been attempting to make veteran free agents sign on their terms which means taking deals with less money and less years. There were some observers who believed that this would somewhat change this year as with superstars in outfielder Bryce Harper and infielder Manny Machado on the market. But with Valentine’s Day right around the corner, both Harper and Machado are still not signed which is a huge problem that falls into the lap of Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred.
Rob Manfred
Last month marked the four-year anniversary of Manfred assuming his role as Major League Baseball’s commissioner and he has not gone out of his way to ingratiate himself to baseball fans in a positive way. Under Manfred, we’ve seen the Miami Marlins have another one of their fire sales; this time after they were sold to a group that includes former New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter which itself came on the heels of the Marlins receiving their new home ballpark in Miami (Marlins Park) which was built primarily on the back of the taxpayers in South Florida. In 2015, Manfred’s office failed to make a conclusive decision regarding the controversial slide in second base by Chase Utley which caused shortstop Reuben Tejada to suffer a fractured ankle during a playoff game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets. Manfred has been big on improving the pace of play around baseball which has included eliminating the four-pitch intentional walk, while consistently balking at using a computerized strike zone to assist home plate umpires to make the proper calls behind the plate. And now MLB’s free agency issues are just another layer to the disastrous cake that Manfred is rapidly assembling.
Major League Baseball has completely missed the boat on their approach to free agency as this is an event which should be celebrated instead of being shoved into a closet. The National Football League and NBA both make their first week of free agency a marquee event as star players in those leagues waste absolutely no time in signing big contracts. And in doing so, it creates excitement among fans, while also creating revenue as it generates ratings all across sports television networks. When free agency began in MLB this past November, there should have been blowout of epic proportions to showcase Harper and Machado, but this long drawn out process has sucked any excitement in the process out. There is one event that MLB considers their marquee event which is the Winter Meetings. But when the Winter Meetings took place this past December in Las Vegas, no big names were signed as the event would have been the perfect time to ink Harper as he is a native of the city.
Ever since Major League Baseball has implemented its stiff luxury tax, it has taken away the incentive for the big market franchises to spend money as they’ve made it more of a punishment than anything else. And because of that, teams are more focused on attempting to re-sign their own players instead of playing the market. In the case of Harper, the only teams that have shown interest in him this off-season are the Washington Nationals, Philadelphia Phillies, San Francisco Giants, and Chicago White Sox, while the White Sox, Phillies, and New York Yankees have also been in play to potential sign Machado.
But this lack of movement on the free agency front is just another illustration that owners around Major League Baseball are colluding to not spend money in order to bring down player salaries, while also scaring other star players from testing the free agent waters. There has been a major shift in recent years by most teams around MLB to primarily focus on drafting and developing players. And by the time that these players reach arbitration, most teams are ready to kick these players to the curb while just repeating the process. Recently the excuse was that most of these players hit free agency after they’ve turned 30-years of age which would make a team reluctant to spend big money. However in the case of Harper and Machado, each player is in his mid-20s.
I was shocked when the Major League Baseball Players’ Association decided to extend the contract of their president Tony Clark as his inactivity on the free agency issue is enough to make Marvin Miller roll over in his grave. Clark has talked a big game in regards to doing something, but actions speak louder than words, and he’s done nothing whatsoever which includes turning a blind eye to teams delaying a player’s MLB debut in order to delay his free agency. The current collective bargaining agreement between players and the owners runs through 2021, and MLB is steamrolling its way to a work stoppage. The owners don’t care because their money is protected since they all have other lucrative business interests which bring them money, and their focus will be to wait out players. And as the players will be looking to get their just due in regards to compensation, Joe Public (aka the working man) who actually cares about the sport will be the one who’ll get screwed.
Most players are not old enough to remember Major League Baseball’s last work stoppage in 1994, while most of the current team owners were not in their current positions 25-years ago. But they don’t understand the disaster that they are headed to as their sport which was once considered to be “America’s Pastime” is now far from that. MLB is falling off in popularity as compared to the National Football League and the NBA which includes it being less appealing to the younger demographic. And MLB’s idea of improving their status is to muck up their game by adding a clock for pitchers, bring the designated hitter to the National League, and give their fans a watered down product. This is evident by the fact that most teams around MLB have already thrown in the towel for 2019 as they are set to begin the season with glorified minor league teams playing big league parks, while expecting fans to pay big time money. Like it or not sports is a form of entertainment, and the average theater buff would not pay Broadway-type money to watch an off-Broadway production. And with the start of a new MLB season right around the corner, the lack of buzz for it across the board is frightening.
By William Martin| 2019-02-07T13:43:46+00:00 February 7th, 2019|Categories: Major League Baseball|Tags: Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, MLB Free Agency, Rob Manfred|0 Comments
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NJ looks to reduce maternal deaths, among highest in nation
TRENTON — State lawmakers on Tuesday advanced a package of 14 bills aimed at solving a problem on the rise: New Jersey has one of the nation’s highest rates of maternal mortality.
The United Health Foundation, in its 2018 Health of Women and Children Report, said maternal mortality increased 2 percent over the previous two years to 38.1 deaths per 100,000 live births, ranking 45th among the states.
The national rate was 20.7 deaths per 100,000 live births. Among black women, New Jersey’s maternal mortality rate was the highest in the nation, at 102.3 deaths per 100,000 live births.
“Hopefully in due course, we will turn the tide on these tragic numbers that leave far too many ill, far too many dead, and in my view represent a shame in our state that we need to address, a problem that we need to fix,” said Assemblyman Herb Conaway, D-Burlington, chairman of the Assembly Health Committee.
“Our society goes as our women and our children go, and we need to do a better job than we have been doing here to date,” Conaway said.
“This is just the beginning,” said Assemblywoman Gabriela Mosquera, D-Gloucester, chairwoman of the Assembly Women and Children Committee. “We have to do more, we need to do more in the state of New Jersey, so let’s continue the conversation.”
The package of bills includes bills AR219, A1662 and bills A4930 through A4941 and are a mix of awareness, education, evaluation protocols and Medicaid coverage.
Carolyn DeBoer, director of corporate planning for the Partnership for Maternal and Child Health of Northern New Jersey, said the attention of the Legislature is welcome.
“The state of New Jersey’s care of women and children is in crisis,” DeBoer said. “The contributors are many and extend beyond the health care system to issues related to social determinants of health, systemic racism, paid maternity and family leave, the corrosive effects of stress on health, long-term impact of adverse childhood experiences and many other factors.”
First lady Tammy Murphy and four Cabinet members will make an announcement Wednesday morning in Camden regarding the state’s commitment to promoting maternal health and reducing disparities in birth outcomes, specifically black infant mortality.
Last August, Gov. Phil Murphy signed a law requiring the state Department of Health to compile an annual New Jersey Report Card of Hospital Maternity Care, including the number of vaginal and cesarean deliveries performed at each hospital and the rates of complications experienced by patients.
Source: NJ looks to reduce maternal deaths, among highest in nation
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abc7chicago jobs
Linda Yu, ABC 7 Chicago's veteran anchor announces retirement; Judy Hsu named 4 pm anchor; Tanja Babich named new morning anchor
CHICAGO -- Linda Yu, veteran broadcaster and prominent Chicago anchor, is announcing she will retire from ABC 7 Eyewitness News. Her final day on air after 37 years in Chicago television will be Wednesday, November 23, 2016. Yu has co-anchored the station's 4 pm newscast since she came to ABC 7 in 1984.
PHOTOS: Veteran anchor Linda Yu through the years
Jennifer Graves, Vice President and News Director, announced that ABC 7 Eyewitness News Morning Anchor Judy Hsu will take on the 4 PM anchor role alongside Rob Elgas beginning November 24, and reporter and anchor Tanja Babich has been promoted to anchor the morning news with Terrell Brown beginning Monday, September 12.
"Since Linda Yu began anchoring the 4 PM News in 1984 it has been the #1 newscast for 32 years -- an astonishing winning streak. Linda is a class act who leaves a remarkable legacy at ABC 7. She will be truly missed by everyone at ABC 7 and her many loyal viewers throughout Chicago," said John Idler, President and General Manger, ABC 7 Chicago.
Linda Yu has the distinction of being Chicago's first Asian American broadcast journalist. She has reported extensively from China three times during her career. Her reports on hazardous playground surfaces resulted in renovated playground spaces all over Chicago. Yu volunteers much of her time to the Chinese American Service League, the March of Dimes, Asian Human Services and Juvenile Protective Association. She co-founded the Chicago Chapter of the Asian American Journalists Association. Yu has earned five Chicago Emmy Awards during her career. She was honored by the Chicago chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences with the Silver Circle, given for 25 years of outstanding contributions to Chicago broadcasting. Yu first came to Chicago in 1979 with WMAQ-TV.
According to Jennifer Graves, Vice President and News Director, ABC 7, "Linda Yu is a trailblazer who opened doors for others as the first Asian American to anchor and report news in Chicago. She set the bar high with her skillful anchoring and unflappable breaking news coverage. Linda has a special ability to connect with viewers on screen and off, one of the many reasons she has so many fans in this city."
Yu said, "How blessed am I to have had such a wonderful career in Chicago! I'm so lucky to be part of the ABC 7 team that built the #1 station for three decades. Now I'm really looking forward to new adventures, including writing my next book, and seeing my children more often in California. Although it will be difficult saying goodbye to my colleagues and home away from home at ABC 7, it's reassuring that someone as talented as Judy Hsu will continue to lead the way with Rob Elgas on our 4 PM News. "
Yu recently published her first book/memoir, Lessons I Learned in America, published in Chinese, as a guide to help young Chinese woman in the global workplace. Yu signed a new book deal with a leading Chinese publisher to write her second book featuring unique stories of prominent Asian woman entrepreneurs, political and cultural icons in the United States.
ABC 7 Anchor Judy Hsu will anchor ABC 7's 4 PM newscast with Rob Elgas beginning November 24, 2016 while continuing her duties anchoring the 11 am Newscast with Terrell Brown. Hsu will have a significant role on the 4 PM News until she takes over anchoring duties for Yu in November. She is also the new moderator of ABC 7's Newsviews on Sunday Mornings.
Graves said, "Judy Hsu brings 15 years of experience to the afternoon newscast and is a natural on the anchor desk. She grew up in the Chicago area watching Linda Yu and has a keen sense of how the news impacts people here. I know Judy will greatly contribute to the continued success of our 4 PM newscast."
Since Hsu's arrival at ABC 7 in 2001, she anchored the early morning news. Her anchoring and reporting have garnered more than 15 Emmy nominations and earned several awards. A national headliner for her "expressway baby" story and deeply involved in the community, Hsu works with dozens of charities throughout the region highlighting issues important to local families. Born in Taipei, Taiwan, Hsu moved with her family to Chicago when she was 11-years-old. She remains fluent in Mandarin, bringing Chicago a global perspective with deep local roots. Prior to coming to ABC 7, Hsu, a University of Illinois graduate, anchored the top-rated 4 PM News at KFMB-TV in San Diego.
ABC 7 Eyewitness News Reporter and Anchor Tanja Babich was promoted to anchor ABC 7's 4:30 am-7:00 AM morning newscasts. She will join Terrell Brown on the morning anchor desk, September 12, 2016.
Graves said, "Tanja has done a fantastic job for us reporting and on the anchor desk. She brings invaluable experience having anchored a top-rated morning newscast in Syracuse, New York and will be a great addition to our morning team."
Babich joined the station in January, 2014. Prior to coming to ABC 7, Babich had the distinction of anchoring the Number One morning newscast at WSYR-TV in Syracuse, New York. Babich received her Master's Degree from Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.
careersabc7chicago jobs
Job: Graphic Designer, Full-Time
Job: Broadcast IT Specialist
Job: Data Journalism Fellowship
Job: Staff News Writer & Producer
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Little boy in Brooklyn who wanted telescope gets his wish
By CeFaan Kim
BEDFORD-STUYVESANT, Brooklyn (WABC) -- He's the 5-year-old with a Christmas wish list that instantly melted all of our hearts.
"I'm hoping he could give me a telescope. (A telescope why?) Because I want to look at the stars," Josiah Samuel said.
Josiah was among the thousands of kids in Brooklyn who waited for Santa to arrive Thursday night on the NYPD's Patrol Borough Brooklyn North "Sleigh Ride."
"If they don't give me a telescope it doesn't matter, I could still get a different gift," he said.
But after seeing him on Eyewitness News, the NYPD thought it did matter, and Josiah shouldn't have to settle for a different gift.
"A telescope!" Josiah said.
"On a scale of 1-100 how happy are you?" Eyewitness News asked.
"Two thousand!" Josiah said.
"This is insane and I'm so grateful and thankful and happy," said Anais Cutts, Josiah's mother.
"I could see everything with this," Josiah said.
He is also getting a new bike.
He got one Thursday night, but then he gave his to a friend who recently had his bike stolen.
It's giant generosity coming from such a little guy.
"It's just like you give a toy to your friend," he said.
"To give a kid, pick a kid out to give him a bike at 5 years old and then to give it to his friend is almost unheard of," said Charlie Minch, Commanding Officer, 79th Precinct NYPD. "And then we saw him on the news today asking for a telescope. Not many kids would ask for a telescope."
Saturday by the way happens to be his mom's birthday.
It's also when they're moving out of the shelter system.
"Nobody don't understand. We had a tough time. We're moving into our first apartment tomorrow as a family. This is a special, special holiday for me and Josiah," Cutts said.
"What do you want to be when you grow up?" Eyewitness News asked.
"A police officer," Josiah said.
That right there is what community policing is all about.
community & eventsbedford stuyvesantbrooklynnew york citychristmas giftchildrenholidaynypd
NYPD goes on 'Sleigh Ride' to pass out gifts in Brooklyn
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Print Page | Contact Us | Report Abuse | Sign In | Register
ASHRM Conference
SHRM National Conference
RISE Nominations
The 2019 H-Program Compliance Assistance Event
Don’t miss this opportunity for free compliance assistance and training from the agencies that enforce Federal and State laws that impact your business. See registration link in details.
When: 07/26/2019
Where: South Louisiana Community College - Lafayette Campus
320 Devalcourt Street
Don’t miss this opportunity for free compliance assistance and training from the agencies that enforce Federal and State laws that impact your business.
The New Orleans District Office (NODO) will partner with federal and state agencies to offer compliance assistance events focused on various provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). This event will interest employers who seek H program (H-2A and H-2B) certification as well as their representatives. The NODO’s goal is to share with attendees any changes, updates or trends that impact them. This half-day event will be held in Lafayette, LA and it will include a panel discussion followed by several workshops. Please see attached agenda for each event. The event is provided at no cost to participants, but space is limited. You are welcome to share this invitation with any constituents whom you believe would be interested in attending. Those who wish to attend this event need to register.
Event Agenda:
Panel Discussion:
Protecting the American Workforce and Employers Obligations
Discussion will focus on common issues/violations in H-programs and employer obligations: recruitment and preferential treatments, immigration-based discrimination, visa fraud including labor trafficking.
This event will be moderated by:
Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation
Brian Breaux, Senior Commodity and Public Policy Director
The American Sugar Cane League of the U.S.A
Jim Simon, (or designee)
DOL- Wage and Hour Division (WHD):
Troy Mouton, District Director
Troy M. Mouton is the District Director for the New Orleans District Office of the U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division (WHD). The WHD’s New Orleans District Office conducts compliance assistance and investigations throughout the State of Louisiana in multiple program areas, including the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), government contract statutes, and provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). Troy has over 20 years of experience with WHD and has held the positions of investigator, senior investigator advisor, assistant district director, and now district director. Troy graduated summa cum laude from the University of Southwestern Louisiana and received a Truman scholarship before completing advanced studies at the graduate school of Louisiana State University.
DOJ- Immigrant and Employee Rights Section IER
Jenna Grambort, IER trial attorney
Jenna Grambort is a Trial Attorney in the Immigrant and Employee Rights Section of the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, which enforces the anti-discrimination provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Prior to joining IER, Jenna worked as a judicial law clerk and as a staff attorney at a legal aid organization. Jenna graduated from Stanford University and the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law, and is admitted to the state bars of California and Colorado.
Wilfred J. Hebert, Compliance Assistance Specialist
Wilfred J. Hebert has been chosen to represent the U. S. Department of Labor (Occupational Safety and Health Administration). Mr. Hebert has 29 years’ experience with OSHA (19 years as a Compliance Safety and Health Officer and 10 years as a Compliance Assistance Specialist) and he has 30 plus years with the U. S. Army as a Military Instructor (Regular and Reservist). Both jobs involve regulatory compliance and require safety and health training.
US DHS –ICE Worksite Enforcement and IMAGE
Jason L. Whitehead, Group Supervisor, Public Safety Unit HSI New Orleans
Louisiana Workforce Commission – Foreign Labor Certification (FLC) unit
Merrill Hess, Workforce Development Officer 5
Merrill Hess has worked for the Louisiana Workforce Commission since 1985. The first few years he worked in a local office providing job placement services. He moved into contract and grant management and program oversight and guidance roles for the succession of Workforce Development programs - JTPA, EDWAA, WIA, WIOA, and partner anti-poverty programs. Other experience included management information systems, monitoring, State rule and program policy development, training, and program development. In 2010 he assumed statewide responsibility the Foreign Labor Certification (FLC) unit. The unit is responsible for the State Workforce Agency operations of the H-2 visa temporary worker programs. He directed the program full time from 2010 until retirement in 2017. Currently, he assists the unit on a part time basis.
Alicia Whitley, Louisiana SWA
Alicia is with the Louisiana Workforce Commission. She works with employers & agencies to facilitate information to the Chicago National Processing Center (CNPC) related to housing Foreign workers. Alicia is involved in the day-to-day responsibilities of the Louisiana SWA. Some of those duties include reviewing job orders, overseeing housing inspections, sending housing approval to the CNPC as well as enforce federal regulations regarding housing for the H2A & H2B programs.
Session A, 10:00am - 10:45am
Session B 11:00am – 11:45am
Session C 12:00pm – 12:45pm
Room 1. WHD | H-2A Provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). This presentation covers the legal obligations of agricultural employers relating to the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act (MSPA) and the H-2A program and relates to the H-2A regulations which became effective on March 15, 2010.
Presented by: Eden Ramirez, Targeted Enforcement Coordinator SW Regional Office
As a Targeted Enforcement Coordinator with the U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division - Southwest Regional Office, Eden utilizes his extensive investigative experience to coordinate the region’s agriculture enforcement activities within its territory, which expands across eleven (11) states.
Eden has worked for the Department of Labor – Wage and Hour Division for over twenty-two years (22) where he has served in different capacities; Wage and Hour Investigator, Wage and Hour Team Leader in the New Orleans District Office, Assistant District Director and District Director in the McAllen District Office.
Eden earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Texas – Rio Grande Valley. Eden is fluent in Spanish and volunteers with Friends of the Richardson Public Library, a nonprofit organization
Room 2. WHD |Requirements to Participate in the H-2B Program. This presentation covers the legal obligations of employers relating to the H-2B program
Presented by: Jason Brister, Assistant District Director New Orleans District Office.
Room 3. US DHS –ICE | Compliance with employment eligibility verification requirements, to include the Employment Eligibility Verification Form (Form I-9), and the benefits of membership in the IMAGE Program.
Presented by: Stephen Cole, HSI New Orleans IMAGE Coordinator
Room 4. US DOJ - IER | Avoiding Unlawful Discrimination Based on Citizenship Status and National Origin. This presentation covers the legal obligations of employers relating to the anti-discrimination provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Among other unlawful conduct, the law prohibits employers from hiring temporary visa holders over qualified and available U.S. workers based on a discriminatory preference for visa workers.
Presented by: Jenna Grambort, IER trial attorney.
Room 5. LWC |
Presented by Alicia Whitley and Merrill Hess
Room 6. OSHA | OSHA inspectors, called compliance safety and health officers, are experienced, well-trained industrial hygienists and safety professionals whose goal is to assure compliance with OSHA requirements and help employers and workers reduce on-the-job hazards and prevent injuries, illnesses, and deaths in the workplace. This session will discuss the inspection procedures.
Presented by: Terri Irvin, Safety and Health Officer/ Wilfred Hebert, Compliance Assistance.
Participating agencies and stakeholders:
DOL- Wage and Hour Division (WHD) | The Wage and Hour Division is responsible for administering a number of statutes that extend various protections to different types of agricultural workers. The coverage and requirements of these statutes may overlap. For more assistance with the requirements of each law, see the sections below. Because the interplay between the laws can be complex, please contact the nearest Wage and Hour District office with specific questions.
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) contains Federal minimum wage, overtime, recordkeeping, and child labor requirements for covered agricultural employers.
The Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act (MSPA) protects migrant and seasonal agricultural workers by establishing employment standards related to wages, housing, transportation, disclosures, and recordkeeping. The MSPA also requires farm labor contractors (FLCs) and farm labor contractor employees (FLCEs) to register with the U.S. Department of Labor and to obtain special authorization before housing, transporting, or driving covered workers.
The H-2A visa program establishes standards related to recruitment, wages, housing, transportation, and recordkeeping for employers of temporary non-immigrant agricultural workers admitted to the country under section 218 of the Immigration and Nationality Act.
The Field Sanitation Provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Act establish minimum standards for covered agricultural settings for toilets, potable drinking water, hand-washing facilities, and for providing information regarding good hygiene practices.
The H-2B nonimmigrant program establishes standards related to recruitment, wages, housing, transportation, and recordkeeping for employers of temporary non-immigrant nonagricultural workers admitted to the country under section 218 of the Immigration and Nationality Act.DOJ- Immigrant and Employee Rights Section IER | The Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER), enforces the anti-discrimination provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INAIER)
DOJ- Immigrant and Employee Rights Section IER | The Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER), enforces the anti-discrimination provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INAIER)
US DHS –ICE Worksite Enforcement and IMAGE | The IMAGE program was created in July 2006, as a joint government and private sector initiative designed to build cooperative relationships that strengthen hiring practices and encourage employer compliance to ensure a lawful workforce. Through close coordination and partnership with the private sector, IMAGE seeks to promote principals of ethical business conduct, prevent the hiring of unauthorized workers, and empower employers with a pragmatic immigration compliance strategy.
LWC-Foreign Labor Programs | Foreign Labor Certification Unit provides value-added services to employers looking to hire a non U.S. citizen. The Unit works directly with the National Processing Centers and focuses primarily on screening ETA application forms and conducting housing inspections.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)| OSHA's mission is to "assure safe and healthy working conditions for working men and women by setting and enforcing standards and by providing training, outreach, education and assistance". The agency is also charged with enforcing a variety of whistleblower statutes and regulations.
Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation | The Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation is the state’s largest general farm organization representing farmers, ranchers and rural residents. We are a private, non-profit, non-governmental agency established in 1922 to bring a voice to agricultural issues.
The American Sugar Cane League of the U.S.A., Inc. | is a non-profit organization of Louisiana sugarcane growers and processors. We are dedicated to supporting the Louisiana sugar industry through research, legislation, product promotion, education and public relations.
5/23/2019RISE Award Nominations Are Open!
5/16/2019SHRM Specialty Credentials
Re-Entry Job Fair 2019
T. Suire
L. Derise
J. LeBlanc
E. Turner (Menard)
T. Leonards
M. O'Neal (Lee)
D. ONeal
T. Ball
B. Vial
M. Cormier
K. Savoie
C. Ashby
H. Courville (Foreman)
J. Biddick
C. Greene
C. Boudreaux
M. Hulin
L. Prejean
C. Walker
M. Pritchard
L. Wellbrock
A. Tavernit
H. Bourque
K. Domingue
L. Vergenal
D. Cheely
A. Bayard
W. Murray
R. Riso
D. Trahan
Email: ASHRM@AcadianaSHRM.org
Louisiana SHRM
SHRM Certification
SHRM Knowledge Center
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People's Climate March Manchester + Lobby of Labour Party Conference
Get directions to this event
Sunday, September 21, 11:00 AM Piccadilly Gardens and then Manchester Central (formerly GMEX)
Piccadilly Gardens
Manchester, M1 1AF, United Kingdom
Frack Free Greater Manchester in conjunction with Greater Manchester Association of Trades Union Councils and others, are organising a People's Climate March in Manchester on the 21st September in solidarity with marches in New York, London and elsewhere, which are calling for urgent action by the World's Governments to address the growing threat of irreversible and catastrophic climate change. We will marching to, and linking up with an already planned lobby of the Labour Party Conference on the same day on an anti-fracking and action on climate change theme. We are calling on Labour to oppose the Government's Infrastructure Bill in the next Parliamentary session, and to give a manifesto commitment that if they are elected, they will ban fracking and implement the proposals of the one million climate jobs report. The lobby already has broad backing and we are confident of extending that to a People's Climate March from Piccadilly Gardens to the conference venue at Manchester Central slightly earlier in the day https://www.facebook.com/events/729103837151412/ Facebook event page for the People's Climate March part will be notified asap. Assemble Piccadilly Gardens 11.00am
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Image by:Shadia Fayne Wood
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Lorena Di Giano (Fundación GEP): +54 9 223 423 3278 | lorenadigiano@gmail.com
Brittany Herrick (Health GAP): +1 760 964 8704 | brittany@healthgap.org
>> View/Download photos from the event <<
>> View/Download this press release in Spanish <<
Activists Call on IMF to Prevent Looming Health Crisis in Argentina
(Washington, D.C.) – Today, global health activists took to the streets of Capitol Hill to highlight the looming health crisis facing the people of Argentina. Strict targets set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) mean the Argentinean government is taking drastic measures to significantly cut the national AIDS program and even dissolve the Ministry of Health. These austerity measures threaten the lives and health of millions of people in Argentina.
“These measures are outrageous,” said Lorena Di Giano, Executive Director of Fundación GEP. “This reckless approach being taken by the government not only threatens lives and will be irreversible for many people, but it is also counter-intuitive and will cost them much more in the future.”
In Argentina, 60,000 people living with HIV are currently receiving life-saving HIV treatment through the government AIDS program; however, proposed budget cuts of 50% mean that almost a third of those people will no longer be treated. 15,000 people who currently rely on publicly funded HIV medicines will be forced to go without treatment. HIV is a chronic disease that requires daily treatment for life. Adherence is critical. Treatment interruptions put people at risk of health complications, becoming resistant to antiretroviral treatment regimens, or even death.
Cutting the budget for HIV treatment will increase healthcare costs in three ways. Firstly, people living with HIV who develop resistance will be forced to switch to newer, more expensive second- or third-line treatment regimens if and when they are able to resume treatment. Secondly, evidence shows that HIV treatment is one of the single most effective ways to prevent HIV transmission. By reducing access, many more HIV infections will occur that could have been avoided, meaning many more people will need HIV treatment in the future. Thirdly, treatment interruptions worsen the long-term health outcomes of people living with HIV who are put at risk of various cancers and further health issues later in life requiring other healthcare and medicines. Of great concern is also the fate of the viral hepatitis treatment program that started providing treatment for people living with hepatitis C in 2015; an estimated 300,000 people in Argentina have hepatitis C.
Of equal concern is the move to dissolve the Ministry of Health that signals a major affront to people’s health and human rights. Without a centralized and dedicated health department, activists fear further health budget cuts and major failures in the public health system. This will reverse the significant progress Argentina has made in working towards universal health coverage, putting countless more lives at risk.
These austerity measures were introduced following an agreement signed between Argentinean government and the IMF. The targets of this agreement need to be urgently reworked in order to reverse these threats.
“Dismantling the Ministry of Health is a criminal act and a major breach of human rights. It is detrimental to our economy and risks an unacceptable loss of life. We urge the IMF to urgently intervene,” Di Giano continued.
“It is morally reprehensible for the IMF to sit back and watch while Argentina’s health system unravels given that these cuts are directly related to achieving the targets set by the IMF. Public health and people’s lives must be protected as the country attempts to curb its currency crisis,” said Lotti Rutter from Health GAP.
About Health GAP:
Health GAP is an international advocacy organization dedicated to ensuring that all people living with HIV have access to affordable life-sustaining medicines. Our team pairs pragmatic policy work with audacious grassroots action to win equitable access to treatment, care and prevention for people living with and affected by HIV worldwide. We are dedicated to eliminating barriers to universal access to affordable life-sustaining medicines for people living with HIV/AIDS as key to a comprehensive strategy to confront and ultimately stop the AIDS pandemic. We believe that the human right to life and to health must prevail over the pharmaceutical industry's excessive profits and expanding patent rights.
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News & Events / News / Blog: Review visits ‘blew us away’
Blog: Review visits ‘blew us away’
Alliance of Sport Co-Founders James Mapstone and Justin Coleman recently visited 13 organisations in England and Wales as part of our Review of Sport in Criminal Justice. What they found only deepened their conviction that the power of sport holds immense potential in tackling crime.
JM: On our travels, myself and Justin visited some incredible organisations run by role models whose local relationships, knowledge of issues and understanding of the local need means they are achieving sensational results. Their skill and passion are amazing. Collectively, they’re like an extension of the criminal justice system.
Very often, how these people and organisations make an impact is not through formal means, it’s with on-the-ground life experience and a connection to each young person.
They put the person first, and the sport second – that’s the key. In my opinion, the sector is more a case of ‘Development through sport’, rather than ‘Sport for Development’. There’s a subtle difference.
All the projects we visited in prisons and in the community are delivering outstanding results with at-risk young people using sport as their vehicle.
There are still some people who don’t fully understand its power as a preventative and rehabilitative tool. It can be part of a high-impact solution to offending.
In order to broaden sport’s impact and start to make a real difference nationally, this sector needs leadership, self-confidence and co-ordination to ‘bang its drum’.
That’s what the Alliance is here to do, and this Review is a crucial part of that process.
JC: What blew me away about many of the community sport organisations is the variety of person-centred outcomes they achieve. Their starting point is: ‘What does this person want to achieve?’
One quote through the whole process resonated with me greatly: “Changing the world, one person at a time.”
Unlike projects that take place within the criminal justice system (that are by definition more ‘formal’), community organisations allow young people to apply themselves on their own terms and at their own pace. It’s their choice and within their control.
It’s not an appointment they have to keep, it’s based on organic relationships, which are very, very powerful and cover the life course of a person in the community. The engagement process can take a year in some cases, but the effects can last a lifetime.
Sport provides an oasis from the chaotic situations in their lives. It’s about having someone there to trust, be honest with them, positively challenge, make them smile and take them away from their problems.
The people in these organisations, for me, are heroes. It’s not a 9-5 role, it’s a ‘life role’. They are an integral part of their communities, and are led by passion, compassion and skill. More often than not, their work goes far beyond the scope of their funding.
Statutory services must learn how to link up with these community projects. So often statutory provision relies on a good worker forming a relationship. If that worker leaves, the relationship is over and the impact disappears. By contrast, a community boxing or football club can remain a safety net forever. They are plugging vital gaps in communities.
This Review will collect these inspiring examples of best practice from across England and Wales, forming a robust base of evidence that that will form the ideal platform for funders and Government policy makers to invest in the effective use of sport across communities and youth justice.
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Main » 2018 » November » 14 » CommScope to Acquire ARRIS: Approximately $7.4 Billion Transaction Accelerates CommScope Vision to Shape Communications Networks of the Fut
CommScope to Acquire ARRIS: Approximately $7.4 Billion Transaction Accelerates CommScope Vision to Shape Communications Networks of the Fut
Transaction More Than Doubles Expected Product Addressable Market to Greater Than $60 Billion
Expected to Generate Approximately $1 Billion in Cash Flow from Operations1 and Be More Than 30 Percent Accretive to Adjusted EPS in First Full Year after Closing
Expect More than $150 Million in Annual Cost Synergies Within Three Years
The Carlyle Group Reestablishes Ownership Position in CommScope with $1 Billion Minority Investment
HICKORY, N.C. & SUWANEE, Ga.-Tuesday 13 November 2018 [ AETOS Wire ]
(BUSINESS WIRE) -- CommScope (NASDAQ: COMM), a global leader in infrastructure solutions for communications networks, has agreed to acquire ARRIS International plc (NASDAQ: ARRS), a global leader in entertainment and communications solutions, in an all-cash transaction for $31.75 per share, or a total purchase price of approximately $7.4 billion, including the repayment of debt.
In addition, The Carlyle Group, a global alternative asset manager, has reestablished an ownership position in CommScope through a $1 billion minority equity investment as part of CommScope’s financing of the transaction.
The combination of CommScope and ARRIS, on a pro forma basis, would create a company with approximately $11.3 billion in revenue and adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) of approximately $1.8 billion, based on results for the two companies for the 12 months ended September 30, 2018.
The combined company is expected to drive profitable growth in new markets, shape the future of wired and wireless communications, and position the new company to benefit from key industry trends, including network convergence, fiber and mobility everywhere, 5G, Internet of Things and rapidly changing network and technology architectures.
ARRIS, an innovator in broadband, video and wireless technology, combines hardware, software and services to enable advanced video experiences and constant connectivity across a variety of environments – for service providers, commercial verticals, small enterprises and the people they serve. ARRIS has strong leadership positions in the three segments in which it operates:
Customer Premises Equipment (CPE), featuring access devices such as broadband modems, gateways and routers and video set-tops and gateways;
Network & Cloud (N&C), combining broadband and video infrastructure with cloud-based software solutions; and
Enterprise Networks, incorporating the recently acquired Ruckus Wireless® and ICX Switch® businesses, and focusing on wireless and wired connectivity, including Citizens Broadband Radio Service solutions.
For the 12 months ended September 30, 2018, ARRIS generated revenues of approximately $6.7 billion, consisting of $3.9 billion from CPE, $2.2 billion from N&C and $568 million from Enterprise Networks (reflecting only a partial year of Ruckus since its acquisition in December 2017).
“After a comprehensive evaluation of our business and the evolving industry we operate in, we are confident that combining with ARRIS is the best path forward for CommScope to grow and provide the greatest returns for shareholders,” said Eddie Edwards, president and chief executive officer, CommScope. “CommScope and ARRIS will bring together a unique set of complementary assets and capabilities that enable end-to-end wired and wireless communications infrastructure solutions that neither company could otherwise achieve on its own. With ARRIS, we will access new and growing markets, and have greater technology, solutions and employee talent that will provide additional value and benefit to our customers and partners.
“CommScope and ARRIS share a customer-first culture that emphasizes innovation, made possible by incredibly talented and experienced teams of people. As we have with numerous transactions in the past, we expect to work together with Bruce McClelland and the ARRIS team to create a best-in-class management team and achieve a seamless integration. Together, CommScope and ARRIS will be well positioned to serve a more diverse set of customers and generate substantial value for our shareholders.”
ARRIS Chief Executive Officer Bruce McClelland said, “CommScope is an ideal partner for ARRIS. In addition to providing immediate and substantial cash value to our shareholders, we are excited for what this combination will deliver for our customers, partners and employees around the world. Today’s agreement is a testament to the strength of ARRIS: our leading technology, talented employees and established competitive position. With CommScope, we expect to further advance ARRIS’ strategy to drive innovation across our iconic brands and pioneer the standards and pathways for tomorrow’s personalized, connected always-on consumer experience. ARRIS will become part of an even stronger, more global industry leader, and I look forward to working with the CommScope team to achieve great results for the combined company.”
Transaction is a critical step in fueling growth, shareholder value and customer benefits:
Positioned to Capitalize on Positive Industry Trends: The combined company will be well positioned to benefit from key industry trends by combining best-in-class capabilities in network access technology and infrastructure and creating end-to-end and comprehensive solutions. We believe trends such as network convergence, fiber and mobility everywhere, the advent of 5G and fixed wireless access, Internet of Things and rapidly changing network and technology architectures will provide compelling long-term opportunities for the combined company and its unique end-to-end communications infrastructure capabilities.
Unlocks Significant, High-Growth Segments and Increases Product Addressable Market: The company expects to more than double its total product addressable market to more than $60 billion, with a unique set of complementary assets and capabilities that enable end-to-end communications infrastructure solutions such as:
Converged small cell solutions for licensed and unlicensed wireless spectrum;
Complementary wired and wireless communications infrastructure;
Integrated broadband access;
Private network solutions for industrial, enterprises and public venues; and
Comprehensive connected and smart home solutions.
Expanded Product Offerings and R&D Capabilities to Meet Diversified Customer Base: CommScope and ARRIS will share strong technical expertise with approximately 15,000 patents and approximately $800 million in average annual research and development investments. With a stronger global footprint, the combined company is expected to serve customers across more than 150 countries.
Strong Financial Profile with Cost Savings Opportunities: For the 12 months ended September 30, 2018, on a pro forma basis, the combined company would have generated revenues of approximately $11.3 billion with adjusted EBITDA of approximately $1.8 billion. As a result of the combined company’s increased scale, CommScope expects to achieve annual run-rate cost savings of at least $150 million within three years post-close, with synergies of more than $60 million expected to be realized in the first full year after closing and more than $125 million expected to be realized after the second year post-close, driven from natural synergies primarily in direct procurement and SG&A.
Significantly Accretive to CommScope’s Earnings: The transaction is expected to be more than 30 percent accretive to CommScope’s adjusted earnings per share by the end of the first full year after closing, excluding purchase accounting charges, transition costs and other special items.
Maintains CommScope’s Strong Balance Sheet, Credit Position and Financial Flexibility: With a unique set of complementary assets and capabilities that enable end-to-end communications infrastructure solutions, the combined company is expected to generate approximately $1 billion in cash flow from operations1 in the first full year after closing. Upon completion of the transaction, CommScope’s net leverage (debt less cash) ratio based on pro forma adjusted EBITDA1 for the 12 months ended September 30, 2018 is expected to be 5.1x, including full run-rate synergies of $150 million. Given the increased scale and cash flow generation, as well as both companies’ track records of successful integration, CommScope expects to rapidly de-lever, targeting a net leverage ratio of approximately 4.0x in the second full year after closing. Long term, the company is targeting a net leverage ratio of 2.0x to 3.0x.
Terms and Financing
The per share cash consideration represents a premium of approximately 27 percent to the volume weighted average closing price of ARRIS’ common stock for the 30 trading days ended October 23, 2018, the day prior to market rumors regarding a potential transaction.
The transaction is not subject to a financing condition. CommScope expects to finance the transaction through a combination of cash on hand, borrowings under existing credit facilities and approximately $6.3 billion of incremental debt for which it has received debt financing commitments from J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, BofA Merrill Lynch and Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.
In addition, The Carlyle Group, a former CommScope owner, is reestablishing a minority ownership position in the company through a $1 billion equity investment, equal to approximately 16 percent of CommScope’s outstanding shares.
“We are delighted to resume our collaboration with CommScope’s accomplished management team,” said Cam Dyer, Carlyle managing director and global co-head of Technology, Media and Telecom. “We believe in the company’s long-term strategy, customer-centric culture and ability to deliver results. This optimism has fueled our desire to be a part of such a promising transaction with ARRIS.”
Leadership and Headquarters
Following completion of the combination, Eddie Edwards will continue in his role as president and chief executive officer of CommScope, with Bruce McClelland and other members of the ARRIS leadership team joining the combined company.
CommScope will remain headquartered in Hickory, NC, and the combined company will maintain a significant presence in Suwanee, GA. Upon completion of the transaction, CommScope will continue to be led by an experienced board of directors and management team that leverage the strengths of both companies.
The transaction, which is expected to close in the first half of 2019, is subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions; expiration or termination of the applicable waiting period under the US Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act; receipt of certain regulatory approvals; and approval by ARRIS shareholders.
Allen & Company LLC, Deutsche Bank, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, and BofA Merrill Lynch are serving as financial advisors to CommScope, and Alston & Bird LLP, Latham & Watkins LLP, Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP, Pinsent Masons LLP and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP are serving as legal counsel. Evercore is serving as financial advisor to ARRIS. Troutman Sanders LLP, Herbert Smith Freehills LLP and Hogan Lovells LLP are serving as legal counsel to ARRIS. Simpson, Thacher & Bartlett LLP is serving as Carlyle’s legal counsel.
Conference Call and Webcast
CommScope and ARRIS will host a conference call today, November 8, 2018, at 8:30 a.m. ET to discuss the transaction. The conference call can be accessed by dialing +1 844-397-6169 (U.S. and Canada only) or +1 478-219-0508 and giving the passcode 1458698.
A live webcast of the conference call will be available on the investor relations section of each company’s website at ir.commscope.com and ir.arris.com. The webcast will be archived on the investor relations section of each company’s website.
Presentation and Infographic
Associated presentation materials and an infographic regarding the transaction will be available on the investor relations section of each company’s website at www.commscope.com and www.arris.com.
About CommScope
CommScope (NASDAQ: COMM) helps design, build and manage wired and wireless networks around the world. As a communications infrastructure leader, we shape the always-on networks of tomorrow. For more than 40 years, our global team of greater than 20,000 employees, innovators and technologists have empowered customers in all regions of the world to anticipate what’s next and push the boundaries of what’s possible. Discover more at http://www.commscope.com/
Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn and like us on Facebook.
Sign up for our press releases and blog posts.
About ARRIS
ARRIS International plc (NASDAQ: ARRS) is powering a smart, connected world. The company's leading hardware, software and services transform the way that people and businesses stay informed, entertained and connected. For more information, visit www.arris.com.
For the latest ARRIS news:
Check out our blog: ARRIS EVERYWHERE
Follow us on Twitter: @ARRIS
1 Financial metrics presented are adjusted to exclude purchase accounting charges, transaction and integration costs and other special items.
Caution Regarding Forward Looking Statements
This press release or any other oral or written statements made by CommScope or ARRIS, or on either company’s behalf, may include forward-looking statements that reflect the current views of CommScope and/or ARRIS (collectively, “us,” “we,” or “our”) with respect to future events and financial performance, including the proposed acquisition by CommScope of ARRIS. These statements may discuss goals, intentions or expectations as to future plans, trends, events, results of operations or financial condition or otherwise, in each case, based on current beliefs of our management, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, such management. These forward-looking statements are generally identified by their use of such terms and phrases as “intend,” “goal,” “estimate,” “expect,” “project,” “projections,” “plans,” “potential,” “anticipate,” “should,” “could,” “designed to,” “foreseeable future,” “believe,” “think,” “scheduled,” “outlook,” “target,” “guidance” and similar expressions, although not all forward-looking statements contain such terms. This list of indicative terms and phrases is not intended to be all-inclusive.
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Such forward-looking statements are subject to additional risks and uncertainties related to CommScope’s proposed acquisition of ARRIS, many of which are outside of our control, including, without limitation: failure to obtain applicable regulatory approvals in a timely manner, on acceptable terms or at all, or to satisfy the other closing conditions to the proposed acquisition; the risk that CommScope will not successfully integrate ARRIS or that CommScope will not realize estimated cost savings, synergies, growth or other anticipated benefits, or that such benefits may take longer to realize than expected; risks relating to unanticipated costs of integration; the potential impact of announcement or consummation of the proposed acquisition on relationships with third parties, including customers, employees and competitors; failure to manage potential conflicts of interest between or among customers; integration of information technology systems; conditions in the credit markets that could impact the costs associated with financing the acquisition; the possibility that competing offers will be made; and other factors beyond our control.
These and other factors are discussed in greater detail in the reports filed by CommScope and ARRIS with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including CommScope’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017 and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended September 30, 2018 and ARRIS’ Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended June 30, 2018. Although the information contained in this press release represents our best judgment as of the date hereof based on information currently available and reasonable assumptions, neither CommScope nor ARRIS can give any assurance that the expectations will be attained or that any deviation will not be material. Given these uncertainties, we caution you not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Neither CommScope nor ARRIS are undertaking any duty or obligation to update this information to reflect developments or information obtained after the date of this report, except as otherwise may be required by law.
CommScope and ARRIS’ management believe that presenting certain non-GAAP financial measures provides meaningful information to investors in understanding operating results and may enhance investors' ability to analyze financial and business trends. Non-GAAP measures are not a substitute for GAAP measures and should be considered together with the GAAP financial measures. As calculated, CommScope and ARRIS’ non-GAAP measures may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures of other companies. In addition, CommScope and ARRIS’ management believe that these non-GAAP financial measures allow investors to compare period to period more easily by excluding items that could have a disproportionately negative or positive impact on results in any particular period. GAAP to non-GAAP reconciliations for historical periods are included in the reports CommScope and ARRIS file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Important Additional Information Regarding the Transaction and Where to Find It
In connection with the proposed transaction, ARRIS will prepare a proxy statement to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). When completed, a definitive proxy statement and a form of proxy will be mailed to the stockholders of ARRIS. INVESTORS AND STOCKHOLDERS OF ARRIS ARE URGED TO READ ALL RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC IN CONNECTION WITH THE TRANSACTION, INCLUDING ARRIS’ PROXY STATEMENT WHEN IT BECOMES AVAILABLE BEFORE MAKING ANY VOTING OR INVESTMENT DECISIONS WITH RESPECT TO THE PROPOSED MERGER BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION, THE PARTIES TO THE TRANSACTION AND THE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH THE TRANSACTION. Those documents, if and when filed, as well as ARRIS’ other public filings with the SEC may be obtained without charge at the SEC’s web site, http://www.sec.gov, or at ARRIS’ website at http://ir.arris.com. ARRIS’ stockholders and other interested parties will also be able to obtain, without charge, a copy of the proxy statement and other relevant documents (when available) by directing a request by mail to ARRIS Investor Relations, 3871 Lakefield Drive, Suwanee, GA 30024 or at http://ir.arris.com.
Participants in the Solicitation
ARRIS and its directors and certain of its executive officers, and CommScope and its directors and certain of its executive officers, may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from ARRIS’ stockholders in connection with the proposed transaction. Information about the directors and executive officers of ARRIS is set forth in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017, which was filed with the SEC on March 23, 2018, and its proxy statement for its 2018 annual meeting of stockholders, which was filed with the SEC on March 23, 2018. Information about the directors and executive officers of CommScope is set forth in the proxy statement for CommScope’s 2018 annual meeting of stockholders, which was filed with the SEC on March 20, 2018. Additional information regarding potential participants in the solicitation of proxies from ARRIS’ stockholders and a description of their direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will be included in ARRIS’ proxy statement when it is filed.
News Media Contacts:
Rick Aspan, CommScope
+1 708-236-6568 or publicrelations@commscope.com
Jeanne Russo, ARRIS
+1 215-323-1880 or jeanne.russo@arris.com
Investor Contacts:
Kevin Powers, CommScope
Bob Puccini, ARRIS
+1 720-895-7787 or bob.puccini@arris.com
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Home Update The Middle East in President Obama’s Second Term
The Middle East in President Obama’s Second Term
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With the US election finally decided on Tuesday, and President Barack Obama returned to office reasonably comfortably, this Update looks at his Middle East challenges over the next four years.
An excellent starting place is the Washington Institute for Near East Policy forum on the subject, held yesterday, which is available for online viewing here (no transcript yet available).
First up in the Update proper is former Middle East mediator Aaron David Miller, who says that the Middle East looks to be shaping up to be a key to President Obama’s legacy, and offers some advice based on his long involvement in Middle East policy-making in both Republican and Democrat administrations. The theme of his advice to President Obama is humility, modest goals, and avoiding over-reaching in a variety of policy areas. This applies especially to the Israeli-Palestinian arena – where Miller advises “think interim agreements and managing the conflict” – but he also has some advice about how to maximise the admittedly low chances of reaching a nuclear deal with the Iranians, and on dealing with the Syrian situation. For this prognostication and advice from a very experienced source, CLICK HERE. Another general exploration of Obama’s Mideast challenges comes in the form of a brief statement from Washington Institute head Rob Satloff.
The next entry comes from another Washington insider, former senior Bush Administration official Elliot Abrams, who agrees that the Middle East will inevitably continue to have to be a key focus for the Obama Administration, but offers some differing views on both what is likely to happen, and what should be done about it. Abrams stresses his concerns that the Administration could reach an Iran deal that in fact does little to curb Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Similarly, in contrast to Miller, who argues we’ll see continuity and stalemate in Syria, Abrams predicts the Administration will have no other choice than to be more interventionist in Syria. He’s also got some interesting comments on the US approach to Israeli-Palestinian issues and the “Arab spring” regional changes, and to read it all, CLICK HERE. A similar sceptical view of Obama’s Middle East prospects comes from author Lee Smith in the form of a piece speculating what things might be like in the region in 2016.
Finally, Washington Institute expert David Makovsky focuses explicitly on American-Israel relations over the next four years, and especially the less-than-warm relationship between Obama and Israeli PM Binyamin Netanyahu. Makovsky stresses that while Netanyahu probably would have preferred a different outcome to the US election, he was – contrary to claims often heard – careful never to endorse Romney and there is little likelihood that there will be any ongoing grudge in their relationship. Makovksy notes that Obama is going to urgently need to work with Netanyahu on both Iran and the Palestinian issue – an area he urges cannot be ignored despite the current stalemate – and has limited political capital to do so. Assuming Netanyahu wins his own election, he argues, both leaders will have little choice but to “to manage their differences and find a way to work together better than they have in the past.” For this important analysis in full, CLICK HERE. Some similar views on the Obama-Bibi relationship comes from Israeli journalists Raphael Ahren and Herb Keinon, while Jonathan Tobin looks at how the US result might affect Netanyahu’s own re-election bid.
Israeli journalist and blogger Shmuel Rosner looks at the Jewish vote in the US poll and its affect on US-Israel relations.
Israeli security columnist Ron Ben Yishai argues the Obama election win is good for Israel, while fellow Israeli columnist David Weinberg argues the opposite case.
Jonathan Tobin discounts a claim that Obama might seek to impose a peace deal on Israel. Plus, veteran Israeli columnist Evelyn Gordon notes that, if anyone was hoping for a major change of Israeli policy on peace with the Palestinians in the upcoming election, Netanyahu’s main rival, Labor leader Shelly Yacimovich actually has very similar views on these issues – if not on others.
Walter Russell Mead has some more on Obama’s Syria dilemmas in coming weeks, as does David Schenker.
Israeli company unveils a bicycle made out of cardboard.
A fascinating, if long, analysis of the current state of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, and the best way to move it forward from noted political scientist Dr. Max Singer.
Some examples from the many stories and comments now appearing at AIJAC’s daily “Fresh AIR” blog:
Daniel Meyerowitz-Katz offers some detailed analysis of a leaked draft resolution that the Palestinians want to introduce to give themselves “non-member state” status at the United Nations.
Ahron Shapiro looks at the Palestinian reaction to some apparently conciliatory statements on the claimed Palestinian “right of return” in an interview by PA President Mahmoud Abbas last week.
Sharyn Mittelman on the lack of interest in the Palestinians dying in the Syrian civil war.
Finally, for those with an interest in the global role of India as a rising international power, noted Indian author and Journalist Sadanand Dhume’s speech at the Sydney Institute on the subject earlier this week will be broadcast on Australia’s Public Affairs Channel, A-PAC, (Channel 648 on Foxtel and their website http://www.a-pac.tv/ ) tomorrow, Saturday 10 November, at 1:20pm and 7:50pm and on Monday at 11:20am.
How the Middle East Could Make Or Break Obama’s Legacy
Congratulations, Mr. President. You’ve got four more years of dealing with the world’s most dysfunctional region.
BY AARON DAVID MILLER
Foreign Policy, November 7, 2012
Congratulations, Barack Obama. You now join a small club of 16 two-term presidents. (Of those, only 13 actually served out their second four-year term — William McKinley, Abraham Lincoln and Richard Nixon weren’t so lucky.)
An eight-year run does count for something. There are no great one-termers. All consequential presidents require a bond with the public that the validation of a second term provides. Consider it a necessary but not sufficient condition for presidential greatness.
Governing this republic effectively is hard and sometimes, I think, borders on the impossible. To a certain extent, the founders willfully contributed to the problem by designing a system that the late constitutional scholar Edwin Corwin brilliantly described as an open invitation to struggle. They did so to make the accretion of too much power by an individual or branch of government very hard.
But they still reserved for the presidency the capacity — depending on the president and his circumstances — to lead energetically, in a way 535 elected legislators or 9 Supreme Court jurists cannot. The presidency is the only national office all Americans can vote for — it stands for something special, and remains to this day, regardless of its flaws and tendency to disappoint, the repository of our hopes and aspirations.
John F. Kennedy once said that nobody should judge presidents — not even poor James Buchanan — because it’s impossible to know what it’s really like to be in the White House.
Fair enough. At the same time, we elected you — myself included. And, not to put too fine a point on it, you work for us.
And so, having worked for several of your predecessors on Middle East policy — and having watched Republican and Democratic administrations succeed and fail in foreign policy — I don’t have the slightest reservation in offering up a number of suggestions for your second term.
1. Don’t look for transformation this time around.
I get the fact that in your first term you saw yourself as a transformative figure — a leader with a mandate to save the nation through bold policies at home and abroad.
And maybe you thought the country wanted a savior. I know that Abraham Lincoln was very much on your mind. With the possible exception of George W. Bush, you owe your presidency to him more than any other man.
We got the point. You recreated part of Lincoln’s train journey to Washington, were sworn in on his Bible, and all but reenacted his post-inaugural lunch — right down to the sour cherry chutney served on Mary Todd Lincoln’s china.
With all due respect, Mr. President, try to be a tad more humble and less narcissistic in your second term. I knew Abe Lincoln, and you’re no Abe Lincoln. I know you already think you’re entitled to be in the presidential hall of fame, but forget transforming the country at home. Americans don’t want a polarizing transformer; they want a president who can fix what’s broken — this time with the support of Republicans so that change can be legitimate, authoritative, and successful.
Abroad, you also thought you would transform the world. You seemed to believe that, somehow, your own persona and the imperfections of your predecessor could combine to solve historic conflicts and convert adversaries into friends. But the world wasn’t and isn’t going to be transformed by you or anyone else. Look around at the 192 other nations represented in the United Nations. Do you see any transformative figures there, or international conflicts just waiting to be solved?
If the world is amenable to anything these days, it’s transaction. Sports analogies are usually horrible, but in this case I think one works: Forget home runs; try small ball. Moderate progress, after all, can buy time to deal with the bigger issues like Iran and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (more on that later).
2. Legacy cuts both ways: the hero or the goat
Having been elected to a second term, the only thing you’re running against now is the reputations and accomplishments of your predecessors. Health care — it’s too soon to know for sure — may be your domestic legacy. But the temptation to secure a foreign-policy spectacular will be great, too.
I saw the draw of legacy play out in a negative way during the final year of the Clinton administration. As Clinton saw his last days in the White House tick away, he grasped on to the idea of hosting an ill-timed, ill-prepared, and poorly thought-through summit with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian leader Yasir Arafat at Camp David in July 2000.The rush to the summit led to a collapse of the peace process from which Israeli-Palestinian negotiations have yet to recover. Arafat received much of the blame for Camp David’s failure, much of it well-deserved but counter-productive nonetheless, leading to another spasm of violence.
As the sand passes through the hourglass of your second term, that’s something to keep in mind. Yes, a dramatic success on a tough issue can add to the luster of your presidency. But failure also carries consequences that go well beyond your presidency and can have serious implications for your successor.
3. Empower your secretary of state
I would have thought, given the huge domestic crisis you faced in 2008, that you would have been only too happy to delegate significant responsibility to your diplomat-in-chief. And why not? Hillary Clinton is talented and knowledgeable. And while certainly not a great secretary of state in the mold of Henry Kissinger or James Baker, she has done an immense amount to improve America’s image by pursuing an agenda of global humanism — emphasizing the role of women, the environment, technology, and social media.
But when it came to the big issues such as Iran, Afghanistan, Iran and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, you withheld far more than you gave. All power on these issues flowed to and from the White House. Clinton owned not a one of them.
No matter whom you choose as your next secretary of state, you ought to be more generous in delegating authority over some of these big issues.
Yes, this may conflict with your desire to forge your own legacy. But presidents can’t be everywhere and do everything. Smart and empowered secretaries of state can set up all kinds of opportunities through the tireless and tedious diplomacy that you may not have the time to join. Baker worked for nine months to set up the Madrid peace conference for Bush 41. Madeleine Albright labored for a year and a half to set up the Wye River Summit and prevented a great deal of Israeli-Palestinian violence in the process. Give your secretary of state a few big issues — he or she can actually make you look good, and serve American national interests too.
4. Come clean on Benghazi
You have a real credibility problem on this one from almost every conceivable angle. You’ve prided yourself on competence in foreign policy, and yet the fatal attack on the diplomatic mission in eastern Libya raises serious questions about your administration’s judgment and performance.
Over the past two months, the questions have piled up higher and higher: Why weren’t adequate preparations taken months before the attack to deal with what was clearly a higher threat level to Western and U.S. interests in Libya? What was the CIA’s role in responding to the crisis, and the Pentagon’s too? And what about the confused and misleading messages that came from your administration as you responded to the crisis?
Neither a congressional nor a State Department investigation will be credible enough to answer these questions. Some independent panel should be created — one with the mandate to go after the White House, too — to determine what transpired. In a turbulent Middle East, the threats to America’s diplomats will continue. We need to figure out a better way to minimize the risks.
5. The Middle East is a choice between root canals or migraines. Pick your poison.
No region of the world is going to be more dangerous for the United States than the Middle East. Challenges abound — but at the moment there don’t appear to be a great many opportunities. Disengagement, sadly, is not an option.
Again, think transaction, not transformation. On Iran, explore the hell out of diplomacy before you seriously consider military action — let alone war. Getting out of these conflicts is always more difficult than it seems, and the risk-to-reward ratio on Iran is inherently skewed toward the risk end. Once a nation acquires the knowledge and capacity to construct a nuclear weapon, it can’t just be bombed out of its collective consciousness. Military actions will at best delay, not prevent, Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
Unless you can change the mullahcracy in Tehran, your best bet would be an outcome that would keep Iran years away from actually making a nuclear weapon. Given the depth of animosity and mistrust between the United States and Iran over the last half-century, the odds of a grand bargain are pretty low.
But here’s how to give it your best shot: Start with an interim arrangement that deals with the issue of enrichment, and forestalls Iran from acquiring enough highly enriched uranium to construct a nuke. To get such a deal, by the way, you can’t just come to the party with sticks. Carrots will be required too — not only some sanctions relief on the enrichment question, but developing Iran’s enrichment capacity on the civilian side. None of this may work — but a good-faith, sustained effort is critical to your credibility and to any follow-on military attack.
On Israeli-Palestinian peace, think interim agreements and managing the conflict. Barring some profound change in the politics of Israel or Palestine, no conflict-ending solution that addresses borders, Jerusalem, refugees and security is likely.
Also, prepare to deal with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for some time to come. If you’re looking to get even with him for stiffing you on settlements, sit quietly until the urge passes. Israeli elections in January will likely return Bibi to power, and if his coalition expands it will be for the purpose of stability and maybe war with Iran — not for bold moves toward the Palestinians.
Let’s face it: You don’t have much credibility with Netanyahu. If you want any progress, you’re going to have to figure out a way to create a relationship with him. In any event, think small for now. Do what you can to keep the Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty afloat. Push international donors to keep the Palestinian Authority in the black. Press hard on keeping Israeli-Palestinian security cooperation up and running. Push the Israelis to end restrictions on movement and economy opportunities for Palestinians. And, if there’s a way to encourage quiet discussion on the least contentious final-status issues like territory and security, try that too.
If you truly can’t help yourself and need to lay out a U.S. plan on all of the big issues, go ahead. Chances are they’ll still be out there when your successor takes the inaugural oath. But don’t delude yourself with visions of being the man to solve this thing once and for all.
On Syria, don’t be lulled into believing that some notional post-election flexibility is going to expand your options there. As long as the rebels are so inchoate, the regime so militarily powerful, and the Russians so supportive of President Bashar al-Assad, the chances for dramatic change are pretty low.
That doesn’t mean you should be idle on the Syrian front. Do what you can to ease the humanitarian and refugee crisis. Support Jordan, continue to work with the Turks, and support efforts to encourage a credible Syrian opposition. But be wary of a more proactive policy on the military side, particularly when it comes to providing sophisticated weaponry to a divided rebel movement whose interests may not necessarily be yours and which is acquiring its own record of war crimes.
6. Fix America’s house even as you persist in trying to fix others.
Here’s the bad news: Your credibility will begin to diminish the first day after your inauguration, and your status as a lame duck will grow ever closer as 2016 nears.
It’s not that you can’t chew gum and walk at the same time. The United States has to be involved in the rest of the world even while its domestic house is in a state of disarray. The major priority, though, must be on fixing our broken house and addressing the Five Deadly D’s that sap American strength: debt, deficit, dysfunctional politics, decaying infrastructure, and dependence on hydrocarbons. If you bet on risky adventures abroad and lose, your credibility and political stock will fall when, in fact, it’s badly needed to deal with pressing domestic matters, particularly the economy.
Governing is about choosing. The best thing you can do both for America and its position in the world is to address the sources of domestic weakness. If you succeed on that front, you will be strengthening the foundation on which our foreign policy rests. And in the process, who knows? You might actually become what you aspire to be — a truly consequential American president.
Aaron David Miller is a distinguished scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. His forthcoming book is titled Can America Have Another Great President?
Obama and the Middle East
By Elliott Abrams
National Review, November 7, 2012
Whatever President Obama’s desires for the next few months, several Middle East crises now stare him in the face.
The greatest is Iran, which keeps on installing centrifuges and pilling up enriched uranium while we chat, negotiate, chat about negotiating, and vote. The Iranians can easily play out the clock — unless we stop them. President Obama has repeatedly said he would do so, but that of course was during the campaign. Now what? Rumors about secret talks continue to circulate, and one Israeli newspaper has published the story that our — the United States — negotiator was Valerie Jarrett! What must even John Kerry and Hillary Clinton really think of that? The White House has yet to issue a denial of that story, as far as I am aware.
The easiest escape route for Obama is a deal, any deal, with Iran. He can then claim to have solved the nuclear problem or at least delayed it — but can also expect that skeptical Republicans will challenge terms that appear to allow the Iranian program to continue. Republicans, including Governor Romney, stuck to the terms of the U.N. Security Council resolutions: zero enrichment, export of all enriched uranium. An Obama deal that would allow enrichment would allow Iran to master the process fully, keep the Fordow and Natanz enrichment sites open, and introduce more efficient centrifuges. That’s a bad deal Republicans should rally in opposition to it. It is quite possible that Ayatollah Khamenei will not agree to any deal with the Great Satan, leaving Obama with an even greater problem: let Iran move forward toward the bomb or actually use those “options on the table” that include military force. But when Obama hears from the Pentagon that any American strike must take weeks and be a small war, he may find that he wants to think again about the utility of an Israeli strike. Again, the most likely outcome is a bad deal — the Ayatollah willing. And the beginning of the bad deal would be bilateral negotiations between the U.S. and Iran. Watch for it.
On Syria, Obama will have to abandon his politically derived allergy to American action. Nearly 40,000 are dead and the war must be ended — with Assad gone. I believe the current efforts to remake the opposition are a prelude to more American action on the ground, likely via CIA. Look for secret strikes, drone strikes, arming the rebels, and the like — the kind of indirect, quick, deniable (unless successful) military action Obama likes best.
Two more issues that are not crises: the “Arab Spring” and the rise of Islamic governments, and the Israeli-Palestinian issue. On the former, look for more accommodationism. Obama will not want to confront the new regimes on issues like religious freedom, freedom of speech and press, and the role of Islam in society. On the latter, look for a few initiatives: I believe there will be some form of negotiations next year after the Israeli elections. Those January 22 elections deliver a useful cooling off period now, until a new coalition is formed around March 1. Obama will then seek to get them to the table — where nothing will be agreed. A second-term Obama policy may not push as hard, and as publicly, for a deal as his first-term policy tried (and failed dismally), but it will still fail to focus on the slow, steady, unromantic work of building institutions in the West Bank that could someday form the basis for a state.
Finally, Obama will confront another problem: lack of skilled manpower. Several of the top experts in the State Department have left or will probably leave soon: Jeffrey Feltman, Jim Jeffrey, and Bill Burns are examples. Who will be named assistant secretary of state for the Near East? Will old Democratic party hands like Martin Indyk and Dennis Ross be brought back again?
In the coming weeks look for any news stories suggesting more arms are moving to Syrian rebels, and stories about U.S.-Iran bilateral negotiations, open or secret.
Elliott Abrams is senior fellow for Middle Eastern Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) in Washington, D.C. He served as deputy assistant to the president and deputy national security adviser in the administration of President George W. Bush, where he supervised U.S. policy in the Middle East for the White House.
By David Makovsky
In the wake of U.S. President Barack Obama’s reelection victory, some have suggested that he will pursue a feud against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, given the two leaders’ disagreements over how to pursue peace with the Palestinians and deal with the Iranian nuclear threat.
There is no denying that the relationship between the two leaders has been rocky. Yes, Obama believed Netanyahu had wrongly lectured him about borders in front of the media in the Oval Office in May 2011. Netanyahu has his own grievances: He was upset that he could not get a September meeting with the president to discuss Iran, for instance. As Israeli Interior Minister Eli Yishai put it the day after the U.S. election, “It seems like it is not such a good morning for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.”
While it is safe to assume Netanyahu personally preferred Mitt Romney, he in fact did not endorse Obama’s Republican challenger — despite every Israeli reporter’s efforts to entice him into doing so. As one Netanyahu aide put it privately, when it comes to the U.S. election, “our room to maneuver on this issue has the width of dental floss.”
But at the end of the day, a settling of scores between Obama and Netanyahu is unlikely. It is counterproductive for the two leaders to focus their energies on the past when they are confronted by an array of challenges that will require them to work together.
Obama’s cerebral style toward foreign leaders made Israelis skeptical of him, in part because it was a departure from the bear-hug style of President Bill Clinton. But it is also one reason the United States and Israel will now avoid a public feud. As Dan Shapiro, Obama’s former top White House aide and current U.S. ambassador to Israel, told a panel in Tel Aviv on Nov. 7, “The president is a strategic thinker; his policies are not governed by emotion.” He termed talks of Obama taking revenge against Netanyahu “ridiculous.”
Too much is at stake for both countries to let old grudges dictate policy. It is no secret that the Obama administration views a new diplomatic initiative toward Tehran as integral to its sanctions policy. The potent international sanctions currently in place, combined with diplomacy, are the world’s one hope of solving the Iran nuclear crisis peacefully. Nobody can guarantee that Iran will back off from its program, but a U.S.-led offer is still inevitable to test that proposition.
And Israel knows this. Contrary to perception, Netanyahu would also like to see a peaceful end to the crisis — there is no Gen. Curtis LeMay figure in the Israeli government out to firebomb Iran. Whether it is in the format of bilateral U.S.-Iran talks or the P5+1 (the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council plus Germany), the United States will want Israel on board with U.S. diplomatic efforts to avoid the prospect of an Israeli strike. This does not give Netanyahu any kind of veto over the U.S. offer to Iran, but it is hard to imagine that the United States would not welcome Israel’s thoughts to ensure that the two countries do not act at cross-purposes.
This process will test the personal relationship between Obama and Netanyahu like no other foreign-policy issue — and it will leave no time for petty score settling. Israel and the United States are going to need to be in closer consultation than ever about Obama’s highest foreign-policy priority: namely, ensuring that Iran does not go nuclear and that a nuclear arms race does not break out in the region. Failure would mean the end of Obama’s plans to promote nuclear nonproliferation, and it would also cripple U.S. credibility after three administrations — Democrat and Republican alike — have vowed that Iran will not get the bomb.
Moreover, those who are playing up the possibility of an Obama-Netanyahu feud believe that the laws of political gravity are suspended for a second-term president. In fact, while reelection can revitalize a president’s mandate, political capital remains a finite commodity — even for a second-term U.S. president. Just ask President George W. Bush, who saw his clout diminished in his second term by Hurricane Katrina, a failed attempt to privatize Social Security, and a debilitating war in Iraq. Bush allocated all his efforts to the 2007 Iraq surge, and administration officials at the time said not much political capital was left over for anything else. As it is, Obama is facing a divided Congress that he will need to win over for a grand budget deal in 2013, which will be central to resolving the country’s economic crisis.
This is not an argument for Obama to avoid the Palestinian issue and focus solely on Iran. To the contrary, advancing a two-state solution is essential if Israel is to remain a Jewish, democratic state and not a de facto binational state, and for the Palestinian national movement to have a real future. Moreover, whatever the arguments between the parties at the U.N. General Assembly this month, when the Palestinian Authority is expected to pursue its bid for statehood, it is important that the Palestinian Authority does not go bankrupt. The collapse of the one existing institution that could potentially serve as the core of a new Palestinian state would not benefit the United States, Israel, or the Palestinians.
Once again, Obama is going to need Netanyahu’s help to advance these goals — and the president should assume that the Israeli prime minister will remain on the political scene for some time yet. Polls show Netanyahu is likely to win the Israeli election on Jan. 22, given his merger with the right-wing Yisrael Beiteinu party and his natural alliance with religious parties. Former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert may enter the race looking to unite the center, and he may hint in his campaign about his proven willingness to make tough decisions — notably, a still officially secret strike against a Syrian nuclear reactor in 2007 and his willingness to make difficult concessions on peace to the Palestinians. The odds favor Netanyahu at this time, however.
An Obama swipe at Netanyahu would not necessarily hurt the current prime minister, but could boomerang against the president. Obama does not have Clinton’s endless reservoir of support among the Israeli public, regardless of the important strides in bilateral security between the two countries over the last four years. One poll showed a majority of Israelis favoring Romney.
At the same time, Netanyahu can learn from the past as well. He is shrewd enough to realize that a broad-based unity government is essential if he wants to avoid the disproportionate influence of hard-line elements within his coalition, which could lead him to focus excessively on settlements. With the challenge of Iran and the Palestinian issue, a broad-based government will minimize the prospects of friction with Washington.
Of course, the Palestinians must also do their part for negotiations to be a success. They need to return to the table after leaving in September 2010 over demands for an extended settlement freeze in the West Bank. Obama has every right to insist that both Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Netanyahu provide a sense to the United States of not just what they are willing to gain, but what they are willing to concede if they want the United States to devote precious resources to a renewed push on the Israeli-Palestinian front.
These discussions won’t be easy, and they will require close coordination between Obama and Netanyahu to achieve the leaders’ mutual goals. Like it or not, the two leaders will look to manage their differences and find a way to work together better than they have in the past — if only because they must.
David Makovsky is the Ziegler distinguished fellow and director of the Project on the Middle East Peace Process at The Washington Institute.
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Israel-Hamas strategies in Gaza/ A Bahrain post-mortem
Noted and Quoted – July 2019
The US “Peace to Prosperity” plan for Palestinian welfare
Scribblings: Polls suggest poll setback for Israeli Arabs shortlived
Michael Doran on Iran
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Register Log In AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums Culture BELIZEAN POETS INVITED TO INT'l POETRY COMPETITION
BELIZEAN POETS INVITED TO INT'l POETRY COMPETITION #378412
Belizean poets are invited to participate in an international poetry competition organized by a well known Mexican editor and the Mexican Literature Foundation. The purpose of the competition is to make available to young children and teens high quality work that will expose them to different cultures. Love News spoke with Marcelino Miranda, Head of the Press and Border Section at the Mexican Embassy.
Marcelino Miranda; Head of the Press and Border Section, Mexican Embassy
“This is an international contest so it is open to all writers including Belizeans and they are encouraged to apply for this competition. The poetry work has to be submitted in Spanish and has to be between ten and fifty pages. All those who want to participate in this contest can contact the Embassy of Mexico at 223-0193 or 223-0194 and they can get more details on how they can participate. This is a Mexican initiative and this is a very good opportunity not only to promote literature but also to have the opportunity to have the works of Belizean poets to prizes at an international stage. This contest has a big prize or 200 thousand Mexican pesos that is approximately BZ$32 thousand and the winner will have their work published at the Fondo de Cultura Economica in Mexico. We would like to encourage especially young Belizean poets to participate. This is a very good opportunity and the deadline for submission is going to be July 5th so there is still time for submitting and also you can have more information at the Institute of Mexico in Belize.”
All submissions must include the author’s complete address, phone number, email and a concise biography. The winner will be announced in October.
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The crescent and the cross
Issandr and I were both up in Alex the day before yesterday, looking into the stabbing attacks that took place there on Friday, and the sectarian riots that followed. You can read my article about it here .
One thing that didn't really make it into the story and that I find interesting is the way these sectarian tensions are tinged and perhaps exacerbated by global trends. The war on terror, the occupation of Iraq, make Muslims feel their religions is under attack; while the fact that some Christians are pro-American gives weight to theories that they are a "fifth column." Meanwhile, the Coptic community watches satellite TV shows and goes to web sites from outside Egypt that are very negative about Islam; they have contacts with expatriate and US evangelical groups, who make a habit of demonizing Islam, to help them put pressure on the Egyptian governments for greater rights. But when an American group talks about Coptic rights, most Egyptians view it as a conspiracy, foreign meddling, and again, a disturbing sign of disloyalty on the part of Copts. It's a big complicated vicious circle.
Meanwhile, you have a generation of young Copts who are increasingly militant about their religion, and tired of feeling like second class citizens. They tattoo the cross on their hand and they put out magazines with names like "The Theban Legion"--a reference to a Christian legion (of Egyptian Copts) that was martyred around 300 AD by the Emperoro Maximinian for refusing to recounce their faith.
I've always found that, despite the fact that Copts do suffer from discrimination, the Coptic church provides poor leadership on these issues, focusing on threats to increase its own influence. We talked to a priest in Alex who, the day after the attacks, told his congregations: "Don't be afraid. If they kill us, we will all go to heaven." Giving people a martyr complex doesn't help them.
PostsUrsula Lindsey April 19, 2006 Egypt, ReligionComment
The birth-rate threat
PostsUrsula Lindsey April 19, 2006 Israel/Palestine
Discretion guide for American tourists
Issandr El Amrani April 18, 2006 US
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Four high-definition looping videos transferred from 70mm
Los Angeles-based artist Jennifer West creates experimental films and installations.
At a time when analogue film has become largely obsolete, she works with old film stock and uses everyday household materials—including hot water, bleach, vanilla, coffee, vinegar, nail polish and more – to paint and erode the film emulsion and create coloured splotches, patterns, and chance effects. When digitised and re-screened, her deconstructive films have the most surprising and beautiful visual effects.
For her commission for ‘As You Change, So Do I’, West will create four works where featuring words and slogans taken from corporate tech slogans such as ‘Disruption and 18th century Dutch sayings ‘Expect Even Better’ overlaid digitally onto painted, scratched, printed and splattered scrolling 70mm filmstrips. The analogue marks and effects create a delirious backdrop to the text slogans. These works will appear looping as large scale video projections on the Culture Wall.
Jennifer West: Disruption
About Jennifer West
For over ten years, Jennifer West has gained international recognition for her explorations of materialism in film. Significant commissions include Tramway, Glasgow (2016); Institute of Contemporary Arts, London (2016); Seattle Art Museum (2016); Portland Institute for Contemporary Art (PICA) TBA Festival, Portland (2014); High Line Art, New York City (2012); Aspen Art Museum (2010); and Turbine Hall at TATE Modern, London (2009). Solo shows have been presented at S1 Artspace, Sheffield, UK; Kunstverein Nürnberg, Germany; Contemporary Arts Museum, Houston; and Transmission Gallery in Glasgow and White Columns, NY. West has exhibited widely in museums and art institutions internationally including Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh; Künstlerhaus Graz, Austria; Cincinnati Art Museum, Ohio; Palais de Tokyo, Paris; Nottingham Contemporary, UK; Schirn Kunsthalle, Frankfurt; Centre of Contemporary Visual Arts (CAPC), Bordeaux, France; The Drawing Center, New York; and ZKM Museum for New Media, Karlsruhe, Germany. She has been artist in residence at the Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center (EMPAC) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York (2015), and the MIT List Visual Arts Center in Cambridge, MA (2011).
Bute Street,
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Bob Dorf: Is your Startup just a Fashion Trend?
By Bob Dorf
Innovation Culture, Small Business
Bob Dorf: Is your Startup just a Fashion Trend?Bob DorfFebruary 14, 2019 February 28, 2019
Bob Dorf gave us some insight on what it takes to operate at startup speed and why most startups don’t get to say the three magic words every startup owner dreams of: repeatable, scalable, and profitable.
To kick off, could you give us a brief overview of your career as a speaker and author?
Well, to become a speaker and author, I first had to become an entrepreneur. And the first step in becoming an entrepreneur is learning the ins and outs of your subject. You don’t learn about startups in the classroom—you learn by launching or being part of one. So, when I was 22, I quit a wonderful, lucrative job to start my first of seven businesses. I then went on to spend just about 30 years building businesses. Some of them were highly successful, others moderately so, and others still were total colossal failures—the ones where I learned the most. When you’re forced to shut down a business, that’s when you really think about how to go about building a business the right way.
Steve Blank, who is notorious in the startup world as the founder of the lean startup movement, was a client for one of the businesses I co-founded—my biggest, actually, with more than 400 employees worldwide. Eight or ten years after Steve’s IPO and my second (failed) retirement, he reached out to me and said, “I need to write another book about startups. I wrote one before; I can’t do this alone again. And nobody’s better equipped to help me do this than you. You’ve got to be my partner and help me write this book.” So, we sat down and began a two-year journey to map out all of those trillion steps involved in taking a business idea and turning it into a repeatable, scalable, profitable business.
That effort led to a wonderful, exciting chapter for me as a trainer of startups, and particularly the trainers who train them. To date, the book, The Startup Owner’s Manual, has sold about half a million copies in 23 languages around the world, and has also led to all kinds of coaching, speaking, and consulting opportunities with my favorite kind of businesses—early-stage startups. I’ve been coaching for just under a decade, and reportedly I’m one of the three or four most knowledgeable and experienced people in the lean startup world, which itself is barely ten years old at this point.
They forget that businessess succeed not because someone has a brilliant idea, but because they solve serious, thorny, preiously unsolvable problems for people.
Having seen so much of the lean startup world, what would you say is the most common mistake made by lean startups?
In essence, people fall in love with their idea far too quickly.
The lean startup movement has developed its own sort of lexicon of buzzwords: pivots, MVPs, customer discovery, and all more jargon. Everybody wants to mouth the words, so they sound like they’re doing a lean startup, but they don’t want to actually put in the work to truly do it. Far too many startups get caught up in all the jargon and mantras that are part of the buzz surrounding the lean startup method, and they just go straight to work on their idea because they are so sure it’s going to be great. They forget that businesses succeed not because someone has a brilliant idea, but because they solve serious, thorny, previously unsolvable problems for people. But most startups start with the product, not the customer, which is the core strength of the Customer Development or Lean Startup method.
To me, this is problem number one, and I see it in probably 30 to 40 percent of the five or six hundred startups I sit across the table from over the course of a year.
One of our previous contributors, Larry Wu, discussed the idea that entrepreneurship is generally wasted on the young. He said that your typical startup CEO is more likely to be somebody in their mid-40s as opposed to the popularized image of a young guy in a hoodie like Mark Zuckerberg. What’s your take on on that? How important of a factor do you think a founder’s age and experience are when launching a startup?
Larry Wu is a smart guy, and he has put his finger on a real issue, which is that people have a tendency to get fixated on the images of Mark Zuckerberg with Facebook, or Sergey Brin and Larry Page with Google, who started these companies at tender young ages—probably before they even started shaving.
At one unusual and unusually successful incubator I’m quite familiar with in New York City, the average age of startup founders is about 45. These are either entrepreneurs on their second or third outing, or subject matter experts who have worked for some big bank or big company for their whole career, and know the industry they’re operating in. They know the problem. They see the pain it causes in that industry. They’ve conceived a solution to that problem, and the success rate among these older, more seasoned, knowledgeable people is much higher.
When I meet a young, enthusiastic millennial who wants to join the startup revolution, I tell them that the best education they could possibly get is to go work at a startup for a year or two—maybe even longer—and gain an understanding of how startups work, how they make decisions, how they process information. This allows them to also get a feel of the speed and uncertainty startups operate in. When you’re 23, 24, 25, you haven’t really experienced those things—you have very little meaningful business experience to lean on, if any. You have no gravitas or worldliness to lean on, almost by definition, and you have this very naïve, rose-colored-glasses view of the world. That makes it very hard to run a business, especially to start one from the ground up.
The prize is to operate at startup speed basically as long as you can stay awake essentially everyday.
How do generational mindsets such as those of millennials fit into the greater realities of startup culture? What kinds of limitations do young people run into as startup founders, especially when they are fresh and have little experience in building businesses?
Well, the startup world itself is over-hyped. The success rate is also over-hyped and often eclipsed by the occasional unicorn that flies by and gets everybody excited and thinking, “If they can do it, so can I!” I think this is what ends up leading us to the mistake I mentioned earlier, which is that the idea itself is only a small contributor to the horsepower or success potential of your startup.
I think sadly for too many people, the buzz around startups has made it like the lottery ticket for 25-year-olds: “You don’t have to be a Starbucks barista. You can start a startup!” Well, yes, you can—but they tend to overlook the crushing follow-up to that, which is: “Two of roughly a thousand of you will be very wealthy (someday).” Leaving the other 998 to ask, grande or venti?
There’s also this common associated issue in the presumption of success. Many younger and inexperienced startup founders take on this almost entitled mindset, that sounds like: “Well, I’m taking the risk. After all, I could be making lattes at Starbucks, but instead, I’m here doing this startup thing, so by default, success and riches and all the rewards that come with entrepreneurial risk should just naturally come to me.” In reality, what comes with entrepreneurial risk is also a massive entrepreneurial burden to work your butt off and keep trying things. When those things don’t work, you try other things.
You have to be relentless in “the pursuit of the prize,” as Steve Blank always calls it. The prize is to operate at startup speed basically as long as you can stay awake essentially every day. Sure, you can probably take Christmas Eve and Christmas Day off, and maybe even sneak out for New Years’ Eve. But, if you’re not back to work January first, or at the latest January second, you’re already a designated slacker in the pursuit for the prize.
That “presumption of success” mindset also affects work ethic, and leads to many young people getting very frustrated in their first six months, or to not working as hard in the second month as they did in the first because, “Well gee, magic didn’t happen, so why should I work so hard?”
I still remember my first day leading a training program in Moscow. I’m about an hour into giving my introductory lecture in a four-day program, and this big, burly guy stands up and says, “Professor, I’m Igor. I’m an honors engineering graduate from Moscow State University. I know what the customer wants. I will build it and they will buy it.” I said, “Igor, you shouldn’t waste your time here with me today—if you’ve got the magic formula, good for you.”
If you’ve got the lottery ticket, bless you, and enjoy it. But the “magic formula” happens maybe five times for every million startups. Steve Blank always says that entrepreneurship is a full contact sport. If you, as an entrepreneur, think you’re going to start a business to better manage your schedule and have more free time to go to the movies, be with your friends, play soccer or volleyball or whatever, you are absolutely A) dead wrong; and B) overwhelmingly likely to fail. There are so many startups competing for customers, and so many messages competing for customer attention that you can’t commit part-way.
It takes drive, passion, and a real vengeance to get a startup to those three magic words every startup owner dreams of: repeatable (“I do it in Chicago; it works in Oshkosh and Boston.”); scalable (“I can make more money over time by selling more products in more variations to more people and in more geographies.”); and profitable—which is the most elusive of the three.
Then, to set yourself apart, figure out how your startup will solve those problems in a way that is better, faster, cheaper, or smarter than anybody else. What is the problem we’re solving? Why is it so difficult to solve? How are people solving it today, as opposed to how we’re going to solve it?
How can lean startups avoid the mistake of “falling in love too quickly” with their idea? Are there ways startups can ensure they don’t fall into a trap of putting pressure on developing a “great idea” only learn the hard way that it alienates their potential or target customers?
Everyone is in a race for success and revenue. But first, survey the space you’re playing in and get a feel for it. Once you know what you’re dealing with, you can identify three or four blockbuster problems that people confront and are specific to that industry. Then, to set yourself apart, figure out how your startup will solve those problems in a way that is better, faster, cheaper, or smarter than anybody else. What is the problem we’re solving? Why is it so difficult to solve? How are people solving it today, as opposed to how we’re going to solve it? What kinds of improvements—be it in terms of life, business, time, or financial—are we going to deliver in ways that will create value that our future potential customers will be willing to pay us for?
Hiding somewhere in there is the design of your business, and the value proposition that customers are hopefully going to recognize. That should help to focus the business, long before you start designing or building the product. In any case, you should be thinking about not what you want to build, but what your customers want you to build—and are willing to pay for.
And that’s really the heart of the lean startup method—taking the time and dedication needed to really fair out the problem and optimize the business around alleviating or solving the greatest possible pain and suffering. When a problem is high-frequency; has proven difficult to solve; costs a lot of time, money, or blood and sweat; and is frequent, recurring, and painful—that’s where the business opportunities lie.
In The Startup Owner’s Manual, we say the first time you get out of the building to start talking to customers, talk to 50. Why 50, and not 300 or 10? Well, 300 is unfathomable. But with 10, you won’t get enough of a range of responses to gain any valuable insights or reach solid conclusions.
You’re not looking for percentage votes like you’d look for scores in a presidential opinion poll, for example. You’re looking for trend lines and clusters of feedback. For example, if you talk to 50 people, and 12 are big executives who say they want certain features, but then you also talk to lower-level data entry people, and they tell you they don’t care about those features but want other features instead, that gives you some insight and direction to work with. Then you have to decide, which way do we go? Do we maybe need two versions?
If you only talk to a small group of people, you don’t get that kind of clustering in the data of your research findings. So, you wind up asking simplified questions, the worst of which is, “Do you like it?” “I like it” is the most meaningless, unhelpful answer a customer could give you. Your goal is to get as much feedback as richly as you can from each interview. So, if you ask, “Hey Bob, would you give me $20 for this if I had one in my pocket to sell to you right now?” you’ll get a lot more meaningful feedback, especially when Bob says no. You can probe further and ask why not, and you’ll get an answer like “Well, I didn’t think it was very good,” or “I don’t really believe that your product can do what you say.” Then you know what your next steps are.
Too many startups take the opinion that if 20 out of 25 people they talk to say they either like the idea or don’t hate it, or that maybe they’d buy the product someday, that means they can check that box and move on to engineering or tooling. But that doesn’t really equate to any feedback of consequential value. So, the result is you have no valid feedback, you just have things to relay to investors: “We showed it to 25 people, 20 liked it.” “Oh, okay, we’ll give you money now.” (It doesn’t work like that.)
And that’s really the heart of the lean startup method—taking the time and dedication needed to really fair out the problem and optimize the business around alleviating or solving the greatest possible pain and suffering.
Every year at tradeshows we see loads of new emerging companies showcasing similar products, usually “new” technologies that are really just the same as the next guy. This has an effect of creating oversaturated markets, like we’ve seen more recently with home security and other smart home devices. What’s your take on that? Is it better or worse that these startups are competing in such a small space?
It’s horrible, and it happens again and again and again. At the end of the day, this isn’t really the startup business—it’s the fashion business. Three years ago today, there was virtually not a single venture-backed scooter company. Now there’s 15 of them. We had the horrible .edu “fashion” trend, where literally hundreds of digital education companies were going to put laptops in classrooms and train kids better than live flesh-based teachers could train them, and on and on and on. There are very, very few successes now in the seventh or eighth years of the .edu trend.
In this kind of setup, each startup is losing more money than the next, and they’re uncovering huge legal, liability, and governance problems, like cities throwing them out or cranky citizens tossing scooters into the Seine, for example. Everybody said, “Ohh, scooters. That’s the next Uber.” If you say “It’s the next Uber” before or after any product name, you are almost guaranteed to start a herd of investors and young entrepreneurs going down that road.
It happens in category after category and it creates two problems: for one, it wastes a lot of time and money; and, more importantly, it creates a cluster around a category that makes it harder for the stars to shine. To add to that, it also makes it harder for the dogs to die: somebody inevitably has to invest in scooter startup number seven, because there are people whose job it is to invest and to follow trends and so forth.
This creates massive clutter in the startup marketplace, and that also creates a sort of boredom for the ultimate consumer. “How many of these scooter ads am I going to look at? I’m sick of scooters.” That kind of thing. I think, to some degree, it’s human nature. “Oh, this is the latest hot trend.” It’s sort of like, well, this year, skirts are going up, and next year they’re going down. Stiletto heels are now nine inches and the line at the emergency room starts here.
If you look at the array of today’s ‘hot trends,’ we have big data, artificial intelligence, IoT, driverless cars. We have driverless delivery vehicles, driverless over-the-road trucks. Each one of these is being chased by a herd of cats wearing lean startup sweatshirts.
To end off, could you leave us with one work or life hack that you use on a daily basis and you believe keeps you motivated or successful?
For me, nothing is better than face to face, across the table. There’s this overwhelming rush to automation and trying to automate everything, but at the end of the day, humans buy from humans, not websites or companies. They talk to humans. We are losing that at an alarming rate. So, my life hack is all about, let me get around the table with people who matter, because that’s where good ideas come from.
Bob Dorf is a startup coach, consultant, and trainer. He has founded seven startups and has invested in 30 more. Bob also co-authored the “Startup Owners Manual,” a global bestseller that helps entrepreneurs to drive startup success. Bob provides hands-on training programs for startup groups and has guided thousands of startups in reducing the failure rate of innovation.
Keep up with Bob on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Illustration by Damian Didenko.
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Stephan Mathieu, Jason Lescalleet, Valerio Tricoli
Start: 11 Oct 2012 - 21:00
Doors from 21h. Concert 21:30 sharp.
Entrance: 8 or 9 euro, your choice!
Jason Lescalleet
Valerio Tricoli
Stephan Mathieu is a self taught composer and performer, working in the field of electroacoustics and abstract digitalia. His sound is largely based on early instruments, environmental sound and obsolete media, which are recorded and transformed by means of experimental microphony, re-editing techniques and software processes involving spectral analysis and convolution; it has been compared to the landscape paintings of Caspar David Friedrich, the
work of Colorfield artists Mark Rothko, Barnett Newman and Ellsworth Kelly. He currently collaborates with Sylvain Chauveau, Robert Hampson / Main, Taylor Deupree, Caro Mikalef, van Wissem and David Sylvian. http://www.bitsteam.de/
Jason Lescalleet's sound world occupies a space between noise, contemporary composition, and minimal electronics. Using decidedly primitive tactics and equipment (e.g. antiquated reel-to-reel recorders, damaged tape, etc.), his work focuses on extreme frequencies and microscopic audio detail. Jason Lescalleet is an exciting tape-music artist. He's been a member of Due Process, performed and recorded with Keith Rowe,Joe Co1ley,Jason Kahn, Hudak, Bhob Rainey and Greg Kelley, and most recently Graham Lambkin in their Breadwinner project. Lescalleet lives and works in the state of Maine. He has released music on significant labels such as PAN, Erstwhile Records, KYE, Intransitive Recordings and RRR. http://1esca11eet.wordpress.com/
Valerio Tricoli is a Berlin-based composer, improviser, sound installation artist, producer, sound engineer and curator bridging musique concrète and conceptual forms of sound with a radical interest in how reality, virtuality and memory relate to each other during the acoustic event. He mostly uses analogue electronic devices (reel-to-reel tape recorders, synthesizers, microphones, light effects, ultrasonic speakers). The structure of the setup is ever-changing however, seeking multiple relations between the performers, the device and the space in which the event takes place.
Concert curated by Manuela Benetton
Presented in collaboration with PAN
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A frigid winter’s night icing the streets of the city. Thousands of families are in town enjoying festivities in New York. Fifth Avenue is lavishly dressed in red, silver and gold. Hundreds of Christmas displays, beautiful bows and poinsettia decorations are the highlight for window shoppers. Holiday music plays in the background to spark lights of holiday spirit. Children and adults-alike are making their wish list to put under the tree, while others ask for very little. Several Christmases come and gone since the Perez family lost their anchor. They represent the picture of a modest, hard-working family that travels to the US in search of a dream. The couple and their 1-year old daughter, Alexa snuck into New York from the Dominican Republic during a time when immigration laws were not tightly enforced. Many families migrated to the city that never sleeps in hopes of a better life. In 2012, these children found an angel in the DACA program protecting the dreamers of the world. Alexa’s wish was granted, although it was what she didn’t ask for this Christmas that changed everything.
The Perez family spent decades working odd jobs. They were raised with the belief that if the work is honest it’s good work. Stretching every penny to give Alexa everything she needed growing up. They made sure nothing was amiss allowing her to focus on her education. Mr. Perez, a laborer waited each day at the same place hoping to pick up work. Rain or shine he posted himself at a designated location praying to get some hours in for the day. The matriarch of the family did whatever she could to help make ends meet. She cooked and cared for her family ensuring they had a warm home to rest their head and hearts at the end of each night. On odd days, she dedicated herself to clean homes for affluent families living in pricey Manhattan. She appreciated the way the other half lived but wouldn’t have changed place with any of those families. There was so much cohesiveness and love in her home. Life’s hardships and struggles brought them closer, strengthening their family ties. On a daily basis they woke out of bed with love in their heart and an insatiable will to fight. They were grateful for every season as long as they had the bare necessities.
Christmas was a time of joy, giving and blessings. Christmas Eve consisted of a traditional family dinner with pork shoulder, rice and peas and potato salad. The height of the holidays was custard and eggnog after dinner while reminiscing of past holidays. Sharing funny stories in front of their 4’ artificial Rite Aid tree were some of the most memorable moments for years to come. The morning of Christmas they would exchange one handmade gift. Their only prayer for the holiday was health because without it, they knew nothing else was possible.
Growing up Alexa learned the value of hard work seeing it from her parents. She applied the values instilled in her from a very young age. Believing if you work hard and hold tightly to your goals the right opportunities for success would present themselves. She forged ahead dedicating herself to her studies. Fueling energy and determination would give way to everything she wanted in life. Her tenacity to overcome any economic disadvantage drove her to push forward fearlessly. The opportunity provided by the DACA program (Deferred Actions for Childhood Arrival) would not be wasted neither would scholarships. The program gave her the chance to study despite her parent’s immigrant status. The ultimate dream was realized four years after graduation from Fordham University. The Perez family stood proud as she performed in the top 5% of the class taking the bar soon after. Alexa was content but insisted that the work would not been completed until she had what she most desired.
Her efforts paid off when she was offered a job working for one of the city’s most prestigious law firms in the city. Early in her career, she spent long hours assisting with cases. Her parents were getting older and time with them was dwindling. Months gone by without seeing them but she was relentless in her quest for success. Her eyes were on the prize without thought to life around her. Family holidays were no longer appreciated as work took precedence. Wish lists included more of the same, best that money can buy. Upward mobility provided the financial means to acquire a beautiful apartment high in the sky overlooking the East River with a closet most women would envy. She drove a car that most men dared to dream about in their lifetime. Her contact list included some of the wealthiest clients an attorney could retain. She had all the things on her wish list of Christmas past with tremendous prosperity but it didn’t suffice. There was always more to accomplish. It seemed the list got longer and longer for her as time moved on.
This year changed everything she had known up to now. She extended an invitation to her parents to spend Christmas together in the Dominican Republic. It would reunite all of them to celebrate making partnership at her firm. It was the first time in years she’d taken time out of her schedule to enjoy festivities. Holidays missed, time she couldn’t get back but hopeful that this one would make up for the others. Finally, she felt closer to her objectives allowing for free time to savor the fruits of her labor with family. The first one to arrive the Punta Cana Resort, the hours couldn’t fly by fast enough. She anxiously waited to see mom and dad. Their flight was scheduled to land hours ago but she hadn’t heard from them. As she picked up her cell phone to call the airport to check on their flight – a call came in.
Gentleman caller: “Ms. Perez, this is the Punta Cana police. Can you please verify you are the daughter of Miguel and Ana Perez? We found your contact information on their person.”
Alexa: “Hello! what’s happened to my parents!” Get them on the phone, now. Please.” she said in desperation.
Gentleman caller: “Ms. Perez, I’m sorry there has been an unfortunate accident on the way to the hotel. Your parents are deceased.” A long pause came then the policeman repeated the message.
She only heard the ominous voice say, “Your parents are deceased.”
(Surrounding voices echoed followed by complete silence)
The news shocked her to the core leaving her speechless as the phone slams, crashing on the marble floor. All her holiday memories came across as a flash movie before her eyes – Christmas Eve dinners, laughs in front of the tree sharing stories, making crafts for gifts. It was taken from her in seconds without warning. She would give anything to change her wish list a million times over. All she wanted for Christmas this year would be her parent’s health and happiness around that tree, once more.
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Tag Archives: State of Affairs
Comcast – NBCU – (broadcast)
Posted on October 14, 2014 by lnwolfso
by Lindsay Wolfson
Photo Courtesy of http://thegeoteam.wikia.com/wiki/File:NBC_Universal_Television_Studio_logo.jpg
NBC Universal Television
Stephen B. Burke: Chief Executive Officer
Matt Bond: Executive Vice President of Content Distribution
Cesar Conde: Executive Vice President
Robert Greenblatt: Chairman, NBC Entertainment
Patricia Fili-Krushel: Chairman: NBC Universal News Group, NBC Universal
Ted Harbert: Chairman for NBC Broadcasting
Photo Courtesy of http://www.fanpop.com/clubs/nbc/images/528091/title/nbc-logo-old-school-photo
The National Broadcast Company (NBC) was founded in 1926 with an original focus on National Radio Broadcasting, but then made the transformation into Television Broadcasting. [1]. Universal Studios began in 1906 when an immigrant bought a movie theater and then rapidly expanded his business, which inevitably led to the first enclosed space specifically designed for moviemaking. [2]. NBC and Universal became one unified company in May of 2004. These companies came together and created a unique product of television distribution and part of the film industry. On the broadcast side, there were two main networks, NBC and Telemundo, and along with the broadcast channels were countless cable networks. Of the NBC-U broadcast stations there are over 200 affiliates nationwide in major cities such as New York and Philadelphia. [3] Originally, General Electric and Vivendi owned this new founded conglomerate, but now the majority owner is the Comcast Corporation, which owns 51%. [4]. This change of hands occurred back in January of 2011. Since NBC original formation, this company has developed into a nationally recognized source for news, entertainment in sports in the television industry.
Financials:
Photo Courtesy of http://www.cmcsa.com/stocklookup.cfm
Fiscally, Comcast Corporation is a very successful corporation that is publically traded and its individual branches such as NBC-U share in that success. This past quarter, which ended in late October, demonstrated a thriving fiscal period. On the broadcast side, revenue increased 7.7% to $1.8 billion compared to the $1.6 billion achieved in the same quarter in 2013. According to the fiscal report, due to the NBC-U Broadcast’s reliable success this monetary growth in revenue is caused by the increase from advertising revenue. There are also increases in content licensing profits and retransmission consent fees. Operating cash flow increased as well for NBC-U Broadcasting. Comparatively, to the NBC-U cable networks, there was a significantly greater amount of growth. NBC-U’s cable networks only had 0.7% grown while its broadcast has 7.7% growth. Last year’s extensive fiscal success was caused in part by the promotion from the 2014 Winter Olympic Games. [5]. Comcast’s stock has been pretty stable over the past year ranging from $57.49 to $47.74. Since 2009, there has been a steady increase in the price of stock for Comcast indicating its growing success within the industry. In terms of total revenue for the Comcast Corporation, the company had a 6.2% increase from 2012 to 2013. As the year closes, it will be interesting to see if the 2014 fiscal year will bring about the same impressive results as did 2013 for the Comcast Corporation and NBC-U. [6].
This chart indicates the increased value of a stock of Comcast. Photo Courtesy of http://finance.yahoo.com/echarts?s=CMCSA+Basic+Chart#%7B%22range%22%3A%2210y%22%2C%22lineType%22%3A%22combo%22%2C%22scale%22%3A%22linear%22%7D.
Fall Season:
A to Z is new romantic comedy starring Ben Feldman and Cristin Milioti.
Back in early June, NBC U released which shows were going to premiere in the Fall 2014 Season. [7]. The major staple show for the fall season was expected to be The Voice and it was utilized as a fulcrum for generating viewership on both Monday and Tuesday evenings in general for the network. NBC programmers were hopeful that the large viewership from The Voice would help the ratings for the shows that directly followed. Interestingly, although NBC-U generates extensive amounts of original content, the big draw for viewership is Sunday Night Football. This strong viewership pushed NBC-U into the top spot for broadcast this past year. Sunday Night Football even challenged the World Series this past October in questioning which would receive more viewership. [8]. There were many programs tested for this past Fall Season.
The new comedy pilots for the Fall 2014 season included Bad Judge, Marry Me, and A to Z and the new drama pilots included Constantine, State of Affairs and The Mysteries of Laura.
The Mysteries of Laura is a new drama starring Debra Messing. Courtesy of imdb.com
State of Affairs is a new drama starring Katherine Heigl. Courtesy of imdb.com
Fall Ratings & Critical Reception:
Out of those new pilots that were slated for Fall 2014 Season, many were not picked up to continue. Comedies such as A to Z and Bad Judge will not continue further after this initial trial run, but these shows will both finish production and air the remaining product. [9]. Both shows had started decently in terms of ratings, but then they both started to collapse. For NBC’s newest dramas such as State of Affairs and Mysteries of Laura, they have had a decent start amongst the Broadcast lineup and have not been cancelled as of yet.
Information Courtesy of http://www.nbc.com
“Mysteries of Laura” has surprisingly kept its presence along with other dramas with a 1.8 rating amongst 18-49 years olds. [10]. In terms of ratings, Sunday Night Football drives up the ratings for NBC. For instance, the week ending with November 23rd, #1 Saturday Night Football generated a rating of 8.1 for 18-49 years which was far greater than the #2 Big Bang Theory which received a 4.1 for the same age demographic. This shows that across multiple genres, NBC exhibits success in primetime Broadcast Television.
Late Night Television Powerhouse:
After the record-breaking spring launch of NBC’s new Late Night lineup, the success of the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and The Late Show with Seth Meyers has continued its success into the Fall 2014 Season. The Tonight Show has been pretty strong against its competitors such as Jimmy Kimmel Live! and Late Show with David Letterman. The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon has received 1.18/6 rating for the 18-49 demographic which surpasses his direct timeslot competitors in the 2014 3rd Quarter. Many were fearful that Jimmy Fallon’s success was only temporary, but now after continuing on this fall season that appears not be the case. [16].
Photo Courtesy of http://www.underconsideration.com/brandnew/archives/new_name_and_logo_for_the_tonight_show_by_pentagram.php
Photo Courtesy of http://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwtv/article/LATE-NIGHT-WITH-SETH-MEYERS-Monologue-Highlights-1120-20141121
Also, this past fall has marked the 40th season for Saturday Night Live, which remains under the direction of Lorne Michaels. Overall, this season has been pretty weak in terms of ratings, but peaked when Chris Rock hosted with musical guest Prince. [11]. This show’s best rating so far received only a 2.2/10 for the key 18-49 demographic, which is not very strong at all.
Opening Sequence for Saturday Night Live’s 40th Season. http://vimeo.com/107482286
(Photo Courtesy of http://www.technobuffalo.com/2013/04/25/saturday-night-live-clips-coming-to-yahoo/ )
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Ratings:
Every year, one of the major staples for NBC Broadcast is the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, even though it is not during primetime hours. This past Thanksgiving, the parade received its 3nd largest rating in the past 13 years. The program received a 6.2/10 rating in adults 18-49 and 22.6 million viewers total. Last year’s parade though, had the 2nd largest viewership with a rating of 6.6/10 since 2004. [12].
Every year, one of the major fall staples for NBC Broadcast is the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade. Photo Courtesy of http://social.macys.com/parade/?cm_mmc=VanityUrl-_-parade-_-n-_-n
Looking Forward:
After receiving over 18 million viewers and 4 Emmy Nominations for the Sound of Music Live, NBC decided to proceed and create another live performance. [13] [17]. This new performance of Peter Pan will be starring Allison Williams as Peter Pan and Christopher Walken as Captain Hook.
Peter Pan Live will be airing December 4th at 8pm starring Allison Williams as Peter Pan and Christopher Walken as Captain Hook. [15].
This live performance will be taking place in a former aircraft warehouse on Long Island, New York. There is an estimated budget of $10 Million to put together this one-night only performance. [14]. The expectations of this performance are extremely high due to the viewership success of the Sound of Music Live.
1. Announcing the National Broadcasting Company, Inc. (1926). (n.d.). Retrieved November 19, 2014, from http://earlyradiohistory.us/1926nbc.htm
2. NBCUniversal History. (n.d.). Retrieved November 19, 2014, from http://www.nbcuni.com/corporate/about-us/history
3. NBCUniversal. (n.d.). Retrieved November 12, 2014, from http://corporate.comcast.com/our-company/businesses/nbcuniversal#accordion-1
4. Resources. (n.d.). Retrieved November 21, 2014, from http://www.cjr.org/resources/?c=comcast
5. Comcast. (2014, October 23). Retrieved November 6, 2014, from http://www.cmcsa.com/earnings.cfm
6. Comcast Corporation. (n.d.). Retrieved November 22, 2014, from http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=CMCSA
7. Kissell, R. (2014, June 2). NBC Announces Fall Premiere Dates for New, Returning Series. Retrieved December 1, 2014, from http://variety.com/2014/tv/news/nbc-announces-fall-premiere-dates-for-new-returning-series-1201207308/
8. Kissell, R. (2014, October 27). Ratings: NBC’s ‘Sunday Night Football’ Dominates World Series on Fox. Retrieved November 22, 2014, from http://variety.com/2014/data/ratings/ratings-nbcs-sunday-night-football-dominates-world-series-on-fox-1201340093/
9. Hibberd, J. (2014, October 31). NBC to cancel ‘Bad Judge,’ ‘A to Z’ with zombie twist | EW.com. Retrieved November 22, 2014, from http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/10/31/bad-judge-a-to-z/
10. Predum, L. (2014, October 28). NBC Gives ‘Mysteries of Laura’ Full Season Pickup. Retrieved November 22, 2014, from http://variety.com/2014/tv/news/mysteries-of-laura-full-season-pickup-nbc-1201341098/
11. Kissell, R. (2014, November 2). NBC’s ‘Saturday Night Live’ Hits Season Highs With Chris Rock, Prince. Retrieved November 22, 2014, from http://variety.com/2014/tv/news/nbcs-saturday-night-live-hits-season-highs-with-chris-rock-prince-1201345402/
12. Bibel, S. (2014, November 28). ‘Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade’ Garners 22.6 Million Viewers, Ranking as The Second Most-Watched Parade in 13 Years. Retrieved November 28, 2014, from http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/11/28/macys-thanksgiving-parade-garners-22-6-million-viewers-ranking-as-the-second-most-watched-parade-in-13-years/333311/
13. About. (n.d.). Retrieved November 22, 2014, from http://www.nbc.com/peter-pan-live/about
14. Littleton, C. (2014, November 26). NBC Hopes ‘Peter Pan Live’ Can Fly to New Heights. Retrieved November 28, 2014, from http://variety.com/2014/tv/features/peter-pan-live-nbc-new-heights-1201364850/
15. Watch Peter Pan Live! December 4 on NBC from Peter Pan LIVE! on NBC.com. (n.d.). Retrieved November 28, 2014, from http://www.nbc.com/peter-pan-live/video/peter-pan-live-december-4-on-nbc/2820050
16. Kissell, R. (2014, September 25). Variety. Retrieved November 29, 2014, from http://variety.com/2014/tv/news/latenight-ratings-nbcs-fallon-meyers-easy-winners-for-q3-abcs-kimmel-nightline-up-1201313970/
17. The Sound Of Music Live! (n.d.). Retrieved November 22, 2014, from http://www.nbc.com/the-sound-of-music-live
Posted in TRF235 Fall 2014, TRF235.1 | Tagged #SINewhouseSchoolofPublicCommunications, A to Z, Babylon Fields, Barbara Jones, broadcast, Broadcast Television, Comcast, Comcast/NBCUniversal, Constantine, Fall 2014, Fall Television, Football, Jimmy Fallon, Late Night with Seth Meyers, Lorne Michaels, Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Marry Me, MSNBC, Mysteries of Laura, NBC, Newhouse, Odyssey, Peter Pan Live!, Saturday Night Live, Seth Meyers, SNL, Sound of Music Live!, State of Affairs, Sunday Night Football, Syracuse University, Television, The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, The Voice, TRF235, TV, WNBC, Xfinity Comcast
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The New King James Version
Death of the Firstborn Announced
11 And the Lord said to Moses, “I will bring one more plague on Pharaoh and on Egypt. aAfterward he will let you go from here. bWhen he lets you go, he will surely drive you out of here altogether. 2 Speak now in the hearing of the people, and let every man ask from his neighbor and every woman from her neighbor, carticles of silver and articles of gold.” 3 dAnd the Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man eMoses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants and in the sight of the people.
4 Then Moses said, “Thus says the Lord: f‘About midnight I will go out into the midst of Egypt; 5 and gall the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the female servant who is behind the handmill, and all the firstborn of the animals. 6 hThen there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, isuch as was not like it before, nor shall be like it again. 7 jBut against none of the children of Israel kshall a dog 1move its tongue, against man or beast, that you may know that the Lord does make a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.’ 8 And lall these your servants shall come down to me and bow down to me, saying, ‘Get out, and all the people who follow you!’ After that I will go out.” mThen he went out from Pharaoh in great anger.
9 But the Lord said to Moses, n“Pharaoh will not heed you, so that oMy wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.” 10 So Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh; pand the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go out of his land.
About The New King James Version
The New King James Version is a total update of the 1611 King James Version, also known as the "Authorized Version." Every attempt has been made to maintain the beauty of the original version while updating the English grammar to contemporary style and usage. The result is much better "readability." It is noteworthy that the NKJV is one of the few modern translations still based on the "Western" or "Byzantine" manuscript tradition. This makes the New King James Version an invaluable aid to comparative English Bible study.
Copyright 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
The text of the New King James Version (NKJV) may be quoted or reprinted without prior written permission with the following qualifications: (1) up to and including 1,000 verses may be quoted in printed form as long as the verses quoted amount to less than 50% of a complete book of the Bible and make up less than 50% of the total work in which they are quoted; (2) all NKJV quotations must conform accurately to the NKJV text.
Any use of the NKJV text must include a proper acknowledgment as follows:
Scripture taken from the New King James Version.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.
However, when quotations from the NKJV text are used in church bulletins, orders of service, Sunday School lessons, church newsletters and similar works in the course of religious instruction or services at a place of worship or other religious assembly, the notice "NKJV" may be used at the end of each quotation.
For quotation requests not covered by the above guidelines, write to Thomas Nelson Publishers, Bible Rights and Permissions, P.O. Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214-1000.
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City Brights: Rachel Norton
The appalling exclusion of Eliza Schaaf
By Rachel Norton on November 23, 2010 at 9:20 PM
www.elizaschaaf.com
Today I learned the appalling story of Eliza Schaaf, a 20-year-old woman with Down Syndrome who enrolled in an “Introduction to Ceramics” course at Southern Oregon University as a non-credit student (the university calls this “non-admitted status”) this Fall.
According to her mother, Deb, “Eliza has always been included with her typically developing peers throughout her educational career and through that has developed a very strong work ethic and sense of appropriateness in class. She thrives on watching and learning from others.” But despite every apparent effort by her mother to prepare the university and assist in a smooth transition for Eliza, administrators abruptly asked Eliza to withdraw from the course with just two sessions remaining. Today, the southern Oregon newspaper Mail-Tribune reported that Laura O’Bryan, the University’s dean of students, upheld the decision in a letter to Eliza and her family.
In the letter, O’Bryan stated that Schaaf’s enrollment at SOU was a “novel situation” for the university:
“The non-admitted policy was not designed or intended to provide an avenue for participation to individuals who are not otherwise qualified for admission to SOU,” O’Bryan wrote.
I hereby wish to invoke the power of the Internets to show Southern Oregon University how wrong-headed they are by failing to see the benefits (let alone the moral imperative) of including a person with a disability. Stories abound of students with Down Syndrome, like Eliza, who are now attending college — Katie Apostolides of Massachusetts is one example (she’s been profiled in The New York Times and U.S. News & World Report); former prom king Zach Wincent of Illinois is another. Last year, our own CSU-East Bay announced plans to create a college program for students with autism.
It’s happening, Dean Laura O’Bryan of Southern Oregon University — 35 years after the signing of IDEA, students who have experienced inclusive environments throughout their K-12 educations are now knocking on the doors of colleges like yours. Eventually, they’re going to gain access. Wouldn’t it be better if you figured out a way to welcome them?
rnorton
A fond farewell to Carlos Garcia
Aging out: the sad story of the Hodgins family
Why I’m voting NO on H — the neighborhood schools policy statement
Autism advocates reunite in support of SB 946
Living as an undocumented immigrant
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Live from TEDGlobal 2017 TED Conferences
Tradition is not a frozen thing: Notes from Session 7, Power up
Posted by: Bankole Oluwafemi
August 30, 2017 at 12:24 pm EDT
Alsarah and the Nubatones bring a new twist on traditional East African pop. As Alsarah tells it: “Tradition is not a frozen thing, it’s not a stagnant thing. Tradition is merely a conversation between you and the future about your past.” They perform at TEDGlobal 2017: Builders. Truth-Tellers. Catalysts., on Wednesday, August 30, 2017, in Arusha, Tanzania. Photo: Bret Hartman / TED
Human potential is a double-edged sword; it can be turned to great good or great evil. This session is about the discovery, liberation and channeling of human potential in ways that make the world around us a better place.
But first, Alsarah & the Nubatones introduce us to East African retro-pop. As Alsarah says from stage mid-set: “This music is not traditional, but it is rooted. It’s pop, but it’s got feelings. It’s got messages. It knows where it’s come from and it’s ready to go anywhere it needs to go.”
Today is a joyful homecoming for William Kamkwamba who stole the hearts of the TED audience with his windmill here in Arusha in 2007 when he was only 14 years old. Since then, he’s co-written a book, graduated from African Leadership Academy and Dartmouth, travelled the world, is working with farmers to get their crops into supermarkets, and more. “My dream,” says Kamkamba, “is to continue the work I’m doing, trying to find the ways of solving some of the problems people are facing in my community or the world in general.”
Host Chris Anderson and William Kamkwamba re-unite onstage in Arusha, 10 years after William’s pioneering talk here at age 14. Photo: Bret Hartman / TED
Decades of study exists on mosquitoes and the diseases they transmit. Nonetheless, malaria still plagues hundreds of millions of people every year, and kills more than a million, mostly children under the age of five, in sub-Saharan Africa. We still know very little about mosquitoes, says Fredros Okumu, who catches mosquitoes for a living. Okay, so he catches them to study them. As mosquitoes build resistance to insecticides, new ways must be found to control their populations. After some rather intense study of mosquito biology (that involves baring legs in 12-hour shifts to invite the insects), Fredros’ research team have developed some rather unconventional methods for targeting and culling the malaria vector that has been described as the most dangerous animal on the planet.
Fredros Okumu studies the deadliest animal in the world: the mosquito. We know very little about this vector for malaria and other diseases, even as it develops resistance to our pesticides. (And real talk, one way you study mosquitos is to let yourself get bitten over and over.) Photo: Ryan Lash / TED
By building local scientific capacity, Africans can find solutions to the continent’s problems, says audience member Kevin Njabo, who takes the stage to admit that he almost became one of the four of five Africans who never return to the continent after an education abroad. He urges more people to do so: “For every skilled African who returns home, nine jobs are created in the formal or informal sector.”
Audience member Amy Dickman gets onstage to tell the inspiring story of how her organization helped convert traditional lion killers into lion protectors (read more). Photo: Bret Hartman / TED
Africa is a young continent: 41% percent of the population is under 15, according to the UN’s population division. But as the young demographic explodes, jobs have not kept up. Kola Masha is concerned that it could spell disaster if these people do not find opportunities to make a decent life for themselves. In 2012, Masha created a company called Babban Gona to explore if it was possible to use agriculture as an engine to unlock opportunities for economic advancement to young people in Nigeria. Over the past four years, Babban Gona has brought together a grassroots farmer learning community, professional management and investment to reach more than 20,000 farmers and help them not only be successful on the land but also multiply their profits from previous levels.
What do you do when you return to your country and visit the library, but can’t find books written by your country’s own people? Well, if you are Bibi Bakare-Yusuf, you become a publisher. Which is obviously not a cakewalk (brief sidebar), but has to be done. The reason? Archives are not value-free, and whoever controls them controls the narrative. It is one thing for writers to write. But in the end, the ones who control the means of production and distribution have outsized amounts of control over whether those stories will see the light of day, or be received in a meaningful way. And most important, they determine what will be seen by future generations. Bakare-Yusuf became a publisher to create the African archival future and contribute to the global archive of ideas. To make sure that the archive of African stories is not controlled by the West, or by African men. She hopes that in 500 years, when people (or aliens?) look into the archives of Africa, they will find a diverse array of texts written by African men and women.
Bibi Bakare-Yusuf started a publishing company to preserve African texts — and to deliver them safely to future generations. Photo: Bret Hartman / TED
Live from TEDGlobal 2017TEDGlobalTEDGlobal 2017William Kamkwamba
Live from TEDGlobal 2017
Cities are great when they work: Notes from Session 6, Urban 3.0
By Bankole Oluwafemi
Cities are a constellation of dreams — dreams that are constantly dying and being born. Cities are living things, with character and distinct personalities. Africa’s cities teem with these dreams. Who gets to decide which ones live, and which ones die? To become an architect, Christian Benimana had to go far away from home. There […]
Repatterning culture, identity, language: Visual thinking from Session 5
The speakers in this session are artists, designer-scientists and visionaries who are remaking the world around them. Their weapons are scope, shutter, paint, brush, font, code, blood and bone. And they are not afraid to use them. Who are they and what do they want? It’s time to find out. Self-styled “wild woman” Thandiswa Mazwai came […]
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New York 03.11.2018
Farah Al Qasimi Receives 2018 NADA New York Artadia Award
Artadia and the New Art Dealers Alliance (NADA) are pleased to announce Farah Al Qasimi as the recipient of the 2018 NADA New York Artadia Award, a $5,000 unrestricted, merit-based Award granted to one artist exhibiting at the fair. Al Qasimi’s work is exhibited at the Helena Anrather booth 4.02 at NADA New York. A jury comprising two renowned curators, Natalie Bell, Associate Curator, the New Museum, and Alexis Lowry, Associate Curator, Dia Art Foundation, selected Al Qasimi. This is the eleventh time NADA and Artadia have partnered to present the Award.
“Farah Al Qasimi’s richly textured, strikingly composed photographs address want, expectation, identity, and global consumer culture, and stood out for their incisive eloquence, stated Lowry. “In spite of their directness, Farah’s photos function on a number of levels and in a very simple sense, I find them interesting both for what they allude to — here, the aesthetics and material culture of hospitality (from upholstery to the soap bar on the bidet) — and what they obscure, which is often the specific identity of the sitters,” continued Bell.
The NADA Artadia Award acknowledges innovative voices working in contemporary art today. This unique collaboration highlights the ways in which nonprofit organizations and art fairs can come together to celebrate artistic excellence. Through its partnership with NADA, Artadia is able to extend the reach of its Awards program internationally. The curator-driven selection process, integral to all Artadia Awards, provides exhibiting artists exposure to influential professionals in the field. Al Qasimi will have access to the lifetime benefits of the Artadia Awards program, including participation in Art & Dialogue, exhibition opportunities, studio visits with curators and collectors, and a profile page on the Artadia Artist Registry.
Al Qasimi (b. Abu Dhabi, 1991) is an artist working in photography, video, sound and performance. Farah received an MFA in Photography from the Yale School of Art in 2017, and recently completed residencies at the Delfina Foundation in London and the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture in Maine. Selected exhibitions include More Good News at Helena Anrather, New York, No to the Invasion: Breakdowns and Side Effects at the Center for Curatorial Studies at Bard (Annondale-on-Hudson, NY), Doublespeak at Shulamit Nazarian (Los Angeles), A Scream Runs Through The House at Helena Anrather (New York), and Coming Up Roses at The Third Line (Dubai).
Al Qasimi’s work considers the shared visual traditions of hospitality across cultures as they relate to global markets for textiles and domestic spaces. She is particularly drawn to the floral-printed polyester blanket, frequently seen in Arab and Hispanic homes across New York: its recent ubiquity across the Arab world reflects the trade relationship with furniture producers in China, who also produce most of the UAE’s baroque-style furniture, derived from a European design tradition. Tracing the lineage of these notions of taste, as they work towards creating a welcoming environment for guests, reveals a history of cultural exchange and a hybrid aesthetic produced by layers of coded translation. The booth at NADA New York aims to reflect this sense of cultural amalgamation and create a welcoming atmosphere for visitors to consider how ideas of beauty or belonging might transcend a culturally specific language.
Artadia is a national nonprofit organization that supports visual artists with unrestricted, curator-driven Awards and a lifetime of professional opportunities. Since 1999, Artadia has provided over $3 million to more than 300 artists in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco.
The New Art Dealers Alliance (NADA) is the definitive nonprofit arts organization dedicated to the cultivation, support, and advancement of new voices in contemporary art.
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Social media and the shifting boundaries between private and public in a Muslim town
ElisabettaCosta26 March 2015
Photo posted on the Facebook profile of a research participant
Facebook is designed to encourage people to reveal information about themselves, and the market model of Facebook’s founder Mark Zuckerberg is based on sharing and radical transparency (Kirkpatrick, D. 2010). Also, scholars have largely focused on the “disclosure effect” of Facebook, and have studied the ways this social media has led people to publicly display private information about their daily life.
In Mardin, however, people are really concerned about disclosing private information, facts and images. I’ve been told several times by my Mardinli friends, that the public display of photos portraying domestic spaces and moments of the family life was sinful (günâh) and shameful (ayıp). The variety of the visual material posted on Facebook in Mardin is, indeed, quite limited compared to what we are used to seeing on the profiles of social media users in other places, like London, Danny, Jo or Razvan’s fieldsite. For example when people in Mardin organise breakfast, lunch or dinner at their house, and invite family’s friends and relatives, they rarely post pictures portraying the faces or bodies of the participants at the feast. They rather prefer to show pictures of the good food. In this way they can reveal and show off their wealthy and rich social life, and at the same time protect the privacy of the people and of the domestic space. Yet, when images portraying people inside the domestic space are publicly displayed, these tend to be very formal and include mainly posed photography. By doing so, the aura of familiarity and intimacy is eliminated, and the pictures are more reminiscent of the formal images common in the pre-digital era.
Whereas in most of the cases people tend to follow online the same social norms regulating the boundaries between private and public offline, it’s also true that these boundaries have increasingly shifted. The desires of fame, notoriety and visibility is very strong among young people living in Mardin. For example, after posting a picture, it’s quite common to write private messages to friends asking them to “like” the image. I’ve also been told off a few times by my friends in their early twenty, for not having liked their pictures on Facebook. Facebook in Mardin is a place to show off, and to be admired by others. It’s the desire of popularity and fame that has led people to publicly display moments from their daily life that have traditionally belonged to the domestic private spaces. By doing so, the private space of the house has started to increasingly enter the public space of Facebook, despite limitations and concerns. Also the body and the face of religious headscarf wearing women have been widely shared on the public Facebook, apparently in contrast with religious norms. A friend told me: “Facebook brings people to behave in strange ways. A religious covered woman I am friends with, on Facebook posts the pictures with her husband hands by hands” This public display of the conjugal life contrasts with the normative ideas Muslims from Mardin have of the private and the public. Several other examples show that Facebook has led people to publicly display what has traditionally belonged to the domestic and private sphere.
In Mardin the culture of mahremiyet, the Islamic notion of privacy and intimacy (Sehlikoglu, S. 2015), continues to regulate the boundaries between the private and the public both online and offline, but with significant differences between the two.
Kirkpatrick, David. 2010. The Facebook effect. Simon and Schusters
Sehlikoglu, Sertaç. 2015. “The Daring Mahrem: Changing Dynamics of Public
Sexuality in Turkey.” In Gender and Sexuality in Muslim Cultures. Gul Ozyegin
(Ed), Ashgate.
Filed under Anthropology, Culture, Gender, Privacy, Turkey
Tags: anthropology, communication, Digital, Facebook, family, Friends, Islam, photography, privacy, public, religion, SNS, social media, Turkey
“Turks have no other friends besides the Turks” – a Turkish saying
ElisabettaCosta27 June 2014
Galatasary fans. (Photo: Federico Mera CC)
My colleagues and friends around the world are talking a lot about the World Cup. I’ve been reading Italian and English newspapers and news about the World Cup dominates the front page. I often check my Facebook page and my friends from Italy, UK, France, North and South America, Lebanon have all been writing comments about it, even if their national football team isn’t playing. My memories of the last World Cup, when I was in Lebanon, are very clear. I was in Beirut in summer 2010 and I remember very well how Lebanese football fans were preparing themselves for the matches: flags everywhere, big screens in many cafés, people wearing team t-shirts, shouting in the street and singing to celebrate the victory of their favourite team (which was Brazil in most cases). In those days both men and women were continuously commenting the World Cup and they were cheering passionately. Lebanon is a post-colonial country and the way people were intensely following other country’s football teams had to do with the culturally legacy of their colonial history.
In contrast to Beirut and many other places in the world, in Mardin, none of my 200 Facebook friends has written a single comment about the World Cup. Men who are football enthusiasts watch the matches at home, but they do not passionately support any football team. They do not care about it. No flags, no clothes, no signs about the World Cup neither in public spaces, nor in the private. Almost nobody watches matches in cafes’ because the matches are available for free on the public TV channel TRT 1, and they are played late in the evening or at night local time. So people prefer to comfortably sit and watch them at home.
I couldn’t watch matches with locals because a woman can’t sit together with men late in the evening in a private house. And women do not care at all about football; a lot do not even know what the World Cup is. The only thing I could do was ask the reasons for the lack of interest, and in most cases it was simply seen as absolutely normal and natural, something that did not need any additional explanations. Others gave me technical justifications:
“This year the World Cup is boring; it doesn’t give any emotions!! Players are not playing well. Look at Italy for example, they are so boring. They wait for Balotelli to make a goal. This is not football. But other teams are not doing better, they are even worse!”
Someone else told me he was supporting Holland, Spain or Portugal for no reason in particular. Some boys who are usually interested in football were not aware of the existence of a World Cup, nor the existence of football played outside of Turkey. One 8 year old child exclaimed: “I am Galatasary’s fan, Galatasary will win!”. A male supporter of AKP (the current ruling party in Turkey) told me not to follow the World Cup because he disapproves of all the money involved in gambling, as it is forbidden in Islam. Another man in his mid-thirties who also supports AKP looked me in the eyes and with a very disclosing look and in a low voice said to me:
“Nobody will tell you the real reason why they are not interested in the World Cup because they can’t! And they do not want to hurt you! But people do not care about the World Cup because there is no countries close friend with Turkey involved in it. Who should we support? Should we support Holland or Portugal? Or Costa Rica? We do not even know where Costa Rica is. They are so far and different from us and they are not Muslim. If for example Azerbajan or other Muslim countries culturally close to us were playing we would have been much more involved, but this is not the case”.
In Mardin, the World Cup is followed as a form of private and individual entertainment. People do not express publicly support for one team or another not offline, nor on social media. Men watch football matches as they can watch a serial TV show, within their own homes and they do not discuss it publicly. In Mardin, the World Cup does not constitute a public arena where national and local collective identities are expressed and articulated. The reason of this has probably to do with the specificity of Turkish national identity, which is built on the idea of a singular Muslim nation that is under continual threat from foreign Western countries. Being a fan of a non-Muslim foreign football team is not something that is plausible here. I haven’t investigated the way the Kurds relate to football and nationalism, but the Arabs living in Mardin who consider themselves proud Turks are involved in many forms of Turkish Muslim nationalism. And not paying attention to the World Cup is one form.
One of my Arab friends, who is also a football fan, posted a picture of his favourite team, Galatasary, with a very touching poem dedicated to his favourite players on his Facebook wall the night before the start of the World Cup!
THE WORLD CUP ON SOCIAL MEDIA WORLDWIDE
This article is part of a special series of blog posts profiling how social media is affecting how ordinary people from communities across the planet experience the 2014 World Cup.
Brazil: “Why aren’t they protesting?”: low-income Brazilian’s views on the World Cup
Chile: Seeing red: watching the World Cup in Northern Chile
China (North): Online and under the covers: the World Cup and social media in rural China
China (South): “Watch the World Cup – watch the fun and the world”
India: Football World Cup 2014: Observations from Panchagrami
Italy: ‘We are more united for the World Cup than for Christmas!’: the World Cup in Italy
Trinidad: “It ain’t ova till its ova” – Spectacular sports and social media: the World Cup in El Mirador
Turkey: “Turks have no other friends besides the Turks” – a Turkish saying
United Kingdom: Englishness, the World Cup and the Glades
Filed under Methodology, Politics, Turkey
Tags: Football, gender, Islam, nationalism, sport, Turkey, women, World Cup
Privacy and the lack of transparency in south-east Turkey
ElisabettaCosta11 July 2013
Photo: Elisabetta Costa
We knew that Mark Zuckerberg’s stance about identity was probably not entirely correct. But I couldn’t imagine that in South-East Turkey his expectations could have been so massively disappointed. Mark Zuckerberg expended quite a lot of effort to propose a model based on “radical transparency” that could encourage people to have only one identity in their life. In The Facebook Effect he said that “The days of you having a different image for your work friends or co-workers and for the other people you know are probably coming to an end pretty quickly.”
If we knew that people have been appropriating Facebook in different ways from those envisaged by the founder of the social media, I couldn’t imagine before that a same person would have and use simultaneously 12 different accounts.
A 35 year old man, married with two children, owner of a small shop in the neighbourhood where I live, appeared very anxious when doing an interview with me. He was impatient to tell me how often he was using Facebook, then he immediately confessed to me that he is simultaneously active on twelve different Facebook accounts:
One for work friends
One for online gaming
One for “normal” friends
One for female friends that are not lovers
One for local lovers
One for foreign girls
One for business (under the name of his shop)
One for the 4 year-old daughter (under the name of the daughter)
One account for the 6 year-old son (under the name of the son)
Two more accounts he couldn’t tell me about. (I imagine they are in somehow related to politics, as it looks common here to secretly use Facebook for political issues. However I am not completely sure about it.)
This man cared deeply about Facebook’s privacy settings. His main concern was to not let his mistresses and children to be informed about the existence of other women. He was not worried about his wife because she was completely illiterate, not able to read and write and thus to use social media and the internet. But it’s not only a matter of hidden lovers. The example of this man showed that in South-East Turkey the numbers of different social environments that need completely different appropriate behaviour is large, and overall it showed that it’s extremely important to keep these different social spheres divided from each other. Then this example gives us interesting insights about what privacy and public-ness means here and reveals the social normatively according to which people control social situations created by the social media. As Dana Boyd has repeatedly affirmed, privacy is not dead. And in the Muslim Middle-East, especially, privacy is one of the most interesting topics related to the diffusion of the social media.
Filed under Anthropology, Culture, Politics, Privacy, Turkey
Tags: anthropology, communication, Digital, ethnography, Facebook, Islam, middle-east, Politics, privacy, research, Turkey
Facebook and prohibited communication
ElisabettaCosta17 April 2013
Photo by gypsy in moda (creative commons)
I arrived in my fieldsite in south-east Turkey two weeks ago and I am in the process of settling into the town. As I am really at the early stage of the research, whenever I go shopping, to the hairdresser, to the internet café or to the Locanda for lunch, I aim to get in touch with the locals.
I have been casually asking around what people think about social media, whether they use it or not, and for which reasons.
One middle-aged Kurdish man tolf me that he doesn’t have a Facebook Page because he doesn’t want to upset his wife. “My wife is going to kill me if I start using Facebook”.
Then young women do not say that they use the social media openly in front of their relatives. They just confess it to me privately.
Again the head of an Arab family with whom I am spending most of my time once told me: “Facebook is used only to communicate with people of other sex! We do not like it and we do not use it!”
It would seem that here Facebook is used mainly as a channel to look for prohibited friendships, partners and mistresses.
One of the initial hypothesis of my research was that the overall consequences of SNS on family was profoundly contradictory: Facebook is used by subordinate subjects – women and young people – to challenge old hierarchies, to promote a greater role of the individual against “traditional” forms of authority (Hofheinz 2011 , Salvatore 2011) and to question gendered habitus. But at the same time Facebook is used as a way to keep alive “traditional” family relations in the face of dispersed family and of the failure of welfare state projects. Indeed transformations produced by forces such as the state, economy, migration and cultural flows overlap with the idea of the family as a primary resource of identity and self-security that is rarely questioned (Joseph 2010).
After the first ten days of fieldwork it seems even more worth investigating how Facebook is challenging traditional family and traditional relationships by creating new space of actions and new freedom, and consequently new constraints and restrictions.
Hofehinz, A. 2011. “Nextopia? Beyond Revolution 2.0” International Journal of Communication. 5 (2011).
Salvatore, A. 2011. “Before (and After) the ‘Arab Spring’: From Connectedness to Mobilization in the Public Sphere” Oriente Moderno, 1 (2011).
Joseph, S. 2010. “Framings: Rethinking Arab Family Projects” Rethinking Arab Family Projects.
Filed under Anthropology, Comparison, Culture, Gender, Politics, Turkey
Tags: anthropology, Digital, ethnography, Facebook, fieldwork, gender, intimacy, Islam, kinship, private, public, religion, sex, social networking, Turkey
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Subha Wijesiriwardena
A collection of personal, political and critical essays and articles from Sri Lanka.
What’s Really the Problem with HeForShe?
Tom Hiddleston supports HeForShe.
The din over Emma Watson’s speech at the United Nations General Assembly earlier this week has died; it moved some people very much indeed, while others saw it as hugely problematic. The speech was made to launch a new UN Women campaign, called HeForShe, which asks men to get involved in the struggle for gender equality, for the rights of women, and to pledge action against all forms of violence against women. Watson said, “Men– I would like to take this opportunity to extend your formal invitation. Gender Equality is your issue, too.” She seems to believe that real change cannot happen without the commitment and participation of men — true — and said, “How can we affect change in the world when only half of it is invited or feel welcome to participate in the conversation?”
Watson spent much of her speech telling us of the negative impact that gender inequality has had on men – something, she assumes, we often forget, in our fight for women’s rights. Men cannot show emotion; they are expected to be tough and strong; they are expected to ‘provide’, which often leaves them with no life of their own, no room for the pursuit of their own happiness. She is telling us that gender inequality is problematic for us all; not just bad for women. Now, there’s a word for that: patriarchy. Patriarchy is the all-encompassing, all-consuming, age-old structure which has been in place in human society for a long, long time. Patriarchy tells us that to live by it, is only way to live: that man should have power over woman. It requires women, therefore, to be constantly and consistently denied of any agency or power, in order to sustain this structure as it is. Patriarchy manufactures and propagates gender-roles, creates gender stereotypes and requires us to stick to these roles: it tells us how we should live, if we are man or woman. Women, just as much as men, then and now, in many ways, enable patriarchy, and ensure it is kept in place. Feminists, then and now — I think I can be sure that I speak, at least, for most of us — understand this. We understand that patriarchy is bad for all of mankind. That’s why feminists have tried to resist it, and have asked for its total annihilation. Feminism is, in principle, a call to end patriarchy.
Why then has the feminist struggle been so concerned with the struggle for women’s rights? It is because women were for hundreds of years made to suffer violence, shame, indignity, humiliation, and often even death for the rules that patriarchy tells us we must live by, and men simply were not. Women, in many instances, continue to suffer violence and discrimination as a result of patriarchy. So, yes, forgive us for having limited our struggle to fighting for the rights of women all these years: while patriarchy says men should not show emotion, it says that if you rape a woman, it’s understandable, because she deserves it. While patriarchy says that a man should provide for his family, it says a woman should not venture outside her kitchen, and if she does, she should be punished. While patriarchy says that a man should always strive to be strong, it says a man can beat his wife as a way of regularly asserting, to himself and others, that strength. While patriarchy says a man cannot cry, it says a woman’s feelings are wild and unpredictable and therefore she is a witch or a nymphomaniac. So: do you see how patriarchy may have been a bit worse for women? Do you see why we had to start from scratch — start with asking for the basic right to life, freedom from fear and violence, dignity, economic independence, fair pay — before we could address how men were also undeniably victims, in many ways, of patriarchy? Sometimes patriarchy can be detrimental and fatal to men, too. No one disputes that. The reason that we have been pitted this way — men vs women and women vs men– is because patriarchy has been known to be enormously beneficial to men, over the years, at the cost of women’s human rights. It necessarily needed to step on women to be beneficial to men. Maybe its benefits are not right for the modern-day, thinking, balanced man, but it must have been hugely so, to the men who put it in place and the men who kept it there. No one can deny that we are all equally vulnerable to violence, the impetus of life and uncontrolled fate. But it is hard to ignore the fact that women — practically on a daily basis — encounter some form of violence, usually pretty unique, because they are women.
Now, what’s the problem with HeForShe? What is the problem with Emma Watson, and the campaign for that matter, asking men to participate in the feminist struggle? Certainly, it is of great importance that they do; immediately. The problem is that she more or less directly says that men have felt ‘unwelcome’ in the feminist corner thus far — by ‘inviting’ men to get involved where they have felt unwelcome before, seemingly righting this wrong, she implies that the feminist movement is to blame for the lack of male participation in the struggle for women’s rights.
Another thing that is the fault of us women! Can’t we get anything right?
I think it should be fairly obvious why men may have not been involved in the women’s movement in a big way over the course of history. It is a direct result of this thing: patriarchy, both the fact that men did not want to get involved, and the fact that early feminists may not have wanted them there. Can you really blame them?
To say that the feminist movement has shut men out and made them feel unwelcome — and to now say ‘I invite men to join us’ — is to completely deny and ignore very important parts of our shared history and context, as men and women. It is to deny the truth that women have indeed been victimised and marginalised, sadly, most often at the hands of men. The feminist movement emerged and continues to emerge as a direct response to this victimisation and marginalisation that women face, at the hands of men, and at the hands of patriarchy, all over the world, though perhaps in varying forms. It is, by nature, a force of opposition and resistance to existing structures of power. You can’t simply blot out that part of it; you cannot erase that part of our history, to make it easier, simpler, or nicer to think about. How is it — that the lack of male participation in the feminist movement is seen as the problem, and the fault, of feminists? Why is it — that so many people seem to believe that the negative image that men have today, is the fault of feminists? I think it’s wonderful if men want to get involved in the struggle for equality and freedom for women. Why would we assume they need to be invited? Why have they waited to be invited? I believe men should — and should want to — step in and step forward to prove their commitment — and, in effect, prove themselves. Sadly, we cannot give them the benefit of the doubt. Sadly, every good man does have something to prove. That, in my mind, is possibly the biggest way in which patriarchy affects men negatively.
Why didn’t UN Women select a man to be the spokesperson for a campaign like HeForShe? Why does a women’s rights organisation believe that the work of getting men involved in feminism is their responsibility? Why did those men — celebrities, mostly — who are now openly supporting HeForShe, wait for Emma Watson to invite them to join a struggle that’s been going on for hundreds of years, and affects every single one of us, every day?
Campaigns like HeForShe only fix in place and reassert existing misconceptions, stereotypes and deliberately unsound interpretations about the feminist struggle and about feminists; though Watson says that feminists are not ‘man-haters’, pretty much everything else she says simply reasserts several age-old misogynistic ideas about women who fight for their rights. It undermines the hard work of the brave women and men who have fought the fight, and achieved so much for us all.
September 27, 2014 September 27, 2014 subhaUncategorized
6 thoughts on “What’s Really the Problem with HeForShe?”
What’s Really the Problem with HeForShe? | සතුටු වැස්ස බ්ලොග් කියවනය
[…] What’s Really the Problem with HeForShe? […]
Chanay
HAHAHAH THIS PEICE IS SO IGNORANT, IT’S FUNNY!
Friend or Foe – Men’s Role in the Feminist Movement - Crossing Borders
[…] part by realizing that they are often part of the problem and, when they do, they are great allies. Patriarchy hurts us all, that is true, but overall it benefits men a lot more than it hurts them. That is why […]
To me its basically a mass recruitment stunt with the lie and promise that its for equally helping women AND men. When its really as the site claims (brings together one half of humanity in support of the other half of humanity, for the benefit of all.) Aka its still for women and its was pointless bringing the suicide thing up because in the end the movement doesn’t give any shits about who’s neck gets roped at the end of the day.
More men are still dying and no one cares about that other then using it to further their own agenda… 10 September is going to be fun!
Friend or Foe – Men’s Role in the Feminist Movement : Crossing Borders
Men in Feminism: Friend or Foe? : Crossing Borders
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Many veterans are homeless; none are hopeless
Posted by The Catholic Key on 1:26 pm in Catholic Key, News
Eric Verzola, director of veterans services for Catholic Charities of Kansas City-St. Joseph, speaks with U.S. Veterans Affairs Secretary Bob McDonald during a break in the Oct. 29 Veterans Employment Summit at the Liberty Memorial National World War I Museum in Kansas City. (Kevin Kelly/Key photo)
By Kevin Kelly
KANSAS CITY — Sometimes it takes a nation to raise up a veteran, and a community to love them.
Nobody knows that better than Eric Verzola, director of veterans services for Catholic Charities of Kansas City-St. Joseph.
Verzola was among dozens of Kansas City region community leaders attending, but one of only a handful invited to speak at the Oct. 29 Veterans Employment Summit, held at the Liberty Memorial National World War I Museum.
Called by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, with Cabinet Secretary Bob McDonald front and center, Verzola told of the early success of St. Michael’s Veterans Center, in business for just one year to provide stable housing for homeless military veterans.
Spearheaded by Catholic Charities, St. Michael’s is the result of a collaboration of a long list of private and public organizations that recognized that while many veterans are homeless, none are hopeless.
“We are doing what ‘right’ looks like,” said Verzola, a former U.S. Army artillery officer.
So right, said Verzola, that next month, St. Michael’s is planning on breaking ground on a project that will more than double the number of apartments available to homeless veterans on its campus next to Kansas City’s VA Hospital, and in addition provide thousands of square feet of space to provide onsite, where they live, the services that veterans need to resume a stable life.
While the focus of the summit was on encouraging more employers to hire U.S. military veterans, Verzola said that for some of them, the most basic of human needs must first be addressed.
“You got to give them a safe place to live first,” he said. “As any military person knows, you first have to improve your (physical) position.”
Verzola told the story of one veteran who had been “couch-surfing” with friends and relatives until he wore out his welcome.
“He became homeless,” he said. “When I first saw him, I knew we could help him.”
In just a few weeks of having a roof over his head and services he needed, the veteran found a job and his own apartment.
“He is now on to better things,” Verzola said.
In just over a year, St. Michael’s has become a magnet to a variety of agencies. Some, like the Knights of Columbus, hold barbecues for the residents. Others, like the VFW and American Legion, provide veteran-to-veteran ears to listen, and to remind all the residents of their dignity and that their service to their country has not been forgotten.
“It’s been a team effort,” Verzola said.
Such a team effort is vital to the economic success of the entire Kansas City region, said Bob Marcusse, president of the Kansas City Area Economic Development Council.
Both Marcusse and Kansas City Mayor Sly James told Secretary McDonald that they would like to turn Kansas City into a magnet for veterans just released from military service by expanding access to the wide array of services available to them through the G.I. Bill of Rights.
It makes economic sense, said Marcusse.
“We work very hard to recruit companies that are growing,” he said.
“It is becoming increasingly important that we be able to offer them the workforce that will allow them to be successful. We need every competitive advantage we can get,” he said.
One advantage would be a workforce full of trained, skilled and motivated military veterans, Marcusse said.
Mayor James couldn’t second that motion fast enough.
“We want to make Kansas City a place to come because there is support for them,” he said.
“If they need anything, we need to help them,” Mayor James said. “They were out there helping us every day, and they didn’t ask what we needed. They just gave it.”
The mayor spoke of the seriousness of Kansas City to reach out to veterans by singling out St. Michael’s Veterans Center.
“Homeless veterans need help. With St. Michael’s Phase I and II, we are demonstrating our interest,” he said.
Then he turned to the scores of employers invited to the summit.
“Veterans know what honor is. They know how to be in a chain of command,” Mayor James said.
“If you have the ability to make that commitment to hire veterans, God will reward you in heaven and people on earth will thank you. Both of those things are worth struggling for,” he said.
If there were any doubt that Kansas City is well on its way to a reputation for welcoming military veterans, David McIntyre dispelled it.
McIntyre, co-founder and CEO of Tri-West Health Alliance, said of the seven cities that Tri-West looked to expand its regional centers into, Kansas City was the only one to roll out the red carpet.
Established in 1996, Tri-West has been building a provider network under a Veterans Affair contract for veterans to receive medical and mental health care, particularly in areas where the nearest VA facility is miles away.
“We reached out to seven cities. There is only one community that chased us,” McIntyre said.
“In this community, the governor, the mayor, the economic development community, everyone came together to say, ‘Will you come? We want veterans to be served,’” McIntyre said. “We operate in nine other communities, and that’s not always the case.”
Tri-West brought 500 jobs to Kansas City. Of those, 85 percent have been filled by military veterans.
“We’ll probably be hiring more people in Kansas City. This is a place where we will grow,” McIntyre said.
Secretary McDonald, in response to a question from a university official who said the VA stipend to veterans in college needs to be raised from its present $1,100 a month, said that the Veterans Affairs Department could do more with more resources, and that will take Congressional action.
“That (stipend) is in the law, and we need to contact our members of Congress to change that,” he said.
“It is also written into the same law that when a veteran goes on spring break, they go off the G.I. Bill and do not get paid for that week. That makes no sense at all,” he said.
But under the present political climate, and especially after the national scandal of 2014 in which it was revealed that veterans face waits of up to months to receive basic VA services, McDonald said the political climate is difficult.
“A lot of things are said about the VA. Some of them are true, and some of them aren’t,” said McDonald, the former Procter & Gamble CEO who took the cabinet post after the scandal.
“But there is no more important thing in life than making a difference in the life of at least one person,” he said. “We got to change that political climate.”
Tags: Catholic Charities of Kansas City-St. Joseph Eric Verzola St. Michael’s Veterans Center Veterans
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XC_CM_LosAngelesPremiereOfWarnerBros.PicturesHorribleBosses2_Jennifer Aniston_A030.JPG
HOLLYWOOD, LOS ANGELES, CA, USA - NOVEMBER 20: Actress Jennifer Aniston arrives at the Los Angeles Premiere Of Warner Bros. Pictures' 'Horrible Bosses 2' held at the TCL Chinese Theatre on November 20, 2014 in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States. (Photo by Xavier Collin/Celebrity Monitor)
USA, United States, United States Of America, California, CA, Los Angeles, Los Angeles - California, Beverly Hills, Beverly Hills - California, Event, Red Carpet, Arts Culture and Entertainment, Red Carpet Event, Editorial, Arrival, Attending, Celebrities, Arts, Culture, Entertainment, Premiere, Film Premiere, Movie Premiere, Screening, Full Length, Headshot, Posing, Portrait, Smiling, Eye Contact, Fashion, Looking At Camera, 2014, Los Angeles Premiere, Horrible Bosses 2, Horrible Bosses 2 - 2014 Film, Horrible Bosses 2 - Film, Horrible Bosses 2 - Movie, People, Movie, Film, City Of Los Angeles, Film Industry, Film Screening, Special Screening, Special, Warner Bros. Pictures, Warner Bros., Grauman's Chinese Theatre, Mann Chinese Theatre, Chinese Theatre, TCL Chinese Theatre, TCL, Jennifer Aniston, Actress, One Person, Female, Black, White, Skirt, Black Skirt, White Top, Cleavage, Blond Hair, Blonde Hair, Hair Part, Makeup, Lipstick, Earrings, Jewelry, Closed Toe, Closed Toe Shoes, Shoes, Jennifer Joanna Aniston, American, Filmmaker, Businesswoman, 45 years old, Caucasian
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HomeEditorial Advisory Board’s ‘Recommended Read’ – April 2018
Editorial Advisory Board’s ‘Recommended Read’ – April 2018
April 3, 2018 Christine von Gall Our Booksdiscount, language, linguistics, recommended read, translation
This April, our Editorial Advisory Board member Professor Zeinab Ibrahim has chosen her ‘Recommended Read’: one of our best-selling titles, and increasingly recognised for its contribution to the field. Zeinab is Teaching Professor of Arabic Studies at Carnegie Mellon University-Qataris and a world-renowned expert on the sociolinguistics of Arabic, especially as it relates to teaching Arabic as a native or foreign language. She has published several books in this field, including Beyond Lexical Variation in Modern Standard Arabic with Cambridge Scholars Publishing in 2009.
We are offering all of our readers a 50% discount on Zeinab’s pick. To redeem your discount, please enter the promotional code EABAPR18 during checkout. Please note that this is a time-limited offer that will expire on 1st May 2018.
Professor Zeinab Ibrahim’s ‘Recommended Read’:
The Influence of Translation on the Arabic Language: English Idioms in Arabic Satellite TV Stations
Author: Mohamed Siddig Abdalla.
This book explores the influence of translation on the Arabic language, with particular emphasis on the translation of English idioms by journalists working at Arabic satellite TV stations, using a mixed-methods approach (quantitative and qualitative).
“The Influence of Translation on the Arabic Language raises many vital questions in the fields of English-Arabic translation, machine translation, lexicography and Arabic language academies. The author chose the most viable subjects – journalists – to conduct the study. It has been mentioned in many other studies that journalists are the ones who translate all new idioms and phrases, thus in some ways they have adopted the role of translators as well. Up until now, one of the most difficult tasks in the field of machine translation has been translating idioms and phrases. Although it is the role of language academies to carry out these translation tasks, they have not been doing so in the appropriate time frames. The book is a comprehensive study on the issue of translation from English to Arabic, especially idioms, and as such can be considered a pioneering work in this field. The work can be considered a landmark for lexicographers, machine translation, and translators in general.”
For further information on Professor Ibrahim, please click here.
← Featured Review – The Quest for Streetcar Unionism in the Carolina Piedmont, 1919–1922
Book of the Month – April 2018 →
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Logistics Tech - Imaging Patient Support Per Diem, Sat & Sun 8hrs Days, 7:30am - 4:00pm
Temporary/Per diem
Make a difference every single day
When the work you do every single day has a crucial impact on the lives of others, every effort, every detail, and every second matters. This shared culture of happiness, passion and dedication pulses through Cedars-Sinai, and it's just one of the many reasons we've achieved our fifth consecutive Magnet designation for nursing excellence. From working with a team of dedicated healthcare professionals to using state-of-the-art facilities, you'll have everything you need to do something incredible--for yourself, and for others. Join us, and discover why U.S. News & World Report has named us one of America's Best Hospitals.
Are you passionate about helping people? Do you want to make a difference in people's lives?
Do you want to be a part of something greater? At Cedars-Sinai you'll learn from dedicated healthcare professionals every single day and use state-of-the-art facilities to do something incredible - for yourself and for others. You will support the physicians and nursing staff in the delivery of health care by performing a variety of medically related tasks.
The S. Mark Taper Foundation Imaging Center, a division of Cedars-Sinai, offers a full range of imaging services for adults and children. Each year, almost 500,000 inpatient and outpatient exams and procedures are performed and interpreted at the center. Our physicians are board certified by the American Board of Radiology in their respective subspecialties. Our subspecialized imaging physicians, American College of Radiology certified technologists and customer-service oriented staff provide our patients with state-of-the-art imaging technologies and innovative treatment options in a compassionate environment.
The Department of Imaging has a weekend part-time position available for a Logistics Technician, 7:30am - 4:00pm,weekends only Saturday and Sunday.
The Logistics Technician will transport patients to and from the department of Imaging.
The Logistics Technician performs all job duties with sensitivity and attention to the age and developmental issues of the neonatal, infant, pediatric, adolescent, adult and geriatric patient population(s) served.
Will work on weekends, additional shifts will be assigned on an as-needed basis to cover vacations and sick calls.
He/she maintains competency skills including the ability to transport patients with diverse cultural backgrounds, identify safety concerns and institute measures to provide safe transportation.
He/she effectively communicates with patients regarding destination and scheduled exam, and makes necessary adjustments for transporting patients according to age and medical condition.
He/she will effectively use of all relevant telecommunications equipment including desk phones and cellular phones.
Consistently applies customer service excellence communication and interaction techniques.
The Logistics Technician will demonstrate continuous self-improvement, make effective contributions to section, and adhere to CSHS compliance plan, code of conduct, and hospital and departmental policies
About Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Providing healthcare for more than 100 years, Cedars-Sinai has evolved into one of the most dynamic and highly renowned medical centers in the world. Along with caring for patients, Cedars-Sinai is a hub for biomedical research and a training center for future physicians and other healthcare professionals. This attracts exceptional talent to Cedars-Sinai, including world-renowned physician-scientists who seek a place where they can both conduct research and see patients--the ideal formula for discovery and its translation into cures. Our patients benefit from access to doctors at the top of their fields, and our researchers have an ideal community in which to study the impact of healthcare challenges, and reflect that knowledge in their research. The greater Los Angeles area in which Cedars-Sinai resides possesses unparalleled cultural and ethnic diversity which offers outstanding opportunities for translational and clinical research... and a dynamic environment for medical education.Although community based, Cedars-Sinai is a major teaching hospital affiliated with the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Cedars-Sinai has highly competitive graduate medical education programs in more than 50 specialty and subspecialty areas, a graduate program in biomedical sciences and translational medicine, a clinical scholars program directed towards junior physicians with aspirations to become clinical scientists, and post graduate training opportunities.There are more than 250 full-time faculty members at Cedars-Sinai. The voluntary medical staff, comprised of more than 2,200 specialty board-certified or board-qualified physicians, represent all of the specialties and subspecialties and collaborate with full-time medical staff in the teaching responsibilities of the graduate medical education programs.
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NOBLIS.ORG
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Dr. Lydia Thomas: Leader, Role Model, and Champion for Women in STEM
How a love of science, learning, and a desire to make a difference shaped the career of Noblis’ former President & CEO
Noblis has championed “doing what’s right” since its founding in 1996. Dr. Lydia Thomas, who served as the company’s President & CEO from 1996 until her retirement in 2007, was instrumental in establishing many of the company’s core values as a mission-based organization. A leading scientist and engineer, her career journey is an inspiration to both aspiring and seasoned women in STEM. We connected with Dr. Thomas to hear more about her story as a leader in her field and her integral role in Noblis’ history.
Dr. Lydia Thomas’ curiosity in STEM began as a young girl. “My father was a chemistry major and I grew up around science,” she said. “But as a kid, you don’t immediately understand that things you can observe in the world are actually the result of chemistry, biology, or other fields of science.”
She mused that on one occasion, her curiosity and knack for homemade experiments almost resulted in a housefire. “I learned over time that science was a way to answer all the questions I had in my mind,” Dr. Thomas said. This love of science persisted through adulthood, ultimately leading to an undergraduate degree in zoology, a master’s in microbiology, and a doctorate in cytology.
“At the time of my doctorate, we were just learning about and improving our understanding of the mitochondria,” she said. “And now look how things have changed. Science is fascinating, and ever evolving. When you start thinking and learning about living things, what could possibly be more fascinating or interesting?”
Following her education, Dr. Thomas built her professional career in federal contracting, inspired by her desire to continually learn new ways to apply STEM to everyday problems. Throughout her career, she held a series of technical and management positions, spanning the areas of energy, environment, health, and communications systems.
“I didn’t have previous experience in engineering, and constantly learning was and is important to me,” she recalled. In 1996, she became the President & CEO of Noblis, where she was responsible for the general management and direction of the company’s overall technical, financial, and administrative activities. During her tenure, Noblis emerged as a leader in protecting national security, countering chemical and biological warfare, ensuring environmental sustainability, improving healthcare, advancing biometrics, and ensuring safety and efficiency of our nation’s transportation systems and energy resources.
“Doing the right thing and contributing to the success of the government is what Noblis was about,” she said. And while reaching the role of President & CEO was undoubtedly a major achievement, Dr. Thomas stressed that it is not her focus when she reflects on her successful STEM career.
“I’m happy that I had the opportunity to be CEO, but even if I had not, being a part of [Noblis] was very fulfilling. Our focus was always on providing real impacts to the federal government, and I never felt like I had to compromise what was right to do business,” she said. “How could you not like that?”
Dr. Thomas noted that while Noblis has grown and changed since her tenure as President and CEO, the organization’s key values have stood the test of time.
“Noblis is driven by doing what’s right. That’s what we thought about in 1996, and that is still the company’s mantra today. Of course, the company has adapted to meet the changing federal environment, but it has stayed true to its values.”
Now, Dr. Thomas serves as a member of the Noblis Board of Trustees, among many other Board appointments. She served on the Secretary’s Homeland Security Advisory Council, a position she held from her appointment by President Bush in 2002 to September 2012, as well as the Defense Department’s Scientific Advisory Board. She was also co-chair of the Government University Industry Research Roundtable (GUIRR) of the National Academies.
Dr. Thomas is an emeritus member of the Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (Associate Fellow), American Society of Toxicology, National Defense Industrial Association, and the International Women’s Forum. In 2003, she was named “Black Engineer of the Year” at the 17th Annual Black Engineer of the Year Awards Conference and Celebration.
When asked what others can take away as an example from her leadership, Dr. Thomas said, “there is always the opportunity for recognition when you work hard, and you establish yourself as someone who pitches in. Sometimes that comes through a promotion, but for me, it was always more important to focus on what my clients had to say, and whether I made a difference.”
Dr. Thomas’s achievements are especially impactful as the number of women in STEM continues to lag.
“To [young girls] I’d say— don’t listen to anyone who tells you math and science are hard. They are no more difficult than anything else you can challenge yourself with,” she said. “When you find something that is your calling, there should be no person or company that can stop you. The only thing that matters is your brain and what you want to do with it.”
Reaching The Next Goal July, 2017
Inaugural NCMA– Tysons Women In Leadership Education and Training Seminar February, 2018
Noblis ESI Awarded Contract to Support Department of Defense Chemical and Biological Defense Initiatives March, 2018
SERDP & ESTCP to Hold 3-day Symposium Centered on Enhancing DoD’s Mission April, 2018
Noblis Launches Mentorship Program Across the Organization July, 2018
National Intern Day 2018: Learn about Noblis’ Internship Program July, 2018
Get to Know Noblis: Ebrima, Principal Scientist – Cyber & Data Mining August, 2018
Get to Know Noblis: Scot, Principal Environmental Engineer August, 2018
Noblis Salutes its Employee Veterans May, 2017
Get to Know Noblis: Brianna, Machine Learning and Computer Vision Researcher October, 2018
Noblis CoEs Host Hackathon to Nurture Cross-Company Collaboration October, 2018
Noblis’ Jon Horin Named “Person of the Year” by Showcase Magazine December, 2017
An Intern’s Perspective: My First Day at Noblis June, 2018
Mile Corrigan, Vice President of Federal Civilian Solutions, Receives Women in Technology Leadership Award June, 2018
Noblis Names Christopher Barnett as Chief Technology Officer November, 2018
Get to Know Noblis: Christina, Air Traffic Analyst and Project Manager October, 2018
Noblis Contributes 2,500 Hours of Software Development Expertise to Launch of PATRIOTlink®, the Nation’s First Cloud-Based Resource for Cost-Free Veteran Services June, 2018
Noblis to Partner with Air Force Lifecycle Management Center to Enhance Air Force Distributed Ground System Enterprise November, 2018
Noblis Names Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives (CRBNE) Program Director December, 2018
Noblis Recognized on The Washington Post “Top Workplaces” List for Fifth Consecutive Year June, 2018
The Making of A New Careers Site May, 2017
Interview with CHRO Jean Cain: Why Noblis is a “Top Workplace” June, 2018
Making Noblis Sticky May, 2017
An Open Letter to Our Site Users May, 2017
Join us for a Women in Technology Event at Noblis! January, 2019
Careers Open House: Come meet Noblis at our New L’Enfant Plaza Office! January, 2019
Get to Know Noblis: Matt, Program Manager and Engineer July, 2018
Noblis Named One of the 2019 World’s Most Ethical Companies® by Ethisphere for the Eighth Time February, 2019
Celebrating Earth Day May, 2017
Noblis Employees Unite in Offices Across the Country; Serve Operation Homefront and Local Charities July, 2018
Noblis Names Rich Jacques Vice President of Intelligence January, 2019
Noblis Names Rick Harrison President of Subsidiary, Noblis ESI March, 2019
February Young Aviation Professionals Lunch & Learn with Joshua Gustin, FAA January, 2018
Let’s Talk Career: Conversations with Women Leaders at Noblis March, 2019
Noblis Hosts Girls Rock in Technology for Tour of Labs and Tech Facilities May, 2019
Noblis Named a Washington Post “Top Workplace” for the Sixth Consecutive Year June, 2019
Noblis Forum Draws Leaders in Government and Industry for Discussion on Current and Future State of Autonomy July, 2019
From Private Sector Research to Policy June, 2017
The Interns are Here! June, 2017
Addressing Transportation Challenges with the Future: A “Smart City” Vision February, 2018
Proud to Support Operation Homefront June, 2017
Blockchain: Breaking Through the Hype and Seeing a Promising Future January, 2018
Noblis Supported SERDP & ESTCP Symposium Facilitates Technology Transfer; Enhances DoD Mission Effectiveness January, 2018
Protecting Agency Communications from Time-Division-Multiplexed (TDM) Obsolescence November, 2017
How the Noblis Sponsored Research Program Supports Critical Programs September, 2016
Connecting With Our Communities June, 2017
NOBLIS FAMILY OF COMPANIES
NOBLIS HQ
2002 Edmund Halley Drive
Noblis HR Team
careers@noblis.org
answers@noblis.org
Noblis is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status or other characteristics protected by law.
Copyright © 2017 Noblis,Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Reston Building Photos © 2016 Eric Laignel Photography
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FeaturedPress Releases
Carnival Cruise Line Partners with Clean the World to Assist in Global Soap Recycling Initiative
by CStromfeld July 10, 2019
Today, Carnival Cruise Line announced it is the first large-scale cruise operator to partner with Clean the World. Through this global sustainability program, nearly 40 tons of discarded soap will be collected each year to be recycled into new soap bars and distributed to vulnerable communities worldwide.
Clean the World is a global health leader in WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) and sustainability dedicated to saving lives by recycling and distributing soap and other hygiene products to more than 127 countries.
As part of the program, Carnival will start collecting discarded soap from guest and crew staterooms throughout the fleet and send it to a Clean the World recycling center where the soap will be sanitized, melted down and reprocessed. Together, Carnival and Clean the World will distribute more than 400,000 new, clean bars of soap to people in need across the globe each year. The new program has already been tested on several of Carnival’s ships and will be rolled out across its entire North American fleet by the end of July. It is one of multiple initiatives underway to further reduce waste disposal and recycle additional products used on board.
Through its partnership with Carnival, Clean the World will be able to expand its existing recycling program to locations throughout the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Bermuda and Central America, providing life-saving hygiene services to residents in these areas as well as further support its WASH programming in the Dominican Republic.
“We’re proud and honored to be the first large-scale cruise line to partner with Clean the World, an organization dedicated to improving the lives of those in underprivileged communities throughout the world,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “Carnival guests use more than three million bars of soap each year. With this partnership, we’ll positively impact the lives of so many people who will have access to a basic hygiene product that so many of us take for granted.”
“We rely on partners to help us deliver much-needed hygiene supplies to children and families in the Caribbean, Puerto Rico, and South America, which are among the areas most in need of this support,” says Shawn Seipler, founder and chief executive officer, Clean the World. “This incredible partnership with Carnival Cruise Line allows us to expand our outreach, putting more soap into the hands of people in need. We hope that this program will continue to grow in the future.”
Nearly 5,000 children under age five die each day – two million children a year – due to hygiene-related diseases. Through its efforts, Clean the World has contributed to a 60 percent reduction in the death rate of young children worldwide.
To learn more about Carnival Cruise Line, visit Carnival.com. For reservations, contact any travel agent or call 1-800-CARNIVAL. Carnival can also be found on: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.
Journalists also can visit Carnival’s media site, carnival-news.com or follow the line’s PR department on Twitter at twitter.com/CarnivalPR.
Carnival Cruise Line Launches Redesigned ‘GoCCL Navigator’ Booking Tool for Travel Advisors
Carnival Cruise Line to Operate Largest Bermuda Season Ever, Adds Week-Long Voyages from Charleston and Baltimore
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Greek Orthodox church in US gets 1st new leader in 20 years
Archbishop Elpidophoros, left, stands at his throne on the altar next to his predecessor, former Archbishop Demetrios, right, inside the Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity during Elpidophoros’ enthronement ceremony as the new archbishop for America, Saturday June 22, 2019, in New York. Elpidophoros is the seventh archbishop for America for the Greek Orthodox Church. Demetrios served in the position for 20 years before resigning on May 4, 2019.
David Crary
NEW YORK (AP) — The Greek Orthodox church of the United States, a far-flung denomination of 1.5-million members, on Saturday installed its first new leader in 20 years — a lifelong European whose top priority is completing construction of a shrine in New York City linked to the Sept. 11 attacks.
Elpidophoros Lambriniadis, 51, a native of Istanbul and a longtime theology professor in Greece, was enthroned as archbishop in an elaborate ceremony at the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in Manhattan. Many Greek Americans from across the U.S. came to New York for the event.
Elpidophoros was unanimously elected by senior Greek Orthodox officials last month to succeed Archbishop Demetrios, who recently retired at age 91 after serving in the post since 1999.
Much of Demetrios’ tenure as archbishop was complicated by controversy related to construction of the St. Nicholas National Shrine next to the World Trade Center memorial plaza in lower Manhattan. The new church is intended to replace a tiny Greek Orthodox church obliterated in the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
Construction of the shrine was suspended in December 2017 amid rising costs and questions over how donations were managed. Some funds earmarked by donors for the shrine were shifted to unrelated projects as the archdiocese struggled with what it called a “severe and complex” financial deficit.
In October, the archdiocese’s governing council declared that the denomination had restored financial stability. It said that an investigative committee determined there was no fraud or misappropriation of money involved in the financial mismanagement that led to disruption of the St. Nicholas project.
The investigative committee indicated that more than $30 million would still need to be raised to complete the project, which now has an estimated total cost of nearly $80 million. Archbishop Elpidophoros told The Associated Press that one of his first actions, after the weekend’s enthronement ceremonies, would be to convene a fundraising meeting.
“For me and the whole archdiocese, it is the first priority,” he said. “It’s a matter of pride and dignity to finish this church as soon as possible.”
Referring to the memorial plaza at ground zero, he added, “We know how sacred this place is for the American people. We have to respect that.”
Elpidophoros studied as an undergraduate at Aristotle University’s theological school in Thessaloniki, Greece, and later earned his doctorate there before joining its faculty. He also has studied at University of Bonn in Germany and the Theological School of St. John the Damascene in Beirut, Lebanon, as well as teaching for a semester in 2004 at the Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Boston.
He said that stint in Boston was his only lengthy stay in the United States, though he has briefly visited many other places, including California and Florida.
From its national headquarters in New York, the archdiocese oversees 540 parishes across the U.S. staffed by about 800 priests.
“It will be a challenge for me to get to know all of the different places,” the archbishop said. “I have to travel to all our parishes. … Already my schedule is full for next three months.”
Also high on the archbishop’s agenda are concerns among many of the church’s priests about the stability of their health care and pension plans. Priests raised the issue in a teleconference with Elpidophoros a few days after his election in May.
The archbishop addressed the concerns Thursday in a meeting with clerics in New York.
“I give you my word that together, we will handle the earthly concerns — the health care, financial security, retirement, and all the others that rob you of a good night’s sleep — and we will handle them in a way that is transparent and responsible to you,” he said.
Tagsarchbishop Elpidophoros Lambriniadis Greek Orthodox Church homepage featured
News • Photos of the Week
Meet the Catholic sister nominated for an ESPY Award for her wicked curveball
Taylor University president resigns after hosting VP Pence as commencement speaker
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What's Lorraine watching?
Lorraine highlights her TV and film recommendations
The Oscars are here….almost!
Posted on February 21, 2015 by brunswil
Well, it’s been a busy time here in Naples the last couple of weeks. Between dealing with the Polar Vortex which took our temperatures down to a bone chilling 60 degrees or so (laugh now, my northern friends, but it’s no joke for the many snowbirds who did not bring warm clothing), watching helplessly as my golf balls are carried away by blasts of arctic air, braving the hordes at local art shows, lining up for hot dog lunches at Costco with every other retired person in Naples, deciding which cardigan to wear, etc. it’s been a busy time. This past week, we managed to do a road trip to visit friends on Anna Maria Island (near Bradenton Beach), St. Pete Beach (near Tampa), and Indian Rocks Beach (north of Reddington Beach). Absolutely loved seeing a little more of Florida north of Naples and wonderful to connect with friends down here.
I still haven’t caught up with some of the films I hoped to watch before the Oscars. On tap for this weekend’s streaming are Citizen Four (about Edward Snowden, Best Documentary nomination), Two Days, One Night (French film starring Marion Cotillard, Best Actress nomination), Big Eyes (starring Amy Adams who apparently should have received an Oscar nomination, but didn’t), Force Majeure (a French film about the after effects of an avalanche which apparently should have received a Foreign Film nomination, but didn’t). For those of you who have Netflix, Virunga is an Netflix distributed film about the rangers rising their lives to save gorillas in Congo’s Virunga National Park and it is nominated for an Oscar for Best Documentary.
This past week we did catch up with Still Alice, starring Julianne Moore who is nominated for Best Actress. I loved the book this was based on and thought the movie adaptation was wonderful. Julianne Moore is absolutely heartbreaking in the role of a woman dealing with early onset Alzheimer’s disease. I can’t imagine that she won’t win (particularly as she has been nominated 4 times and never won before). The Oscars often seem to right past wrongs in their award decisions.
We also watched Selma, which like The Butler from 2013, gave terrific insight into the history of the Civil Rights movement. The lack of major nominations for Selma has raised controversy as apparently it’s the first time since 1998 that no actors of colour have been nominated. Apparently, a very pointed controversy has also arisen because of the less than flattering description of LB Johnson as an unenthusiastic supporter of the Civil Rights struggle. Great film, but perhaps a little bit slow. Wonderful performances.
On the TV scene, I am continuing to enjoy Empire, the series set behind the scenes at a hip hop recording empire, starring Terrence Howard. The music is great (Timbaland is the creative consultant) and the storyline is based on King Lear, where the dying impresario (spoiler alert, he has ALS) must divide his kingdom among his three sons who wage war (with actual guns, as they sometimes do within the hip hop/rap recording community) with each other to emerge as the rightful heir.
Empire is actually reminiscent of Nashville (imitation being the sincerest form of flattery within the TV world) which I have continued to watch despite the enjoyably soapy turns its plot has taken. Spoiler alert, Deacon has liver cancer and hasn’t told Rayna or his daughter. OMG!
Still loving Grantchester (seen Sunday nights at 10 on PBS Masterpiece Mystery) about a hunky Anglican vicar with a knack for solving crimes; finished watching Season 1 of Mozart in the Jungle on Amazon Prime and I absolutely loved it, starring Gael Garcia Bernal as the maestro of a fictional NYC Symphony Orchestra with Malcolm Macdowell and Bernadette Peters as supporting players. Very funny and full of wonderful symphonic music; Justified and The Americans continue to be worth watching (both seen in the US on FX). Allegiance is the cheeky NBC series which has an awfully similar plot point to The Americans with sleeper cell Soviet spies in present day NYC responsible for turning their FBI analyst son into a double agent; Chicago Fire had some particularly maudlin episodes the past week or two, but you have to love the hunky firemen; Sleepy Hollow continues to delight with its fish out of water story as the Ichabod Crane character adjusts to 2015 society after having slept since the War of Independence – much fun is had regarding his reactions to cell phones, skinny pants, learning to drive a car, texting, etc. He’s adorable as played by the dreamy Tom Mison; I’ve been trying to keep up with Gotham (about the young Batman and his advisor Detective Gordon) as they continue to introduce the young versions of iconic characters from the Batman comics; still loving The Middle on ABC which has more heart than any other show on TV as it depicts a family struggling to make a living and raise their kids in incredibly difficult conditions, yet manages to make me laugh despite their troubles.
I have lost touch with some of the shows that are a little harder to find here in the US because we haven’t subscribed to particular cable channels: for example, Banshee, which I love for the madness of its chaotically violent world; Shameless, which I love for the madness of its chaotically dysfunctional family; Black Sail, which I love for the madness of its completely insane world of pirates and literal cut-throats, etc.
I hope those of you who are planning to watch the Oscars enjoy yourselves thoroughly!! This year’s host, Neil Patrick Harris, has done a wonderful job hosting the last few Tony Award shows, starred in Hedwig and the Angry Inch on Broadway and has been the longtime star of How I Met Your Mother (which I have actually never watched). I’m rooting for him to make the show as entertaining as possible. Enjoy yourselves whatever you choose to do on Sunday evening. I know many of you will be happily watching The Walking Dead (which I, of course will be recording), Downton Abbey, which I absolutely loved, etc. To each, his or her own. Vive la difference!! Some of you may even be actually watching a film, reading books or listening to music and that’s fine too.
Academy Award Countdown Part 2 + Catching up with new and returning shows
Posted on February 9, 2015 by brunswil
Writing to you from beautiful Naples, Fl. Although the sunshine and warm temperatures have made it very difficult to concentrate on TV and movie watching, I have been giving it my best effort. Here are some of the Oscar nominated films I’ve caught up with recently:
The Imitation Game stars the wonderful yet bloodless Benedict Cumberbatch as the real life Alan Turing who broke the Enigma code during WW2 and who paid a tragic price for his homosexuality.
Birdman is a wonderful fantasy of the behind the scenes world of NY theatre. Both Michael Keaton and Edward Norton are wonderfully charismatic in this.
American Sniper is a film directed by Clint Eastwood that celebrates the life of the real life US sniper Chris Kyle who died trying to help veterans with PTSD. I found this film to be a little morally ambiguous, but Bradley Cooper gained 40 pound to play a burly guy. His neck almost totally disappears, he becomes almost unattractive (despite his blue eyes) and this earned him an Oscar nom.
The Theory of Everything is a heartwarmng film about Stephen Hawking and stars Eddie Redmayne as a wonderfully likable Hawking. Felicity Jones is also very engaging as his wife.
Wild is a film about a woman trying to redeem herself by walking a 1000 miles in the US wilderness. Somehow, I didn’t really connect with this film as I couldn’t see past the glamorous Reese Witherspoon pretending to be a down on her luck gal. She’s way too well known as an actress to be believable in this role. Now, if my beautiful niece Sarah (who actually walked 900 k on the Camino de Santiago in Spain this fall had played the role, that would have been believable!).
Gemma Bovary is a peculiar French film that I recently watched on an airplane starring the beautiful Gemma Arterton as a real-life modern incarnation of Emma Bovary.(I watched it even though it’s not actually nominated for any Oscars, as the pickings were pretty slim on Air Canada)
Foxcatcher is a very dark film about the real-life murder of a professional wrestling coach by the real-life John E. DuPont played by Steve Carrell, who also bulked up by many pounds, lost his neck, became extremely unattractive and wore a huge prosthetic nose which earned him an Oscar nom.
Trying to catch up on new shows:
So far I have been able to watch the first 8 episodes of Mozart in the Jungle on Amazon Prime. I love this wonderful show about the behind the scenes life of a fictional NYC symphony orchestra complete with scheming fundraisers, prima donna conductors, aspiring musicians and the people who love them.
I have now seen the first 4 episodes of Grantchester on PBS Masterpiece Mystery. I love this nostalgic show set in early 50’s rural Cambridgeshire about a handsome young Anglican priest who has a knack for solving crimes. Apparently this type of British mystery is known as a cozy. There’s chintz everywhere, everyone is always drinking tea or whiskey, and the 50’s fashions and makeup are sublime.
Trying to catch up with Justified, The Americans, Gotham, Grimm, Red Band Society, Chicago Fire, Forever, Person of Interest, Sleepy Hollow, Modern Family, The Middle, Fresh off the Boat... It may be time to consider letting some of these shows go by the wayside. A girl has to golf and go to exercise class as well as watch TV.
Yesterday was Sunday again! After a month of no TV watching, I may have gained a little perspective on the massive amount of episodic TV I’ve been watching in the last 6 months. I’m also back in the USA where even though I have a PVR here, the on demand functions of our local cable company are vastly superior to Rogers, with all programs being available within 24 hrs of airing.
I was able to watch my favourite Sunday morning TV show, CBS Sunday Morning, a soothing compendium of segments on arts, culture and human interest stories. Sunday night CBS aired the Grammy Awards and BBC America showed The Bafta Awards (their Oscars). Stephen Fry hosted and was delightfully wry. It was wonderful to see Boyhood showered with awards. The young man who played the lead referred to the film’s humanity. I was so relieved to see Interstellar relegated to technical awards as it so lacked in humanity and relatable situations. The Theory of Everything also took many of the top awards and Redmayne gave a wonderful acceptance speech for Best Actor thanking his 3 families: his parents, his film family and the Hawking family.
Better Call Saul debuts this week with two episodes. This is the prequel to Breaking Bad focussed on the ne’er do well lawyer, Saul and his life before he meets Walter White and Breaking Bad begins.
Finally got around to watching NBC’s new show Allegiance which has received such unfavourable comparisons to The Americans. I loved this very complex show which features two retired Russian agents living in present day NYC who are ordered to turn their CIA analyst son into a double agent. Absolutely loved it! Hope Davis stars and she’s wonderful as the Russian mom.
I hope all my friends in Ontario are managing to stay warm and snug. We actually had a spectacular rainy day here today with what seemed almost a tropical fierceness to it. Otherwise it has been pretty balmy here. Looking forward to my first golf game tomorrow since Dec. Until next time….
He is the champion!
So much to binge on….
Canada Day weekend!!
Back in the city for a while…
Charlene Miall on He is the champion!
Michelle Erdman on Back in the city for a wh…
Michelle Erdman on New and returning program…
brunswil on Happy Mother’s Day…
Catherine on Happy Mother’s Day…
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Home › Mythology of Imperialism
Mythology of Imperialism
by Johan Raskin
Monthly Review Press
“We, the readers and students of literature, have been hijacked. The literary critics, our teachers, those assassins of culture, have put us up against the wall and held us captive.” So begins Jonah Raskin’s The Mythology of Imperialism. When first published in 1971, this book was nothing short of a call to arms, an open revolt against the literary establishment. In his critique of five well–known British writers—Joseph Conrad, Rudyard Kipling, D. H. Lawrence, E. M. Forster, and Joyce Cary—Raskin not only developed the model for a revolutionary anti–imperialist criticism, but, through this book’s influence on Edward Said, helped usher in the field of postcolonial studies.
Nearly four decades later, The Mythology of Imperialism is all the more relevant. Its readings of British literature still offer bold and original insight into the relationship between text, artist, and historical context. But, perhaps more crucially, this book sends a revolutionary message to all readers and students of literature. Against much of today’s post-colonialism—diluted by postmodern obfuscation and largely detached from its historical roots—Raskin locates the center of his anti–imperialist criticism in the anti–imperialist struggle itself and takes his cues not from “the assassins of culture” in the academy but from the national liberation movements of his time.
Written with absorbing passion and machete–sharp analysis, this new edition of The Mythology of Imperialism includes the original text, a new introduction and afterword by the author, and a preface by Bruce Robbins.
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Adolf Hitler (1889–1945)
[Hitler—Library of Congress]
The Austrian-born Hitler, baptized Roman Catholic, served in the German Army in World War I. After the war he entered politics alongside other disillusioned veterans. He became interested in a German nationalist organization, and his skills as an orator and organizer earned him the leadership of what he renamed the National Socialist German Workers’ (Nazi) Party.
Nazi involvement in a failed 1923 coup led to Hitler’s brief imprisonment, where he wrote his autobiography Mein Kampf, or My Struggle (1925). In it he wrote of the Jews in World War I, “If … twelve or fifteen thousand of these Hebrew corrupters of the nation had been subjected to poison gas, such as had to be endured in the field by hundreds of thousands of our very best German workers of all classes and professions, then the sacrifice of millions at the front would not have been in vain.”
In 1933 the Nazi Party attained a plurality in the German parliament, and Hitler became chancellor. Laws turned the German Republic into a one-party dictatorship; Hitler’s success in reviving the economy and annexing former German territories taken in World War I brought him widespread German support.
His invasion of Poland in 1939 triggered World War II. Hitler is most famous—or infamous—today for his policy of German racial cleansing, which led to over 5,000,000 Jews and other “undesirables” being gassed in concentration camps. As Germany was going down to its final defeat in 1945, he married his longtime mistress, Eva Braun. Less than two days later, the pair committed suicide.
This article is from Christian History magazine #121 Faith in the Foxholes. Read it in context here!
By Jennifer Woodruff Tait
Jennifer Woodruff Tait is managing editor of Christian History
A sacred conflict or an unfortunate necessity?
Firing Scriptural “grenades” over war on the home front
Barry Hankins
“The world must be made safe for democracy”
Wilson counseled war after campaigning to keep America out of it
Inklings at war
J. R. R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, and the crucible of World War I
Paul E. Michelson
No atheists in the foxholes?
Some people found religion in the experience of wartime, but others lost it
Kevin L. Walters
Christian History Magazine #121: Faith in the Foxholes
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Not only what was believed but what was done
PROTESTANTS AND CATHOLICS during the Reformation and the years after pursued all kinds of reform vigorously: in doctrine, worship, and morals. They saw reform of personal conduct as just another part of the needed reform of the Christian faith. Girolamo Savonarola, Martin Luther, Desiderius Erasmus, Katharina Schütz Zell, Marguerite de Navarre—these leading preachers, writers, and rulers cast their morality net very wide. Clergy and laity, church and society, men and women, child and adult, family and individual were all on the judgment seat.
With the closing of many of the convents and monasteries, Europe and (eventually) the New World witnessed a profound change in thinking on the nature of work and the understanding of marriage. The societal unease this caused added to an already-increasing concern people had about witchcraft. Those seeking to purify the morals of society were forced to confront what they saw as a growing plague, and they did not hesitate to employ executions as a means to purge the body politic.
Magic, bell-ringing, and profit
What kind of sins came in for censure? A century after the Reformation, John Bunyan, English author of The Pilgrim’s Progress, recorded his conversion to the Christian faith in his 1666 autobiography, Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners. There he confessed to bear-baiting, bell-ringing, dancing, and playing games on Sunday. Also common at this time were astrology, necromancy, and other forms of esoteric magical practice, not to mention drunkenness, adultery, and heresy. One of the most common sins associated with the clergy was simony: the selling or buying of church-related offices or, more generally, the making of profit off of sacred things.
Order Christian History #118: The People’s Reformation in print.
Moral reform was not just the work of lone individuals; it was taken seriously enough that some banded together in an effort to fight immorality. In France, for instance, groups like the Holy League, started by a nobleman named Henry, Duke of Guise, worked to stamp out what they saw as the heresy of Protestantism (specifically the presence of Calvinists) within the country—on the grounds that this was a moral ill and made France liable to the judgment of God.
This purifying work also included governments and churches, who labored together to stamp out vice. French reformer John Calvin worked to reform the faith and morals of his adopted home, Geneva, by founding a quasi-governmental body called the Consistory. Made up of both Christian ministers and political officials, the Consistory’s job was to police the morals of the city.
Everything from slander to financial improprieties and murder fell under its jurisdiction. The Consistory met each Thursday to hear cases. Like the Spanish Inquisition, the Consistory was governed by rules that allowed those falsely accused to extricate themselves from the charges brought against them.
Much more on Calvin and Geneva coming in issue 120!—The Editors
This article is from Christian History magazine #118 The People’s Reformation. Read it in context here!
Christian History’s 2015–2017 four-part Reformation series is available as a four-pack. This set includes issue #115 Luther Leads the Way; issue #118 The People’s Reformation; issue #120 Calvin, Councils, and Confessions; and issue#122 The Catholic Reformation. Get your set today. These also make good gifts.
By Jon Balserak
Jon Balserak, senior lecturer in early modern religion, University of Bristol.
They wanted God to save his own
Had Luther argued only for spiritual changes? German peasants didn’t think so
Edwin Woodruff Tait
Preachers and printers
A hot-off-the-press technology pushed the Reformation forward
Armin Siedlecki and Perry Brown
Tearing down the images
Raids on churches resulted in the destruction of countless works of art
Jim West
A fire that spread
As soon as the Anabaptist movement began, it was persecuted
Walter Klaassen and John Oyer
Christian History Magazine #118 - The People's Reformation
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Shootout in Chicago Church During Robbery
On March 30, 2018, ABC News Chicago reported a shootout during an attempted robbery of a west side church.
According to ABCNews
“A 25-year-old man has been charged after a shootout at a West Side church Wednesday night, Chicago police said Friday.
Police said Kenneth Baines walked into the Maypole Avenue Church of Christ in 4400-block of West Maypole just after 8 p.m. and announced a robbery.
A 57-year-old security guard was inside the church and both men pulled out guns and fired. Baines was shot several times in the chest and the security guard was wounded in the arm.
Baines fled and was arrested about a block away in the 200-block of North Kenneth Avenue shortly after the shooting. Both Baines and the security guard were transported to hospitals.
On Friday, Chicago police said that Baines has been charged with aggravated battery with a firearm, unlawful use of a weapon, attempted armed robbery with a firearm and aggravated discharge of a firearm.
According to the digital ticker over the door of the Maypole Avenue Church of Christ, there is a Bible study group at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. Neighbors say the church is where police have their community watch meetings and it even serves as a polling place on Election Day. Some believe the robber was after donations.
Police said the security guard legally owns his weapon.”
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God’s in His Heaven, All’s Right With the World
Filmmaker M V Krishnaswamy recalls his times at the Maharaja’s College—the 175-year-old institution in Mysore that shaped some of India’s best minds in the 20th century
By SUGATA SRINIVASARAJU
When I used to look at ‘Kusum Bhavan,’ in the corner of an intersection on Malleswaram 17th cross, I used to wonder who lived inside it. It was a single-storeyed palatial bungalow with a huge neem tree and a wide enough swing beneath it to accommodate four people. But I had seen nobody use the swing. I had seen nobody stroll the huge untamed garden in the evening. I had not seen an old Plymouth, a Morris Minor or an Ambassador that was so common to such bungalows. In fact, there was not even a driveway or a barking pet.
On the ground there were patches of carelessly strewn cut gneiss that gave a vague idea of a walkway. The only sign of life about the house to a passerby was that serene sepia bulb-glow in the winding corridor-like verandah behind the mesh grill. Everything was still and quiet about the house. Even as Bangalore’s boomtime transformation was underway; when apartment blocks came up all over the city and around this house too; when old bungalows in its neighbourhood were being pulled down and the precious land were being divided among children who came in for inheritance, Kusum Bhavan remained an island; a symbol of old charm and grace; a mini-forest of curiosity with a stoic calm about bulldozing change. Perhaps only the dry winter leaves made some noise.
In my memory, the house is still a dim light in the wintry fog that once upon a time attacked the tree-filled avenues of Malleswaram pretty early in the evening. That image refuses to die even after I have earned an unfettered access to the house in the last five years and have befriended the gentleman and his family who live inside and have lived there for more than half a century without owning it.
So M V Krishnaswamy is not the owner of the house, but there is nobody else to whom it belongs as much as it belongs to him in the minds of his fans, friends, admirers and the countless passersby who have been lucky enough to have a glimpse of this unassuming personality at the gate or under the tree.
MVK has had an illustrious career as a filmmaker. He is arguably the first Indian who assisted legendary Italian filmmaker Roberto Rossellini on the sets of Viaggio in Italia, which starred Ingrid Bergman and George Sanders and later in India 57, which had Aldo Tonti of War and Peace fame as cameraman; he is probably the only one from the Mysore state who went to Paris, London and Rome in the late 1940s to study films and their direction; he was probably the only one from India at that time who trained under masters like John Grierson to pick up documentary filmmaking, Grierson also nominated him later as the secretary of the Overseas Film Club; he was probably the only one to be an official ‘king-companion’ to the North Indian son-in-law of the then Maharaja of Mysore; he was probably the first amateur to act in a lead role of a modern Kannada film, Bharathi, 60 years ago with the gorgeous Padmini; he was the only one who could convince centenarian engineer Sir M Vishvesvaraya for a documentary film on his life; he was probably the only one from Karnataka who had such a major presence in the country’s film institutions like the Films Division, the National Films Development Corporation, the Censor Board, the national film awards jury, the Film and TV Institute etc.; he was the unfortunate one who was accused of making Satyajit Ray stand in the queue for a film ticket when he was in-charge of international film festivals and he is probably the one who is relatively less known from among the towering members of the ‘Mysore Generation,’ which includes Kannada icon Kuvempu, essayist Murthy Rao, writer Rajaratnam, philosopher Hiryanna, advisor to Indian prime ministers H Y Sharada Prasad, English professor C D Narasimhaiah, scholar T N Srikantaiah, cartoonist R K Laxman, novelist R K Narayan and photojournalist T S Satyan.
But whenever you get into MVK’s house these facts don’t awe you. That’s not because you are indifferent to them, but it is characteristic of MVK to make them all look achievable and commonplace. He makes them all appear like that serene illumination in the verandah, which does not blind your eyes. The connections, associations are all points of departure to measure the weight of history created during his time. But yet he is remarkably update; never cynical to the experiments of the present generation; never that grumbling old man who has surrendered to the remainder of his destiny. His narratives are gripping and they are unlike the slowness that his house signifies in my mind – time really flies when he talks and chuckles in his mild baritone.
On one such day, he got talking about his unusually long evening nap that seemed to him like a shadow of death; the news of his friend Sharada Prasad’s fall in his Delhi home and his alma mater the Maharaja College (a 175-year-old institution that shaped some of India’s best minds in the first half of the 20th century). A few weeks back he had visited his place of birth, Belakavadi; his favourite Melkote Hills and then Mysore. At 83, he wondered if he could ever go back to these places that had graduated him to life. In this backdrop listen to this unstructured slice of his life story in his own voice. They may appear like disjointed pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, as I have reconstructed them after listening to them for over a week, but the full picture is not difficult to imagine:
“…Normally you go to school or college to study, achieve something and get a rank but none of these ideas were there in my head. My father was the headmaster in Belakavadi. I did not join school early, I did not have too many friends either, but I liked the place. Then my father was transferred to Kujjeru. There I was directly admitted to the second year of school. By then I knew only a few general interest things that my mother had taught me. During nighttime students used to come to my father’s school. He was a strict headmaster who believed in good results. Those boys had no facility, they used to study and sleep in the school itself. My father used to just supervise. You can’t say the students liked my father, everyone was afraid of them. When the boys were reading aloud I used to fall asleep. I completed the second and third year of school in Kujjeru. For the fourth year my father sent me to Mysore for the lower secondary exam and the centre was Maharaja’s High School. My grandmother was in Mysore. You know what she did with my date of birth? They filled up the date of my admission as the date of birth. My father and my family believed in horoscopy and all that, but still they gave my birth a new date. It deleted four months of my existence. I was born on 8 August, 1923 but they wrote 8 December.
What was the ambition of everyone in Mysore those days? Maharaja Krishnaraja Wodeyar was towards the end of his life. Between 1934 and ’41, I have known about him, his life, his way of doing things by hearsay. To put it succinctly the mood in Mysore those days was – ‘God’s in his heaven, all’s right with the world.’ He was a wonderful king. I knew nothing about social differences, economic differences or political anger whatsoever. Mysore was a clean, good city. I used to get my food and other things at the right time. I was not a voracious eater or any such thing. I was happy and content. Everyone in Mysore was interested in education to the extent it gave them a chance for a job. That attitude was also seen in the high school examination of those days. People who did not get 35 per cent in all the papers got EPS (eligible for public service), if you passed in all papers you were eligible for college and public service. The question that was asked was: Are you an EPS or ECPS? First year I got EPS because I did not answer a whole section in the Geography question paper. I got an EPS, the next year I rewrote my papers and got an ECPS.
Those were the depression years in the world. Unemployment was acute in the Mysore state. Graduates and double graduates could not find a job. A general conversation used to be something like this: ‘What has he done?’ ‘Oh, he has graduated from the Maharaja’s College but has not found a job.’ Or there used to be the grouse that someone was overqualified but was underpaid or has not got a job of his choice. During those days in Mysore, there was a great importance for the Indian Civil Service. If you could get into the civil service that was the greatest thing that could happen. So some people who had the means would write these exams. Those who succeeded were well paid, were full of power and influence. ICS was the acme of one’s career.
This was also the time of Diwan Visvesvaraya. He and the Maharaja hit it off very well. It was not that they agreed on every point. There was a lot of disagreement. Despite the arguments, the way Krishnaraja Wodeyar supported the schemes of Visvesvaraya was something fantastic. Actually the story went that Visvesvaraya went to see the Maharaja with a resignation letter in his right pocket. If the differences became too much he would slowly slip his hand into his right pocket and the Maharaja would know. That was how Visvesvaraya spent his five years as Dewan. He worked out good schemes and from the book of Visvesvaraya’s speeches I have given you, it is clear that public life for him was not about serving the Maharaja, or the state of Mysore, but he wanted the state where he was in command to be the best in the world and not just India. This was the reason why he gave a lot of importance to the Mysore Civil Service (MCS).
The MCS was greater than the ICS for a Mysorean, because that would give him a chance to be Diwan. You couldn’t have a better job than that. Everyone’s ambition was that. There was competition between Maharaja’s College and Intermediate College. Whether you studied Science or the Arts, you had to get that MCS. That was the angle to education in Mysore.
But I did not know anything about the world, I did not know anything about public service and getting a job and getting a position. I had to go to school because they had admitted me. I was least bothered whether I got a rank, or passed or failed. But given the average intelligence of the people then and due to certain things that I was trained indirectly by my parents and because of a good handwriting I stood a better chance. I was very fluent in English and in Kannada and all this stood for the first point that gave me my pass. Because the general standard was low I easily passed my exams. I should say I was a regular, good, third class student. I passed my SSLC and joined the Maharaja’s College.
Mysore University had just then been founded. It was the youngest university in the country. I knew the name of various universities, but I did not know what a university was. The Maharaja College was Mysore University for me. The first thing that comes to mind about the college is the students’ union. It was very active. It organised a lot of cultural activities and in the whole of Mysore that was the only place where cultural activities were taking place. It actually depended on the activities of the union secretary. My brother, M V Rajagopal, became the union secretary in 1939. He was a CBZ student who wanted to do medicine but did not, because he got good marks in English. He took English Literature Honours and later went to Cambridge. Then, no First Class was available for English because Prof. J. C. Rollo had set very high standards. Second Class was very good and you easily got a lecturership. Because English was a compulsory language and subject, they wanted the maximum number of teachers in English. English was given the priority and all this talk about English-Kannada difference did not exist. Nobody could bother about it and nobody bothered about it. Kannada had a rightful place in the second place if at all with other languages like Telugu, Sanskrit, Urdu and so on. Nobody ever questioned about it and English was the king.
Mysore University soon after its founding had some sort of a reputation. It was considered great that a native state had started a university. Krishnaraja Wodeyar tried to get the best people. C R Reddy was the principal of Maharaja’s College and Brajendranath Seal was the vice chancellor. They had got Seal from Calcutta. It was not that they were looking for someone from Mysore to become the VC. Their efforts and the politics of the time you know reading Sarvepalli Gopal‘s account of his father S. Radhakrishnan‘s life. What he has written is a fact.
Among the things I remember from those days is C R Reddy’s library. By the time I could access it, it was kept in the Kebbe Katte Mansion, because Reddy before he left Mysore had given his library to Basavaraj Urs, who was the poor son-in-law of the Mysore Palace. He was married to Leelavathi because he had finished his graduation and he was a highly qualified man in those days. Basavaraj Urs was the brother of Subramanya Raje Urs (the great Kannada writer who wrote under the pen name Chaduranga).
Basavaraj Urs was a nice man and when I met him the first thing he did was to take me to the library. It was simply fantastic. Why I am saying this is because this place shaped my attitude to books and it also indicates the ideals that the people who ran the university had. That’s the reason I like the monogram of the university, which says ‘Nahi Jnanena Sadrusham.’
When I say I like something about my past I do not mean that I knew all about it then. It is just that I marvel at it now when I look back as an 83-year-old. Attitude of man to his own life changes at different stages and my attitude to my past is shaped by my present. This morning I was thinking of Prof. Murthy Rao, the eminent Kannada writer who taught me at the Maharaja’s. Death came to him very strangely. You know he was 100 plus. He was on his regular morning walk and he saw two mating dogs approach him. Dogs are dangerous during mating season. In his reflex condition he has hurriedly moved towards a roadside bench and since his walking pace had altered he lost balance and fell. That fractured his hipbone. The moment I heard of this injury I knew his end had come.
Similarly, at 86, my father broke his hipbone after being hit by a cyclist. The doctors said he was okay but he himself told that he would go soon. That is the reason I got very anxious last week when I heard of my friend Sharada Prasad’s fall and the profuse bleeding. Something common to Murthy Rao, Sharada Prasad, Nittur Srinivasa Rao, R K Laxman (who came to see me a couple of days back), and my own father is their zest for life. But when the moment comes, I think the zest vanishes, they may resist, but the circumstances are that the body will not respond.
Such a point arrived in the life of Radhakrishnan too, who had taught in Mysore just before our time. When he left Delhi, he made such a speech that he wanted to frighten Indira Gandhi and make her continue him as president. But that did not happen. After he retired he came to Edward Elliot Road in Madras and became a total vegetable. The person who nurtured him in his last days was his daughter-in-law (Gopal’s wife). Nobody came to see him in the last days and when he passed away nobody even realised that a great man had passed away. Everything got over very quietly. All these thoughts keep coming to me now.
Strangely, if I have to look back at my alma mater and my student days it will now happen only through the attitude and concerns of my old age. Until you are 80 there is strength in the body. For instance, I was 77 when I made the biographical film on Veena maestro Doreswamy Iyengar. Amidst his tight schedule, my friend Sharada Prasad made time to write the brochure literature for it and the project was commissioned by my former student Gautaman, who was a Dalit boy who had risen on his own merit and become the chief producer of the Films Division.
I was not absolutely healthy then, my skin problems and all that were there, but I had the clear determination to do it. But now the fact about my ageing has become pronounced. This is a very individual thing, it is not that it happens to everybody. My earlier part of life, my education, my upbringing, my attitude, my convictions all of them had an effect on me and that also circumscribes my reaction. I have absolutely no regrets; I am not a cynic; I am not a bitter person, but I am not happy inside. I can’t explain, complain or criticise against anyone; I can’t say they are responsible for my this or that. It is just that all this has happened. But the ultimate point is that at this point of time, in my heart of hearts, I am not a happy man. Problems are there. How I will get rid of it or whether I will get rid of it at all is a thing unknown to me. Ten years ago if you had asked me about Maharaja’s College perhaps my views would have been different, I could have told you whatever I knew about it. But anyway, with this difference in my own life, I look back.
My Maharaja College days were my happiest days. The feeling is that it is an age gone by. I entered Maharaja’s College in the last decade before Independence. I was part of that institution from 1938 when I entered for my intermediate, till 1948 when I left for UK. For 10 years I was there as a student and a lecturer. I taught the last 3 years of my stay. That period was full of joy and happiness. Everything was great, in the words of Browning ‘God’s in his heaven, all’s right with the world.’
There was Prof. Rollo at Maharaja’s and he was for the supremacy of the Mysore University. I do not know if he sided with the nationalists or the national Congress but he wanted Maharaja’s College to be a great place. He had come from Oxford. And naturally in those days because of British rule the only great places of education we knew were Cambridge and Oxford, Harrow and Eton. So education in Mysore was planned on the lines of these great universities. Prof. Rollo wanted Mysore to be another Oxford. There were only two colleges affiliated to the Mysore University then – Maharaja’s College and Central College. Later it expanded a little, but I think until 1948 Mysore University had only five or six affiliated colleges – the medical college, the engineering college, the Maharani’s, the Maharaja’s and the Central College.
In those days, even as there were good teachers, there were good students. You hear the name Murthy Rao as a student, in Central College in Banglore there were Rajagopalachari and Navaratna Rama Rao as old students. There was a tradition that the students should be as able as the teachers. They were given the freedom to grow and academics was not practiced in a narrow sense. Participation in social life was a very important feature. You were considered a good student if you were a good member of the university union. Student bodies were elected in a democratic way, without any imposition. Both Sharada Prasad and I were elected to the union at one point of time. So union life became very important, it was the extra curricular base shaped on the lines of the British parliamentary system and British universities. So debates, elocution competitions became very important.
In 1920 Radhakrishnan became the vice president of the college. The principal was the ex-officio president of the union. All the students debated about the constitution of the union because we had to fight about everything in a constitutional way. That was one of the aspects that shaped our lives. It was a good training. My brother Rajagopal was the secretary. He was a dynamic secretary. Every evening there used to be some function or the other. Kailasam was very popular. There were interesting people like Na. Kasturi who later started Akashavani (AIR) with Gopalaswamy.
The goal that students had was an ideal one. There was not this dirty cramped material competition. It was a liberal education of the first order and the institution promoted it. Because anyone who was good in anything was admired by the whole college. A good sportsman, a good debater, a good elocutionist, a good actor were all admired. So among the students it was not just the person who got the maximum marks and passed in a rank. This was the atmosphere when I was at the Maharaja’s.
I became the union vice president in 1941-42. I was elected and how did it happen? It happened like all other things happened in my life. By chance. I was an English honours student, I was good in elocution, theatre and sports. Everyone knew me and everyone was fond of me. They gave affectionate praise without any reserve. I was not competitive, then as well as later in life. I didn’t want to be the vice president. But my friend Nadig Krishnamurthy was very ambitious he wanted to become the vice president. He stood for the election. But some people who disliked him said ‘we must get this fellow defeated,’ as a result some friends nominated me. They said that we’ll fight it out for you. You don’t bother about it. I never bothered too, but I was elected. I did not even know of my election. At Rama Vilas Agrahara, Prof. Wadia and two other teachers were coming. I greeted them. Prof. Wadia said ‘just a moment.’ I stopped and he said ‘congratulations.’ Only later did I realise that he had congratulated me for having been elected. The next day I asked myself ‘what do I do as vice president?’ and then ‘Oh god, I have to behave myself.’ Prof. Eagleton, one of the staff members was the president.
I should tell you about Prof. Eagleton, who had come to Mysore in 1937. He was only 26 years old. He was a Cambridge graduate. His notions and attitude to teaching and politics was all very different because it was ’37 and the political life of India had begun to change with Gandhi being there. There was some sort of awareness among students by then. But I’ll come to all that later.
I want to tell you something that initially shocked me and quietly shaped my attitude to sexs. Eagleton was a homosexual and that was known to everybody but nobody spoke about it openly. To describe myself then I was a great prude. I never took drinks, never smoked, I was a very neat and clean fellow. I was not orthodox, I did not follow rituals but followed the discipline of the orthodoxy. If sex itself was a taboo subject, imagine homosexuality. It was not just hated, but there was even fear to speak about it. If you were a homosexual that was the worst name that you could have had. You can now well imagine the plight of students in a college if one of their professors was homosexual. If someone called himself a friend of that professor or seen close to him, he instantly got a bad name. There would be a whisper campaign.
All fair-skinned students were suspects and targets. But the British professor was a thorough gentleman. We had quarrels with him, we disagreed, but he would never interfere with our lives. So I had a sort of respect for him. But my fellow students had a different attitude. They were afraid to go to his house even if they were invited. But I used to go to his house and quite enjoyed my conversations with him.
Around this time an interesting incident happened. I was briefly in the palace service. Once I went to Bombay on work and had to meet the maternal uncle of the maharaja. He was a well-known, raging, homosexual because he had the influence and money. If you were seen with him that was the enough to get a bad name, but this man took me to a studio in that city and got me photographed like mad. Now I am sitting and narrating it to you but then it was disgusting to tell someone what had happened. Eagelton got to see those pictures and he liked a particular one and asked me if I would give it to him. I gave him and he framed and put it up in his drawing room. The news spread among my friends and it was a scandal of sorts, for no fault of mine.
Prof. Eagleton is still alive in UK. He must be around 95 or 96. He had adopted a son and he must have taken over all his affairs now. Until some ten years ago we were in touch. If you wrote a letter he acknowledged. Many years ago when he came to Delhi, Sharada Prasad who was in the prime minister’s office by then had arranged for his stay. I too was in Delhi and one evening I took him out to a restaurant in Khan Market area for a drink. But when I offered him a drink he said: “No Kittu I have given it all up.”
Probably he read the disappointment on my face and his resolve weakened a bit. He said: “Okay I’ll have a small rum.” I toasted that drink with his favourite Milton poem that he used in the Phonetics class at the Maharaja’s: “How soon hath time, the subtle thief of youth,/Stolen on his wing my three and twentieth year!/My hasting days fly on with full career,/But my late spring no bud or blossom shew’th./Perhaps my semblance might deceive the truth,/ That I to manhood am arriv’d so near,/ And inward ripeness doth much less appear,/That some more timely-happy spirits endu’th/Yet be it less or more, or soon or slow…” He was very happy.
I now realise that we never enter normal sex life. We even used to feel ashamed to say that someone is my wife. If you look at our customs it is quite the opposite. But we never drew anything from it. A wife was seen as an instrument to be used and forgotten. All kinds of rotten attitudes were developed because of wrong education. Later, when I read Gandhi I was surprised that he had written so freely about the whole thing. His views on celibacy and all that came only after he was 40. He wrote and spoke with such conviction that people called him a ‘brahmachari,’ forgetting that he had children. We always understand conjugal relationsips correctly only late in life. Otherwise it is all imaginary thoughts placed in the taboo line. They treat Gandhi as a saint, but he was highly human. He was the most human person with all its flaws, faults, and feelings. But the effort to overcome all this and be above it is given to very few people. It is here we see Radhakrishnan and Nehru appear different. In all, people of my generation grew up with the most wrong impression about sex, its importance and inevitability.
I started correcting my attitude to sex and alcohol only after I went to France in the late 40s. They had a very rational and healthy attitude. They respected the relationship between man and woman. If I was in a hotel room alone they would charge the same and when my wife came and joined me they still charged me the same. They did not charge anything extra. The British were fond of whisky, but a Frenchman would not touch it. But he would take his own Cognac and other first class drinks. If you sat with him he would offer you. If you said no, he would say okay. He would never coerce you or force you. There that freedom was there, not so in India. You could not expect all this in the Mysore of those days. We received the best general education and exposure at Maharaja’s, but I now feel that it did not touch certain aspects of life.
Now that I have mentioned Gandhi, let me come to the most defining experience of my Maharaja College days. My vice presidentship years were the most wonderful for me. Because it gave me a position, I was known among the students community. Officebearers of the union were the leaders, they did not call themselves so, but they were accepted as leaders. I became vice president in ’41 and Sharada Prasad contested for the secretaryship in ’42. He was in Bangalore Central College as a science student, but he came to Mysore and took English Honours. By August ’42 the Quit India movement started.
As I have said earlier there was a general awareness about the political situation in the country. Gandhi for the first time asked students to participate in the movement. He said everyone of you is a leader. There were no leaders for the movement. It was a do or die call. I sat in my home on 8 August and wondered what to do. How can I go to college when none of my friends are there? I was in a real dilemma.
My sister was living in Nanjangud. I took a bicycle and went away to Nanjangud, because I did not want to meet people. I spent the whole day there and realised that there was no way out but to join the movement. Also something told me that it was a good thing. I didn’t know anything about Gandhi, I had not read anything about him. I came back from my sister’s house and the next day I went and joined the crowds. I was not wearing khadi, I was in a good woolen suit. Teachers tried their best to stop students from joining the movement. Prof. Rollo and Prof. Eagleton wrote letters to my father saying that “he need not come to college, but let him not join the movement.” But my father had given us the freedom to decide. He said: “Look, your professors have written to me. What do you say?” I said I want to join the movement. He did not stop me.
The National Cadet Corps (NCC) had been formed then. There was one Ananda Rao. He was a brilliant rank student in the Intermediate Arts, who had been trained in the NCC. Between 9 and 10 August he organised all students who had come out of the college. He divided nearly 400 students into 10 or 15 groups. For each one he gave a commander and also orders as to what needed to be done. It was the most disciplined student movement. Everyday there used to be a procession taken out shouting only slogans: ‘Gandhi Zindabad,’ ‘Nehru Zindabad,’ ‘Rajaji Zindabad,’ ‘Patel Bhai Zindabad,’ ‘Up Up National flag Down Down Union Jack’ etc. rent the air.
There was one M V Krishnappa. He had a stentorian voice. He was made the leader of the slogan-shouting brigade. With a result if he shouted it could be heard for two or three furlongs. The procession would begin from Maharaja’s College, come back and disperse. The authorities did not know what to do, because we said Gandhian principles and non-violence. It was the most peaceful agitation.
But slowly central pressure started mounting on the local government. They said such things should not be allowed and as a result they started taking action. Whoever spoke at the procession meeting was arrested automatically. The arrests happened for almost a week and whole city life was affected. One day I spoke at Subbarayanakere and the next day the police came looking for me. I was going to college and police officer Srikanta Shastri, whom I knew very well and who was unusually stiff that day told me: “Krishnaswamy, I am sorry you are under arrest.” I did not know what an arrest meant, so I asked what should I do? He asked me to just go with him. I asked if I could go home and bring some clothes. They said okay. Then, they took me to the Hamilton Police Grounds. I was being given VIP treatment because I knew all the people. The district superintendent of police was my neighbour and all his sons were my friends, to add to that was the Maharaja College’s vice presidential tag. It was so respected.
After some time they took me to the Mysore jail. I entered the premises through a small gate. There I found Sharada Prasad and few others. They were all in one place. I said I will be with them and they allowed. We were all shifted to a place designated as storeroom and there we spent three months. I had been given stories about jail life – that they will make you work, they would change the way you think etc. But there was no work, nothing whatsoever. We used to meet, discuss something or the other.
Sharada Prasad was a very well informed person. In their house they promoted nationalist activity. So he knew a lot about what was happening. He knew what was happening in the Congress and used to tell us about it. In the jail we formed our own group. We used to hoist the national flag, sing songs and eat well because detenues were given normal treatment. We were citizens and not accused. Special rations were brought into the jail to give us good food. So I felt ‘God’s in his heaven and all’s right with the world.’
Because of the leisure and the context, I started studying the political history of India. That is how I got to know about Gandhi and his way of life. Only Gandhi and Nehru were important. Though Patel and Azad and all were there. Talking about Azad I should tell you how this difference between Hindu and Muslim had been carefully cultivated in those days. I used to be friendly with Muslims but I had reservations about them, because the general talk was such. When it came to them all history was perverted. They were called ‘anti-national.’ It took me some time to realise how all this was rubbish. But this Hindu-Muslim difference thing made me study the Brahmin and anti-Brahmin movement. I say this to indicate how anybody can get influenced and develop innate apathy towards other people. It had crept into my mind also. I was not violent, I would not argue. All that I thought was it was a legitimate difference.
For instance we were not orthodox. My father was not orthodox, but the orthodox system was quite rampant. I as a Srivaishnava would not bow before a Shiva temple. That was nonsense, but I realised it only later. I used to go to Melukote, the holy centre of the Srivaishnava sect. I liked the place because it was beautiful, but I disliked the Iyengar community to which I belonged, because they were doing all kinds of nonsense politics. They knew nothing about the outside world. Every fellow had a tuft and his namam. Whenever these guys passed by me they passed snide remarks like this fellow is a ‘crop cut,’ ‘he has no identification face marks’ etc. This made me develop apathy towards the community. I asked if this was really Srivaishnavism? Nobody told me, including my father, as to what is religion? Who was an Iyengar? Who was a Brahmin? Who was a Lingayat? I had also developed a distant relationship with the gods. I had my range of Gods like Rama, Lakshmana, Janaki, Kote Anajaneya etc. These were my gods, but the others did not exist. I had nothing to do with them and that is how I grew. But all this started changing after my jail experience.
Finally, at the end of three months, to break students’ unity and their resolve in the jail, they planned and executed a lathicharge. This exposed many of us to what violence and brutality was. I knew the police people but the way they acted under instructions from above was simply unbelievable. The brutality of the whole thing was clear and Gandhi’s message became clearer.
For all these reasons and experiences, the Maharaja’s College has always created a wonderful feeling inside me and it still does. But today that old institution is not there, despite the fact that the buildings are all there. After we left the Maharaja’s, people like Kuvempu did not seem to have much affection for the institution because he had grown up in a different atmosphere and his views were different. He shifted to Manasa Gangotri. In the ’60s when student violence happened the whole place was covered with all kinds of writings and posters. When I saw it at that time I was pained. It looked like the dirtiest building in the world to me. I have not been able to obliterate that sight even to this day.
A word about Kuvempu, since I have mentioned him. He was not very well known those days. He was a Kannada professor. He was dressed in absolute white Khaddar. He used to walk from his Vontikoppal home to the college. He never met anyone in the college. Not that he had bitter feelings or antipathy. It is just that he kept to his own world, Ramakrishna Ashram, Kannada Studies and creative writing. He had a very good guru in T S Venkannaiah, who was the president of the union the year before I became vice president and also a Kannada professor. Venkannaiah was a very warm and jovial man. He engaged people in a conversation. Kuvempu, the college thought was Venkannaiah’s best friend.
It was common knowledge that he was the one who gently persuaded Kuvempu to pursue his creative interests. Later, Kuvempu acknowledged this and dedicated his magnum opus, Ramayana Darshanam, to him. Interestingly, at that time, our English professors persuaded the creatively inclined to write in their mother tongues. I know for a fact that Prof. Rollo made the suggestion to Murthy Rao. Kuvempu was similarly advised by another visiting English poet.
When India got freedom in August 1947 there was big celebration organised at the Maharaja’s College. In the last minute on the previous day, I went to see Kuvempu. As usual, he was sitting alone at his desk. I told him about the celebrations and apologised for the late notice and requested him to write something to be presented the next day. He was silent for a minute and then said come and pick it up at ten in the morning. At the appointed time, a beautiful sonnet was waiting for me. I had the privilege of reading it out at the celebrations. Later, I was careless enough to lose that handwritten memorabilia. This was to me an indicator of how Kuvempu not only cherished freedom that was India’s but also how disciplined he was when it came to his writing. There were other great Kannada writers like V Seetharamaiah, T N Srikantaiah and G P Rajaratnam at the Maharaja’s. They were all friendly and affectionate with me when I was a student. Later I had the privilege of meeting them all in the staff room as their colleague. It is another matter that I left for Europe within a couple of years after becoming a lecturer. Teaching was not my cup of tea.
While I was a lecturer at Maharaja’s I got an opportunity to act in a film in one of the lead roles. It was called Bharati and shot at the Navjyothi Studio. Since I asked them to seek permission from the university for me to be involved, in the credits line I was introduced as a ‘guest artist from the University of Mysore.’ The legendary Padmini was my co-actress. There was also Surya Kumari. Film people were treated like scum. They had no respect in society. Because I was an actor nobody would respect me, with the result I decided not to miss a single lecture of mine. I would go give my lecture and come back. No student ever asked me questions about my acting in the class. We used to shoot all night from 12 to 4 a.m. then I would go home take bath, prepare for the class and be at the college by 10 am.
Incidentally, only recently I started wondering how I could work for 20 hours a day without a wink of sleep then. My health was so good. I took it for granted that my health will always be like this. That is why I said earlier that you may have the will power, but the body’s reflexes change. That’s why I gave the example of Radhakrishnan. He was vice-chancellor, ambassador to USSR, vice-president for two terms, president, everything, he was full of energy but the moment he came to Edward Elliot Road he became a vegetable. You know those famous lines: “Sceptre and crown must tumble down and be made equal in the dust.” We used to read these lines so often but only now I know what is sceptre, what is crown and what it is to be made equal in the dust. That’s happening now and I am going through it.
I still remember Maharaja’s College with greatest respect and admiration for it. But I am not shocked or surprised by the fact that Maharaja’s College has not remembered me. That is how it should be.
chetan Krishnaswamy
Easily, one of the best pieces that Churumuri has featured. MVK’s fairly elaborate monologue fills you with a range of emotions. I will savour this for quite sometime to come.Thanks
having been a resident of malleswaram for more than a quarter of a century, i have walked to school and to the 18th cross bus stop in front of ‘kusuma bhavan’ several times. i used to be in awe seeing the huge palatial bungalow. (felt like bringing all my friends and playing cricket.)
while reading the narrative, i was in the company of all these great people.
They may appear like disjointed pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, as I have reconstructed them after listening to them for over a week, but the full picture is not difficult to imagine
i never felt that. the article has a natural flow. as chetan has said, “one of the best pieces that Churumuri has featured”. thanks a lot.
Wonderful piece. Hoping to read more such narratives on Churumuri.
As Chetan mentions above.. one of the best I have read on Churumuri… really took me back in time.. I get a lot of stories on Maharajas College from my father who studied there in the early 50’s… this only adds to the legend.
Sugata Srinivasaraju
my conversations with MVK will come out as a book in 2007 and is titled ‘A SORT OF HISTORY’
I feel happy and reassured with the response.
Sugata: Please keep us posted on the availability of the book.
May God be with you for writing about MVK. Also, my immense happiness in accidentally discovering Churumuri. I moved to the USA in 1974, but even now I remember MVK like it was just yesterday. I remember him completely in my mind’s eye as I used to chat with him during the fledgling days of the Karnataka Film Development Corporation. I particularly maintain a diary of my nostalgia for Mysore in which I have penned some warm memories of him in an entry entitled “I meet a King” (of the time when MVK took me to meet with HH Jayachamrajendra Wodeyar, during the latters decline in life).
I would be happy if you could acknowledge my mail.
VM: You should definitely share your experiences..
thanks Mr. VM (incidentally my editor at Outlook is also VM). I showed your letter to MVK and he was very happy.
Gundkal
A very well written piece. I loved it. Thank you Sugata, for a wonderful write up.
Excellent piece Sugata. M.V.Krishnappa later became the Deputy Minister of Food under Union Food Minister Rafi Ahmed Kidwai. Kidwai heard Krishnappa speaking at a function where he was present and took him as his Deputy, it was said.
Sanjiva Prasad
Thank you Sugata, for a wonderful article on Kittu Mama, my “Guru”. Many of the reminiscences were new, even to me, who spent many wonderful evenings with Kittu Mama.
Particularly the candid discussion about WG Eagleton, whom they sometimes referred to as “Garudaiyangar”!
– Sanjiva
Praveenkumar M
Excellent piece of work sir. Thanks very much for sharing with us.
Jayaram Krishnaswamy
Excellent piece. I did not study at Maharaja’s College but at Yuvaraja’s (only two years) but I am still reminded of those days by this narrative.
Walking from College Road to my college with other students was always joyful even as we split coffee some times one by two or three by four.
I come from a much younger generation but the sceneries and the social background are the same: Krishna Vilas Aggrahra, Parakal Mutt, Jagan Mohan Palace, catching the leaves falling from Alada mara at the entrance to the Jagan Mohna Palace to succeed in the exams, studying yoga at the Iyengar’s yoga shala supported by the Maharajah, attending Madari Shala and listening to one shloka from Baghavad Gita every mornign before teh classes start, Ganapati festivals with our cherished teacher Varaha Murthy(a true artist), Goat sacrifices at the Kali temple on the road connecting to Sri rampet(?), getting Coriander seeds and chillies crushed at the floor mill, vade sambar and coffee at the Udipi Hotel(aka restaurant), buying Mother by Gorky for 1 Rupee at the news stall facing the Jagan Mohan palace, getting boondi and swish from the peacock feathered fan from the Muslim holy man who tended a grave at the edge of Krishna Vilas Aggrahar, eating rice mixed with rava as enough rice was not available, a thousand images come flitting on and on.
Moving to Bangalore studying at Central College with Prof. Rajaratnam (he was also my father’s class mate) and later on move to Institute of Science made Malleshwaram my favorite haunt. You could come face to face with the most beautiful girls and quite a lot of them iyengars too. I don’t know if Sampiges bloom any more on those roads but early mornings you could smell them and they remain in my heart embedded for ever.
Sreshta
Thank you Mr. Sugata…
R. Poornima
Good job Sugatha. Infact MVK told me that he was very happy to talk about his life with you. MVK has an amazing collection of books on many subjects. May be his love for books was a gift of Maharaja’s college.
9 July 2008 at 8:17 am
Thank you! We have always been lucky to hear our grandfather speak on many interesting subjects, and for me, living far away, it was especially a treat to read this piece.
Does any one remember what Vishva did for one masaldose, he jumped from the top of Craford hall with out any protection. Bapu sathya must know about this!
Susan Hofgartner
Is your brother MV Rajagopal who was a member of the Cambridge Union Society in 1946? If so I have a photo of a debating team that includes him from that date. I could forward a scan of it.
B. S. Sridhar
What a beautiful piece. My father attended Maharaja’s College and many of those names are household names. I had the fortune of interacting with many of them. Thanks to the strong guru-shishya parampara, the giants who have been named extended their greatness with such grace even to the progeney of their students.
MVK , a great soul himself, has marvelously captured the magic of those times, in his conversations with Sugata.
MVK produced a wholesome movie”Subba Shastry” with brilliant acting by Ashwath, Chandrakala and who can forget Srirangam Gopalratnam’s rendition of “Krishnana Kolalina Kare” by PuTi.Na.? The music still rings in my ears.
Sugata thanks for your work. Let us know when the book goes on sale.
kupa Shivarthy
I brought it upon myself to write and reflect on a personality whom I knew so closely and dearly, but never really realized what a dynamic personality I grew up with during my childhood days
So, as I was browsing the net for information on MVKrishnappa, interestingly enough I came across this article so beautifully written on one more MVKrishnappa.
Two personalities belonging to the same era. One a freedom fighter turned filmmaker and the other a freedom fighter turned Politian.
I wish more such articles will be featured; hope I can share my article with you all when I am done with it.
I Feel strongly, that nationalism can be brought back into the Indian life by revoking such memories from people who have seen or heard them first hand.
Thanks for giving across such gripping material to read and feel.
K.R.Dinakar
I was looking for T.S.Venkannaiah’s name in the search and it took me here. I have a picture of him from a book I want to share.
I’ll revert to this article very soon and read in detail.
Sir M V Krishnaswamy is one of the oldest documentary film maker in karnataka. I would like to see the documentaries made by him.
Surprising Churumuri missed to record MVK’s demise which was reported in newspapers and TV channels
Chandrashekara, K
Was shocked to find MVK’s collection of books and journals at Blossoms Book Store, Church Street, Bangalore. Hope cinema lovers will salvage the stack lying in the corner at the shop entrance.
Susan Hofgartner: Did someone from MV Krishnaswamy’s family write to you for the scan of the photograph of MV Rajagopal?
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Cirencester Table Tennis Club is currently thriving and is based in the sports hall at Deer Park School.
The Club is a Club Mark and Premier registered club and has 16 tables, surrounds, and scoring equipment used in all competitions and coaching. The venue also supports 1 & 2 Star national tournaments, National Cadet League, Gloucestershire Closed Championships and the Stroud League Championships due to the facilities and equipment we have.
The Club welcomes players of any age and ability and has facilities for disabled players. Qualified coaches, with licences, insurance and who have been DBS checked, run coaching sessions every Tuesday evening from 7 - 9pm during school terms. The coaching is open to all ages and the cost is £3.00 per session, which is payable on arrival.
We run a winter league on Monday evenings from October through to March and a summer league from April through to July. 24 teams regularly participate in the league which is currently split into divisions based on playing standard.
The atmosphere within the club is extremely friendly and new players are welcomed. The club has a management committee who ensure that everyone is treated fairly and that any issues are dealt with efficiently and promptly.
Website: http://www.tabletennis365.com/Cirencester
Contacts information page: www.tabletennis365.com/Cirencester/Organization
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Talk on Ebola in West Africa by Dr. Frank Snowden
The public is invited to a “Ebola in West Africa: Why was the World Caught by Surprise?” a talk by Dr. Frank Snowden, professor of history emeritus at Yale University, on Tuesday, October 23 at 4 p.m. at the Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts & Humanities at Pebble Hill.
Book Talk: The Best World War I Story I Know
The public is invited to a book talk by Nimrod T. Frazer, author of The Best World War I Story I Know: On the Point in the Argonne, on Thursday, October 18 at 4 p.m. at the Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts & Humanities at Pebble Hill.
Arts on the Hill with the Auburn High School Jazz Band
The Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts & Humanities in the College of Liberal Arts at Auburn University, Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center, and the Auburn Arts Association invite you to “Arts on the Hill” on Sunday, September 30 from 4 to 5 p.m. at Pebble Hill.
Local Archives Fair
Students and the public are invited to a free Local Archives Fair on Wednesday, September 19 at the Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts & Humanities at Pebble Hill.
Book Talk: A Hard Rain: America in the 1960s, Our Decade of Hope, Possibility, and Innocence Lost
The public is invited to a book talk by Frye Gaillard, author of A Hard Rain: America in the 1960s, Our Decade of Hope, Possibility, and Innocence Lost, on Thursday, September 13 at 4 p.m. at the Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts & Humanities at Pebble Hill.
The Honey Island Swamp Band to Perform at Pebble Hill on September 12
The Honey Island Swamp Band will perform a free, live music fundraiser for the Food Bank of East Alabama on Wednesday, September 12 at 6 p.m. at Pebble Hill in Auburn.
Alabama Bicentennial Book Signing and Discussion with Wayne Flynt and Leah Rawls Atkins
The public is invited to a book signing and discussion on Alabama: The History of a Deep South State, Bicentennial Edition, with Wayne Flynt and Leah Rawls Atkins on Thursday, September 6 at 4 p.m. at the Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts & Humanities at Pebble Hill.
Draughon Center to Host Symposium in Meaux, France
On Friday, July 27, the Caroline Marshall Center for the Arts and Humanities in the College of Liberal Arts at Auburn University will host a public symposium on Alabama and World War I at the Museum of the Great War in Meaux, France. The symposium will feature noted scholars discussing the experiences of the soldiers and communities who sent them, and the ways in which we have and continue to remember the War's significance.
Draughon Center Exhibit Wins National Award
The American Association for State and Local History proudly announces that the Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts & Humanities in the College of Liberal Arts at Auburn University is the recipient of an Award of Merit for Remembering the Great War: Alabama and World War One. The AASLH Leadership in History Awards, now in its 73rd year, is the most prestigious recognition for achievement in the preservation and interpretation of state and local history.
Book Talk: A Tiger Among Us
The public is invited to “A Tiger Among Us: A Conversation with Bennie G. Adkins, CSM (US Army, Ret.) and Katie Lamar Jackson,” hosted by Troy Public Radio’s Carolyn Hutcheson, on Thursday, May 24 at 4 p.m.
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25 OR 7 FOR 1
daily links > tour news
By Torleif Sorenson on 12/15/14
For the second time, Greg Chalmers has won the Australian PGA Championship in a three-man playoff.
On Sunday, the Sydney native shot a Sunday eight-under-par 64 to go to seven holes of overtime. The problem is that tournament organizers decided to have Chalmers, Wade Ormsby, and 2013 Masters champion Adam Scott replay the 18th hole over and over and over and over again until a winner emerged.
Ormsby lasted until the third verse, but Chalmers and Scott duked it out for four more nail-biting trips. Chalmers had some control problems, while Scott's broomstick putter failed him on four birdie attempts.
And when Scott missed a four-foot par-saver at the seventh playoff hole, Chalmers calmly nudged home his champion-winner from a shorter distance. Sunday's OT marathon was the longest-ever playoff in the history of Australia's top three tournaments.
With the win, Chalmers takes the PGA Tour of Australasia's Order of Merit, boosted in part by a fourth-place finish at the Australian Open last weekend. That, he hopes, will get him back on the PGA Tour in 2015:
"I need all the help I can get next year, so just the fact that I'm going to get three extra events in a year when I'm probably only going to get 15 anyway off my category, is very exciting."
The 41-year-old splits time between Perth, Western Australia, and Dallas, Texas. And surely there is nothing he wants more than to become the next man from Australia to capture a major championship on American turf. But at the same time, we know that he hopes he doesn't have to go 25 holes on a Sunday again in order to get it.
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Publications / Victory for allergy and asthma advocates
Victory for allergy and asthma advocates
In a victory for all allergy and asthma advocates, a San Antonio jury returned a unanimous verdict in favor of Allergy & Asthma Network in a federal antitrust lawsuit brought by United Allergy Services (UAS).
The decision, announced on March 26, came after UAS had sued the Network for $224 million, alleging conspiracy. The jury found the Network did not participate in conspiracy or interfere with UAS business practices, and acted solely to protect patients.
“This is a landmark case that protects the rights of patient advocacy organizations like Allergy & Asthma Network to educate patients on appropriate allergy testing and to petition the government to further serve patients’ interests,” said Bradley Chipps, MD, FACAAI, president of the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.
“We remained confident in a successful verdict throughout the four-year lawsuit,” said Tonya Winders, President and CEO of the Network. “We thank each member of the eight-person jury who supported patients’ rights to know.”
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Friday, July 22 • 10:00pm - Saturday, July 23 •12:00am
Spike & Mike's Sick and Twisted
The venerable duo Spike & Mike present for your crude and vulgar pleasure The Gauntlet of Sick and Twisted Animation. Vote on the new Sick & Twisted films...love them or hate them! Throw your inhibitions out the window and see the craziest, sickest, brain-slapping animated shorts the world has to offer. Highlights this year include a new Happy Tree Friends episode, Daisy, The Pig Farmer (a true masterpiece by one of the creators of Ren & Stimpy), and Bloody Date from Japan. Trevor Groth, director of programming at the Sundance Film Festival says, "The notoriety of Spike and Mike has caused them to be dubbed the kings of tasteless toons by animation industry giants."
Friday July 22, 2011 10:00pm - Saturday July 23, 2011 12:00am
1: Programs, Animation
Tags Animation
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This article is from
Creation 28(3):7–11, June 2006
Browse our latest digital issue Subscribe
Focus: creation news and views
Not enough phosphorus
Out of big bang cosmology and evolution theory comes the idea that the Earth, dated at 4.5 billion years old, is the product of nuclear reactions in the stars billions of years earlier. So we too (and all other living things) are assumed to be the product of the stars.
But there’s a problem. While certain chemical elements in our bodies, such as oxygen, carbon, and nitrogen, are indeed also abundant elsewhere in the cosmos, phosphorus is not. Yet phosphorus is an essential component of DNA, RNA as well as many other important molecules of life.
This leaves evolutionists trying to explain how phosphorus could have become concentrated on Earth, ultimately becoming part of us. Enrique Maciá, writing in Chemical Society Reviews, says he and other researchers are so ‘motivated by this apparent paradox’ that they are scouring the cosmos using satellite and other technology in hopes of detecting the missing phosphorus. ‘We hope that such detections will shed light on phosphorus’s journey from the stars to Earth,’ he says.
Notice how this fervent and costly search for an evolutionary answer to the conundrum of the ‘missing’ phosphorus is based on the starting premise that life happened by chance. But there is no phosphorus ‘missing’—life didn’t happen by chance, it was intelligently designed. And the Designer has told us that Earth is not the product of the stars; rather He made the Earth before He made the stars (Genesis 1:1–16). And our ancestor, the first man Adam, was made from the dust of the Earth (Genesis 2:7), not stardust.
Nature, 9 February 2006, pp. 636–637.
Photo by NASA
Saturn’s rings ‘too clean’
Photographs from the Cassini spacecraft continue to reveal unexpected features about Saturn and its rings. New Scientist quipped that ‘Saturn’s rings just get weirder and weirder the closer we look’ and ‘it remains to be seen whether Cassini can solve the deepest mystery of the rings—their origin.’
Cassini has confirmed that Saturn’s rings are made of ice fragments ranging from a few centimetres up to tens of metres across. It had been thought that the rings were four billion years old—orbiting leftovers from the formation of the Saturn system. But the problem with that idea is that the rings’ material is clean and bright—99% pure ice.
As planetary scientists have realised, if the rings really had been gathering space dust for billions of years, their ice ought to be dark and grimy by now—but they’re too clean to be that old.
New Scientist, 14 January 2006, pp. 34–35.
Dawkins’ faith in Darwin
In response to the question ‘What do you believe is true even though you cannot prove it?’, renowned atheist Richard Dawkins said:
‘I believe that all life, all intelligence, all creativity and all “design” anywhere in the universe is the direct or indirect product of Darwinian natural selection. It follows that design comes late in the universe, after a period of Darwinian evolution. Design cannot precede evolution and therefore cannot underlie the universe.’
While many people (including Dawkins) believe evolution is a fact, his own response to this particular question makes it clear that ultimately his belief is something that can’t be proved, i.e. a starting assumption based on (blind) faith.
Edge, www.edge.org/documents/archive/edge152.html, 1 March 2005.
‘Simple’ organisms aren’t simple
According to evolutionary reasoning, ‘the more genetically complex an organism is, the loftier its place on the evolutionary tree.’ Or, put another way, ‘simpler animals ought to have correspondingly simpler genomes’.
So when researchers started identifying active genes in cnidarians, e.g. ‘the lowly sea anemone—one of the simplest animals on the planet’, they got a surprise. ‘We estimate they have somewhere between 20 and 25,000—the same ballpark humans are in,’ said one researcher.
This was not what evolutionists expected.
‘The genomic complexity of … cnidarians is much greater than expected,’ said John Finnerty, an evolutionary biologist at Boston University. ‘There is no simple relationship between the numbers of genes an animal possesses and its complexity at the morphological level.’
ScienceNOW Daily News, sciencenow.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/2005/1206/2, 9 March 2006.
New Scientist, 3 December 2005, p. 10.
Galactic line-up
The giant Andromeda galaxy is the nearest spiral galaxy to the Milky Way, and is surrounded by numerous dwarf galaxy satellites. Using the Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers have found that 80% of Andromeda’s satellite mass lines up on a single plane perpendicular to Andromeda’s own plane. Traditional theories of galaxy formation cannot account for this.
The findings left cosmologist Michael Turner, of the University of Chicago, intrigued. ‘It’s getting at this very simple question: how did our backyard get assembled?’
The ‘strange’ lining-up of Andromeda’s satellite galaxies is yet another indicator that ‘our backyard’ did not assemble itself (Genesis 1:14–19).
Space.com, space.com/scienceastronomy/060123_andromeda_plane.html, 3 February 2006.
Jurassic mammals
A hundred years of evolutionary teaching that only tiny, furtive shrew-like mammals lived with the dinosaurs has been overturned. A fossil of a beaver-like mammal unearthed in Inner Mongolia has been dated by evolutionists to 164 million years ago, around 100 million years before dinosaurs are said to have died out.
Of course, the evolutionists’ long-age view of rock layers and fossils as being a ‘record’ of evolutionary history is always going to be prone to revision. In contrast, armed with the biblical view of sedimentary rocks and fossils as being a legacy of the Flood and its aftermath, there’s no problem.
Science, 24 February 2006, pp. 1109–1110, 1123–1127.
‘One-way evolution’
Do evolutionists observe organisms gaining complex traits, in accordance with microbes-to-man evolution? Actually, no—but there’s abundant evidence of organisms losing traits (e.g. eyes, wings). And for years many have suspected the loss of complex traits is irreversible (an idea known as ‘Dollo’s Law’).
And now a study of variation in a gene found in many members of the plant family Solanaceae (e.g. tomato, tobacco plants) adds to the mounting evidence that complex characteristics are lost, not gained. In this case it was the ability to recognise and reject their own pollen, thereby avoiding self-fertilization and the harmful effects of inbreeding. In plants that have lost that ability (e.g. certain varieties of garden tomato), it has not been regained.
‘An intriguing aspect of this study is that the mechanism for ensuring cross-fertilization is very old, often lost, and never regained,’ said lead researcher Joshua Kohn, of the University of California, San Diego.
Indeed. Organisms originally were made ‘very good’, and in this ‘cursed’ world which is ‘in bondage to decay’ (Genesis 3:14-19, Romans 8:21), as mutations (copying mistakes in the genes) have accumulated, it’s been downhill ever since. As reports of this latest study put it, ‘evolution’ has been ‘unidirectional’ or ‘one-way’—the wrong way, so really devolution. Thus ‘evolution’ involves loss of traits, which is irreversible. So how did those traits evolve in the first place?
Physorg.com, www.physorg.com/news10022.html, 9 March 2006.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 31 January 2006, pp. 1359–1363.
Avid about evolution
With a grant from the National Science Foundation, researchers at Michigan State University are developing a computer program ‘to bring students face to face with evolution.’ Dubbed ‘Avida’, the program shows digital ‘organisms’ called Avideans allegedly becoming more complex through replication, mutation and natural selection.
University staff praised Avida. A professor of philosophy said that ‘it lets students see that evolution works as advertised.’
Actually, it does nothing of the sort, for many reasons (see Information Theory Questions and Answers). Watching preconfigured images of ‘Avideans’ on a computer screen behaving according to instructions written by a programmer is in no way representative of the claims made of biological evolution. For one thing, the pretty screen ‘organisms’ don’t have to contend with the destructive effects of real-world chemistry. The strongly pro-evolution Scientific American, quoting the leading evolutionist John Maynard Smith, perhaps had the most astute criticism of this field:
‘Artificial life, a major subfield of complexity studies, is “fact-free science”, according to one critic. But it excels at generating computer graphics.’
And it begs the question: if there really is all the ‘evidence for evolution’ in the real world as evolutionists claim, why the need for digital simulation to teach students that evolution ‘works’? It speaks volumes that an Avida-proponent commented that the program is ‘your best counterattack to ID [Intelligent Design], which is not science.’
Yet watching Avideans is considered ‘science’?
Science, 10 February 2006, pp. 769–771.
Scientific American, June 1995, pp. 74–79.
‘Goliath’ pottery shard
Archaeologists have unearthed a shard of pottery in southern Israel bearing an early Semitic-style inscription saying ‘Alwat’ and ‘Wlt’, likely Philistine renderings of the name Goliath.
Dated to around 900 bc, the shard was found about two metres underground at Tell-es-Shafi—the site of the biblical city of Gath (1 Samuel 17:4).
The Guardian, 14 November 2005, p. 18.
Titan’s non-fossil fuel
The Cassini-Huygens probe has found abundant methane on Saturn’s giant moon Titan—and it is not of biological origin, but geological.
This discovery is being hailed excitedly by the increasingly vocal group of scientists who for some years have argued that oil and natural gas deposits on Earth are forming currently from geological sources of methane (See Creation 27(3):9) rather than over millions of years from ‘the debris of dead dinosaurs and ancient forests.’
Thomas Gold (1920–2004), an astronomer at Cornell University, was probably the leading advocate of this theory. He had wryly noted that he was sure there had not been any ‘big stagnant swamps on Titan’ to produce the biological debris that science textbooks teach was required on Earth to produce oil and natural gas as a ‘fossil fuel’. See also Gushing oil surprise.
(N.B.: Coal is a fossil fuel, but the evolutionists’ millions-of-years ‘stagnant swamp’ theory doesn’t explain coal’s origin either. However, the global Flood event of Genesis 6–9 sure does. See www.creation.com/coal)
Nature, 8 December 2005, pp. 756–802.
WorldNetDaily, www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=47675, 23 January 2006.
Thomas Gold, The Deep Hot Biosphere: The Myth of Fossil Fuels, 1998.
Saving the ‘billions of years’ age of Titan
Ancient dentistry
Perfect tiny holes in two human teeth dated at 8,000 to 9,000 years old, found in Pakistan by archeologists, suggest that ‘even prehistoric man had to fear the dentist’s drill’.
Photo stock.xchng
The teeth were still attached to their respective jaws, so were not used as part of a necklace. Investigation ruled out other possibilities such as dental decoration or tooth sharpening. The holes were too perfectly round to have been caused by bacteria and contained concentric grooves, which scientists think were caused by a drill with a tiny stone bit.
A spokesperson for the British Dental Association said the find was ‘surprising’. It ought be no surprise, however, to Bible-believing Christians. Man was originally created (just 6,000 years ago) with very high mental abilities by God—e.g. in only seven generations, people were experts in metallurgy (Genesis 4:22). Note that ‘prehistoric’ man has never existed because there were no people before written history. Note, too, that the evolutionists’ ‘8,000 to 9,000’ date is wrong—the teeth most probably date from after Babel, certainly no older than around 4,500 years ago.
BBC News, <news.bbc.co.uk/l/hi/health/1272010.stm>, 23 January 2006.
It seems it’s not just belief in Jesus that’s declining in the UK, but also a basic knowledge of anything about Him. A British newspaper reported one of the symptoms:
‘A Christian charity is sending a film about the Christmas story to every primary school in Britain after hearing of a young boy who asked his teacher why Mary and Joseph had named their baby after a swear word.’
Such ignorance is understandable when parents and society neglect to pass on the knowledge of God to their offspring (the Israelites were warned against this—Deuteronomy 11:19, 31:11–13). Instead, their children are taught at school and by the media that everything made itself without God.
Nor should it be unexpected, given the decision four years ago to abolish the terms ‘BC’ and ‘AD’ in UK schools, replacing them with a politically correct system known as the ‘Common Era’. Both dating systems use the birth of Christ as their reference point, but the secular version refuses to acknowledge this. (’Common’ refers to the fact that the Christian calendar is the most widely used around the world.)
The Latin term Anno Domini—’in the year of our Lord’—becomes Common Era, or CE, while Before Christ becomes Before the Common Era, or BCE.
TheTimes (UK), www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,13509-1811332,00.html, 5 October 2005.
This is London (from the Evening Standard), www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/articles/531644;, 21 September 2005.
Underwater hibernation
Some freshwater turtles are known to hibernate underwater, remaining submerged for months.
While researchers haven’t yet found evidence that other turtles (e.g. ocean-going turtles) have this ability, it gives us an insight into how turtles survived the Flood.
(Being aquatic creatures, turtles would not have been taken aboard Noah’s Ark as obligate passengers—Genesis 6–9.)
And it leaves us wondering just how evolutionists might explain how evolution taught the hibernating turtles to do their trick.
BBC Wildlife, June 2005, p. 19.
Biology Letters, 22 March 2005, pp. 82–86.
Click here for larger view
Alien ‘trees of life’
In anticipation that extra-terrestrial life forms will be discovered, Peter Ward of Washington University’s NASA Astrobiology Institute says that the current view of an evolutionary ‘tree of life’ needs to be expanded. He says that there’s no place in the current classification system to fit alien life forms, e.g. those based on a different chemistry to life on Earth.
So he proposes a classification to include different ‘trees of life’ called arborea.
‘Let’s face it, the universe is so huge there’s got to be so many different chemistries and for each one you need a whole new tree,’ Ward says. ‘I think there’s a forest out there.’
Such thinking presumes that evolution explains life on Earth, and if life evolved here, then it must have elsewhere, too. [See Gary Bates‘ book Alien Intrusion]
The Scientist, 21 November 2005, p. 12.
Out of Asia?
According to a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, human ancestors originated in Asia, not Africa.
The claim, based on fossil teeth found in the Bugti Hills of central Pakistan, challenges the belief that apes evolved into humans in Africa. Lead author, Dr Laurent Marivaux, and his team named three new anthropoids, which were tiny and similar to today’s lemurs.
Marivaux said the Oligocene fossils of south Asia are almost totally undocumented paleontologically, and that it is not surprising that new discoveries ‘change or modify substantially our previous view’.
But which story are we to believe—Africa or Asia? Instead, let’s rely on the true record of human history in the Bible. We are not evolved from lemurs but are descended from Adam and Eve, created (around 6,000 years ago) by God in His image.
This makes much more sense than the wishful thinking of evolutionists, who go to great lengths in their attempts to connect humans and animals. (See e.g., Sarfati, J., Micro-primates … a transitional form or just heel-bone hype?)
Discovery News, www.abc.net.au/science/news/ancient/AncientRepublish_1381883.htm, 1 June 2005.
‘Rock concert’
The University of Wisconsin—Madison has held a rock concert (using rocks as percussion instruments and synthesiser recordings of rock strikes) to celebrate what secular geologists claim is the world’s oldest rock. The rock—a crystal of zircon found in Western Australia—is no larger than a grain of sand and has been ‘dated’ at 4.404 billion years.
The university’s website says the rock concert was staged to ‘explore the idea of Deep Time’, and to provide a ‘musical answer to the question, “what is 4.4 billion years?”‘
Sadly, despite such concerted efforts to proclaim the idea of ‘long ages’ at every opportunity, the radiometric dating techniques supposedly reflecting ‘deep time’ are actually deeply flawed. (See, e.g. Flaws in dating the earth as ancient)
There really is a ‘Rock of Ages’ (Isaiah 26:4, Psalm 62:7), but the rock concert glorified the wrong rock, wrong ages.
Herald Sun (Melbourne, Australia), 9 March 2005, p. 31.
The University of Wisconsin, www.geology.wisc.edu/~museum/symposium/home.html, 21 November 2005.
Warm oceans = more ice
Map,USGS
Computer models simulating global warming suggest that warmer oceans could enhance the amount of Antarctic sea ice. This is because evaporation from warm oceans is much higher than that at cooler water temperatures. Higher evaporation rates lead to enhanced cloud formation with greater precipitation—including snowfall, which in higher altitudes and/or latitudes means greater buildup of ice sheets, glaciers, etc.
While the claimed evidence for global warming remains contentious (see www.creation.com/warming), the point that increasing temperatures result in greater snowfall certainly makes sense. Long-age geologists struggle to find a mechanism that would generate the warm sea temperatures needed for an Ice Age. But consider the biblical account of the ‘springs of the great deep’ (Genesis 7:11) breaking open, inundating the entire planet and drowning all people, air-breathing animals and birds except for those on the Ark, and the mystery fades. See The Answers Book, chapter 16: ‘What about the Ice Age?‘
NASA News Release, www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/environment/sea_ice.html, 13 September 2005.
What an idea!
The European Space Agency’s chief scientist, Dr Bernard Foing, has suggested that a Noah’s Ark—a DNA library of every plant and animal species—should be built on the moon just in case life on Earth is wiped out by nuclear holocaust or asteroid impact.
‘You could repopulate the Earth afterwards like a Noah’s Ark’, he said.
BBC News, news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/science/nature/3635972.stm, 8 September 2004.
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Bill O’Reilly Vows He's 'Fleeing’ To Ireland If Bernie Sanders Elected
“Patriotic” Bill O’Reilly is so upset at the possibility of paying more taxes to the country he supposedly loves, he is threatening to leave it if Bernie Sanders becomes president.
By NewsHound Ellen
O’Reilly made the announcement during a discussion with Fox News’ Ed Henry about the presidential campaign.
O’REILLY: If Bernie Sanders gets elected president, I’m fleeing. I’m going to Ireland and they already know it. I shouldn’t say it publicly because that’ll get Sanders more votes, but I’m not gonna pay 90% of my income to that guy, I’m sorry. I’m not doin’ it.
Actually, it’s doubtful O’Reilly would have to pay 90% of his income. Though Sanders has previously said that he didn’t think 90% was too high, he has since specifically clarified he won’t raise taxes that high. From the CBS News November 14 Democratic primary debate:
QUESTION #3: Well, let’s get specific, how high [for taxes] would you go? You said before you’d go above 50%. How high?
BERNIE SANDERS: We haven’t come up with an exact number yet. But it will not be as high as the number under Dwight D. Eisenhower which was 90%. …I’m not a socialist compared to Eisenhower. (LAUGHTER) But-- (CHEERING) but—but we are gonna end the absurdity as Warren Buffet often reminds us …that billionaires pay an effective tax rate lower than nurses or truck drivers.
MARTIN O’MALLEY: I mean, (UNINTEL) under Ronald Reagan’s first term the highest marginal rate was 70%. And in talking to a lot of our neighbors who are in that super wealthy millionaire and billionaire category great numbers of them love their country enough to do more again in order to create more opportunity for America’s middle class.
Obviously O'Reilly was not one of those O'Malley talked to!
This is at least the fourth time we have caught O'Reilly threatening to stomp off with his money rather than pay more taxes. In 2011, he threatened to retire if his income taxes went over 50% and to stop investing “at the level I am now” if his capital gains taxes went over 20%. In 2012, he made a similar threat and said he’d move his money out of the country rather than pay higher taxes. That same month, he had also threatened to stop “aggressively putting any money in the market.”
After pledging to leave the country rather than live under a Sanders presidency, O’Reilly had the nerve to complain that Sanders won’t come on The O’Reilly Factor any more. “We made him who he is today,” O’Reilly said.
America could say the same thing to O’Reilly.
Watch it above, from the January 14 The O’Reilly Factor.
Crossposted at News Hounds.
We watch Fox so you don't have to!
Bernie Sanders, Bill O'Reilly, Ed Henry, Fox News, Ireland, Martin O'Malley, Taxes, The O'Reilly Factor
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Fox News, The O'Reilly Factor, Sept. 14, 2015. Read more... http://crooksandliars.com/2015/09/bill-oreilly-tries-ambush-bernie-sanders
Yes, Desperate Cruz Really Does Want To Deport 12 Million
Interview with Bill-O is awkward and desperate...
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A Taxpayer-Funded Smear Job of Professor James Buchanan
Posted in Economics, Public Choice, tagged Economics, James Buchanan, Public Choice on June 24, 2017| 29 Comments »
My daily columns usually revolve around public policy issues such as tax reform, entitlements, and corrupt government. And while sometimes get a bit agitated about bad things in Washington, it’s because I’m a curmudgeonly libertarian, not because of some personal stake (other than being an oppressed taxpayer).
But sometimes there is a personal connection, like when I responded to the Washington Post‘s front-page attack on the Center for Freedom and Prosperity, a group that I founded.
Today, I’m writing because of a different kind of personal connection. I got my Ph.D. from George Mason University, and one of the great parts of that experience was taking a couple of classes from James Buchanan, who won the Nobel Prize shortly after I arrived on campus.
Professor Buchanan was more than an economist. He was also a social philosopher. He thought big thoughts and cared deeply about a free society. I didn’t have the opportunity to develop a close relationship with Buchanan, but I felt privileged to take his classes and also to hear his insights in various conferences and colloquia during my years on campus.
I mention this connection because a Duke professor, Nancy MacLean, has just written a book that takes some very cheap shots at Buchanan. Heck, the title makes clear her agenda: Democracy in Chains: The Deep History of the Radical Right’s Stealth Plan for America. Subtle, huh?
I’ll openly admit at this point I have not read the book. I would, if somebody gave me a free copy, but I have no desire to potentially generate royalties for Ms. MacLean by spending money for a copy.
But a review in the Atlantic is a good example of why I think the book merits condemnation.
Nancy MacLean’s Democracy in Chains is part of a new wave of historiography that has been examining the southern roots of modern conservatism. …Her book includes familiar villains—principally the Koch brothers—and devotes many pages to think tanks like the Cato Institute and the Heritage Foundation, whose ideological programs are hardly a secret. But what sets Democracy in Chains apart is that it begins in the South, and emphasizes a genuinely original and very influential political thinker, the economist James M. Buchanan. …she has dug deep into her material—not just Buchanan’s voluminous, unsorted papers, but other archives, too—and she has made powerful and disturbing use of it all.
And what did she find that was so disturbing?
Brace yourself, because the giant scandal that she uncovered is that – gasp! – Buchanan was a classical liberal who believed in small government. And he consorted with other intellectuals with similar views.
The behind-the-scenes days and works of Buchanan show how much deliberation and persistence—in the face of formidable opposition—underlie the antigoverning politics ascendant today. …the University of Chicago, where Buchanan received his doctorate in 1948. During the postwar years, other faculty included Hayek and Friedman, who were shaping a new pro-market economics, part of a growing backlash against the policies of the New Deal. Hayek initiated Buchanan into the Mont Pelerin Society, the select group of intellectuals who convened periodically to talk and plot libertarian doctrine.
But here’s the disgusting part of the book, at least if the review accurately reflects the contents. MacLean does her best to imply that Buchanan somehow must be a racist. In part because of where he was born and raised.
Buchanan owed his tenacity to blood and soil and upbringing. Born in 1919 on a family farm in Tennessee.
By the way, the term “blood and soil” has very odious connotations. I don’t know if that term is used in the book. If not, then the reviewer, Sam Tanenhaus, is the one who deserves condemnation.
The book also implies that Buchanan is racist because he tried to take advantage of Virginia’s desegregation battle to push for school choice.
Buchanan played a part, MacLean writes, by teaming up with another new University of Virginia hire, G. Warren Nutter (who was later a close adviser to Barry Goldwater), on an influential paper. In it they argued that the crux of the desegregation problem was that “state run” schools had become a “monopoly,” which could be broken by privatization. If authorities sold off school buildings and equipment, and limited their own involvement in education to setting minimum standards, then all different kinds of schools might blossom.
And why is this supposed to be racist?
Because some rednecks might choose schools without black people.
…these schemes were…gave ammunition to southern policy makers looking to mount the nonracial case for maintaining Jim Crow in a new form. Friedman himself left race completely out of it. Buchanan did too at first, telling skeptical colleagues in the North that the “transcendent issue” had nothing to do with race; it came down to the question of “whether the federal government shall dictate the solutions.” But in their paper (initially a document submitted to a Virginia education commission and soon published in a Richmond newspaper), Buchanan and Nutter were more direct, stating their belief that “every individual should be free to associate with persons of his own choosing”.
In other words, we’re supposed to believe that Buchanan was racist simply because some people – in a system based on freedom of choice – might make race-based decisions.
But that’s like saying advocates of free speech are racist because some people will make racist statements or write racist books.
For what it’s worth, I wish the racist Democrats who controlled the state in the 1950s had adopted school choice. After all, the ultimate effect of their actions would have been very beneficial for black students.
That would have been delicious irony.
But I’m digressing. I wonder whether Tannenhaus is the one who is guilty of smearing rather than the author. His review, after all, notes that MacLean apparently didn’t think Buchanan’s work was motivated by race.
…race, MacLean acknowledges, was not ultimately a major issue for Buchanan.
The review then shifts to Buchanan’s main intellectual legacy, the “public choice” school of economics (first formally proposed in Calculus of Consent, co-authored with Gordon Tullock).
Governments, they argued, were being assessed in the wrong way. The error was a legacy of New Deal thinking, which glorified elected officials and career bureaucrats as disinterested servants of the public good, despite the obvious coercive effects of the programs they put into place. Why not instead see politicians and government administrators as self-interested players in the marketplace, trying to “maximize their utility”—that is, win the next election or enlarge their department’s budget? This idea turned the whole notion of a beneficent government, and of programs and policies designed more or less selflessly, into a kind of fairy tale expertly woven by politicians and their flacks. Not that politicians were evil. They were looking out for themselves, as most of us do. The difference was in the damage they did.
Sounds quite reasonable to me. And Tanenhaus even grants that the theory has some merit.
You didn’t have to accept Buchanan’s ideology to see that he had a point about the growth of government-centered clientelism—“dependency,” in the term used by a new wave of neoconservatives such as Daniel Patrick Moynihan.
But he then is very critical of Buchanan’s support for rules to constrain government.
The enemy was the public itself, expressed through the tyranny of majority rule… It wasn’t enough to elect true-believing politicians. The rules of government needed to be rewritten.
Actually, the rules don’t need “to be rewritten.” The United States already has a Constitution that was explicitly designed to protect against majoritarianism. The problem is justices who put politics first and the Constitution second.
Now let’s address a second part of the book that irked me. The author links Buchanan to Chile, which to a leftist is an automatic sign of guilt.
…in Chile, after Augusto Pinochet’s coup against the socialist Salvador Allende in 1973. A vogue for public choice had swept Pinochet’s administration. Buchanan’s books were translated, and some of his acolytes helped restructure Chile’s economy. Labor unions were banned, and social security and health care were both privatized. On a week-long visit in 1980, Buchanan gave formal lectures to “top representatives of a governing elite that melded the military and the corporate world,” MacLean reports, and he dispensed counsel in private conversations.
There’s no evidence, from what I can tell, that Buchanan endorsed or supported Pinochet’s bad record on human rights. Instead, he’s simply “guilty” of encouraging a bad government to adopt good policy.
But if providing policy advice supposedly implies support for everything a government does, then I’m guilty of supporting Russia, China, and many other regimes. Needless to say, that’s nonsense.
In any event, here’s the part that doesn’t make sense.
Buchanan said very little about his part in assisting Chile’s reformers—and he said very little, too, when the country’s economy cratered, and Pinochet at last fired the Buchananites.
The economy “cratered”? Really?
Chile has been a star performer since the market reforms on the 1980s.
Maybe MacLean and/or Tanenhaus are geographically illiterate and meant Venezuela?
Because only a blind ideologue could deny the tremendous success of Chile’s economy.
Now let’s look at some excerpts from a review in Slate written by Rebecca Onion. It starts with a major smear.
When the Supreme Court decided, in the 1954 case of Brown vs. Board of Education, that segregated public schools were unconstitutional, Tennessee-born economist James McGill Buchanan was horrified.
Again, I haven’t read the book. But I have to imagine that if the author had the slightest bit of evidence, one of the reviews would have shared it. Instead, we get nothing but assertions. Is MacLean the one who smears Buchanan, or are the reviewers guilty of asserting that the Nobel Laureate is somehow racist because he doesn’t support a big welfare state?
I don’t know, but someone is being grossly unfair.
For what it’s worth, I never caught even the slightest whiff of racism from Buchanan during my time at GMU. Which stands to reason since libertarians and classical liberals are all about individual rights and view racism as a form of collectivism.
But it is true that Buchanan was not a fan of big government.
…the libertarian thinker found comfortable homes at a series of research universities and spent his time articulating a new grand vision of American society, a country in which government would be close to nonexistent, and would have no obligation to provide education—or health care, or old-age support, or food, or housing—to anyone.
Ms. Onion’s review includes a Q&A section with the author.
Here’s some of what MacLean said, starting with a description of public choice.
He had a very different personality from somebody like Milton Friedman. …His books were really written for other scholars, not so much the general public. …His basic idea is that people had been wrong to think of political actors as concerned with the common good or the public interest, when in fact, according to Buchanan’s way of looking at things, everyone should be understood as a self-interested actor seeking their own advantage.
She then asserts – with no evidence – that public choice isn’t an accurate way of describing the world.
…there were other people who actually tested that empirically and found out that it didn’t hold, so it’s really a caricature of the political process, but it’s a caricature that’s become very, very widespread right now.
This strikes me as nonsense. Anybody who works in DC has a very jaundiced view of the political process.
We see public choice in action every day.
She also criticizes Buchanan’s work in Chile.
…he went from writing that to advising the Pinochet junta in Chile on how to craft their constitution. This document was later called a “constitution of locks and bolts,” [and was designed] to make it so that the majority couldn’t make its will felt in the political system, unless it was a huge supermajority. So yeah, it’s pretty dark.
Well, if that’s a “dark” approach, then America’s Founders were very dark as well.
MacLean also links Buchanan to Cato.
Buchanan helped with the founding of the Cato Institute and with various other intellectual enterprises that were close to Charles Koch’s heart, like this thing called the Institute for Humane Studies.
She then plays armchair psychologist and tries to guess Buchanan’s real motivation. After all, surely he couldn’t have been motivated by a belief in liberty and limited government?
I think it’s also much more about this psychology of threatened domination. People who believe it will harm their liberty for other people to have full citizenship and be able to work together to govern society. And that somehow that goes much deeper than money to me. It’s hard to find the right words for it, but it’s a whole way of being in the world and seeing others. Assuming one’s right to dominate.
In other words, if you don’t want a tax-and-transfer welfare state, that means you want to dominate others. Amazing bit of mind reading.
Or perhaps a bit of projection.
It’s folks on the left, after all, who concoct strange theories involving Koch, Cato, and other parts of a vast libertarian conspiracy.
If we really had that much power, I can assure you that government would be much smaller than it is today.
Here’s what MacLean says about Buchanan being part of the supposedly sinister Koch network.
The most important thing I want readers to take from this book is an understanding that the Koch network and all of these people are doing what they’re doing because they understand that their ideas make them a permanent minority. They cannot win if they are honest about what they’re doing.
Let’s close by sharing some very bizarre passages from a review by Genevieve Valentine for NPR.
…economist James Buchanan — an early herald of libertarianism — began to cultivate a group of like-minded thinkers with the goal of changing government. This ideology eventually reached the billionaire Charles Koch… This sixty-year campaign to make libertarianism mainstream…is at the heart of Democracy in Chains.
Here’s Ms. Valentine’s contribution to gutter politics.
…this isn’t the first time Nancy MacLean has investigated the dark side of the American conservative movement (she also wrote Behind the Mask of Chivalry: The Making of the Second Ku Klux Klan).
A collectivist-minded group like the KKK was part of the conservative movement? Is there any evidence for that slanderous assertion?
And besides, what would that have to do with libertarianism?
But Ms. Valentine is just warming up. Did you know that libertarians somehow are at fault for the incompetence of Flint, MI, which is governed by Democrats?
As MacLean lays out in their own words, these men developed a strategy of misinformation and lying about outcomes until they had enough power that the public couldn’t retaliate against policies libertarians knew were destructive. (Look no further than Flint, MacLean says, where the Koch-funded Mackinac Center was behind policies that led to the water crisis.)
And she repeats the crazy assertion that Chile’s shift to free markets backfired, even though the economy boomed and subsequent governments dominated by Social Democrats have left the reforms in place.
By the time we reach Buchanan’s role in the rise of Chilean strongman Augusto Pinochet (which backfired so badly on the people of Chile that Buchanan remained silent about it for the rest of his life), that’s all you need to know about who Buchanan was.
It’s also remarkable that she wants us to think there’s something sinister about Buchanan remaining “silent” about his role in Chile.
This is a man who gave dozens of speeches every year in countries all over the world, while also producing all sorts of books and scholarly articles. Does she really think he was supposed to spend his time reminiscing about a couple of speeches and meetings back in 1980?
Here’s the bottom line. Professor Buchanan is “guilty” of believing in individual liberty and favoring constraints on government. It’s perfectly fair for folks on the left to object to those views (as well as the views of other Nobel Laureates with similar outlooks).
But when they want to ascribe base motives for his views, without the slightest shred of evidence, that’s crossing the line.
P.S. You probably won’t be surprised to learn that Ms. MacLean’s book was subsidized by taxpayers. Isn’t that wonderful. Not only do we subsidize international bureaucracies that push statism, we taxpayers also subsidize hit jobs on scholars who object to statism.
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for the 2014-2018 Terms
In 2014-2018, they participated together in 313 signed decisions
Joined the same opinions 268/313 85.6%
Different opinions, same judgment 2/313 0.6%
Agreed on judgment 280/313 89.5%
Disagreed on judgment 32/313 10.2%
PETROLEUM SOLUTIONS, INC. v. BILL HEAD D/B/A BILL HEAD ENTERPRISES AND TITEFLEX, INC., No. 11-0425
DEBRA C. GUNN, M.D., OBSTETRICAL AND GYNECOLOGICAL ASSOCIATES, P.A., AND OBSTETRICAL AND GYNECOLOGICAL ASSOCIATES P.L.L.C. v. ANDRE MCCOY, AS PERMANENT GUARDIAN OF SHANNON MILES MCCOY, AN INCAPACITATED PERSON, No. 16-0125
THE FINANCE COMMISSION OF TEXAS, THE CREDIT UNION COMMISSION OF TEXAS, AND TEXAS BANKERS ASSOCIATION v. VALERIE NORWOOD, ELISE SHOWS, MARYANN ROBLES-VALDEZ, BOBBY MARTIN, PAMELA COOPER, AND CARLOS RIVAS, No. 10-0121
On Rehearing
PLAINS EXPLORATION & PRODUCTION COMPANY v. TORCH ENERGY ADVISORS INCORPORATED, No. 13-0597
IN RE STEPHANIE LEE, No. 11-0732
KACHINA PIPELINE COMPANY, INC. v. MICHAEL D. LILLIS, No. 13-0596
SEABRIGHT INSURANCE COMPANY v. MAXIMINA LOPEZ, BENEFICIARY OF CANDELARIO LOPEZ, DECEASED, No. 14-0272
AMERICO LIFE, INC., AMERICO FINANCIAL LIFE AND ANNUITY INSURANCE COMPANY, GREAT SOUTHERN LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, THE OHIO STATE LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, AND NATIONAL FARMERS UNION LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY v. ROBERT L. MYER AND STRIDER MARKETING GROUP, INC., No. 12-0739
LEE C. RITCHIE, ET AL. v. ANN CALDWELL RUPE, AS TRUSTEE FOR THE DALLAS GORDON RUPE, III 1995 FAMILY TRUST, No. 11-0447
THE BOEING COMPANY AND THE GREATER KELLY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY N/K/A THE PORT AUTHORITY OF SAN ANTONIO v. KEN PAXTON, ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS, No. 12-1007
LUBBOCK COUNTY WATER CONTROL AND IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT AND TOMMY FISHER, IN HIS OFFICIAL CAPACITY AS PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE LUBBOCK COUNTY WATER CONTROL AND IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT v. CHURCH & AKIN, L.L.C., No. 12-1039
TENET HOSPITALS LIMITED, A TEXAS LIMITED PARTNERSHIP D/B/A PROVIDENCE MEMORIAL HOSPITAL, AND MICHAEL D. COMPTON, M.D. v. ELIZABETH RIVERA, AS NEXT FRIEND FOR M.R., No. 13-0096
ZACHRY CONSTRUCTION CORPORATION v. PORT OF HOUSTON AUTHORITY OF HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS, No. 12-0772
KING FISHER MARINE SERVICE, L.P. v. JOSE H. TAMEZ, No. 13-0103
GREATER HOUSTON PARTNERSHIP v. KEN PAXTON, TEXAS ATTORNEY GENERAL; AND JIM JENKINS, No. 13-0745
MCGINNES INDUSTRIAL MAINTENANCE CORPORATION v. THE PHOENIX INSURANCE COMPANY AND THE TRAVELERS INDEMNITY COMPANY, No. 14-0465
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT ARLINGTON v. SANDRA WILLIAMS AND STEVE WILLIAMS, No. 13-0338
PLAINSCAPITAL BANK v. WILLIAM MARTIN, No. 13-0337
IN RE DEEPWATER HORIZON, No. 13-0670
IN THE INTEREST OF H.S., A MINOR CHILD, No. 16-0715
RICHARD T. ARCHER, DAVID B. ARCHER, CAROL ARCHER BUGG, JOHN V. ARCHER, KAREN ARCHER BALL, AND SHERRI ARCHER v. T. MARK ANDERSON AND CHRISTINE ANDERSON, AS CO-EXECUTORS OF THE ESTATE OF TED ANDERSON, No. 16-0256
BCCA APPEAL GROUP, INC. v. CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS, No. 13-0768
TERESA GAROFOLO v. OCWEN LOAN SERVICING, L.L.C., No. 15-0437
DR. BEHZAD NAZARI, D.D.S., ET AL. v. THE STATE OF TEXAS; XEROX CORPORATION; AND XEROX STATE HEALTHCARE, LLC, F/K/A ACS STATE HEALTHCARE, LLC, No. 16-0549
HALEY HEBNER AND DARRIN CHARLES SCOTT, INDIVIDUALLY AND AS NEXT FRIENDS OF R.M.S., A MINOR v. NAGAKRISHNA REDDY, M.D., AND NEW BRAUNFELS OB/GYN, P.A., No. 14-0593
PRESTON A. OCHSNER v. VICTORIA V. OCHSNER, No. 14-0638
JASON R. SEARCY, AS TRUSTEE OF THE EXEMPT ASSETS TRUST v. PAREX RESOURCES, INC., No. 14-0293
KBMT OPERATING COMPANY, LLC, KBMT LICENSE COMPANY, LLC, BRIAN BURNS, JACKIE SIMIEN AND TRACY KENNICK v. MINDA LAO TOLEDO, No. 14-0456
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MIKE MORATH, COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION v. STERLING CITY INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, HIGHLAND INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND BLACKWELL CONSOLIDATED INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, No. 14-0986
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TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE, DIVISION OF WORKERS’ COMPENSATION v. BONNIE JONES AND AMERICAN HOME ASSURANCE COMPANY, No. 15-0025
IN RE NATIONWIDE INSURANCE COMPANY OF AMERICA, ET AL., No. 15-0328
THE STATE OF TEXAS EX REL. GEORGE DARRELL BEST v. PAUL REED HARPER, No. 16-0647
KEN PAXTON, ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS v. CITY OF DALLAS, No. 15-0073
CADENA COMERCIAL USA CORP. D/B/A OXXO v. TEXAS ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE COMMISSION, No. 14-0819
ETC MARKETING, LTD. v. HARRIS COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT, No. 15-0687
U.S. SHALE ENERGY II, LLC, RAYMOND B. ROUSH, RUTHIE ROUSH DODGE, AND DAVID E. ROUSH v. LABORDE PROPERTIES, L.P., AND LABORDE MANAGEMENT, LLC, No. 17-0111
BANKDIRECT CAPITAL FINANCE, LLC, A SUBSIDIARY OF TEXAS CAPITAL BANK, N.A. v. PLASMA FAB, LLC AND RUSSELL MCCANN, No. 15-0635
BARBARA BATY v. OLGA FUTRELL, CRNA, AND COMPLETE ANESTHESIA CARE, P.C., No. 16-0164
AC INTERESTS, L.P., FORMERLY AMERICAN COATINGS, L.P. v. TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY, No. 16-0260
CITY OF SAN ANTONIO v. ROXANA TENORIO, INDIVIDUALLY AND ON BEHALF OF PEDRO TENORIO, DECEASED, No. 16-0356
ALAMO HEIGHTS INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT v. CATHERINE CLARK, No. 16-0244
JEFFERSON COUNTY, TEXAS v. JEFFERSON COUNTY CONSTABLES ASSOCIATION, No. 16-0498
WAUSAU UNDERWRITERS INSURANCE COMPANY v. JAMES WEDEL AND MICHELLE WEDEL, No. 17-0462
HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT AND HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS v. EDWARD A. AND NORMA KERR, ET AL., No. 13-0303
IN RE NATIONAL LLOYDS INSURANCE COMPANY, WARDLAW CLAIMS SERVICE, INC. AND IDEAL ADJUSTING, INC., No. 15-0591
CHESAPEAKE EXPLORATION, L.L.C. AND CHESAPEAKE OPERATING, INC. v. MARTHA ROWAN HYDER, INDIVIDUALLY, AND AS INDEPENDENT EXECUTRIX AND TRUSTEE UNDER THE WILL OF ELTON M. HYDER, JR., DECEASED, AND AS TRUSTEE UNDER THE ELTON M. HYDER JR. RESIDUARY TRUST, AND AS TRUSTEE OF THE ELTON M. HYDER JR. MARITAL TRUST; BRENT ROWAN HY, No. 14-0302
FORT WORTH TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY, MCDONALD TRANSIT ASSOCIATES, INC., MCDONALD TRANSIT, INC., AND LESHAWN VAUGHN v. MICHELE RODRIGUEZ AND NEW HAMPSHIRE INSURANCE COMPANY, No. 16-0542
IN THE INTEREST OF K.M.L., A CHILD, No. 12-0728
ASHISH PATEL, ANVERALI SATANI, NAZIRA MOMIN, MINAZ CHAMADIA, AND VIJAY LAKSHMI YOGI v. TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF LICENSING AND REGULATION, ET AL., No. 12-0657
BROOKSHIRE BROTHERS, LTD. v. JERRY ALDRIDGE, No. 10-0846
UNION CARBIDE CORPORATION v. DAISY E. SYNATZSKE AND GRACE ANNETTE WEBB, INDIVIDUALLY AND AS REPRESENTATIVES AND CO-EXECUTRIXES OF THE ESTATE OF JOSEPH EMMITE, SR., JOSEPH EMMITE, JR., DOROTHY A. DAY, VERA J. GIALMALVA AND JAMES R. EMMITE, No. 12-0617
IN RE FORD MOTOR COMPANY, No. 12-0957
GARY WAYNE JASTER v. COMET II CONSTRUCTION, INC., JOE H. SCHNEIDER, LAURA H. SCHNEIDER, AND AUSTIN DESIGN GROUP, No. 12-0804
SUSAN ELAINE BOSTIC, INDIVIDUALLY AND AS PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE HEIRS AND ESTATE OF TIMOTHY SHAWN BOSTIC, DECEASED; HELEN DONNAHOE; AND KYLE ANTHONY BOSTIC v. GEORGIA-PACIFIC CORPORATION, No. 10-0775
TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES v. OLIVER OKOLI, No. 10-0567
STATE OF TEXAS v. ANGELIQUE NAYLOR AND SABINA DALY, No. 11-0114
IN RE JOHN DOE A/K/A “TROOPER”, No. 13-0073
HIGHLAND HOMES LTD. v. THE STATE OF TEXAS, No. 12-0604
RAHUL K. NATH, M.D. v. TEXAS CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL AND BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE, No. 12-0620
CANTEY HANGER, LLP v. PHILIP GREGORY BYRD, LUCY LEASING CO., L.L.C., AND PGB AIR, INC., No. 13-0861
BARBARA D. COSGROVE, INDIVIDUALLY AND AS THE TRUSTEE OF THE CHARLES AND BARBARA COSGROVE FAMILY REVOCABLE LIVING TRUST v. MICHAEL CADE AND BILLIE CADE, No. 14-0346
GENIE INDUSTRIES, INC. v. RICKY MATAK, BELINDA MATAK AND MISTY SONNIER, AS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ESTATE OF WALTER PETE LOGAN MATAK, DECEASED, No. 13-0042
RSUI INDEMNITY COMPANY v. THE LYND COMPANY, No. 13-0080
PHILADELPHIA INDEMNITY INSURANCE COMPANY, A/S/O MIRSAN, L.P., D/B/A SIENNA RIDGE APARTMENTS v. CARMEN A. WHITE, No. 14-0086
ALICE M. WOOD AND DANIEL L. WOOD v. HSBC BANK USA, N.A. AND OCWEN LOAN SERVICING, L.L.C., No. 14-0714
WAL-MART STORES, INCORPORATED v. DORIS FORTE, O.D., ON BEHALF OF HERSELF AND ALL OTHER SIMILARLY SITUATED PERSONS; BRIDGET LEESANG, O.D.; DAVID WIGGINS, O.D.; AND JOHN BOLDAN, O.D., No. 15-0146
JOHN SAMPSON v. THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN, No. 14-0745
MICHAEL MCINTYRE AND LAURA MCINTYRE, INDIVIDUALLY AND ON BEHALF OF THEIR CHILDREN, K.M., L.M., C.M., M.M., AND L.M. v. EL PASO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, DR. LORENZO GARCIA, AND MARK MENDOZA, No. 14-0732
WADE BRADY v. LEAANNE KLENTZMAN AND CARTER PUBLICATIONS, INC. D/B/A THE WEST FORT BEND STAR, INC., No. 15-0056
AMANDA BRADSHAW v. BARNEY SAMUEL BRADSHAW, No. 16-0328
AMERICAN K-9 DETECTION SERVICES, LLC AND HILL COUNTRY DOG CENTER, LLC v. LATASHA FREEMAN, No. 15-0932
RON SOMMERS, AS CHAPTER 7 TRUSTEE FOR ALABAMA AND DUNLAVY, LTD., FLAT STONE II, LTD., AND FLAT STONE, LTD., AND AS SUCCESSOR IN INTEREST TO JAY COHEN, INDIVIDUALLY AND AS TRUSTEE OF THE JHC TRUSTS I AND II v. SANDCASTLE HOMES, INC., No. 15-0847
HELIX ENERGY SOLUTIONS GROUP, INC., HELIX WELL OPS, INC., AND HELIX OFFSHORE INTERNATIONAL, INC. v. KELVIN GOLD, No. 16-0075
NOBLE ENERGY, INC. v. CONOCOPHILLIPS COMPANY, No. 15-0502
BENEDICT G. WENSKE AND ELIZABETH WENSKE v. STEVE EALY AND DEBORAH EALY, No. 16-0353
UNITED SCAFFOLDING, INC. v. JAMES LEVINE, No. 15-0921
BYRON D. NEELY, INDIVIDUALLY, AND BYRON D. NEELY, M.D., P.A. v. NANCI WILSON, CBS STATIONS GROUP OF TEXAS, L.P., D/B/A KEYE-TV AND VIACOM, INC., No. 11-0228
STEVEN PAINTER; TONYA WRIGHT, INDIVIDUALLY AND AS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ESTATE OF EARL A. WRIGHT, III, DECEASED; VIRGINIA WEAVER, INDIVIDUALLY AND AS NEXT FRIEND OF A.A.C., A MINOR; AND TABITHA R. ROSELLO, INDIVIDUALLY AND AS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ESTATE OF ALBERT CARILLO, DECEASED v. AMERIMEX DRILLING I, LTD., No. 16-0120
USAA TEXAS LLOYDS COMPANY v. GAIL MENCHACA, No. 14-0721
MURPHY EXPLORATION & PRODUCTION COMPANY—USA, A DELAWARE CORPORATION v. SHIRLEY ADAMS, CHARLENE BURGESS, WILLIE MAE HERBST JASIK, WILLIAM ALBERT HERBST, HELEN HERBST, AND R. MAY OIL & GAS COMPANY, LTD., No. 16-0505
IN RE NORTH CYPRESS MEDICAL CENTER OPERATING CO., LTD., No. 16-0851
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FMCG industry likely to grow by over 15% in 2-3 years
The fast moving consumer goods industry, that witnessed a slowdown for the past three years, has a potential to grow by more than 15 per cent over the next 2-3 years if players in the sector focus on improving brand penetration, a recent study revealed.
“India is at the cusp of the FMCG S-curve and there is significant room to grow over the next 5-10 years. A nominal GDP growth rate of roughly 12 per cent over the next three years could signal an FMCG growth by over 15 per cent, depending on player action,” the CII-Bain & Company said.
The industry’s growth rate compared to GDP has fallen to 0.8 from a historical ratio of 1.2, it said.
“This slowdown is perplexing; it cannot be fully explained either by changes in consumer spending power-which have only marginally decelerated in growth or any significant shifts to non-FMCG categories, including the rise of e-tailing,” the report said.
During the slowdown, FMCG companies scaled back growth-oriented investments and shifted focus to sustaining profits-all at the cost of the top line.
The report noted that the industry has seen the growth rate accelerating in 2016 over the previous two years, with 18 of the 22 categories recording an uptick, driven by rural markets.
Last year, the FMCG industry grew at 9 per cent till October and rural growth was 1.7 times the urban.
Across these 22 categories, volume growth was driven by underlying penetration gains and even highly penetrated categories such as toothpaste and hair oil, both with over 95 per cent penetration, recorded material penetration gains, it added.
“Food emerged as the fastest growing segment at 10 per cent, with larger towns and more affluent consumers driving this growth. On the other hand, home care grew at 9 per cent, which was driven by less affluent consumers residing in small towns and rural areas,” it said.
Mahindra Lifespace gets Sebi nod for Rs 300-cr rights issue
Zinc futures rise on overseas cues
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Tag Archives: self-sufficiency
Local Investment Opportunity Network
Peak Moment TV interviews three people (middle-aged white men) involved in a local investment network in Port Townsend, WA (Local Investing Opportunities Network). The network is basically just an email list-serv that connects investors with businesses/enterprises, with the help of a guy who knows securities laws; there is no formal structure (e.g. bank, non-profit, etc). They formalized a more informal investment network that already existed with the email list. Their goal is to keep money circulating locally, and investors are often ‘paid’ in dividends of products (e.g. cheese) rather than cash.
They discuss some technical details around investment, such as IRA (similar to RRSPs in Canada). They’ve had about 25 investing opportunities; half have been funded. About $500k has been invested locally so far. Challenges include getting the word out, having core volunteer organizers, leadership and expertise. It sounds like they aren’t allowed to give investment advice; so inexperienced investors need to draw on expertise from other investors, friends, and other sources of info. The interest rate ranges from 0-8.5%, with most rates between 5-8%, whereas commercial loans are often 10-12%. They also discuss how it helps make money something more public, rather than something that’s private and secret; it nurtures responsibility and accountability. They’re also working on a Local Investing Toolkit: www.confisco.com. They conclude by suggesting that this is one component of the ‘new economy’ that serves Main Street instead of Wall Street.
This entry was posted in Video Resources and tagged community economics, interview, local economics, local investment, localization, Peak Moment TV, self-sufficiency, transitions towns on December 7, 2012 by deterr.
Peter Bane – How I’m Preparing for the Local Future: Permaculture
Permie Peter Bane discusses permaculture as a philosophy and form of knowledge that enables self-sufficiency. He suggests that permaculture has worked through grassroots education and self-education. Capitalism has hollowed out the home as a site of production, and permaculture aims to re-establish the home as an economic unit; it’s about returning to (or moving forward to) subsistence: the ability to derive food/heat/water/etc and relate to your neighbours. Permaculture can tap into biology in a more sophisticated way [than traditional peoples]. These are many old arts, he says, that have been “recollected” from traditional peoples and “our own” history, combined with modern science and engineering insights, and empirical work and experimentation.
Food and animals have been globalized, but it hasn’t been intentional. Permaculture wants to be more intentional about these combinations and find new plants/animals to exploit.
He discusses some basic permaculture strategies and the attempt to mimic forest ecosystems in our agriculture. He argues that contemporary agriculture is basically about cultivating domesticated weeds, which require constant disturbance. What’s needed is more perennial agriculture, less disturbance.
He suggests that moving to permaculture at a large scale would require lots more gardeners/farmers, and suggests that unemployed people (“surplus labour”) could be funnelled into farming. 1/6 or 1/7 people need to be farming/gardening so that the rest of us can eat.
More of us can implement permaculture now: “we” have plumbing, arable land, and can be gardening our landscapes to grow more food. He argues that we need more forests to capture carbon and prevent climate change from spiraling out of control. We still have access to fossil fuels now, and we should use it for strategic interventions: earthworks, ponds/lakes, sustainable buildings, renewable energy infrastructure (like greenhouses).
He spends the last 1/3 describing his own suburban farm and what they’ve been working on there.
This entry was posted in Video Resources and tagged homesteading, permaculture, self-reliance, self-sufficiency, transition, video on December 6, 2012 by deterr.
Co-opting the Coop
Kirby, Marianne – Co-opting the Coop – What’s the real cost of homesteading’s new hipness?
This article makes a distinction between ongoing homesteading for survival among poor and marginalized communities, and hipster homesteading that has now become cool. Kirby argues that hipster homesteading not only ignores and erases these histories; “The mainstream appropriation of poor skills might sell books, but it might also be detrimental to the people who do depend on these skills for survival. Simply put, the appropriation of poor skills by the mainstream can end up further marginalizing already marginalized populations who still rely on those skills.” There are some sharp critiques of hipster homesteaders in this article, but it’s not clear what the implications are, other than the idea that we should “examine our practices” and acknowledge “the idea that poor and immigrant populations might be directly involved in the broader homesteading movement, to the benefit of everyone involved”
In contrast to previous homesteading practiced by poor people, Kirby explains that contemporary urban homesteading is often “practiced by single [privileged] people and single families.” Kirby documents an extreme case of co-optation, in which the Urban Homestead Project has copyrighted ‘urban homesteading.’ She also points to destruction of ecosystems by wildcrafters and foragers, and the appropriation and commodification of homesteading skills.
Another problem Kirby cites is that “Rising costs from the commodification of poor skills can also leave poor people who still rely on these skills further marginalized,” such as designer chicken coops. More broadly, she argues that increased demand will lead to skyrocketing prices, placing essentials out of reach of poor people who have been relying on them.
In terms of policy, she points to government attempts to regulate the ‘wrong’ kind of homesteading, policing forms of subsistence that don’t look pretty or gentrified. She contrasts Denise Morrison, who relied on her garden for subsistence and medicine, to hipster homesteaders. Morrison’s garden was destroyed for looking untidy, while “the cool kids are lauded for their revolutionary interest in a gentrified version of subsistence farming.”
This entry was posted in Reading Summaries, Uncategorized and tagged co-optation, commodification, food sovereignty, gentrification, hipsters, homesteading, movement perspective, non-academic, racism, self-reliance, self-sufficiency, urban homsesteading, whiteness on December 5, 2012 by deterr.
The Revolution Will Not Be Microwaved: Inside America’s Underground Food Movements
Katz, Sandor – The Revolution Will Not Be Microwaved. White River Junction: Chelsea Green, 2006.
I was really impressed with this book. Katz discusses a huge variety of ‘alternative’ food movements, struggles, and practices and contrasts them to the contemporary status quo of industrial agriculture.
A constant theme, discussed from numerous angles, is the way the state and capitalism work together to produce contemporary industrial agriculture, creating regulations and restrictions that are often reactions to health and safety disasters caused by large-scale industrial agriculture itself. These regulations tend to further disadvantage food production and processing that are small-scale, traditional, ecological, non-scientific, and local. So not only has industrial agriculture disconnected us from food and land with disastrous economic, social, and environmental consequences, but many forms of reconnection are made difficult or impossible through policies, laws, and regulations.
Another constant in this book is Katz’s generous interpretations and non-dogmatic style, in a way that doesn’t lapse into liberal pluralism. Katz’s own radicalism comes through in this book, and it’s clear how he lives out some of what he’s writing about “the food-related political activism that I feel most passionate about is an extension of this sensual pursuit in that it seeks to revive local production and exchange, and to redevelop community food sovereignty” (xvi). His vision also privileges autonomy and prefiguration: “It’s important to hold social institutions accountable because they exert so much power, but ultimately no institution can bestow upon us the worlds we dream. Nothing is more revolutionary than actively seeking to embody and manifest the ideals we hold” (xviii). He is critical of colonialism, the state, capitalism, heteronormativity, and private property—but he doesn’t condense this into an ideology: he is able to highlight the value and promise of what people are doing, sometimes pointing out the limitations and contradictions, without being dismissive. He also continually wards off moralism, explaining, for example, that while the global food systems is oppressive and food transportation is totally unsustainable, he still loves pineapples and lychees. The analytical point is that it’s a question of degrees, not absolutes: “The scandal of our contemporary food system is that not just a few exotic luxuries but virtually everthing—including the most basic and mundane staples—is transported such vast distances, traveling thousiands of miles from producers to consumers” (6).
The book is organized into ten different themes: localization, seed saving, land preservation and reclamation, slow food, raw food, healing food, invasive species, vegetarianism and humane meat, wildcrafting and dumpstering, and water politics.
I was reading this book for it’s ‘method,’ which proved to be trickier than many academic books, which basically just spell out their methodology, often in its own little chapter or section. Katz, like most non-academic writers, doesn’t cite certain claims and he doesn’t feel the need to explain his method as academics do. In a way, this is refreshing: he does explain, in a more general way, what allowed him to write this book and learn what he has learned. That is the real uniqueness of this book: he draws on two years of traveling and visiting with all kinds of alternative foodies, and his much longer-standing personal experience and practice with alternative food and farming. He visited food co-ops, farmers’ markets, community spaces, and farms (xv). He draws on statistics, history, economic arguments, and (most importantly) his own experiences and travels to contrast the industrial food system to alternative practices. Katz mixes his own experiences with statistics and history to contextualize the practices he is talking about, and explain their significance, promise, difficulties, and so on. In the academy, he would probably say he’s mixing ethnography, auto-ethnography, history, political economy, and a bit of statistics. His historical, economic, and statistical claims are drawn from secondary sources, and most of his ‘original’ research (the insights not drawn from other books and reports) is generated from his own travels and experience. He often cites his statistics (often drawing on USDA stats, for example) but doesn’t feel the need to cite other (often contested) claims.
Summaries of important chapters
Below I summarized Chapters 1 and 3 because they’re most relevant to my own work, but every chapter is worth reading and they’re all interconnected by themes and struggles. In particular, I would go back to chapters 2 (on seed saving), 4 slow food) 6 (food and healing) and 7 (plant prohibitions).
Chap 1 – Local and Seasonal Food vs. Constant Convenience Consumerism
Katz starts with an economic argument: traditional local food systems recirculate money locally, creating a multiplier effect: “a dollar spent on a local grower’s produce will continue to circulate locally and multiply its benefits through economic stimulation” (1). In contrast, the global industrial system transfers wealth to middle-men: “Rather than paying for food itself, we are paying for an elaborate system for getting it to the right place, at the right time, in the right processed form, and in the right package” (2). He suggests that arguments about ‘feeding the world’ abstract from communities, constituting food production as a problem for technicians and specialists (3).
He takes on some of the primary arguments in favour of conventional agriculture: that it’s more efficient and produces higher yields. The problem comes down to how efficiency is conceived and measured, he says. Whereas industrial agriculture’s efficiency is measured in terms of production per unit of labour (and other things are externalized), it is not more efficient in terms of production per unit of land: small-scale intensive ecological agriculture tends to produce much higher (and diverse) yields per acre of land (4).
Another argument is the celebration of cheap food in the US. It’s true, but “Food is this cheap in our country because the people whose labour is involved are paid virtually nothing, and many of food’s true costs are hidden” (4). The environmental externalities are too huge to calculate, but it’s clear that industrial food is dependent upon huge amounts of energy for production and transportation (5).
He also discusses ‘free trade’ here, arguing that it’s actually forced trade. He links US subsidies to the dumping of surpluses on poorer countries (9). “Globalization contributes to world hunger rather than alleviating it… large-scale global food producers undersell local producers, thereby undermining community food security and creating dependence” (10). In contrast, actual free trade between people is constrained by powerful economic actors, because large retailers demand and reproduce oligopolies and monopolies (11).
He discusses CSAs as alternatives to all this, as a way to link local consumers and producers directly (11). CSAs allow farmers to make decisions based on what’s best for the farm as a whole, knowing they’re supported, rather than catering to demands of retailers (12).
He discusses food regulations that make it difficult to do local production and sale of food. Regulations around sanitation and hygiene tend to require large, expensive facilities, which automatically exclude small-scale, non-professional producers. They abstract from scale, he argues, creating universal regulations that end up privileging large-scale producers. But the problem in the first place (e.g. E coli from cider) was produced by scale in the first place: large-scale operations designed to maximize profit ended up creating unsafe production facilities (14).
He’s also critical of organic labeling: “What something isn’t (full of chemicals) doesn’t tell us much about what that thing is. Whether a food is “organic” or not, the same food-chain questions of origin, distance traveled, and connection apply” (18). Organic has nothing to do (necessarily) with community-based food production, and it has become corporatized (19): “‘organic’ has changed from an ethic of holistic thinking and eco-integration to a law subject to lobbying and loopholes” (22); it speaks to the distance between farmer and eater.
He discusses privilege, foregrounding the question: “how can we work to undermine the structures that give me privilege in the first place?” (23). In terms of class, he points out how poor communities often don’t have access to healthy food, pointing to efforts to improve access (food justice), such as the People’s Grocery, a mobile grocery store (23).
He discusses localization and seasonality on a more personal level, arguing that it requires us to adjust expectations and orient to what’s growing here right now: “we can learn to love what grows abundantly and easily around us” (28). He discusses Cuba here (28-9) as well as the practice of growing your own food: “the seasonality of food—the fact that most fruits and vegetables come into season for a very limited period—makes it all the more special. The luscious, fleeting ripeness becomes something to anticipate, something to savor, something to eat more of while you can, something to preserve for future enjoyment, something to remember, and something to look forward to again when the cycle repeats itself” (31). He discusses examples from his own life here, and the continual disconnect that people often have from what’s in season if they don’t actually garden themselves (32). This isn’t just about cultivating your own little garden in solitude: “Bring a spirit of solidarity and outreach into your gardening practice by sharing your bounty, sharing your skills, and building community around the rewards and challenges of small-scale local food production” (34).
Chap 3 – Holding our Ground: Land and Labor Struggles
Katz begins this chapter with access to land, linking lack of access to historical oppression: “The histories of patriarchy, capitalism, racism, colonialism, and many other forms of oppression are long sagas in which people have been systematically torn from the specific ecological niches that previously sustained them, the unique places that are the basis of culture and its glorious diversity” (79) and with a clear attack on private property: “The earth is our mother. We all come from the mother, and to her we shall return. We are of the earth; it is absurd to imagine that we can “own” it, even in small pieces (79). Analytically, he continually returns to the idea that “real estate determines culture” in this chapter:
Real estate determines culture when indigenous peoples, carrying on age-old subsistence lifestyles connected to the land where they live, are supplanted by land ownership. Real estate determines culture when productive small farms are forced to sell their land because their modest agricultural learning’s cannot keep pace with rising property-tax rates and competing demands for cgolf courses, malls, and subdivisions. Real estate determines culture when urban community gardens, which brough vitality and activity to their neighbourhoods, are doomed by their successes and auctionied off to the highest bidder” (80).
Katz discusses enclosures in Europe and North America, before moving onto “movements struggling to retain and reclaim land for growing food” (81). He starts with indigenous peoples in North America, focusing on Winona LaDuke and the White Earth Land Recovery Project (81). As context he discusses the allotment act in the U.S.: the forced subdivision and sale of indigenous territories. The White Earth Reservation was divided into 80-acre parcels, which had no connection to traditional land tenure. Furthermore, when property owners couldn’t pay their taxes, the state confiscated the property (82). Katz (and in Katz’s interpretation, LaDuke), want to ensure settlers that the struggle for indigenous land and territory is not a threat to settlers: “there is plenty of land for us all,” he writes, “and existing native claims amount to less than one-third of the U.S. landmass” (83). At the same time, he does (very briefly) discuss settler obligations: “For thos of us more recently transplanted ot this land and seeking to develop deeper connection to it, our actions must respect the lives and lands of the earlier inhabitants. How can we value native foods without supporting the land claims of native people?” (83).
He also discusses the landless peasant movement (MST) in Brazil and its successful reclamation of 20 million acres for 350,000 families (84) and the Zapatistas (86). Historically, the US has attempted to encourage land concentration, propping up dictoators and supporting coups in Latin America to discourage land reform (85).
After reviewing these global examples, he refocuses on North America, and the U.S. in particular. Each day, 9000 acres are taken out of food production: some is paved for suburbs, some becomes expensive estates, and some is left fallow (87). The only kind of farm that has consistently grown in the U.S. are those with 2000+ acres: “The globalized food commodity system rewards economies, of scale, and the U.S. program of agricultural subsidies reinforces this by providing cash incentives—corporate welfare—for large-scale, industrial style production” (87). Housing and retailing often provide a better return on land investment than farms, so they are consistently destroyed. He discusses a case study here, where Michael Ableman tried to fight the closure of Fairview Gardens (88-9). Ableman couldn’t afford to buy the farm, but was able to organize a land trust to create the Center for Urban Agriculture and buy the farm (90).
Katz also discusses the question of intergenerational farming, noting the aging population of farmers. He points to WWOOFing and other apprenticeship programs that link prospective farmers to farmers with farmland (91). The best way to create a next generation of farmers, he says, is to make farming viable. He points to the Salatins as an example of a thriving family farm.
In an important section, he discusses racism in the rural US, pointing out that 97% of farms are operated by white people, discussing the history of slavery, emancipation, and sharecropping that produced continuing dependence and poverty (93-4). The USDA has historically denied African-American farmers access to credit due to racism, and attempts at financial restitution have largely failed, despite a successful lawsuit against the USDA (94-5). He also discusses queer farming and rural living, which tends to be excluded from agrarian visions that privilege the heterosexual nuclear family (95). At the same time, “queers have often been the first in the family to escape the farm, and the countryside, in search of other queers and queer culture in cities” (95). Unfortunately, he concludes this chapter without saying much about any actual practices that would address heteronormativity and racism in farming: “any postmodern rural renaissance in the United States needs to be expansive, embracing multiculturalism and evolving identities. If we want to get real about community-based food production, we have to encourage more folks to get involves in it—all kinds of people—and embrace whomever chooses to follow that calling and that path” (96).
The chapter moves onto urban food production, where he discusses soil contamination and soil remediation (96-7), Victory Gardens in the U.S. and urban farming in Cuba (97), and other examples to foreground the promise and significance of urban farming and gardening. Often these gardens are just a way of growing food for oneself and others, and it’s rare that urban farms can generate income if land payments are factored in; however, some are viable: “by partnering with nonprofit organizations, public agencies, generous benefactors, land trusts, or land outside the city, some urban farms have been able to generate income to fairly compensate the farmers” (98). Other urban gardens are hosted by schools and housing developments (99). He also briefly discusses permaculture (100) and urban farm animals (101). He also covers the legacy of guerrilla gardening and points out that it often results in established community gardens (106). He focuses in on a struggle to save a community garden in New York, linking it again to real estate and land values: “developers like large, continuous areas to work with, an housing is a more tangible good than gardens and is more likely to bring financial gain to the owners of the properties… gardens are regarded as an inefficient use of land once more lucrative opportunities develop” (107). The gardeners organized petitions, lawsuits, rallies and direct action. Eventually the City was pressured into negotiations, and a celebrity bought the land and donated it to a public land trust (109). He also discusses a large farm in LA that served poor immigrant communities in 14 acres of garden plots, which was partially bulldozed and the struggle was ongoing as the book went to press (109-112).
Finally, he discusses struggles around farm labour. He points to pesticide poisoning and other forms of exploitation faced by farm workers (113-4). He discusses boycotts and fairtrade as tactics to address exploitative conditions, while highlighting the limits of fair trade: though fair trade projects create on a limited scale a more benevolent model of trade, they do not really alter or challenge a global trading system that favors big players and disempowers small growers and farm workers… our consumption of luxury imports—‘fair trade’ or not—encourages dependency on global trade rather than food security and food sovereignty (115).
This entry was posted in Reading Summaries and tagged dumpstering, food and healing, food securitization, food sovereignty, invasive species, land, land use, localization, movement perspective, prefiguration, seed saving, self-sufficiency, slow food, subsistence, water politics, wildcrafting on November 18, 2012 by deterr.
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Why Companies Should Care about How They Earn Revenue
Andrew Rudin
“I don’t care how you make your number, as long as you make it,” my district manager admonished his sales team back in 1993. He chuckled, but he was dead serious. His laissez faire attitude was risky. We could have interpreted his statement as permission for dishonesty – a gremlin that regularly meanders into sales organizations. In an odd way, my manager was lucky. I brought moral boundaries when I joined the company. So did most of my colleagues. But a few did not . . . “If I told you all that went down, it would burn off both of your ears.”
I don’t malign my former manager. He didn’t care how his team made quota because his boss didn’t care. Neither did his boss’s boss, or any of the bosses above him. That’s how things often work in sales. When you have a razor-sharp pink slip dangling over your neck, scruples can interfere with job security. The choices are stark: eat, or get eaten. Making goal and focusing on how much you will earn at plan matter more than ethical interpretations. In fact, over my many years as a sales rep, I remember countless meetings and communications dedicated to how to make quota, but I don’t recall a single instance where ethics, honesty, and integrity were even mentioned.
Since before the advent of double-entry accounting, revenue has been glorified, particularly in marketing and sales. Companies heap recognition on top sales producers. They’re consecrated as “Rock Stars” – a term that grates on me when used in this context. Pundits slather on the puppy love, lavishing praise and attention on entrepreneurs and companies that have achieved “explosive revenue growth.” If you’re on the margins of this frenzy, you can tap into “proven” ways to replicate the selling dynamite. Around the world, revenue is the most revered financial metric. And the word carries additional positive meanings: income, earnings, gain, and profit – not to mention connotations of success and power. “Revenue is king!”
Search online for “crush your quota” and “outstanding revenue growth,” (in quotes) and you’ll get about 5,500 and 7,700 results, respectively. These glimpses reveal society’s unflinching adoration not just for revenue, but for its fast and furious capture. But we pay a price. When sales are ill-gotten, revenue reeks. And when we become immune to the stench, there’s pain and suffering. Some of it lasts forever.
In its 2016 annual report, 21st Century Fox, parent company of Fox News, wrote,
“The Fox News Channel, under new leadership, is stronger than ever, and is on track to have its highest rated year in its 20-year history. There has been some speculation that Fox News’ unique voice and positioning will change. It will not.”
“Selling, general and administrative expenses decreased 3% for fiscal 2016, as compared to fiscal 2015, primarily due to the sale of the DBS businesses and Shine Group partially offset by higher selling, general and administrative expenses at the Cable Network Programming segment.”
VW’s 2014 annual report reported revenue this way:
“The Volkswagen Group continued its successful course in fiscal year 2014, again generating record sales revenue and operating profit in an ongoing difficult market environment . . . The Volkswagen Group generated sales revenue of €202.5 billion in fiscal year 2014, 2.8% higher than in the previous year. The clearly negative exchange rate effects seen in the first half of the year in particular were offset by higher volumes and improvements in the mix. At 80.6% (80.9%), a large majority of sales revenue was recorded outside of Germany.”
Yet, at both companies, sordid activities were fully underway at the very time these bland sentences were crafted. At both companies, the activities had direct connections to revenue. And at both companies, senior executives knew what was happening. In the case of 21st Century Fox, hush money was paid to victims of host Bill O’Reilly, whose show, The O’Reilly Factor, was a cash cow for Fox News. And at VW, a clever engineering tweak made it possible to sell nearly 500,000 vehicles illegally.
Of course, it’s ludicrous to think 21st Century Fox would choose to write,
“Revenue and profits were up this year at Fox News due to lower than expected payouts to silence Bill O’Reilly’s sexual harassment victims. Legal costs decreased as well. As a result, SG&A expenses as a percent of revenue achieved its biggest decrease in five years. We expect that trend to continue, despite the obvious risks from Mr. O’Reilly’s predilections.”
Or for VW to share, “While our vehicle portfolio has achieved dramatic improvements in average mileage, VW has not reduced fleet CO2 emissions. However, the company has developed technology to circumvent environmental standards enforcement worldwide, resulting in unhindered sales, and significantly higher profits than could be achieved with compliant vehicles.”
The content in these financial reports, and others, are lies by omission. Providing broader information about legality or ethics would seem the right thing to do, but financial reporting has been a longstanding showcase of corporate self-interest. What emboldens companies to remain opaque about their dirty revenue laundry is the knowledge that the word revenue carries a pleasing blend of excitement, gravitas, and respect. Whether on a financial report, blog, or press release, consumers of financial information want to be awed, impressed, and amazed. And apparently, deceived. That, and accounting standards don’t require CFO’s to distinguish ethical revenue from unethical. Most companies lump everything into a single account, and present the consolidated figure.
Even respectable business publications bow at the revenue altar. On April 3, 2017, Forbes published an editorial stating that O’Reilly’s job was “safe” at Fox News. The reason? One word: “Money.” The article continued with forceful facts: “The O’Reilly Factor generated $446 million in advertising revenue for the network from 2014 through 2016, according to Kantar Media. Last year, the show brought in an estimated $110.8 million in ad revenue, according to iSpot.tv. That compares to the 2016 of $20.7 million in advertising for MSNBC’s biggest star, Rachel Maddow, who is on an hour later. Fox News makes up about 10% of its parent company 21st Century Fox’s revenue and about 25% of its operating income.” No wonder O’Reilly felt his crude behavior was beyond reproach.
“’21st Century Fox certainly has an economic incentive to keep Bill O’Reilly on air,’ says Brett Harriss, an analyst at Gabelli & Company, adding that any backlash the company faces from advertisers would be temporary.” Just 16 days after the Forbes column published, Fox fired O’Reilly. Yes, Mr. Harriss, preventing a valuable brand from winding up in the dumpster is a powerful economic issue, too. To the women who suffered from O’Reilly’s depredations, there’s little solace that the company’s numb executives eventually kicked him to the curb. It should have happened much earlier.
My former boss’s attitude about making quota isn’t unique. In fact, it has spread far and wide. A rogues’ gallery of corporate apathy that recently splashed into the news:
In making goal . . .
We don’t care if employees are grievously harmed. (Wells Fargo)
We don’t care if innocent people are sickened. (Peanut Corporation of America)
We don’t care if the people who use our products die. (Takata, GM, Turing Pharmaceuticals)
We don’t care if our customers are hurt. (United Airlines)
We don’t care if our customers are deliberately deceived. (Wells Fargo, Trump University)
What’s the remedy? The problem defies simple approaches, but here’s a start:
1. Care. “I don’t care how you make your number, as long as you make it,” isn’t inspiration. It’s infection.
2. Stop rewarding executives, marketing professionals, and sales staff exclusively for revenue achievement. Select other measures that include customer value delivered.
3. Stop obsessing over maximizing shareholder value. One reason that many strategic decisions ultimately cause harm. According to Professor Bobby Parmer of the University of Virginia’s Darden Graduate School of Business, “Shareholders don’t own the corporation. Public companies own themselves. Shareholders own a contract called a share. There is no legal reason to put shareholder interests above anyone else. It’s a choice, but not mandated. There is no legal duty to maximize profit. As long as executives aren’t violating the law, the courts won’t interfere with their decision making . . . Across hundreds of studies, there is no evidence that companies that maximize shareholder value are more profitable.”
Would these tactics eliminate all corporate harm? Probably not. But they would reduce the likelihood. We need to redirect our revenue infatuation into pursuing outcomes that bring broader benefits. We need to abandon our consistently polite, reverential rhetoric about revenue. We will always have good revenue and bad revenue. First, we must learn to distinguish between the two, and to appreciate that the difference matters.
The post Why Companies Should Care about How They Earn Revenue appeared first on Contrary Domino.
Categories: Blog • Editor's Pick • Employee Engagement • Sales Performance
Contrary Domino, Inc.
Andrew (Andy) Rudin is Managing Principal of CONTRARY DOMINO. Andy provides expertise and solutions to companies seeking to strengthen sales governance, revenue risk management, and ethical compliance (GRC). His cross-industry background in marketing, sales, and product management uniquely positions him to help companies in many industries manage a wide range of revenue growth challenges. Andy has a BS in marketing and an MS in information technology, both from the University of Virginia.
Author Rank: 48
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Search results for “Kenneth W. Fitch”
Kit Carson - Classics Illustrated #112
Publisher: Classics Illustrated
Written by: Kenneth W. Fitch
Art By: Various
In 1826 an undersized sixteen-year-old apprentice ran away from a saddle maker in Franklin, Missouri, to join one of the first wagon trains crossing the prairie on the Santa Fe Trail. Kit Carson wanted to be a mountain man, and he spent his next sixteen years learning the paths of the West, the ways of its Native inhabitants, and the habits of the beaver, becoming the most successful and respected fur trapper of his time. He lived among and married into the Arapaho and Cheyenne tribes. He was hired by John C. Fremont as a guide, and led 'the Pathfinder' through much of California, Oregon and the Great Basin area. Beautifully illustrated, this classic tale will capture children's interest and spark their imagination inspiring a lifelong love of literature and reading.
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A to Z of the Roosevelt-Truman Era
Editora: Scarecrow Press Data de lançamento: 2009-09-28
The 1930s were dominated by economic collapse, stagnation, and mass unemployment. This crisis enabled the Democrats to recapture the White House and embark upon a period of reform unsurpassed until the 1960s. Roosevelt's New Deal laid the foundations of a welfare system that was further consolidated during and after the Second World War. American involvement in World War II helped to secure victor… y in Europe and in Asia. American participation in the war led to economic recovery but also brought with it enormous demographic and social changes. Some of these changes continued after the war had ended, but further political reform was to be limited due to the impact of the Cold War and the effects of America's new role as the world's leading superpower in the atomic age. The A to Z of the Roosevelt-Truman Era examines significant individuals, organizations, and events in American political, economic, social, and cultural history between 1933 and 1953. This was a period of enormous significance in the United States due to the impact of the Great Depression, World War II, and the onset of the Cold War. The presidencies of Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman witnessed the origins of the modern American welfare system and the rise of the United States as a world power, as well as its involvement in the confrontation with communism that dominated the latter half of the 20th century.
Gênero: Reference works
Coleção: Scarecrow Press
Typo: Adobe PDF
Conteúdo alternativo sugerido: Neil A. Wynn
Carregando… favor aguardar
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Brahmin (/ˈbrɑːmɪn/; Sanskrit: ब्राह्मण) is a varna (class) in Hinduism specialising as priests, teachers (acharya) and protectors of sacred learning across generations.[1][2]
The traditional occupation of Brahmins was that of priesthood at the Hindu temples or at socio-religious ceremonies and rite of passage rituals such as solemnising a wedding with hymns and prayers.[2][3] Theoretically, the Brahmins were the highest ranking of the four social classes.[4] In practice, Indian texts suggest that Brahmins were agriculturalists, warriors, traders and have held a variety of other occupations in the Indian subcontinent.[3][5][4]
The earliest inferred reference to "Brahmin" as a possible social class is in the Rigveda, occurs once, and the hymn is called Purusha Sukta.[6] According to this hymn in Mandala 10, Brahmins are described as having emerged from the mouth of Purusha, being that part of the body from which words emerge.[7][8][note 1] This Purusha Sukta varna verse is now generally considered to have been inserted at a later date into the Vedic text, possibly as a charter myth.[9] Stephanie Jamison and Joel Brereton, a professor of Sanskrit and Religious studies, state, "there is no evidence in the Rigveda for an elaborate, much-subdivided and overarching caste system", and "the varna system seems to be embryonic in the Rigveda and, both then and later, a social ideal rather than a social reality".[9]
Ancient texts describing community-oriented Vedic yajna rituals mention four to five priests: the hotar, the adhvaryu, the udgatar, the Brahmin and sometimes the ritvij.[10][11] The functions associated with the priests were:
According to Kulkarni, the Grhya-sutras state that Yajna, Adhyayana (studying the vedas and teaching), dana pratigraha (accepting and giving gifts) are the "peculiar duties and privileges of brahmins".[13]
The term Brahmin in Indian texts has signified someone who is good and virtuous, not just someone of priestly class.[14] Both Buddhist and Brahmanical literature, states Patrick Olivelle, repeatedly define "Brahmin" not in terms of family of birth, but in terms of personal qualities.[14] These virtues and characteristics mirror the values cherished in Hinduism during the Sannyasa stage of life, or the life of renunciation for spiritual pursuits. Brahmins, states Olivelle, were the social class from which most ascetics came.[14]
The Dharmasutras and Dharmasatras text of Hinduism describe the expectations, duties and role of Brahmins. The rules and duties in these Dharma texts of Hinduism, are primarily directed at Brahmins. The Gautama's Dharmasutra, the oldest of surviving Hindu Dharmasutras, for example, states in verse 9.54–9.55 that a Brahmin should not participate or perform a ritual unless he is invited to do so, but he may attend. Gautama outlines the following rules of conduct for a Brahmin, in Chapters 8 and 9:[15]
Chapter 8 of the Dharmasutra, states Olivelle, asserts the functions of a Brahmin to be to learn the Vedas, the secular sciences, the Vedic supplements, the dialogues, the epics and the Puranas; to understand the texts and pattern his conduct according to precepts contained in this texts, to undertake Sanskara (rite of passage) and rituals, and lead a virtuous life.[17]
The text lists eight virtues that a Brahmin must inculcate: compassion, patience, lack of envy, purification, tranquility, auspicious disposition, generosity and lack of greed, and then asserts in verse 9.24–9.25, that it is more important to lead a virtuous life than perform rites and rituals, because virtue leads to achieving liberation (moksha, a life in the world of Brahman).[17]
Left: Brahmin woman, Right: Brahmin girl
(both paintings by Lady Lawley, 1914)
The later Dharma texts of Hinduism such as Baudhayana Dharmasutra add charity, modesty, refraining from anger and never being arrogant as duties of a Brahmin.[18] The Vasistha Dharmasutra in verse 6.23 lists discipline, austerity, self-control, liberality, truthfulness, purity, Vedic learning, compassion, erudition, intelligence and religious faith as characteristics of a Brahmin.[19] In 13.55, the Vasistha text states that a Brahmin must not accept weapons, poison or liquor as gifts.[20]
The Dharmasastras such as Manusmriti, like Dharmsutras, are codes primarily focussed on how a Brahmin must live his life, and their relationship with a king and warrior class.[21] Manusmriti dedicates 1,034 verses, the largest portion, on laws for and expected virtues of Brahmins.[22] It asserts, for example,
A well disciplined Brahmin, although he knows just the Savitri verse, is far better than an undisciplined one who eats all types of food and deals in all types of merchandise though he may know all three Vedas.
John Bussanich states that the ethical precepts set for Brahmins, in ancient Indian texts, are similar to Greek virtue-ethics, that "Manu's dharmic Brahmin can be compared to Aristotle's man of practical wisdom",[24] and that "the virtuous Brahmin is not unlike the Platonic-Aristotelian philosopher" with the difference that the latter was not sacerdotal.[25]
According to Abraham Eraly, "Brahmin as a varna hardly had any presence in historical records before the Gupta Empire era" (3rd century to 6th century CE), when Buddhism dominated the land. "No Brahmin, no sacrifice, no ritualistic act of any kind ever, even once, is referred to" in any Indian texts between third century BCE and the late first century CE and also states that " The absence of literary and material evidence, however, doesnot mean that Brahmanical culture didnot exist at that time, but only that it had no elite patronage and was largely confined to rural folk, and therefore gone unrecorded in the history".[26] Their role as priests and repository of sacred knowledge, as well as their importance in the practice of Vedic Shrauta rituals grew during the Gupta Empire era and thereafter.[26] However, the knowledge about actual history of Brahmins or other varnas of Hinduism in and after 1st-millennium is fragmentary and preliminary, with little that is from verifiable records or archeological evidence, and much that is constructed from a-historical Sanskrit works and fiction. Michael Witzel writes,
Toward a history of the Brahmins: Current research in the area is fragmentary. The state of our knowledge of this fundamental subject is preliminary, at best. Most Sanksrit works are a-historic or, at least, not especially interested in presenting a chronological account of India's history. When we actually encounter history, such as in Rajatarangini or in the Gopalavamsavali of Nepal, the texts do not deal with brahmins in great detail.
Brahmins in white dress performing the Bhumi Puja ritual yajna around fire
The Gautama Dharmasutra states in verse 10.3 that it is obligatory on a Brahmin to learn and teach the Vedas.[28] Chapter 10 of the text, according to Olivelle translation, states that he may impart Vedic instructions to a teacher, relative, friend, elder, anyone who offers exchange of knowledge he wants, or anyone who pays for such education.[28] The Chapter 10 adds that a Brahmin may also engage in agriculture, trade, lend money on interest, while Chapter 7 states that a Brahmin may engage in the occupation of a warrior in the times of adversity.[28][29] Typically, asserts Gautama Dharmasutra, a Brahmin should accept any occupation to sustain himself but avoid the occupations of a Shudra, but if his life is at stake a Brahmin may sustain himself by accepting occupations of a Shudra.[29] The text forbids a Brahmin from engaging in the trade of animals for slaughter, meat, medicines and milk products even in the times of adversity.[29]
The Apastamba Dharmasutra asserts in verse 1.20.10 that trade is generally not sanctioned for Brahmins, but in the times of adversity he may do so.[30] The chapter 1.20 of Apastamba, states Olivelle, forbids the trade of the following under any circumstances: human beings, meat, skins, weapons, barren cows, sesame seeds, pepper, and merits.[30]
The 1st millennium CE Dharmasastras, that followed the Dharmasutras contain similar recommendations on occupations for a Brahmin, both in prosperous or normal times, and in the times of adversity.[31] The widely studied Manusmriti, for example, states:
Except during a time of adversity, a Brahmin ought to sustain himself by following a livelihood that causes little or no harm to creatures. He should gather wealth just sufficient for his subsistence through irreproachable activities that are specific to him, without fatiguing his body. – 4.2–4.3 He must never follow a worldly occupation for the sake of livelihood, but subsist by means of a pure, upright and honest livelihood proper to a Brahmin. One who seeks happiness should become supremely content and self controlled, for happiness is rooted in contentment and its opposite is the root of unhappiness. – 4.11–4.12
The Manusmriti recommends that a Brahmin's occupation must never involve forbidden activities such as producing or trading poison, weapons, meat, trapping birds and others.[33] It also lists six occupations that it deems proper for a Brahmin: teaching, studying, offering yajna, officiating at yajna, giving gifts and accepting gifts.[33] Of these, states Manusmriti, three which provide a Brahmin with a livelihood are teaching, officiating at yajna, and accepting gifts.[34] The text states that teaching is best, and ranks the accepting of gifts as the lowest of the six.[33] In the times of adversity, Manusmriti recommends that a Brahmin may live by engaging in the occupations of the warrior class, or agriculture or cattle herding or trade.[34] Of these, Manusmriti in verses 10.83–10.84 recommends a Brahmin should avoid agriculture if possible because, according to Olivelle translation, agriculture "involves injury to living beings and dependence of others" when the plow digs the ground and injures the creatures that live in the soil.[34][35] However, adds Manusmriti, even in the times of adversity, a Brahmin must never trade or produce poison, weapons, meat, soma, liquor, perfume, milk and milk products, molasses, captured animals or birds, beeswax, sesame seeds or roots.[34]
Historical records, state scholars, suggest that Brahmin varna was not limited to a particular status or priest and teaching profession.[3][5][39] Historical records from mid 1st millennium CE and later, suggest Brahmins were agriculturalists and warriors in medieval India, quite often instead of as exception.[3][5] Donkin and other scholars state that Hoysala Empire records frequently mention Brahmin merchants "carried on trade in horses, elephants and pearls" and transported goods throughout medieval India before the 14th-century.[40][41]
The Pali Canon depicts Brahmins as the most prestigious and elite non-Buddhist figures.[39] They mention them parading their learning. The Pali Canon and other Buddhist texts such as the Jataka Tales also record the livelihood of Brahmins to have included being farmers, handicraft workers and artisans such as carpentry and architecture.[39][42] Buddhist sources extensively attest, state Greg Bailey and Ian Mabbett, that Brahmins were "supporting themselves not by religious practice, but employment in all manner of secular occupations", in the classical period of India.[39] Some of the Brahmin occupations mentioned in the Buddhist texts such as Jatakas and Sutta Nipata are very lowly.[39] The Dharmasutras too mention Brahmin farmers.[39][43]
According to Haidar and Sardar, unlike the Mughal Empire in Northern India, Brahmins figured prominently in the administration of Deccan Sultanates. Under Golconda Sultanate Telugu Niyogi Brahmins served in many different roles such as accountants, ministers, revenue administration and in judicial service.[44] The Deccan sultanates also heavily recruited Marathi Brahmins at different levels of their administration[45] During the days of Maratha Empire in the 17th and 18th century, the occupation of Marathi Brahmins ranged from administration, being warriors to being de facto rulers[46][47] After the collapse of Maratha empire, Brahmins in Maharashtra region were quick to take advantage of opportunities opened up by the new British rulers.They were the first community to take up Western education and therefore dominated lower level of British administration in the 19th century[48] Similarly, the Tamil Brahmins were also quick to take up English education during British colonial rule and dominate government service and law.[49]
Eric Bellman states that during the Islamic Mughal Empire era Brahmins served as advisers to the Mughals, later to the British Raj.[50] The East India Company also recruited from the Brahmin communities of Bihar and Awadh (in the present day Uttar Pradesh[51]) for the Bengal army[52][53] Many Brahmins, in other parts of South Asia lived like other varna, engaged in all sorts of professions. Among Nepalese Hindus, for example, Niels Gutschow and Axel Michaels report the actual observed professions of Brahmins from 18th- to early 20th-century included being temple priests, minister, merchants, farmers, potters, masons, carpenters, coppersmiths, stone workers, barbers, gardeners among others.[54]
Other 20th-century surveys, such as in the state of Uttar Pradesh, recorded that the primary occupation of almost all Brahmin families surveyed was neither priestly nor Vedas-related, but like other varnas, ranged from crop farming (80 per cent of Brahmins), dairy, service, labour such as cooking, and other occupations.[55][56] The survey reported that the Brahmin families involved in agriculture as their primary occupation in modern times plough the land themselves, many supplementing their income by selling their labor services to other farmers.[55][57]
Many of the prominent thinkers and earliest champions of the Bhakti movement were Brahmins, a movement that encouraged a direct relationship of an individual with a personal god.[58][59] Among the many Brahmins who nurtured the Bhakti movement were Ramanuja, Nimbarka, Vallabha and Madhvacharya of Vaishnavism,[59] Ramananda, another devotional poet sant.[60][61] Born in a Brahmin family,[60][62] Ramananda welcomed everyone to spiritual pursuits without discriminating anyone by gender, class, caste or religion (such as Muslims).[62][63][64] He composed his spiritual message in poems, using widely spoken vernacular language rather than Sanskrit, to make it widely accessible. His ideas also influenced the founders of Sikhism in 15th century, and his verses and he are mentioned in the Sikh scripture Adi Granth.[65] The Hindu tradition recognises him as the founder of the Hindu Ramanandi Sampradaya,[66] the largest monastic renunciant community in Asia in modern times.[67][68]
Other medieval era Brahmins who led spiritual movement without social or gender discrimination included Andal (9th-century female poet), Basava (12th-century Lingayatism), Dnyaneshwar (13th-century Bhakti poet), Vallabha Acharya (16th-century Vaishnava poet), among others.[69][70][71]
Many 18th and 19th century Brahmins are credited with religious movements that criticised idolatry. For example, the Brahmins Raja Ram Mohan Roy led Brahmo Samaj and Dayananda Saraswati led the Arya Samaj.[72][73]
The term Brahmin appears extensively in ancient and medieval Sutras and commentary texts of Buddhism and Jainism. In Buddhist Pali Canon, such as the Majjhima Nikaya and Devadaha Sutta, first written down about 1st century BCE,[74] the Buddha is attributed to be mentioning Jain Brahmins and ascetics, as he describes their karma doctrine and ascetic practices:[75]
"There are, o monks, some ascetics and Brahmins who speak thus and are of such opinion: 'Whatever a particular person experiences, whether pleasant or painful, or neither pleasant nor painful, all this has (...) Thus say, o monks, those free of bonds [Jainas].
Modern scholars state that such usage of the term Brahmin in ancient texts does not imply a caste, but simply "masters" (experts), guardian, recluse, preacher or guide of any tradition.[77][78][79] An alternate synonym for Brahmin in the Buddhist and other non-Hindu tradition is Mahano.[77]
Some Brahmins formed an influential group in Burmese Buddhist kingdoms in 18th- and 19th-century. The court Brahmins were locally called Punna.[82] During the Konbaung dynasty, Buddhist kings relied on their court Brahmins to consecrate them to kingship in elaborate ceremonies, and to help resolve political questions.[82] This role of Hindu Brahmins in a Buddhist kingdom, states Leider, may have been because Hindu texts provide guidelines for such social rituals and political ceremonies, while Buddhist texts don't.[82]
The Brahmins were also consulted in the transmission, development and maintenance of law and justice system outside India.[82] Hindu Dharmasastras, particularly Manusmriti written by the Brahmin Manu, states Anthony Reid,[83] were "greatly honored in Burma (Myanmar), Siam (Thailand), Cambodia and Java-Bali (Indonesia) as the defining documents of law and order, which kings were obliged to uphold. They were copied, translated and incorporated into local law code, with strict adherence to the original text in Burma and Siam, and a stronger tendency to adapt to local needs in Java (Indonesia)".[83][84][85]
The mythical origins of Cambodia are credited to a Brahmin prince named Kaundinya, who arrived by sea, married a Naga princess living in the flooded lands.[86][87] Kaudinya founded Kambuja-desa, or Kambuja (transliterated to Kampuchea or Cambodia). Kaundinya introduced Hinduism, particularly Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva and Harihara (half Vishnu, half Shiva), and these ideas grew in southeast Asia in the 1st millennium CE.[86]
Brahmins have been part of the Royal tradition of Thailand, particularly for the consecration and to mark annual land fertility rituals of Buddhist kings. A small Brahmanical temple Devasathan, established in 1784 by King Rama I of Thailand, has been managed by ethnically Thai Brahmins ever since.[88] The temple hosts Phra Phikhanesuan (Ganesha), Phra Narai (Narayana, Vishnu), Phra Itsuan (Shiva), Uma, Brahma, Indra (Sakka) and other Hindu deities.[88] The tradition asserts that the Thai Brahmins have roots in Hindu holy city of Varanasi and southern state of Tamil Nadu, go by the title Pandita, and the various annual rites and state ceremonies they conduct has been a blend of Buddhist and Hindu rituals. The coronation ceremony of the Thai king is almost entirely conducted by the royal Brahmins.[88][89]
According to 2007 reports, Brahmins in India are about five percent of its total population.[50][90] The Himalayan states of Uttarakhand (20%) and Himachal Pradesh (14%) have the highest percentage of Brahmin population relative to respective state's total Hindus.[90]
According to a Wall Street Journal report, an estimated 65 percent of the Brahmin households in India, with about 40 million people, lived on less than $100 a month in 2004; this number dropped to about 50% in 2007.[citation needed]
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Interaction #sssi #sociology
interaction, Symbolic Interaction, symbolic interactionism, Uncategorized
Across the social sciences as well as some of the technical sciences like CSCW or HCI there is great interest in “interaction”. Studies explore interaction between systems, interaction between human beings, often called “users”, and systems, interaction between two or more people and much more. In 2011, together with Will Gibson (UCL/IoE) I co-edited a Special Issue of Symbolic Interaction (Vol.34(3)) concerned with different ways in interaction features in symbolic interactionism. The introduction to the Special Issue can be found HERE. Below is the Table of Content of the issue:-
Symbolic Interaction Vol.34(3)
Interaction and Symbolic Interactionism (pages 315–318)
Dirk vom Lehn and Will Gibson
Interaction Ritual Theory and Structural Symbolic Interactionism (pages 319–329)Chris Hausmann, Amy Jonason and Erika Summers-Effler
Extending the Symbolic Interactionist Theory of Interaction Processes: A Conceptual Outline (pages 330–339)
Jonathan H. Turner
Toward a Theory of Interaction: The Iowa School (pages 340–348)
Dan E. Miller
Symbolic Interactionism and Ethnomethodology (pages 349–356)
Alex Dennis
Goffman’s Interaction Order at the Margins: Stigma, Role, and Normalization in the Outreach Encounter (pages 357–376)
Robin James Smith
Discrimination and Reaction: The Practical Constitution of Social Exclusion(pages 377–397)
Venetia Evergeti
“Scissors, Please”: The Practical Accomplishment of Surgical Work in the Operating Theater (pages 398–414)Jeff Bezemer, Ged Murtagh, Alexandra Cope, Gunther Kress and Roger Kneebone
Examining Interaction Using Video (pages 415–420)René Tuma
From Visitor Research and Eye-Tracking Studies to Research of Interaction in Museums #sociology
aesthetics, exhibitions, interaction, mobility, museums, Uncategorized, visitors
Last week, I have attended a fascinating workshop organised by Mathias Blanc at the Louvre-Lens and Meshs in Lille. The workshop forms part of a project Mathias runs in cooperation with the Louvre-Lens and their current exhibition “The Le Main Mystery“. As part of the project “Ikonikat” Mathias and the team developed an app run on tablet computers that encourage visitors to the exhibition at the Louvre-Lens to mark-up areas of painting they have seen. The traces that people leave on the iPad are an interesting novel form of data to understand what people consider to be relevant when looking at paintings.
The workshop included participants from Austria, France, Germany and Great Britain who in teams worked on data gathered with Ikonikat and with video-cameras in the exhibition. In their subsequent presentations the participants drew on their respective expertise in art history, eye-tracking, image analysis, and video-analysis. The presentations led to fascinating discussions about the relationship between looking at and seeing art and the scientific, social-scientific, and sociological analysis of exploring museums and looking at works of art. I used my slot for a short discussion of relationships and differences between visitor research, investigations using eye-tracking and studies of social interaction in art museums.
Visitor Research has long been defined by studies using quantitative measures to assess the effectiveness of exhibits in attracting and holding people’s attention; the best-known measures are attracting and holding power – for a discussion of the relevance of ‘time’ as a measurement for visitor research see the Special Issue in Curator: The Museum Journal Vol.40(4) [1997]. In 1976, Harris Shettel, now a classic in visitor research, published a study in which he explored the attracting and holding power of exhibit elements. For the purpose of the study Shettel placed a camera behind exhibits to capture visitors’ eye movement. In a way, Shettel’s innovative research can be seen as a precursor to recent studies using more complex eye-tracking equipment.
Eye-Tracking is used by visitor researchers as well as by art historians to identify the elements of paintings (or other exhibits) that people’s eyes fixate for a measured time and where they ‘jump’ (‘saccade’) from there. The result are images transposed onto paintings that show the movement of a spectator’s eyes across a canvas. The analysis of these images allows researchers like Raphael Rosenberg who participated in the workshop to compare spectators’ visual behaviour with art historical theories about the form and content of paintings. Over recent years, eye tracking studies have moved out of the research laboratory into museums and are increasingly interested in how other actions, such as speaking, influence looking at works of art.
As the response by Gregor Wedekind revealed art historians are not in agreement about the use and usefulness of eye-track within the discipline. Not only is the technical effort of eye-tracking studies large but also the outcome at times seems to reflect knowledge about works of art and their form and content that art historians have held for a long period of time.
Sociological Interpretation of Pictures – Save for the scientific analysis of looking at art conducted by art historians and cognitive psychologists, in sociology there are strands of research that has emerged in light of Alfred Schütz’s phenomenological analyses. For example, Jürgen Raab presented the phenomenological analysis of pictures and Roswitha Breckner presented objective hermeneutics as two methods designed to reveal contemporary people’s interpretation of images.
Social Interaction in Museums has been investigated for more than two decades. Whilst earlier research in Visitor Studies considered the presence and actions of people in museums as ‘social factors’ since the mid-1990s research originating either in socio-cultural theory (Crowley, Knutsen, Leinhardt and others) explores how what is being looked at and how experiences and learning arises at exhibits are the result of social interaction, talk and discussion. These studies often have a particular interest in people’s ‘learning’ from exhibits and therefore, for example, compare the content of people’s talk with the content of exhibitions.
Change of Perspective: Visitors’ Point of View
The approaches exploring people’s experience of exhibits and exhibitions can be described as ‘scientific’ or “formal-analytic” (Garfinkel & Sacks 1974). Researchers taking the perspective of the scientific observer categorise and measures the behaviour. They often consider behaviour as a response to the physical, visual and social environment.
For long, interactionist research has challenged the scientific view of ‘behaviour’ and developed theories and methods to investigate ‘actions’ and their social organisation from the perspective of the ‘actor’; how do people produce their actions at particular moments in a situation? In developing ethnomethodology Harold Garfinkel proposed to eliminate the distinction between the scientific and the actor’s perspective. Thus, he radicalised interactionist and related approaches who argued for a theoretical change in perspectives and asked for a practical change of perspectives. As researchers we are not using typologies to describe people’s actions but we are interested in the practical organisation of people’s action. In other words: we are interested in how an action orients to a prior action, and how the action provides the context for a next action (Heritage 1984).
Audio-/video-recordings provide access to this recursive interrelationship of actions as they are produced in front of exhibits. Rather than using a formal-analytic scheme to categorise action video-based studies of interaction (Heath, Hindmarsh & Luff 2010) examine in detail the moment-by-moment emergence of action. They examine the (social) organisation of people’s talk, gestures, bodily and visual action and their orientation to the material and visual environment. In museums, this means that they are concerned with revealing how people who, for example, stand at a painting look at the piece in concert with each other, use talk and gesture to jointly examine a particular exhibit element together and provide each other with ways of making sense of the object. Rather than considering action to be stimulated by exhibit elements, as visitor research has often argued, video-based research that draws on Garfinkel’s ethnomethodology inspects how people orient to each other and how they systematically embed aspects of the environment in their action and interaction.
Implication of Video-based Research in Museums
Visitor research is a largely applied field of research. From its origins it was concerned with assessing the effectiveness and to inform the design and development of exhibits. and exhibitions. However, by considering the material and visual material to be external to people’s action and interaction and conceiving it as a stimulus of action visitor research ignores the social organisation of action.
By focusing on the ways in which people organise their action and how they contingently intertwine their action with material and visual aspects of the environment, video-based studies that draws on ethnomethodology can inform, for example, the design of information resources deployed in museums and galleries. This requires systematic studies of how people orient to labels and paintings in art museums, how they use information provided in labels in their examination of works of art and in their talk and interaction with others. They can show that labels as well as novel interactive systems and devices are not only information sources for individual users but that the technology as well as the information displayed on them often become a resource that people embed within their interaction with others and that they use to influence and shape each other’s experience of art.
Bachta, R. J., Filippini-Fantoni, S., & Leason, T. (2012). Evaluating the Practical Applications of Eye Tracking in Museums | museumsandtheweb.com. In Museums and the Web. San Diego, CA.
Bitgood, S. (1993). Social influences on the visitor museum experience. Visitor Behavior.
Bitgood, S., & Shettel, H. H. (1996). An overview of visitor studies. The Journal of Museum Education, 21(3), 6–10. http://doi.org/10.1080/10598650.1996.11510329
Breckner, R. (2010). Sozialtheorie des Bildes : Zur interpretativen Analyse von Bildern und Fotografien. Bielefeld: Transcript.
Heath, C., Hindmarsh, J., & Luff, P. (2010). Video in Qualitative Research. SAGE Publications Ltd.
Heath, C., & vom Lehn, D. (2004). Configuring Reception: (Dis-)Regarding the “Spectator” in Museums and Galleries. Theory, Culture & Society, 21(6), 43–65. http://doi.org/10.1177/0263276404047415
Heath, C., & vom Lehn, D. (2008). Configuring “Interactivity”: Enhancing Engagement in Science Centres and Museums. Social Studies of Science, 38(1), 63–91. http://doi.org/10.1177/0306312707084152
Heritage, J. (1984). Garfinkel and Ethnomethodology. Cambridge: Polity Press.
Klein, C., Betz, J., Hirschbuehl, M., Fuchs, C., Schmiedtová, B., Engelbrecht, M., … Rosenberg, R. (2014). Describing Art – An Interdisciplinary Approach to the Effects of Speaking on Gaze Movements during the Beholding of Paintings. PLoS ONE, 9(12), e102439. http://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0102439
Knoblauch, H., Schnettler, B., Raab, J., & Soeffner, H.-G. (Eds.). (2006). Video-Analysis: Qualitative Audiovisual Data Analysis in Sociology Methodologies of Video Analysis. New York: Peter-Lang.
Massaro, D., Savazzi, F., Di Dio, C., Freedberg, D., Gallese, V., Gilli, G., & Marchetti, A. (2012). When Art Moves the Eyes: A Behavioral and Eye-Tracking Study. PLoS ONE, 7(5), e37285. http://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0037285
Raab, J. (2008). Visuelle Wissenssoziologie. Theoretische Konzeption und materiale Analysen (Erfahrung – Wissen – Imagination): Theoretische Konzeption und materiale Analysen (1. Aufl.). UVK Verlagsgesellschaft mbH.
Shettel, Harris H. 1976. An Evaluation of Visitor Response to ‘Man and His Environment’. Report no. AIR-43200-7/76-FR. Washington, D.C.” American Instituts of Research.
vom Lehn, D. (2010). Examining “Response”: Video-based Studies in Museums and Galleries. International Journal of Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research, 4(1), 33–43.
vom Lehn, D. (2012). Configuring standpoints: Aligning perspectives in art exhibitions. Bulletin Suisse de Linguistique Appliquée, 96, 69–90.
vom Lehn, D. (2014). Harold Garfinkel: The Creation and Development of Ethnomethodology. Walnut Creek, CA: Left Coast Press.
vom Lehn, D. (2017). Harold Garfinkel und die Kultursoziologie. In S. Moebius, F. Nungesser, & K. Scherke (Eds.), Handbuch Kultursoziologie: Band 1: Begriffe — Kontexte — Perspektiven — Autor{_}innen (pp. 1–10). Wiesbaden: Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden. http://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-08000-6_66-1
vom Lehn, D., & Heath, C. (2016). Action at the exhibit face: video and the analysis of social interaction in museums and galleries. Journal of Marketing Management, 32(15–16), 1441–1457.
April 6, 2017 Dirk vom Lehn 2 Comments
Small Printer Speaks to Large Issues: Online Reviews and Research Epistemology
interaction, Marketing, online reviews, social media marketing, Technology
The Next Bison: Social Computing and Culture
Are online reviews fair? Consider these reviews of a small printer, the Canon Pixma MG6320 on the Consumer Reports website. At the time I am writing, there are three reviews, and all three writers gave it one star out of a possible five—the worst possible rating. The review titles are:
“Piece of junk”
“Unreliable and unbelievably expensive”
“The worst printer ever.”
On the other hand, on Amazon.com the same printer currently has 464 reviews, and it gets an average of four out of five stars. Sample review titles include:
“Amazing printer”
“Made a great gift”
“A very good buy”
There are also negative reviews of course (“I wish I could give it minus stars”), but the consensus is four-star positive.
What is going on here? You could speculate that it’s just a matter of randomness and numbers—the three reviews are too small of a sample to matter, and…
May 20, 2014 July 4, 2014 Dirk vom Lehn 1 Comment
Notes from “Goffman and the Interaction Order: 30 Years on” Conference in Cardiff
interaction, sociology, symbolic interactionism
the below I posted earlier on the SSSI Blog
http://sssiorg.wordpress.com
“I have no universal cure for the ills of Sociology. A multitude of myopias limit the glimpse we get of our subject matter” (Erving Goffman, 1983: 2)
On September 27th, a conference was held at the University of Cardiff where participants discussed the influence of Goffman’s concept of the “interaction order” on sociology and related disciplines. Four speakers, Paul Atkinson, Greg Smith, Randall Collins, and Susie Scott explicated the origin, application and further development of Goffman’s concepts and analytic devices.
Atkinson delivered a performance that would better be shown as a video-clip than summarised in a written paragraph. He began by highlighting that Goffman’s interest was interaction as it happens and he demanded from his students to “go out and uncover something”, rather than to concern themselves with theory and concepts. By drawing on short video-clips from masterclasses for a tenor Atkinson illustrated some of the aspect of the “interaction order” and highlighted that for Goffman it was important to unpack the intrinsic properties of situations without attributing them to individual participants. This of course is not unproblematic as situations are loaded with a history that can hardly be understood from the situation at hand alone. The sociologist therefore needs to embed themselves within situations, make observations and conduct interviews to be able to understand the events. Thus, they will be able to make sense of how the participants refer to and draw on the history of the situation to go about the action at hand.
Smith illustrated his talk “Interaction Order Controversies” with photographs he had taken on the Shetland Islands where Goffman had gathered the data that form the basis for his PhD and for what we know today as “The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life.” It is the original PhD thesis where Goffman uses the term “interaction order” for the first time. Then however it took until 1982/3 before he again uses the term to highlight the myopia of contemporary sociology. In the time he deployed concepts like “copresence” and “small behaviours” to denote the organisation of conduct in situations. Aside from exploring the origin and use of “interaction order” and related concept in Goffman’s writings Smith also discussed how the concepts sits within the micro-/macro debate that has been ongoing since sociology was founded as a discipline. Aside from talking about Goffman’s work, Smith also talked about Goffman as an academic who at his time was one of the best paid sociologists in the USA; he obviously was very much aware of his value and was able to use it to advance his career.
This leads us to Randall Collins’ talk who drew relations between Goffman and Garfinkel as well as to other areas of sociology that often are described as macro-sociology; Giddens to mention but one representative, used Goffman and Garfinkel to underpin his structuration theory. In his talk Collins drew attention to some curious aspects of Goffman’s work, such as his heavy reliance on codes of conduct as resources for his studies whilst at the same time in the 1960s young people were distancing themselves from just that order and the related rituals described in these books. He pointed out however the richness of Goffman’s work and how he addressed the micro-/macro-question by explicating the ingredients of interaction rituals and their link to social structure; for instance, he showed that different people deploy different greeting rituals, wear different clothes etc. displaying their ‘place’ in society. Collins, of course, is very well known for his studies of violence and conflict. In his talk he showed how that research links in to Goffman’s studies of interaction rituals in that people when being violent manage the impression they give of themselves.
The final talk was delivered by Susie Scott whose interest in Goffman is known for example through her work on Total Institutions and Shyness. In her talk she elaborated on four facets she sees in Goffman: the hero, the detective, the villain and the magician. She brought these four images of Goffman to life by referring to her research on shyness, intimate deception, and others. At various points her talk showed close relationships to the points raised by the talks by Atkinson, Smith and Collins. In particular her reference to Goffman the villain linked nicely into Smith talk that touched on the sometimes not easy character of Goffman and his very well known ‘unusual’ behaviour at social gatherings.
The presentations together with the discussions during sessions and in breaks showed how relevant and influential Goffman still is for sociology. As time goes by his influence is growing beyond sociology and reaches into performance studies, management and marketing as well as into various areas engineering including the design of virtual worlds and social networking sites.
The conference was organised by Martin Innes and William Housley. A Twitter stream accompanied the event managed by Robin Smith. With the #socsigoffman you can trace some of the information of the event.
Recent Articles in Symbolic Interaction related to Goffman
Phil Strong: The Importance of Being Erving
Susie Scott et al. Goffman in the Gallery: Interactive Art and Visitor Shyness
Chris Conner’s Review of Stigma Revisited
@dirkvl
September 28, 2013 September 28, 2013 Dirk vom Lehn Tagged #sssi, goffman, interaction, organization, ritual, sociology Leave a comment
Has anyboy met a brain in a museum lately?
exhibitions, experience, interaction, museums, Phenomenology, visitors
There is an interesting piece by the Nobel Prize Winner (2000) Eric R. Kandel in the New York Times.Titled “What the Brain Can Tell US About Art” Kandel’s piece contributes to discussions about art that have been going on for at least a decade now in the ‘science of the brain’. I remember vividly coming across Ramachandran and Hirstein’s article “The Science of Art” that pursues a similar argument as Kandel’s essay: by studying processes in the brain we can learn something about art itself. Kandel discusses some aspects of the emergence of this idea by briefly discussing the concept of the “beholder’s involvement” or “beholder’s share” as developed by Alois Riegl of the Vienna School of Art History, the teacher of Ernst Kris and Ernst Gombrich.
As part of the argument Kandel suggests that the brain completes incomplete information s/he has received from the outer world. Interpretation of art therefore is a cognitive process through which the ‘beholder’ “recapitulates in his or her own brain the artist’s creative steps”. Furthermore, he argues that because our brains develop in much the same ways we are able to “see the world in pretty much the same way”. He thereby lodges intersubjectivity within individual brains and presumes that intersubjectivity is a result of processes in the brain. Whilst he acknowledges that individual differences between people exist due to their individual life experience (“memories”) he ignores the situation in which people encounter works of art or other objects and how the specifics of that situation influences how people make sense of the pieces.
One situation in which people often encounter works of art are exhibitions in museums and galleries. When they examine a piece they are often with friends or acquaintances and in the presence of other people who spend time in the same gallery at the same time. The actions of all these people are perceiveable by all those in range and influence how they explore the galleries, what they look and for long and how they see and make sense of it. In museums, the individual spectator or ‘beholder’ is a myth that we rarely meet. For example, people stop at and examine works of art together. They stand with a companion side-by-side and sometimes, ‘independently’, at least for a short while, look to the piece. As their eyes cross the canvas, for instance of a famous Rembrandt portrait, something like Kandel’s version of interpretation might happen. But often already after two or three seconds one of them will refer to and comment on a particular exhibit feature that then for a short moment becomes the focus of the interaction between the pair. They briefly talk about the feature and then either return to an ‘independent’ inspection of the piece or leave the exhibit to continue with their exploration of the museum elsewhere.
The short moment when the two people align their perspectives to look a particular exhibit feature together and discuss it is when something is produced, momentarily, that we might call intersubjectivity. It is not lodged inside the people’s brains but the product of their oral and bodily actions. A moment later when the action stops the intersubjective sense making of the piece dissolves and the people continue their visit of the museum.
When calling the examination of the piece prior to the interactional engagment ‘independent’ I did not presume that the actions at the exhibit-face were arising separate from each other. Rather while the eyes cross the canvas of the painting the visitors are aware of each other and attend to even slight changes in posture and head direction as well as even to slight movements of the legs and feet that may display or foreshadow a shift in activity. ‘Independent’ and ‘individual’ therefore are not appropriate terms to describe even those moments when people stand and look at exhibits while standing side-by-side without talking.
Essays like Kandel’s or Ramachandran and Hirstein’s article reflect how we think about looking at and interpreting art. “Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder” has become a folk description of aesthitic judgments. Interestingly however the statement is often used to account for differences in aesthetic judgment and not to display intersubjective agreement about aesthetics. Kandel’s point also resonates with us as readers who sit there individually ‘interpreting’ a text that in this moment is not available to others. I read the piece in an armchair while nobody else was around in the house. Imagine the article printed on a large poster or series of posters and being read by people in pairs. Maybe like those visitors facing Rembrandt’s portrait they would stop half-way through, discuss and maybe disagree about Kandel’s claim that intersubjectivity arises in our brains.
Essays and books like Kandel’s (2012) “The Age of Insight: The Quest to Understand the Unconsciousness in Art, Mind and Brain, From Vienna 1900 to the Present” are fascinating reads. However, I wonder when the time will come that this kind of brain science will leave the laboratory and be made relevant where ‘the rubber hits the road’ or where people with brains, bodies and the ability to communicate and interact face works of art.
April 13, 2013 April 14, 2013 Dirk vom Lehn Tagged art perception, brain, ethnomethodology, neuroscience, video Leave a comment
Off Grasshoppers and other Types
exhibitions, interaction, interaction, Marketing, museums, public places, visitors
The design of systems to support people’s navigation of exhibitions often draws on concepts and theories about visitors’ movement through exhibitions. In reference to relevant literature it makes inferences about people’s interests in exhibits by the ways in which they navigate galleries and at which exhibits they stop and for how long. Thereby, designers and museum managers often talk about “visiting styles” and refer to a French paper by Veron and Levasseur (1991). Therein, the authors apparently, I haven’t read the paper, use an analogy from the animal world to describe four types of visiting style: ants, fishes, butterflys and grasshoppers. These types are seen as ideal types and it is argued that mixed styles of navigation are common. In fact, as Opperman and Specht (2000) suggest in reference to Bianchi and Zancanaro’s (1999) conference paper “the classification of a visitor is no longer made stereotypically by describing a visitor uniquely as one of the four animals, but as an estimation of the ‘degree of compatibility between the user’s movement pattern and the four stereotypes’ at a given point in time” (Bianchi and Zancanaro (1999) in Opperman and Specht 2000: p.132). From this typology probabilities are derived regarding people’s navigation pattern. This allows for the fact that visitors might change their visiting style ‘mid-fly’, i.e. as they navigate and exhibition. For example, a fish who has spent relatively little or no time with exhibits in one gallery, may encounter a gallery with objects s/he is more interested in and therefore spends more time with, thus turning into an ant.
This concept of visiting style links the way and speed in which people navigate exhibitions to their level of engagement with exhibits. Underlying this concept of museum visiting are conventional measures of visitor research, i.e. the stopping and holder power of exhibits, coupled with theories of learning, such as the late Chan Screven’s (1976) goal-referenced approach that link assumptions about ‘learning from exhibits’ to the time people spend with exhibits. Using this approach it is possible to argue for technologies that promise to extend the time of people’s engagement with exhibits because according to theory, it leads to cognitive development.
A different but related kind of typology has been developed by John Falk (2009) in his book “Identity and the Museum Visitor Experience”. Here, Falk proposes to link visitor behaviour to people’s motivations grounded in the identity. His argument is more complex than the typology discussed above. It can be seen as an expansion of earlier work by the same author where he together with colleagues investigated visitors’ agenda for museum visiting.
As Veron and Levasseur’s (1991) typology Falks differentiation of visitors in types represents a classification scheme that in reality cannot be found in this way. It is an attempt to bring order to a messy social world and seems very useful for museum managers and marketing managers because of this lack of messiness. They can use such typologies to make decisions about exhibition programmes or technologies to be deployed in their galleries.
Such theories about museum visiting however largely ignore the reality of visitors’ experience of museums. They neglect what people actually do in museums, how they approach, examine and depart from exhibits, and how they make experiences of exhibits and generate experiences for others. This neglect is grounded on related research that is primarily interested in the individual visitor or in groups and families that are considered as social entities rather than as dynamic social processes. Researchers see the origin of actions, such as the approach to an exhibit or the departure from an exhibit, in either the visitor’s motivation or in the design of the exhibit. Yet, save for very few exceptions these researchers rarely look at how people draw each other to examine exhibits, how they encourage each other to inspect objects in particular ways, how they generate experiences for each other and how they occasion each other to move on.
By investigating the details of people’s action at the “point of experience” where the action is and where the action can be observed, researchers see how people produce experiences of exhibits in interaction with others. Whilst on the surface these details appear to ‘messy’ a closer look reveals that they are systematically produced and intelligibly orderly. Visitors in galleries behave in intelligible ways and their action becomes observable and reportable as museum visiting, without them requiring theoretical typologies to make sense of each other’s action.
It would seem that basing decisions on detailed knowledge about what people are actually doing in museums would provide decision makers in museums with a safer footing than theories about visitors’ actions. Are there any museum managers or designers out there who use detailed observational or video-based research to inform their decision making?
For related research go here
Bianchi, A. and M. Zancanaro, Tracking Users’ Movements in an Artistic Physical Space, in Proceedings of the i3 Annual Conference: Community of the Future, Octo- ber 20 – 22, 1999 in Siena, M. Caenepeel, D. Benyon, and D. Smith, Editors. 1999, The Human Communication Research Centre, The University of Edinburgh: Edin- burgh. p. 103 – 106.
Falk, J. H. (2009). Identity and the Museum Visitor Experience. Walnut Creek, CA: Left Coast Press Inc. Retrieved from http://www.amazon.co.uk/Museums-Identity-John-H-Falk/dp/1598741632
Heath, C., & Vom Lehn, D. (2004). Configuring Reception: (Dis-)Regarding the “Spectator” in Museums and Galleries. Theory, Culture & Society, 21(6), 43–65. doi:10.1177/0263276404047415
Oppermann, R., & Specht, M. (2000). A Context-Sensitive Nomadic Exhibition Guide, 127–142.
Screven, C. G. (1976). Exhibit Evaluation: A goal-referenced approach. Curator, 52(9), 271–290.
Véron, E. and M. Levasseur, Ethnographie de l’exposition: L’espace, le corps et le sens. 1991, Paris: Centre Georges Pompidou Bibliothèque Publique d’Information.
vom Lehn, D. (2006). Embodying experience: A video-based examination of visitors’ conduct and interaction in museums. European Journal of Marketing, 40(11/12), 1340–1359. doi:10.1108/03090560610702849
vom Lehn, D. (2013). Withdrawing from Exhibits: the interactional organisation of museum visits. In P. Haddington, L. Mondada, & M. Nevile (Eds.), Interaction and Mobility: Language and the Body in Motion. Berlin: de Gryter.
March 26, 2013 Dirk vom Lehn Leave a comment
Jumping from Exhibit to Exhibit
exhibitions, interaction, interactivity, museums, visitors
There is an interesting discussion about linearity of exhibitions over at Nina Simon’s Museum2.0. Ed Rodley (*wave back*) has added his own take on this discussion on his blog “Thinking about Museums“. Ed highlights the relationship and between on the one hand the physical or geographical organization of exhibitions and on the other hand the narrative organization of the content of exhibitions. He kindly refers to my own post from a couple of week’s ago where I was trying to explicate some of the advantages of exhibitions that physically organize their exhibits in a linear way. Such an organization suggests to visitors where the next exhibit is and by glancing over to people standing there, can assess when it is opportune to move on without pushing or nudging the others to leave that piece.
In a way, my studies highlight the delicateness of people’s exploration of these spaces and how polite and respectful they conduct themselves when moving through these spaces that are in Lyn Lofland’s Words “A World of Strangers“. Yet, what I implied to say as well was that whilst we may not know the other people who explore the museum at the same time they are not ‘strange’ in the sense that we couldn’t make assumptions about the trajectory of their actions. By monitoring, maybe only from the corner of the eye, what others are doing, we can assess their engagement with an exhibit and align our actions with their state of engagement; for example, when the person at the ‘next’ exhibit takes their glasses off and makes a step backward we can presume that possibly they will withdraw from the piece. Moreover, by having observed where they have come from we can also assume where they may go next and thereupon prepare our next action. Thus, in museums with a linear organisation of exhibits that we often find in art galleries and in history (of art, science or culture) museums, an “organized walking” can emerge that Tony Bennett refers to in his “The Birth of the Museum” and that some have described as “museum discipline”; Stefan Hirschauer, for instance” talks about the silent shuffling through galleries in his study of the famous (or infamous) “Body Worlds” exhibitions.
Many exhibitions these days however lack such a visible linearity. For example, for years now exhibitions have been organized in thematic clusters. These clusters contain a number of exhibits that somehow make up the theme of the cluster. We find these clustered themes in particular in science centres. They are predominantly made up of hands-on and computer-based interactives that engage visitors for considerable time. These interactives are designed in different ways; some are configured like a challenge encouraging visitors to interact with them multiple time to see whether they can improve on their previous attempt, or to compete in the challenge with others. It therefore is never quite clear for others when a visitor or a group of visitors engaging with an exhibit bring a challenge to an end and move on, vacating the space at the interactive. This leads to curious forms of conduct in these clusters:
– Visitors standing behind others who interact with an exhibit can be seen as ‘waiting’ and therefore as applying some pressure on those engaged in an activity. Challenges therefore are brought to an end prematurely because of the pressure of others waiting behind
– Visitors may continue to interact with an interactive or display an involvement with an interactive because neighbouring exhibits are occupied by others and they do not know where to go next; they do not want to end up waiting without being occupied themselves.
– Visitors who are with somebody who interacts with an exhibit look over their shoulder and alert the ‘user’ to a neighbouring exhibit becoming available.
In these exhibitions therefore it is not obvious where to go next but the onward movement is often influenced by the ‘becoming-available’ of neighbouring exhibits. When Ed points to the difference between the geographical and narrative organization of exhibits, we can see that an organization of exhibits in a non-linear way might obscure the narrative relationship between exhibits. Visitors do not know anymore why they become involved with an exhibit now, other than that this exhibit has now become available. It would seem that the narrative gap arising from the non-linear organization of exhibits requires tools that make up for the deficit. Some exhibitions try to achieve coherence by providing visitors with information on text-panels or in other ways.
Some related research can be found here.
February 20, 2013 February 20, 2013 Dirk vom Lehn 1 Comment
Stepwise Exploration of Museums: arguments for a linear organisation of exhibits
exhibitions, interaction, museums, public places, visitors
There are long-standing debates in sociology and museum studies as well as amongst museum practitioners as to the layout of exhibitions, i.e. the organisation of exhibits in a given gallery space. For long, exhibits were organised in a linear order, often reflecting the history or evolution of human kind, art, science and culture. Tony Bennett famously discussed the political debates about the history of museums. He mentions that at the time it was thought that people would acquire knowledge about ‘progress’ by slowly walking along gallery walls, from exhibit to exhibit like “waking brains”. Thus, it was assumed people would see and learn about humankind’s progress as they see the advancement of culture and technology at each next exhibit.
In the recent past the linear organisation of exhibitions has come under sustained criticism. Most recently a post by Nina Simon on her Museum 2.0 blog takes up the controversy about the linear organisation of exhibits by looking at online exhibitions. Nina Simon makes a number of interesting points and towards the end wonders: “I’d love to see research on how open and closed exhibition layouts impact visitor dwell time, satisfaction, and engagement. What have you observed?” When looking at the existing body of research on visitor behaviour in museums it is noteworthy that studies largely focus on visitors’ experience rather than on the organisation of their visit. That is, in the centre of her interest is the outcome of people’s engagement with exhibits, not the practices through which people make the engagement with exhibits happen. There are of course notable exceptions like Stephen Bitgood‘s studies of circulation in museums and his research on the “economy of movement” (with Stephany Dukes) in malls.
In a related way research at the Bartlett School of Architecture conducted by Kali Tzortzi explores the relationship between the choices of curators and the architecture of museums. Amongst others this research suggests that the visibility of exhibits from various locations in museums influences where visitors go when they navigate museums.
Space Syntax (Bartlett School)
Surprisingly perhaps none of this research shows an interest in the ways in which visitors organise the navigation of exhibitions and the examination of exhibits in social interaction with others. However there is a growing body of studies that explores the social organisation of mobility in public places. These studies include research on car driving by Barry Brown, Eric Laurier, Pentti Haddington and Lorenza Mondada, guided tours by Mathias Broth, and my own research on mobility in museums. My studies investigate how people orient to the material and visible environment while practically organising their exploration of a gallery. For example, the studies I have conductd with my colleagues at the Work, Interaction & Technology Research Centre (King’s College London) explore how visitors to an art museum bring the looking at a Rembrandt painting to a close and jointly move on without disturbing companions or others who happen to be nearby. Or they examine how visitors arrive and come to stop at paintings and begin to look at them together while standing-side-by-side. Whilst the activities like the withdrawing from and moving to a next exhibit or the approach of a next exhibit may seem mundane and uninteresting they are critical for the way in which visitors orient to the layout of exhibits in a gallery.
(from vom Lehn 2006)
In particular with regard to the linear organisation of exhibits in museums it is worthwhile highlighting here that for visitors to be able to see the next exhibit and to already know what (kind of) exhibit that next exhibit is, helps them to organise their visit with others. They use the visibility of (the content of) the next exhibit, e.g. “another self-portrait”, to draw their companion’s attention to that exhibit and away from the exhibit they have been looking at previously. Thus, visitors are able to organise not only their own individual museum visit but also to influence the organisation of the museum visit of their companions. It is worthwhile stressing here that visitors are able to organise their visit in this way not only because the exhibits are organised in a linear way but because of the visibility of what (kind of) exhibit the next one is.
Furthermore, visitors can see whether that possible next exhibit is occupied by other visitors. They glance to the side and notice others looking at it. Thereby, they use the visual and bodily orientation of others at the next exhibit to gauge their state of involvement with this next piece. If visitors notice that the others are about to move on they prepare their departure from the current exhibit and orient to that next one.
In light of these observations it might be worthwhile reconsidering the critique of the linear organisation of exhibits:
– The linearity of the organisation of exhibits in the gallery coupled with a visibility of information about next exhibits can support visitors in aligning their organisation of the navigation of a gallery with that of other people.
– It is not only the visibility of next exhibits that people use to navigate museums but also they use the visibility of exhibits coupled with the visibility of other people’s actions at these exhibits to fashion their own action at the current exhibit.
– A practical viewpoint of research in museums highlights how the organisation of exhibits can help people with little or no preconception of the detailed layout of the exhibition to (practically) organise their museum visit.
for more on the research go here
January 20, 2013 January 25, 2013 Dirk vom Lehn Tagged exhibits, galleries, interaction, mobility, museums, navigation, video, visitor research 2 Comments
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Category: Digital Rights Case
My Book ‘Terrorism and State Surveillance of Communications’
On June 5, 2019 June 5, 2019 By drdavidloweIn antipodean resistance, citizenAID, Digital Rights Case, Uncategorized
My book ‘Terrorism and State Surveillance of Communications’ co-written with Simon Hale-Ross has been published this week and is available for purchase. It contains chapters from practitioners, academics with practitioner experience and academics who research and write in this area. Click on the link for more details.
Derry Disorder, Irish Republican Terrorism, Lyra McKee murder: The UK’s Forgotten Terrorist Activity?
On April 19, 2019 April 20, 2019 By drdavidloweIn Digital Rights Case, Uncategorized
In the evening of Thursday 18th April 2019 disorder broke out in the Creggan area of Derry. While the PSNI were carrying our searches for weapons and explosives trouble broke out with vehicles being set alight and petrol bombs thrown at PSNI vehicles and officers. During this disorder a New IRA gunman came around a corner and fired shots indiscriminately towards the PSNI, tragically killing the journalist Lyra McKee who was reporting in the incident.
This tragic event follows closely behind two separate pipe bomb attacks on the 17th April 2019. One was in in Armagh where two devices exploded, the second in the small village of Rasharkin, Antrim where a pipe bomb was thrown into the window of a home in the village with a second left on the home’s windowsill. Also on the 17th April a 49 year old male was arrested in Strabane, Tyrone by the PSNI for terrorism related offences linked to the INLA and suspicion of blackmail and being concerned in the supply of controlled drugs.
The killing of Lyra McKee is being reported as a top news story by the British media, but regarding the other incidents the British media were relatively silent. This raises the question if terrorist activity, in particular activity by dissident republicans in the six northern counties of Ireland that is part of the UK has become the forgotten UK terrorist activity in the island of Britain? Understandably the main terrorist threat facing the whole of the UK emanates from Islamist inspired activity, followed by activity by the extreme far-right (mainly in Britain). It is predominantly Islamist inspired activity that resulted in the UK terrorist threat level being at severe (an attack is highly likely) from the international terrorist threat. In the North of Ireland the terrorist threat level is also severe and that includes from ‘Northern Ireland related terrorism’, where for Britain this particular threat is moderate (an attack is possible but not likely). How long will it be before the threat to the whole of the UK the threat of North of Ireland terrorism is severe?
In March 2019 letter bombs were received in various London locations, where it is suspected a person linked to or on behalf of the New IRA were responsible. As I have stated in my previous blog posts covering the terrorist activity in the North of Ireland, dissident Irish republican groups be it the New IRA, the INLA or Continuity IRA are desirous of carrying out attacks in Britain. While these groups’ logistical capability to do so my be limited at the moment, especially in relation to sympathisers providing logistical support in Britain, there are members of dissident republican groups who from the 1968-1998 Troubles have vast experience in bomb making and firearms use, as well as operating in Britain. Since reporting in my blog posts on the rise of dissident Irish republican group activity over the last few years, I predicted there would be a rise in republican based terrorism and violence in the North and there is an increasing possibility these activities will cross the Irish Sea to Britain.
The reason behind the increase in dissident republican activity includes the exploitation of the inactivity in the Assembly in Stormont that is currently suspended due to the impasse between the DUP and Sinn Fein. Another reason is in relation to Brexit where republican groups and their political wings like the New IRA’s Saoradh are exploiting the potential problems a hard border between the North and the Irish Republic would pose. As I have stated in previous blog posts on this subject, Saoradh and the New IRA in particular are using this to fuel discontent among the Catholic, nationalist community with calls for the 32 counties to be reunited and come under the governance of the Dail in Dublin. In turn, there is no way would loyalist groups like the UDA, UVF and UFF and political parties like the Progressive Unionist Party (PUP) and the DUP would ever contemplate that happening. One result would be an increase in loyalist violence.
At the time of writing it is Easter weekend and there will be a number of parades and commemorations regarding the 1916 Easter Rising. Already in certain locations in the North parades have been planned without the permission of the PSNI. This is a legal requirement and in virtually most cases those submitting their parade plans will be granted authority by the PSNI to do so. Groups like Saoradh have not carried out this legal requirement and I suspect this is to fuel further discontent and violence as the PSNI will attempt to prevent illegal parades taking place. Marching is a sensitive issue in the North of Ireland, which we have seen during the marching season in July.
While quite rightly Northern Irish politicians have condemned the killing of Lyra McKee and the violence in Derry last night, I would like to see the DUP and Sinn Fein do more that pass commentary and take positive action. This includes putting aside their differences and rather than be self-serving, they work with the other political parties for the benefit of all in the North. Reading the DUP and Sinn Fein response to the murder of Lyra McKee, I feel it is easy to give platitudes, but I would rather like to see positive action coming from the two largest parties in the North to work together with the other parties to diffuse the tensions and discontent that exists in certain areas.
On the 2nd May local elections are being held in the North and now is the time of the North of Ireland electorate to send a positive message to the DUP and Sinn Fein and shun their traditional political allegiances and cast their vote for the SDLP, Alliance and UUP parties. It will not stop the violence overnight, but it would be a start by the people to tell the DUP and Sinn Fein that they are fed up with inactivity and want political action. Another action the people can take is holding demonstrations like they did in Omagh when the PSNI officer Ronan Kerr was murdered and have a ‘Not in My Name’ protest.
You can read issues related to this post in my book ‘Terrorism: Law & Policy’ published by Routledge
Update: Just as I published this post Saoradh issued a statement justifying the actions of the New IRA gunman where the statement contains the rhetoric of PIRA/Sinn Fein during the Troubles. There can be no justification for this senseless murder.
Update 20th April 2019 – there will be ‘not in our name’ demosntratiosn in Strabane and Derry today around 12 noon. Let’s hope politicians take note of the strength of feeling over the murder of Lyra McKee and the disorder in the Creggan and start working together.
The Terrorist Threats Discussed at the UK’s National Security Summit: How Safe Are We?
On October 12, 2018 October 12, 2018 By drdavidloweIn Court of Justice European Union, Digital Rights Case, Uncategorized
At the UK’s Nation security Summit held in London on the 9th October 2018 the head of national counter-terrorism policing, Neil Basu, warned that one for the greatest terror threats in the UK is by its own citizens who have been radicalised by extremists, in particular Islamists, who are frustrated or aspire to travel abroad to fight with the Islamic State (IS).
There is credence in Basu’s observations as seen in the recent attacks prevented attacks in the UK. For example the London Bridge/Borough Market attack in June 2017 to of the attackers, Khuram Butt and Youssef Zaghba were prevented by authorities from leaving Europe to join IS in Syria/Iraq. In addition to this, another threat is posed by individuals who did fight with IS in Syria/Iraq who have returned to their home state as they will be more experienced in the use of firearms and explosives, as well as potentially in chemical weapons that were used by IS in Syria/Iraq. This threat is not just applicable to the UK, but to states in Europe, North America and other states such as the Philippines where returning fighters are now fighting in the south of the country. This is a global problem.
In relation to terrorists’ use of chemical and biological weapons, Neil Basu correctly states the likes of chlorine and mustard gas was used in Syria/Iraq and terrorists do want to adapt these weapons for use in domestic terrorist attacks. Fortunately, what is problematic for terrorists wanting to use such weaponry is having the facilities for storage and maintaining the chemicals as they have to be stored under controlled conditions. When IS held land in their self-proclaimed caliphate this was possible, but in domestic circumstances where without laboratories it is more difficult. As such, the type of attacks being planned will be low-level attacks we have unfortunately witnessed in Europe with the use of vehicles and sharply bladed instruments such as knives, which we have witnessed still have a devastating effect.
There is also the possibility of terrorists using firearms and improvised explosive devices (IED). In relation to the latter this was seen in the Parsons Green attack in September 2017 and in Barcelona, August 2017, where the former failed to detonate and in the latter the explosives were not handled correctly resulting in the terrorists blowing themselves up in their home. To handle explosives requires a degree of knowledge and experience, which clearly many domestic terrorists do not possess. One cannot be complacent over this as the threat of the use of IED’s is still real. This could come from returning IS fighters and in the case of the UK, current paramilitaries in the North of Ireland from the republican New IRA to loyalist’s groups such as the Ulster Volunteer Force and the Ulster freedom Fighters have members who have experience in the use of IED’s from the 1968-1998 Irish Troubles.
One must not forget that the terrorist threat does not solely emanate from Islamist inspired terrorism, there is also the threat from far-right groups too, and in the UK from paramilitaries in the North of Ireland. The UK is still the only state to proscribe far-right groups as terrorist organisations and to date these groups have been inspired by the national socialist narrative (National Action, Scottish Dawn and NS 131). Other far-right groups are also being monitored by UK counter-terrorism police and the security services such as Resistance System Network. Again, the terrorist threat far-right groups pose is not unique to the UK, it is prevalent throughout Europe, North America and Australia.
In relation to the UK republican groups in the North of Ireland have been using the impasse regarding the Irish border in the Brexit negotiations to influence an increase in paramilitary activity, in particular the New IRA.
Due to the diversity of terrorist threats, the number of groups and individuals being monitored and the increasing pressure counter-terrorism police and the security services have in keeping us safe is enormous. There are two areas that can help alleviate their workload so as to enable them to focus on the groups and individuals that pose a real threat to our security. First is to allocate more resources from the public and private sectors as well as communities to the Prevent strategy. A pre-criminal strategy, Prevent is aimed at helping individuals who are vulnerable to being drawn into terrorist activity. Secondly, we can all play our part by being more vigilant in reporting any activity we see as suspicious. Initiatives in the UK like Action Counters Terrorism (ACT) and the British transport Police’s ‘See it, Say it, Sort it’ are there to help us report anything we suspect is likely to be linked to terrorism and the police will deal with any reports sensitively.
I discuss this in more details in my radio interview with Sputnik Radio and many of these themes are covered in my book ‘Terrorism: Law and Policy’ that was published in March 2018
Radio Interview Reviewing My Book ‘Terrorism: Law and Policy’
On August 21, 2018 By drdavidloweIn citizenAID, Digital Rights Case, Diversity Immigration Visa Programme, Uncategorized
Just after 12 noon (BST) tomorrow (22nd August 2018) I will be on City Talk with Mick Coyle discussing my book ‘Terrorism: Law and Policy’ and issues that come out of the book as well as a little on my career to date. I have added a link if you want to listen. I am sure Everton will also get a mention!
(Me and Mick reviewing the newspapers on City Talk)
Koley and Elsheikh, Islamic State’s Beatles duo: Should they receive the death penalty or life imprisonment?
On July 24, 2018 By drdavidloweIn antipodean resistance, Digital Rights Case, Donald Trump, Uncategorized
Alaxanda Koely and El Shafee Elsheikh, referred to as Islamic State’s ‘Beatles duo’ may be facing trial for murder in the US. Koley and Elsheikh worked alongside another UK citizen, Emwazi (aka Jihadi John who was killed in a drone strike in Syria in 2015) with Islamic State in Syria where they guarded, tortured and killed hostages the group held. This included the killing of US citizens James Foley and Stephen Sotloff and the UK aid worker, Alan Henning that received high profile media reporting due to the gruesome videos the cell recorded of their beheading by Emwazi.
Koley and Elsheikh were captured early 2018 in Syria by one of the freedom fighter groups and handed over to US authorities in the area. The question to determine is where they will be tried for the murders they were Invovled in. On the 23rd July 2018 the UK Home Secretary, Sajid Javid has written to his US counterpart suggesting prosecution of the two men in the US would be the best course of action, adding, controversially, the UK would not insist against the death penalty for these two men.
Why it is controversial is because since 1965 the UK abolished the death penalty for murder and in 1998 when the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) was enshrined into UK law through the Human Rights Act 1998, the death penalty for treason, piracy and arson of the Queen’s dock yards (basically the Royal Navy’s dockyards) was also abolished. As such extradition of persons from the UK to the US will only be on the basis those extradited will not receive the death penalty. We saw this with the extradition of the Islamist preacher Abu Hamza, a decision supported by the European Court of Human Rights who held the extradition did not violate Hamza’s right to a fair trial (article 6 ECHR) and because he would not receive the death penalty so preserving his right to live (article 2 ECHR).
The difference with the extradition of Koley and Elsheikh is that under section 2 Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015, they were stripped of their British citizenship under a temporary exclusion order from the UK. It is this legal issue that has led to Javid informing the US that there are ‘strong reasons for not requiring a death penalty in this specific case.’
The UK Labour Party’s shadow attorney general and former head of the group Liberty, Shami Chakrabarti to see this move as a ‘grave human rights abuse’. is this really the case? This is potentially a one-off extradition and as many have posted on social media sites there is little or no sympathy for Koley and Elsheikh as they had no regard for the human rights of those they tortured and killed. This is an understandable response. Rather than claiming a grave human rights abuse will occur, it is preferable to request that neither men receive the death penalty as it will take away the potential for Islamists to claim that Koley and Elsheikh are martyrs, should they receive the death penalty. This will remove any potential propaganda Islamist groups will use as they distort the truth. If found guilty in a court of law it is better they receive life sentences being left to spend the rest of their lives in prison. Perhaps Javid could consider this as an option should Koley and Elsheikh be tried in the US.
The law in this area can be found in my book ‘Terrorism: Law and Policy‘ published by Routledge this year.
Post Brexit will it be the UK or the EU’s security that will be the weaker?
On July 5, 2018 July 9, 2018 By drdavidloweIn Court of Justice European Union, Digital Rights Case, Diversity Immigration Visa Programme, terrorism and security consultancy, terrorist attack, Uncategorized
In June 2018 Brexit negotiations were seeming to make slow progress and at an address to the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier threw a cat among the pigeons by stating post Brexit the UK will be locked out of the EU’s policing and security databases, lose access to the European Arrest Warrant (EAW) and no longer have a role in managing agencies such as Europol and Eurojust. Barnier added that security cooperation is based on trust, a trust that is founded on an ecosystem and that cooperation between the UK and EU on crime and security would be conditional on the UK remaining subject to the European Court of Human Rights. In relation to the latter, Barnier should have no concerns as there are no moves in the short term for the UK to leave the Council of Europe and thereby withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights, a document that in 1953 was written primarily by British lawyers!
If Barnier’s threat come to fruition what the UK will lose includes:
Access to the Prum Treaty on the exchange of DNA profiles;
Access to the second generation of the Schengen Information System (SIS II);
Europol’s other databases related to terrorist and criminal activity;
Use of the EAW.
At the EU Summit in Brussels on the 29th June 2018 the UK’s Prime Minister, Theresa May warned the EU that should the UK be frozen out of cooperation on security and criminal activity related to serious crime this would put not just the UK but citizens in the other 27 EU Member States at risk. This raises the question if the UK is denied access to important databases will it compromise UK security? In essence I do not think it will, but it could slow down progress in investigations into terrorism and serious crime.
Firstly I think it is totally wrong of Barnier and his team to even to contemplate having the issue of cooperation related to terrorism and security on Brexit negotiations’ agenda. The key issues in those negotiations should focus on freedom of movement of trade and persons, trade and customs tariffs and so on, not security. Of course by leaving the EU both the UK and the EU should have separate negotiations on issues related to cooperation on terrorism and serious crime, but one where negotiations are carried out with a great desire to reach an agreement without any politicking that benefits citizens in the whole of Europe, not just those in the EU. There appears to be an arrogance with the EU in thinking of itself as Europe, but there are many European nations that are not in the EU and have no intention of doing so. Of course post Brexit the UK will be come a third country (that is one not in the EU), but please note that also post Brexit the UK will still be a European state! As such intelligence sharing and cooperation between the UK and EU Member States will still be important. Terrorists and criminals to not take into account national state borders when carrying out their activity. Both terrorist acts and serious crime like the trafficking of persons, drugs and firearms have a devastating affect on its victims. In short this is simply about nothing more than keep all European citizens safe be they in or out of the EU.
In saying this the non-EU states of Iceland, Norway, Lichtenstein and Switzerland have limited access to EU terrorism and criminal databases through the Schengen Aquis, so why can’t the UK have the same access? It might be the EU is taking a hard line stance against the UK because the UK does not want the Court of Justice of the European Union to have any form of governance over UK law. It could also be because post-Lisbon Treaty 2009 no EU Member State has wanted to leave the EU with its many unelected bureaucratic bodies (hence the democratic deficit that has been seen with the EU). As such it can be argued that the likes of Barnier is using Brexit and its hard line stance with the UK as a lesson to other EU Member States should they wish to leave the EU in the future. At the time of writing my recent travels has revealed how widespread is the desire of many citizens in EU Member States for their home state to leave the EU. In part this could be down to how the EU has developed from the European Economic Community based solely on trade to a quasi-federalist state post Treaty of Union and Treaty of Lisbon.
If asked I see the hard line Barnier is adopting would more detrimental to the EU and the citizens in its remaining Member States than the UK. The UK has what is termed a ‘gold standard’ in relation to intelligence gathering and sharing among its security services and the police and it is a model that is constantly developing and improving. GCHQ’s Director, Jeremy Fielding recently came out saying that in 2017 GCHQ and the UK played a critical role in foiling a least four attacks on mainland Europe. Fielding’s statement came out following Barnier’s threats and it is very rare for a security service director or senior police officers to feel the need to come out and get involved in a political issue. The UK’s intelligence model is one that other EU Member States want to emulate. Also the UK is part of the Five Eyes, which is an intelligence sharing agreement between the UK, the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand and as such currently vital intelligence can be rapidly fed in to the EU systems by the UK, something the EU would lose if Barnier’s threats are realised. The EU should be grateful to the UK as Europol’s former director, Sir Rob Wainwright, who left the post earlier this year, shook up Europol by introducing and improving its intelligence and cooperation structures, all based on the UK’s model. He is currently assisting the UK’s Parliamentary Home Affairs Committee on the status of Brexit negotiations on security and the options available for future policing and security cooperation between the UK and the EU. In relation to EAW’s, there is a possibility that the UK and the EU can negotiate a similar extradition procedure that is as rapid as the EAW because the use of EAW’s has been a two-way process as just as many EAW’s have been carried out by UK policing agencies on behalf of Member States as the UK has made requests. I am confident that as such the UK and the EU can agree on a form of swift extradition. This is important as many EU Member States’ constitutions prohibit extradition of its citizens to third countries, for example Germany.
While in my opinion it is wrong for the EU to use security and serious crime as a political football I am confident pressure will be put on the EU by the Member States and its security services and policing agencies to maintain close cooperation with the UK. As I said the UK is not leaving Europe, it is leaving the EU and the EU is not Europe. Should the EU maintain a hard line on these issues I think the biggest loser with be the citizens of the remaining 27 member States.
I discuss these issues in greater detail in my interview with Radio Sputnik
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If you require any more information or have any questions about our privacy policy, please feel free to contact us by email.
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The NFL season has gone by so quickly and week 13 is already upon us. This is one of the most important weeks of the season for fantasy owners as many are battling it out for that final playoff spot. While many NFL teams are also battling for that final playoff spot, a few teams…
December 2, 2017 in Daily Fantasy, Fantasy Football, NFL.
Viewing top 10 lists is a great way to visualize just how much the NFL changes in just a few months. We’ve seen some nasty season-ending injuries, and some big time trades this year. You might be surprised to see the difference between the top 10 players at each position in pre-season compared to now.…
November 22, 2017 in Fantasy Football, NFL.
As we head into week 11, it’s time to start preparing your team for a playoff push. If your team isn’t in contention, there are still reasons to keep trying. Obviously, no one wants the humiliation of coming in last or the dreaded punishment that follows. You should also be playing for keeper value as…
Week 9 was one that was up and down for me. While I did have a lot of good plays, I just did not get the right combination of good plays in one single lineup. Week 9 was also one that was not very out of the ordinary, the person who won the $1 Millionaire…
November 10, 2017 in Daily Fantasy, Fantasy Football.
Week 9 was one full big news that significantly affected many people’s lineups. First there was the big one with Deshaun Watson tearing his ACL. That was massive because I was all over the Colts and Texans game. The second was Ezekiel Elliott’s news of being eligible for the game against the Chiefs. Then there…
November 7, 2017 in Fantasy Football, NFL.
2017 ALL-ROOKIE TEAM The rookies are shining at all positions this year. Yes, even at Tight End. This article is written using standard scoring to really put these impressive numbers in perspective. With more than half of the regular season behind us, let’s take a look at the 2017 all-rookie fantasy team. QB – Deshaun…
November 7, 2017 in Fantasy Football.
DraftKings is one of my favorite sites to play daily fantasy football on. It’s very different from regular season long fantasy football in many ways. For those still unaware the ins and outs of daily fantasy, I’ve laid out a bit of a beginners guide: First, you are able to build a new lineup each…
November 1, 2017 in Daily Fantasy, Fantasy Football, NFL.
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1 injured in car-vs-scooter OWI accident
From Local Sources
GLENDALE — Police accused a Daviess County woman of felony impaired driving after her car struck a scooter Saturday night in the Glendale area, ejecting and injuring the operator.
Cheyanne C. Stone, 23, Washington, was northbound on State Road 257 in a 2016 Nissan Altima when the 10:37 p.m. accident occurred just south of Daviess County Road 450S, according to the Daviess County Sheriff’s Department.
Police said Stone’s car struck the rear of a northbound 2015 Kymco scooter operated by Traver M. Grubbs, 22, Washington, then continued from the scene.
Grubbs, who was not wearing a helmet, was ejected from the scooter. He suffered a head injury and was transported for treatment, according to authorities. Additional information on his condition was not immediately available.
Law enforcement located Stone and stopped her car north of the U.S. 50 Bypass on State Road 257.
Deputies reported observing alcoholic beverages in plain view and, after further investigation, arrested her on a preliminary Level 6 felony count of operating while intoxicated with a blood alcohol content greater than .15 percent causing serious bodily injury, plus a preliminary misdemeanor count of leaving the scene of a personal injury accident.
Stone was lodged in the Daviess County Security Center.
Total damage was estimated between $2,500 and $5,000.
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Chilko Lake
June 26, 2017JPEG
Astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) took this photograph of the south end of Chilko Lake in the Coast Mountains of British Columbia. Seen here are the southern 11 kilometers (6 miles) of the lake. The lake surface lies at 1,175 meters (3,855 feet) elevation, with neighboring mountains reaching so high (more than 2,200 meters) that they support permanent ice fields and glaciers.
Occupying a valley carved by glaciers, the remote lake dominates Ts’yl-os Provincial Park (pronounced “sigh-loss”). The lake, 250 kilometers north of Vancouver, is the largest natural high-elevation lake in Canada. The park is administered as the traditional territory of the Xeni Gwet’in people, one of the First Nations of British Columbia. The park is also named Ts’ilɁos in the Athabaskan Chilcotin (Tsilhqot’in) language.
Edmond Creek has built a small delta at the head of the lake. Its glacial meltwater feeds fine white sediment (glacial flour) into the lake, changing its color. Most of the lake appears a deep blue color because of its depth (366 meters), but the glacial flour lightens the water color near the delta. The pattern of light-colored water hugging the shoreline shows that currents in the lake flow counter-clockwise and draw the muddy water northward. The currents are driven by the dominant westerly winds in this region of Canada.
Seen from space, the extreme topography of the Canadian Coast Mountains creates a distinctive contrast between snowpack and ice on high peaks (such as Snow White Mountain) and dark valleys nearby. The valleys are dominated by forests and are often in shadow, partly because of the low sun angle at this latitude. Some north-facing slopes never receive direct sunlight.
Astronaut photograph ISS052-E-8635 was acquired on June 26, 2017, with a Nikon D4 digital camera using an 1150 millimeter lens, and is provided by the ISS Crew Earth Observations Facility and the Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, Johnson Space Center. The image was taken by a member of the Expedition 52 crew. The image has been cropped and enhanced to improve contrast, and lens artifacts have been removed. The International Space Station Program supports the laboratory as part of the ISS National Lab to help astronauts take pictures of Earth that will be of the greatest value to scientists and the public, and to make those images freely available on the Internet. Additional images taken by astronauts and cosmonauts can be viewed at the NASA/JSC Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth. Caption by Justin Wilkinson, Texas State University, JETS Contract at NASA-JSC.
Occupying a valley carved by glaciers, the remote lake dominates Ts’yl-os Provincial Park in British Columbia.
Image of the Day for July 17, 2017
ISS — Digital Camera
Image of the Day Land Water Snow and Ice
Lake Neusiedl and Lake Ferto
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Paul Winter at 70
https://media.blubrry.com/echoespodcast/p/echoes.org/podcasts/EchoesPodcast-JadeWarrior.mp3
An Icon of Global Fusion
Paul Winter turned 70 last Monday, on August 31.
You can hear a podcast of this interview, with Paul Winter’s music, here.
It’s easy to underestimate Paul Winter‘s impact on contemporary music, a mistake I suspect I’ve made myself at times. After dozens of albums over nearly 5 decades, four of them with variations on his group, the Paul Winter Consort, you can take him for granted. I’ve been following Winter since my college roommate, Mitch Stern, turned me on to Icarus, Winter’s 1972 album featuring members of the group Oregon along with production from George Martin. Yes, that George Martin. I first interviewed Paul, along with Consort cellist Eugene Friesen and keyboardist Paul Halley, at a hotel room in Exton, PA, where they had a gig that night. I’d talk with Paul several more times over the years, including a couple of treks to his farm in western Connecticut. Winter has also played on the show six times. He brought the Grand Canyon to our living room when he played music from Canyon Lullaby and we went to the Cathedral of St. John the Divine to record him twice.
In that time, I’ve seen Paul Winter continue to grow as a musician and music conceptualist, constantly placing his soprano and band in new contexts and challenging situations, whether it’s negotiating the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon, or negotiating the idiosyncrasies and supralingua melodies of Arto Tuncboyacian. He can occasionally be overly sweet and his bossa nova tendencies have never spoken to me, but he always brings an exploratory mind and melodic heart to his work.
Look at Windham Hill, ECM jazz, and world music in general, and you can find Paul Winter woven around their roots and deep in their DNA.
Happy Birthday Paul. Here’s our tribute to Paul Winter, drawn together from about a dozen Echoes features over the years.
Paul Winter has played in concert halls, cathedrals and canyons, espousing his message of ecological preservation and world chamber music for nearly thirty years with his Paul Winter Consort. Since his Callings album, he’s been mixing in environmental sounds with his classical jazz, chamber world music sound.
Paul Winter doesn’t just make recordings with environmental sounds. He lives amongst the trees and birds on 120 acres of rustic western Connecticut farmland with rolling hills, brooks, rivers and meadows. And as if the sound of nature wasn’t enough, rough hewn instruments dot the landscape, including tubular bells and xylophone bridges.
Paul Winter has been recording for nearly five decades, four of them with variations on his Paul Winter Consort group, an ensemble that has both embraced and launched many of the major musicians in world fusion. Cellists Eugene Friesen and David Darling, percussionists Glen Velez and Jamie Hadad, Irish singer Noirin Ni Rian and jazz guitarist Ralph Towner are only a few of the people to pass through the Consort.
David Darling: Paul is a wonderful human being. His group, too, you know is like in some respects like getting a doctorate in ethnic music if you want to treat it that way. I mean because in those early years, so many different people played with the band, I had such a learning experience.
In the sounds of the Paul Winter Consort, you can hear music from around the world with sitars, Middle Eastern percussion,
Russian singers, whales and wolves. But Paul Winter, who began his career as a jazz saxophonist in the 1960s, says his sources are closer to home.
Paul Winter: America (laughter). This is the land of coming together in so many ways. I think of America as a big garden in which all kinds of things are allowed to grow or encouraged to grow. The essence I think of an earth music like jazz is everything and everybody is welcome.
Paul Winter began the Consort in mid-1960s, but its signature sound came together a few years later when musicians from the group called Oregon joined up. Oregon guitarist Ralph Towner, who wrote “Icarus,” one of the hallmark Consort compositions, recalls the early sound.
Ralph Towner: When we joined Paul Winter he was playing everything from Elizabethan music to Brazilian music to adaptations of baroque music and some adaptations of Bartok. So it was kind of a collection, and it was not a style at the time.
Oregon bassist Glenn Moore: Paul should be credited. He’s quite wonderful. It was an inspiring circumstance for us to see that instrumental could have a state of the art sound system, Neumann microphones and an audience.
Paul Winter didn’t just hear the sound of world music, he heard the sound of the world and incorporated that into his ensemble. On his 1980 album, Callings, Winter took the sounds of seals, whales, otters and other creatures and merged them into his music. He took the consort out on boats to play with the whales.
Paul Winter: When I heard the humpback whale for the first time, it was the same kind of rush that I got when I first heard some of the great jazz players.
Paul Winter has also taken his entire consort and some very bulky recording gear into the Grand Canyon. It was a dream he had nurtured since he’d stood at the canyon’s edge in 1963.
Paul Winter: I remember sitting on the edge of the south rim and playing my horn just for fun and as I heard the sound just instantly disappear in the vast sea of air between me and the north rim, 13 miles across, I remember wondering if there weren’t some amazing echoes if one would take his horn down to the bottom of the canyon, a mile below where I was sitting and play.
Twenty-five years later he realized his vision on the album, Canyon.
Paul winter gets a similar reverberation rush from his annual solstice concerts in the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in Manhattan.
Paul Winter: Sound, wonderful sound. It’s the same reason people like to sing in the shower. The reverberation enhances your sound. More than that, being in a space like that really has an affect on you as a being. I’m not sure exactly what that is, but I think the great gothic architects knew that huge space and perhaps space proportion in the very, very specific way that gothic architecture is, would have an affect on people. It overcomes the cortical chatter and you are immediately swept into a space of awesomeness.
Paul Winter predated New Age music by more than a decade, but even though he was embraced by that audience, he often felt ambivalent about it.
Paul Winter: Newage rhymes with, you finish the sentence (laughter).
He had his own name for his music.
Paul Winter: Contemporary, contrapuntal, Connecticut country consort music.
Yet he didn’t turn down the five New Age Grammy Awards he’s won over the years for albums like Spanish Angel, Celtic Solstice and 2007’s Crestone.
Whether playing in canyons or cathedrals, concert halls or his backyard, Paul Winter tries to make a music that engages his musicians and his audience in their hearts and souls, minds and conscience.
Paul Winter: For me, music implies something more than just the artistic combination of sounds. It has to do with a whole way of living, that’s musical, that’s harmonious, that’s resonant with the earth, with the lineage of our species and the lineage of the whole planet as part of the universe.
Paul Winter turned 70 on August 31. He continues touring and recording, living in western Connecticut with his wife and child.
John Diliberto ((( echoes )))
https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000BVZ57Q/echoes
Tags:Paul Winter
← ECHOES 20th ANNIVERSARY POLL
Echo Location: Donna De Lory’s Pop Chants →
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Idina Menzel on Tackling Bette Midler’s Role in the New Beaches
September 20th, 2016 | By Ryan McPhee
Idina Menzel has jumped over the moon, defied gravity and, uh, worn blazers and cardigans on Broadway. It seems like there’s nothing the blazing supernova can’t face, but her next project is a real beach of a role—one that she fears could be career-ending.
Menzel, who will star as CC Bloom in the Lifetime TV remake of Beaches, spoke to Attitude about her nerves while taking on the iconic Bette Midler part for the small screen. “I said no to doing the film a few time because I love Bette Midler,” Menzel said. “I love the original movie, and I didn’t want to set myself up for failure.”
Ultimately, Menzel decided to step up to the plate, despite not being used to recreating pre-existing roles. She responded to the themes of friendship between two very different women—not unlike those found in Wicked—and wants a new generation to see this story. “In the context of what our struggles are as women now, there’s more to explore,” the Tony winner said, “which made me feel OK about potentially attempting career suicide doing it.”
While the concern of being compared to the Divine Miss M is understandably nerve-racking for Menzel, she at least already has a fan in the Broadway-bound legend. “Can’t wait to see Idina Menzel as CC,” Midler tweeted following the casting announcement.
Lifetime’s Beaches, which will also star Nia Long and feature young Broadway alums Gabriella Pizzolo and Grace Capeless, is set to premiere next year.
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Cinematic Universe or Franchise: DEADPOOL 2’s Effect on X-MEN
By AJ Zender
Ryan Reynold’s DEADPOOL took the world by storm in February 2016. The raunchy, R-rated humor and action set the film apart from the more straight-forward superhero flicks of the time. However, it still technically took place in the context of Fox’s X-MEN films without affecting the continuity in any grand way. DEADPOOL 2, though, seems to be moving in a completely new direction, using the character’s whacky hijinks to expand Fox’s films into a grander cinematic universe.
DEADPOOL 2 looks to add a whole swath of new characters and concepts to the X-MEN franchise. The previous film introduced a new generation of mutants with Negasonic Teenage Warhead. In DEADPOOL 2, though, comic book favorites Cable, X-Force, Black Tom Cassidy, and other important names fill the roster. With all of these concepts and characters, this film is attempting to expand the X-MEN universe in a major way.
DEADPOOL 2 seems to want to tie together disparate elements from X-MEN comics and films to build its own cinematic universe. But is this really the case? More importantly, if Fox is looking to mirror the MCU’s success, are they making the right move?
X-MEN: Franchise or Cinematic Universe?
Courtesy of Fox Entertainment
After the rise of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, we tend to just assume that other superhero franchises are taking them as an example. When DC first released MAN OF STEEL, the idea of using that film as the basis for dozens of other interconnected films seemed crazy. However, this wasn’t always the case.
After all, Sam Raimi’s SPIDERMAN series was just that. It was a series, a franchise. It inspired the rise of other superhero properties, namely FANTASTIC FOUR, but these films never connected into what we’d deem a cinematic universe. They were two separate, longstanding franchises that just happened to stem from the same comic book company.
The X-Men Team Up for the Fight of the Century in X-MEN GOLD #25
That, of course, raises the question about the X-MEN films’ status. Of these other franchises and cinematic universes, X-MEN has run the longest. For the last eighteen years, Fox has been pumping out films in the series. This has led to a continuity so massive that it needed a canon reboot to iron out the creases.
I still wouldn’t call the X-MEN series a cinematic universe. After all, their films carry the X-MEN title, and they all revolve around Xavier’s favorite mutants. The only two films that do not carry this brand, WOLVERINE, and LOGAN, aren’t considered as technically canon properties. They exist just outside the world the X-MEN films have constructed.
DEADPOOL 2: The Road to a Cinematic Universe
However, we don’t fully know yet how DEADPOOL 2 will fit into this established franchise. It may simply be like LOGAN, set in a world apart from the inspiring films. The only way for us to know for sure is if canon X-MEN characters make some appearance in the upcoming film. Nonetheless, this does lead to some interesting questions.
If DEADPOOL 2 will exist in the X-MEN universe then this film will introduce so many possible branching points for a cinematic universe. There are a number of reasons why DEADPOOL 2 could represent the birth of a new Fox Cinematic Universe. Whether it be the elements the film will introduce to fans or the character itself, these reasons all have their own merit. Do note, though, that all of this is just speculation.
I do argue that DEADPOOL 2 will act as a strong bounding board for potential grand storytelling, but without more information (or seeing the film myself), I have no clue as to the status of this possibility.
DEADPOOL Vol. 1, 2011. Courtesy of Marvel Comics
First and foremost, Deadpool as a character offers a unique opportunity for Fox to develop its own cinematic universe. Originally developed by Rob Liefeld, Deadpool has a long history of comedy and of breaking the fourth wall. In the trailers for DEADPOOL 2 alone, we see Ryan Reynold’s version of the character criticizing the writers and editors of the film in character.
He even makes strong allusions to the existence of Hugh Jackman and his character Wolverine throughout the film. This may seem cursory, but it allows the writers and editors to slip in new canon allusions. Do they want to tie Deadpool to an upcoming FANTASTIC FOUR film? Then it wouldn’t be at all unheard of for them to announce said film in a quip from the Merc with a Mouth.
Another interesting aspect of Deadpool’s character is that he isn’t a mutant. He is a superpowered individual, yes, and he plays with the mutants on a frequent basis. He doesn’t get his powers from the X-Gene though. This gives the character a greater chance for expansion. He isn’t exclusively tied to the X-MEN franchise. This means that Fox can use Deadpool as a proxy to other films to X-MEN. He can be a unifying factor solely because he stands just outside of the mainstream.
It should also be noted that Deadpool already acts as a unifying factor within the X-MEN universe. While his first appearance as a villain in X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE is widely despised, his current reboot could tie into the world-altering events of X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST. They even poke fun at this horrendous version of the character in the first DEADPOOL film, so the building blocks are definitely there.
Cable and the X-Force
Probably one of the strongest arguments for DEADPOOL 2 forming a new cinematic universe is the inclusion of Cable and the X-Force to the film. Cable, especially, would work as a perfect tie-in character for a cinematic universe. Not only is the character far more serious than Deadpool, his very existence is a tie-in. The son of Scott Summers, sent back in time to stop a mutant apocalypse, would be a perfect way to branch the franchise into other realms.
More importantly, Cable also stands as the perfect character for a stand-alone film. Seriously, what would be cooler than seeing this techno-organic mutant traveling through time to stop bad guys for two hours? Just take my money already, Fox! Another brilliant opportunity for Fox comes in the introduction of X-Force. While originally created alongside Cable as the next evolution of the NEW MUTANTS, this team has become something of a unique entity in the comics.
Top 10 Weekly Comics News Countdown: DEADPOOL 2, TITANS, Jean Grey and more!
They act as a mutant black ops team, and their stories are some of the darkest and most powerful in the canon. While this version seems to be adapting DEADPOOL 2’s raunchy tone, their introduction here could lead to a grander role later on. Especially with a NEW MUTANTS film coming soon, this might be the perfect time for the spin-off films to be tied directly to the X-MEN canon.
More importantly, I need an X-FORCE film just as badly as I need a solo Cable film.
Kid Apocalypse(?)
The final trailer for DEADPOOL 2 shows a new character with no name. This teenaged boy is seen with glowing hands. Apparently, Cable wants him dead for the ways he affects the future. This kid seems to be the main source of conflict in this film, so it is strange that we know so little about him. If I were a betting man, I’d say there are some interesting connections to an X-FORCE story by Rick Remender.
In fact, this narrative, contained in UNCANNY X-FORCE #1-4, is considered one of modern comics’ greatest stories. The X-Force team is sent to spy on and rescue a young, teenaged boy kidnapped by an evil cult. Why is this mutant so important? He is the descendant and newest reincarnation of the evil mutant Apocalypse.
This speculation may be incredibly far-fetched, but some evidence already seems to be in place. This mutant needs to be powerful enough to draw Cable’s attention, and the powers we see him use in DEADPOOL 2 are incredibly destructive. If this particular speculation is correct, DEADPOOL 2 already connects to the existing film canon.
It means that AGE OF APOCALYPSE did occur in this “cinematic universe” and has had lasting ramifications on the story. Now, this particular point has a lot of ifs attached to it. Nonetheless, if the creators of DEADPOOL 2 wanted to develop an X-MEN Cinematic Universe, this would be the way to do it.
I personally believe that DEADPOOL 2 will open the doors for a Fox Cinematic Universe. As this is speculation alone, there are a number of reasons why this might not work though. Most of these problems surround potential continuity errors and timeline issues. Still, two, in particular, come to mind.
Revisiting X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST
On Continuity: WOLVERINE, LOGAN, and LEGION
As I mentioned earlier, WOLVERINE and LOGAN don’t necessarily take place in the X-MEN continuity. They take prominent plot beats from that franchise as a basis (i.e. Caliban’s appearance in LOGAN), but neither fits into the universe as is. This also includes FX’s series LEGION.
All three of these series use the X-MEN branding in the strictest sense, but none will ever cross-over into the film realm. Now, this might be incorrect with the retconning done in DAYS OF FUTURE PAST. As of this instant, though, all signs point to these three series being separate entities.
In a discussion of a cinematic universe, these separate entities act as a blazing sign. It makes viewers question the continuity of every film and movie using the same branding. This is why the MCU hasn’t delved into alternate universes. When you can have three different IRON MAN stories running at the same time without any affecting the others, your entire canon falls apart.
The precedent has been set for the X-MEN films. They have explored alternate universes in the past. What’s to stop DEADPOOL 2 from being an entirely separate entity with only thematic impact on the general universe as a whole. I hope this doesn’t happen, but it is a distinct possibility.
On Time: Deadpool’s Modern Approach
To be frank, creating a cinematic universe is hard. Right now, long-time fans of the MCU debate long and hard about the timing of certain movies. Does DR. STRANGE’s plot take place before THE AVENGERS? If not, why is his name mentioned in CAPTAIN AMERICA: WINTER SOLDIER?
You run into much the same issue as the previous point. If you have an established timeline, i.e. a linear historical view then you need to stick to that outline or risk confusing your fans. Let’s look past the obvious X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST (DoFP) issue. After all, that’s story’s present was set in the past so that they could save the future. The entire point of that film was historical mucking about, so I give it a free pass.
How R-Rated Movies Can Keep The Superhero Genre Fresh
All of the X-MEN films to come out after DoFP take place in that same timeline. X-MEN: APOCALYPSE firmly took place in the 1980s. DEADPOOL, meanwhile, takes place in the modern age. This timing can complicate the storytelling process. After all, if DEADPOOL has to base its decisions on the history designed in the X-MEN series then it will be bogged down in constant continuity checks.
Fans of DEADPOOL who dislike the X-MEN films will lose out on some key information if they don’t see the precursor films. The MCU handles this fairly well with subtle callbacks. Also, in an internet age, with so many “comic books explained” articles, this issue doesn’t have the same impact. However, the threat to future stories still exists.
Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda
We have taken a look at both sides of this argument, and in researching this article, I found both to be fairly compelling. As I said, I find myself on the side of DEADPOOL 2 building its own cinematic universe.
This does leave out a really important question. Whether or not it is actually developing a shared universe, should DEADPOOL 2 go down this road? Especially with the issues surrounding the DCEU and other burgeoning cinematic universes, should this film even tread these waters?
Money-Making Potential
CABLE AND THE X-FORCE Volume 1 Cover. Courtesy of Marvel Comics
While the DCEU’s cinematic universe has a high-potential of tanking, the X-MEN franchise has something different going for it. The series may not have the same following as the MCU, but it has a long history of producing some above average and some phenomenal films. Fox doesn’t need to build a fan base; they already have one. This means, unlike the DCEU, they can and should jump into character stories with a bit more fervor. They know people will come to their films, so now it is time to throw caution to the wind.
Cable and the X-Force could both bring in money like crazy. Especially if X-Force breaks away from the DEADPOOL 2 tones, Fox could have two giants series to round out their cinematic universes. I’ve already expressed my excitement over these two potential franchises, but let me reiterate. In a Cable film, we could get a time-traveling super-soldier bouncing to different time periods with badass sci-fi weaponry. With X-Force, we would see a team of morally questionable mercenaries with super-powers taking the fight (and hundreds of bullets) to their enemies.
Meet Cable: The Infamous Character From DEADPOOL 2
These films would make money on their own, but tied into the X-MEN franchise, they could draw in two different fan sets. Not only would the film fans show up. The fans of the comics would flock to theaters because their prayers would have finally been answered. These characters are so beloved, so a one-shot simply wouldn’t do them justice.
I know I said one major issue against an X-MEN Cinematic Universe was the muddying of time and continuity. This is a definite concern that Fox needs to address should (I mean, when) their cinematic universe comes about. After all, the upcoming DARK PHOENIX story will definitely impact further films in the franchise.
The question then becomes, with so many disparate years between DEADPOOL and the new X-MEN films, is there too much continuity to work with? The answer is a definite yes. I still feel like Fox could make this work.
Fox Alters Release Dates: What Does This Mean for X-MEN?
After DAYS OF FUTURE PAST, fans haven’t been sure about the present continuity of the X-MEN franchise. After all, we have only had one canon entry in the series since the reboot occurred. This means that the series has a whole lot of leg-work to do before its continuity gets ironed out. What if this job didn’t just fall to the X-MEN films, though?
What if there was an entire slate of films that explored different corners of this rich and beloved universe? One of the strongest aspects of the MCU is the way its films provide unique and potent portrayals of the same world. BLACK PANTHER, with its rich African heritage, is a fantastic example of this. More X-MEN Cinematic Universe films would simply allow creators to expand on the considerable work done in the X-MEN franchise.
More than X
Courtesy of Marvel Comics
Very recently, Fox has announced an entire slate of new films tied into their Marvel movie rights. Among these are KITTY PRYDE, THE MULTIPLE MAN, SILVER SURFER, NEW MUTANTS, and DOCTOR DOOM. In this slate alone, we have three different X-MEN spin-offs. Now, imagine these films as facets of a whole, grander narrative.
One that has our heroes branching into other aspects of X-MEN canon. Or perhaps branching into the lives of other superheroes. With SILVER SURFER and DOCTOR DOOM films on the horizon, it allows for a broader spectrum of storytelling. If Fox looks to follow the MCU’s popularity, then they have to play into the best part of the films: team-ups.
Despite the flop of the new FANTASTIC FOUR film, the comics have made been making a massive come back in recent years. Fans love these characters, but they have never shared a universe with the X-MEN films. However, the inclusion of a newly rebooted FANTASTIC FOUR into the X-MEN canon would lend great credence to this superhero universe.
Just imagine Reed Richards and Sue Storm joining the X-Men on a journey to visit Namor the Submariner (a mutant, but with major ties to the F4 comics). Or the Thing duking it out with a less meme-worthy Juggernaut. The possibilities are endless, and Fox would be foolish not to at least give it a try.
The Merc With the Mouth Changes the Game
If it isn’t clear by now, I am completely for a shared X-MEN cinematic universe. There’s just something so slick and clean about the concept. While there are some arguments against this possibility, I firmly believe that what DEADPOOL 2 presents to the general public will attempt to expand the X-MEN mythos into a full-fledged cinematic universe.
The possibilities that this brings about are seemingly endless. I’ve listed several above, but I think the coolest aspect has to be the potential for team-ups. I really want to see the X-Men and the Fantastic Four battling Galactus together. Please, Fox. Make that happen!
Help support ComicsVerse! Head over to ComiXology to subscribe to the DEADPOOL series from Marvel.
TagsDeadpoolFantastic FourX-Menryan reynoldsMCUMarvel Cinematic UniverseX-Men: ApocalypseX-Men: Days of Future PastFoxRick RemenderRob LiefeldMutantsuperheroesCablemutantsX-ForceX-Men First ClassDeadpool 2speculationcinematic universeX-MEN franchiseX-MEN: Apocacable and the x-forceKid Apocalypse
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January 21, 2016 August 5, 2016 estudiaespanolvallejo
URUGUAY: FROM GAUCHOS AND MATE, THROUGH PORTUNOL CARNIVAL, TO PUNTA DEL ESTE CHIC
What does a South American “safe haven” look like? Seek no further than Uruguay, a tiny nation comprising slightly over three million people, sheltered by a temperate climate, and ensconced in the protective hold of a stable democracy and a solid economy. The Eastern Republic of Uruguay was named after the river that runs along its western border with Argentina, and until two hundred years ago, the two countries had indeed formed part of the unified Eastern Province. In the Guarani language – spoken by the indigenous peoples that used to dwell across the better part of South America – the name Uruguay translates as “the river of painted birds.”
Since the first moments of its discovery by the Europeans, Uruguay had been subject to competing claims by Portugal and Spain over settlements and cities developed over the course of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Likewise, in the decades of the wars of independence in the early nineteenth century, Brazil and Argentina both sought to add Uruguay to their territories. Uruguay was recognized as an independent and sovereign state in 1828. With the proclamation of its first constitution in 1830, the new state was officially named as the Eastern State of Uruguay. Its capital, Montevideo, distinguishes itself as the second city in the world by the number of Art Deco buildings, right behind Paris. In 1930, Uruguay played host for the Soccer World Cup and snagged away the title of the first winner of that celebrated championship. Montevideo and Uruguay also excel as the biggest world consumers of whiskey and mate. Another interesting oddity from Montevideo’s lively history: the Punta Carretas shopping center was a prison transformed into a leisure hall.
Montevideo stands out as one of the few world cities that has a low degree of air pollution. This fortunate distinction can be attributed to its particular geographic location as well as to the visionary pioneers who designed the city’s green areas over the course of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The Uruguayan capital gets fresh air from the winds coming from the coast and sweeping over its streets, but its lungs are in fact made of over eight square miles of parks and gardens, strategically distributed all over the city and its environs, in addition to thousands of trees planted along the sidewalks of its streets and avenues. Likewise, the city’s main artery is the quayside, stretching all along its southern shore, where people go to work out, meditate, meet with friends, or just contemplate the sea. Extending over more than 12 miles, the quayside not only frames but also defines the city. One of the architectural landmarks of Montevideo and a hub for social encounters and economic activity is the Mercado Agricola, the produce and food market enclosed within a majestic temple of Uruguayan agricultural production and food industry.
The other facet of Uruguayan economy is best represented by the beach resort of Punta del Este, better known as the St Tropez of South America, Uruguay’s Riviera, or Amalfi and Monte Carlo combined. Situated at the spot where the Rio de la Plata joins the Atlantic Ocean, the city of Punta del Este ranks as a major destination in South America for its sunny beaches, summer houses, posh retreats, or permanent relocation. The earliest historical records about Punta del Este go back to the maps that Amerigo Vespucci dedicated to Lorenzo de Medici charting out his passage in 1502. Commanding a Portuguese fleet that was exploring Brazilian lands, he reached the coast of present-day Punta del Este and continued farther south. The real colonizer of the Rio de la Plata was Juan Díaz Solís, who sailed into its waters naming them Mar Dulce (Sweet Sea) and on 20 January 1516 reached the Island of Lobos, which he baptized as the Island of San Sebastián de Cádiz. On 2 February 1516, Solis discovered the bay of Punta del Este, and named it Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria (Our Lady of Candelaria). After his death and upon the return of his expedition to Spain, the first goods were exported from Uruguay to Europe: sea lions’ fur. Another famous voyager who sailed along the coast of Punta del Este was Ferdinand Magellan, whose expedition towards the Moluccas was the first voyage around the earth confirming that our planet is round. Explorers serving the Spanish and Portuguese crown were not the only ones travelling the Uruguayan waters. The English pirate Francis Drake, in the service of the British crown, reached the Rio de la Plata on 19 April 1578 and was the second man to achieve the feat of circumnavigation of the Earth’s oceans. Other celebrated voyagers and visitors to the Uruguayan coast included Horatio Nelson and Lady Hamilton in 1808, Charles Darwin on board the Beagle in 1833, and Giuseppe Garibaldi in 1837. In the course of the nineteenth century, Punta del Este developed a reputation as an elite resort town and a fashionable spa. The twentieth-century Punta del Este, a resort-city hybrid, offers the visitors an exciting alternative to the typical modern city: its beautiful landscapes cradle spacious beaches, distinguished for their natural exotic beauty and environmental intactness. Punta del Este equals tourism, security, high quality of life, culture, arts, history, lush natural and man-made beauty, and a variety of sports – surfing, kite-flying, windsurfing, fishing, kayaking, triathlon, etc. Punta del Este is also one of the major cruiser ports in South America. Everything that the city has to offer and display is accompanied by professionally conceived city tours, with guides and abundant information for tourists and professionals attending numerous conferences and congresses in all sorts of fields. The versatile and multi-faceted nature of this city-resort attracts and seduces families seeking entertainment, professional artists, wealthy entrepreneurs, international movie stars and super models, all of them converging in Punta del Este for its luxury boutiques and cafes, the picturesque hustle and bustle of the port and marinas speckled with yachts and fishing boats, the live music and street artists, etc. It is worth pointing out that the beauty of this magical city does not dim out with the end of the summer, but, on the contrary, the mild Uruguayan winter provides further opportunities to explore the dazzling gems of the Uruguayan countryside.
The gaucho, the typical inhabitant of the Uruguayan countryside ever since the late seventeenth century, has enjoyed the legendary nomadic lifestyle, in rugged solitude, without a stable home or work. The origins of the gaucho can be linked back to the specific political, social and economic conditions of the Eastern Province: vast stretches of unpopulated land, with ample abundance of untamed livestock, which was used for cattle farming. The gaucho does not correspond to any single ethnic type, but is the product of miscegenation in the region of the Rio de la Plata. He lived from odd jobs and smuggling skins and cattle. For all his tasks, the gaucho relied on his horse. Horses were introduced by the Europeans at the end of the sixteenth century, and thence emerged the typical local breed in Uruguay, “the creole horse.” Those are relatively small horses with a slow trot, but with an impressive ability to maintain a steady trot over a long time, running on little food and against adverse weather conditions. The horse was the gaucho’s faithful partner in all the fieldwork, and in battles, also his recreation and transportation. The horse and the gaucho made up a functional unit. A gaucho without a horse was not worth his name. This historical tradition is nowadays reflected in the majority of Uruguayan ranches that specialize in horses. The visitors can interact with and mount the ranch horses in various serene spots across the Uruguayan countryside. Horseback riding has also been established as a pleasurable pastime and a mode of healing – equine therapy.
In a similar fashion, the mate has been known as a loyal companion to the gaucho as well as the modern Uruguayan. The mate is an infusion of Guarani origin, bitter in taste, prepared from the leaves of the yerba mate tree. It is considered an authentic national drink. The word itself, “mate,” derives from the Quechua word “mati” that signifies “pumpkin.” The conquistadors used this word to refer to what the Guarani people called “caiguá,” which means “what belongs to yerba,” or “from yerba.” Even though it can be savored in any context, the yerba mate is a beverage that should be shared in a circle, as an occasion for getting together and socializing. The yerba mate drinking customs feature lots of rituals that go beyond mere beverage consumption, but establish an interactive exchange between the one who prepares it and the one who takes it. As proof of the centrality of mate’s place in Uruguayan culture, a lively repertoire of slang idiomatic expressions has developed around the magical word/concept. Thus, if you wish to express forgiveness, invite the guilty party for a mate con café. When you mean marriage, brew some mate con miel. As sign of acceptance, take mate con cedrón. If you have to make it clear that somebody’s visit is undesirable, bring out mate con ombú. Mate hirviendo (piping-hot mate) is the unmistakable sign of hatred. And when you need to send someone away to drink at another place, serve some mate lavado (mate brewed from overused leaves).
Given that the majority of the Uruguayan population comes from European stock, primarily Spain and Italy, Uruguayan Spanish features considerable Italian influence. Cocoliche is still spoken as a creole mixture of Spanish and Italian, whereas in the northern regions close to the border with Brazil, a fusion dialect known as Portuñol is in wide use, blending Spanish and Portuguese. The spirit of Uruguayan culture, composed of contrasting and warring elements, and yet blended neatly into a harmonious whole, can be captured most effectively in the course of three distinctive national ceremonies. The merienda teatime with yerba mate, and the asado barbecues, combine the strong, pungent flavors of local cuisine with the imperative for social bonding and communication across food preparation and sharing. Uruguayan carnivals stir up the settled Argentinian influences of gaucho culture, stomping and thumping with the Brazilian impact of the candombe folkloric percussion street bands of around fortyish musicians who pound their barrel-shaped drums in echoes of the music created by the Uruguayan Black population in the nineteenth century. Ultimately, the national passion for soccer, or football, has acted as a fabled and legendary glue sustaining cohesion and binding together this minuscule nation of immigrants into a tight-knit family, all mutually responsible for each other’s safety and success. This feeling extends from the miraculous triumph over Brazil at the World Cup in 1950, through improvised kids’ practice matches in the streets, to one of the most efficient social security and welfare system in South America. Uruguay is all for one, one for all.
Folleto informativo emitido por la Dirección General de Turismo del Departamento de Maldonado.
Museo del Gaucho y de la Moneda.
Uruguay Visión 2011. Ministerio de Turismo y Deporte.
WHERE TO STUDY SPANISH IN URUGUAY:
www.mi-puente.com
© 2016 Vallejo Center for Learning Spanish All Rights Reserved
ORCID iD 0000-0003-2325-2086
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Discovering a Finnish Beginning
Travel: Celebrating Finland’s 100th anniversary
Rod Mickleburgh returns to the land of his ancestors to discover an almost genetic propensity to fight for social justice and a rather bizarre predilection for odd sports
By Rod Mickleburgh
You may have missed it, but the land of my ancestors recently celebrated it’s centennial. On Dec. 6, 1917, small but mighty Finland officially severed itself from Russia, becoming an independent country for the first time. Russia’s new Bolshevik rulers did not protest. I remember leafing through one of my great aunt’s photo albums and seeing a grainy picture of the raising of the Finnish flag in their small community for the first time. A bit more than two and a half years after independence, my mother was born in the fishing/farming village of Sideby. When I first visited “the relatives” in the winter of 1971, I was given the very room where her birth took place. Under the mountain of blankets my two great aunts supplied, I remember going to sleep that night looking at the same walls that oversaw my mother’s first breath of life and pondering the chains of existence. Because my great-grandfather August Jossfok, a rough-looking, bearded fellow in big boots, and a young woman down the road, Ida Mathilda Karlsdottor, found favour with each other 130 years ago, I am here today. (My grandmother’s family was from the small farming community of Karperö, further north.)
My mother’s family are Swede-Finns, part of the predominantly Swedish-speaking communities that line the Gulf of Bothnia, left over from the several hundred years when Finland was part of imperial Sweden. In the old days, Swede-Finns spoke only Swedish. When the family left for Canada in 1928, my mother didn’t know a word of Finnish. Few outside Finland realize that the country remains officially bilingual, although mixed-marriages and migration to Sweden have reduced those for whom Swedish is their first language to barely 6 percent of the population.
In fact, there is probably much else people don’t know about Finland, besides saunas, Sibelius (a Swede-Finn, incidentally), the prowess of its hockey players and its remarkable education system, which consistently produces student results among the best in the world. Herewith, in honour of Finland’s 100th birthday, are a dozen things you might like to know about a country that has punched above its weight for a long time, and continues to march to its own drummer. (Even before independence, Finland had been the first jurisdiction in Europe to give women the right to vote, in 1906–10 years before good old Canada.) First, some history.
Thousands of “Red Finns” left their divided homeland, now in the hands of the vengeful Whites, and emigrated to Canada. Many found work in the logging camps and mines of northern Ontario. The new arrivals did not leave their politics behind. A number became political activists and radical union organizers.
The fierce polarized politics of early Finland were frightful. Immediately after independence, conservative Whites and socialist Reds duked it out for ascendancy, resulting in a short, brutal civil war that claimed 36,000 lives in a country of just three million people. With the critical assistance of several thousand German troops, the Whites were victorious.
The bitterness of the civil war had a tangible impact on far-away Canada. Thousands of “Red Finns” left their divided homeland, now in the hands of the vengeful Whites, and emigrated to Canada. Many found work in the logging camps and mines of northern Ontario. The new arrivals did not leave their politics behind. A number became political activists and radical union organizers. In 1929, Janne Voutilainen and Viljo Rosvall “drowned” while trying to organize some nearby loggers. Most believe they were murdered by anti-union thugs. Their funeral was the largest ever held in Thunder Bay, which retains a Finnish flavor even today, most notably with the venerable, 100-year old Hoito restaurant, still on the bottom floor of the Finnish Labour Temple. My grandfather was also among the “Red Finn” contingent, but thankfully, he brought his family to Vancouver.
Shredding the neo-con argument that taxes and government get in the way of economic development, Finland’s per-capita income has more than held its own among other Western industrialized countries.
In World War II, Finland was an ally of Germany. Hitler made a brief visit in 1942 to wish the country’s military leader, Carl Gustaf Mannerheim, a happy 75th birthday. The previous year Finnish forces had attacked the Soviet Union to regain territory lost to the USSR during the Winter War. After some initial success, the venture ended disastrously. After the war, the Soviets exacted heavy reparations, claimed a chunk of border territory, and took jurisdiction over a strategic peninsula not that far from Helsingfors (as Swede-Finns call the capital) until 1956. Finland was also required to remain “neutral” in world affairs, a position they scrupulously maintained until the collapse of the Soviet Union.
During the post-war years, Finland established one of the most extensive state social services systems in the world, believing, along with other Nordic countries, that governments have a duty to intervene on behalf of their citizens. Shredding the neo-con argument that taxes and government get in the way of economic development, Finland’s per-capita income has more than held its own among other Western industrialized countries. In 2016, the World Economic Forum ranked tiny Finland first in terms of World Human Capital. Other international reports found Finland the most stable country in the world from 2011-2016, and second best in terms of the gender gap. As baseball broadcaster Mel Allen used to say: “How about that?!”
In 1929, Janne Voutilainen and Viljo Rosvall “drowned” while trying to organize some nearby loggers. Most believe they were murdered by anti-union thugs. Their funeral was the largest ever held in Thunder Bay, which retains a Finnish flavor even today, most notably with the venerable, 100-year old Hoito restaurant, still on the bottom floor of the Finnish Labour Temple.
Finland has military conscription. All my male cousins, on turning 18, had to interrupt their education to serve at least six months with the Finnish army. Coalition governments are the order of the day. For many years (until 2015), the small Swedish People’s Party (Svenksa Folkpartiet), supported by just about all of my relatives, was part of the government.
Easy to lick: Touko Laksonen’s stamp features homoerotic artwork that you can stick to any package.
In 2014, Finland became the first, and so far, only country to put homoerotic drawings by a gay artist on its stamps. They were the work of the artist known as Tom of Finland (Touko Lasksonen), subject of a recent bio-pic this year by director Dome Karukoski. (The one above is the mild one.)
Of course, Finland isn’t perfect. Alcoholism remains a big problem, no doubt contributing to the country’s relatively high homicide rate, while youth unemployment is stuck at around 20 per cent. And, as in most European countries, anti-immigration sentiment has become an issue, fueling the growth of a worrisome, nationalist party. The good news, however, is that political leaders banded together in June to freeze out the Finns Party, after it elected a hard-line, anti-immigration leader. Twenty elected members of the party left to help the coalition government maintain its majority. “This decision will likely ruin our political careers, but we are determined to do this,” they said in a statement. “Today, we are not politicians, but we are doing this for the fatherland’s sake.” How rare is that in today’s political world?
In the final of the world hockey championship in 2011, playing against their loathed, arch-rivals, Finland whacked neighbouring Sweden 6-1. It was the greatest triumph in the history of Finnish hockey.
Believe it or not, the national sport of Finland is not hockey, but baseball. However, banish any thought of the North American version of rounders. The Finns call it Pesäpallo, and the rules seem to come from outer space. Would anyone else other than the fun-loving Finns have three designated players on each team called “Jokers”? You think cricket is complicated? It takes this guy more than five minutes to explain all the ins and outs of Pesäpallo. Unlike any sport you’ve ever seen.
Well, maybe not. There’s also the Finns’ fondness for fen football, otherwise known as swamp soccer. The august New York Times had a hard time taking it seriously, headlining their story on the competitive bog slog: “Finland has a sports screw loose.” This from a country that relishes bowling. But never mind. Read about it here. Try hard not to laugh.
12. Last, but certainly not least: according to the Guinness World Records, the 19-letter Finnish word saippuakivikauppias (a soapstone vendor), is the world’s longest palindromic word in everyday use. That prompted my friend Lorne Slotnick to ponder: “Why would the word for a soapstone vendor be in “everyday use”?” And the answer is: Because it’s Finland!
Happy 100th birthday, land of my mother’s birth, and a Hyvää Joulua to you all.
For more Mickleburgh, you can check out the Ex-Press archives or visit Mickleblog.
Photo above: Bog soccer combines mud wrestling with the beautiful game to create a homely sport.
THE EX-PRESS, December 27, 2017
Bog Soccer
Mickleburgh
Red Finn
Touko Laksonen
White Finn
Columns & Series | History | Newsroom | Politics | Rod Mickleburgh
One, two, three strikes — and Canada is out!
Columns & Series | Misty Harris | Pop Culture | Pop Culture Decoder
Holy Fuck! I Just Turned 40
Columns & Series | History | Newsroom | People | Rod Mickleburgh | Tribute
Lest We Forget the heroes once branded “enemy aliens”
Authors | Columns & Series | History | News | Newsroom | On Journalism | Politics | Rod Mickleburgh
Dave Barrett Broke Down Walls of Government
No Replies to "Discovering a Finnish Beginning"
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Uncle Ed Nelson’s harmonica and the Zeffirelli-sphere
Spider-Man Far From Home — with excess baggage
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Late Night digests systemic sexism, spews it out in Technicolor yawn
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Aladdin’s magic remains, but we could always wish for more
Ex-Press Yourself
Movie Reviews | Pop Culture Decoder
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July 12, 2018 exechange
After almost 12 years in the position
Accolades, praise and thanks for Turner
Rodger Levenson taking over
Turner will remain as Executive Chairman at WSFS Financial
Turner spoke at length and said 147 words
(exechange) — Wilmington, Delaware, July 11, 2018 — Mark Turner, chief executive of WSFS Financial, leaves his post. His departure is made public at an early stage. As announced by WSFS Financial Corporation in a news release and in a regulatory filing published on Wednesday, July 11, 2018, Mark A. Turner leaves his post as Chief Executive Officer at the parent company of WSFS Bank after almost 12 years in the role, effective January 1, 2019.
It is the end of an era.
Among the 3,000 largest publicly held companies incorporated in the U.S. based on market capitalization, the average tenure of the CEOs who departed over the past 12 months was 9.4 years, according to data compiled by exechange. Only 38 percent of the CEOs who departed over the past 12 months left the position after more than 10 years.
Turner’s duties will be taken over by Rodger Levenson, currently Chief Operating Officer of WSFS Financial Corporation.
“Thoughtful, deliberate, and continual Board and executive management succession planning process”
Turner’s departure from the CEO post is explained as follows. Lead Independent Director Eleuthère I. du Pont said: “This transition is part of our thoughtful, deliberate, and continual Board and executive management succession planning process.”
Effective January 1, 2019, Mark A. Turner, Chairman, President and CEO, will become the Executive Chairman of the Boards of Directors of each of WSFS and WSFS Bank.
As Executive Chairman, Turner will lead the Board of Directors with Lead Independent Director Eleuthère I. du Pont and facilitate the seamless transition to Levenson.
“He will also leverage his decades of experience in and knowledge of local markets and the banking industry to serve as an external champion for the Company, further enhance WSFS’ culture and reputation, and help shape the next chapter of the Bank’s growth story,” WSFS Financial said.
Share price rise since September 2011
The change follows a rise in the share price of WSFS Financial Corporation since September 2011.
Mark A. Turner, has been the President, Chief Executive Officer and a Director of both WSFS Financial Corporation and WSFS Bank since 2007.
In July 2017, Turner was also elected Chairman of the Board of WSFS.
Turner was previously both the Chief Operating Officer and the Chief Financial Officer of WSFS.
Prior to joining WSFS in 1996, he worked at CoreStates Bank, Meridian Bancorp and at the international professional services firm of KPMG, LLP.
WSFS is a multi-billion dollar, publicly-traded financial organization (NASDAQ:WSFS), the largest bank and trust company headquartered in Delaware and the Delaware Valley, and the 7th oldest bank in the U.S.
Turner is privileged to be leading a Company that has been named by an independent survey as a “Top Workplace” in its home market for the last 12 years in a row (with special recognitions for the Company’s leadership, ethics, and career development), and has also been voted as the “#1 Bank” in its home market for seven years in a row.
Turner received his MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, his Master’s Degree in Executive Leadership from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and his Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting and Management from LaSalle University.
Among other executive leadership programs, Turner has studied at National Training Labs, Aspen Institute, Gallup University, Toyota University, Center for Creative Leadership, Harvard University, UC Berkeley, Stanford University and Buckley School for Public Speaking.
Turner is also a frequent guest speaker at Wharton’s Executive Education programs.
Turner is an active leader in his communities.
Among other activities, he has served as: Chairman of the Board of Delaware Business Roundtable (DBRT); a member of the U.S. Federal Reserve Board’s Advisory Council (FAC); Chairman of the Board of Delaware Bankers Association (DBA); a member of the Executive Committee of the Board of Delaware State Chamber of Commerce (DSCC); a member of the board of First State Innovation (FSI); a member of the local Board of Teach For America (TFA), Delaware; and a founding member of both Delaware Talent Live (DTL) and Wilmington Leaders Alliance (WLA).
Turner is a lifelong native of the Delaware Valley area.
He is married to Regina, VMD, PhD, and they have two daughters.
It is not completely certain what forces eventually triggered Mark Turner’s move.
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Central Pacific Financial CEO Catherine Ngo leaves post at short notice
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Banks - Regional - USDelawareFinancial ServicesMark A. TurnerRodger LevensonWilmingtonWSFS FinancialWSFS Financial Corporation
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News for early careers: Giving early-career researchers the floor
We are launching a new programme of monthly webinars to give early-career researchers in the life and biomedical sciences a platform to share opportunities and explore issues around building a successful research career.
Inside eLife Aug 12, 2016
The programme of free, online events, which will take place on the last Wednesday of each month, will feature webinars exploring funding opportunities, how to build an independent research career, and the latest tools in research communication — helping all early-career researchers to make the most of their research career.
The community behind eLife — including the research funders that support the journal, our editors and referees, and our Early-Career Advisory Group — are keenly aware of the pressures faced by junior investigators seeking to develop a successful research career. In addition, our mission is to help scientists accelerate discovery. We do this by operating of a platform for research communication — one that not only enables rapid communication of results, but that also encourages and recognises the most responsible behaviours in science. Therefore, we are embarking on a new project to showcase success stories and share experiences related to career-building and responsible research behaviours amongst the early-career community.
The eLife #ECRWednesday programme kicks off in 2016 with the following webinars:
Communicating your research: What’s the deal with preprints?
11:00am in New York | 4:00pm in London
A discussion of the benefits and opportunities that depositing your work in a preprint server brings, featuring
Buz Barstow, Burroughs Wellcome Fund CASI Fellow at the Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, New York
Jessica Polka, Director of ASAPbio and visiting postdoc at Harvard Medical School, Boston (Image credit: Rick Groleau)
Nikolai Slavov, Assistant Professor at Northeastern University, Boston
Careers: How to get an independent position
Three early-stage group leaders tell their stories, and share their top tips and advice for finding your own independence. We’ll hear from
Megan Carey, Group Leader and HHMI International Early Career Scientist, Champalimaud Neuroscience Program, Lisbon, Portugal
Gunther Hollopeter, Assistant Professor in the Department of Molecular Medicine at Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
Emmy Verschuren, FIMM-EMBL International Group Leader at the Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland, Helsinki
All webinars will include a Q&A session with the panellists and will be followed by a Twitter chat to continue the discussion, from @eLife_careers and listed under #ECRWednesday.
The #ECRWednesday webinar programme complements our wide range of initiatives to support early-career researchers, and follows last year’s series of webinars on funding opportunities for postdocs, featuring the Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP), Sir Henry Dale Fellowships by the Wellcome Trust, and Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards (NRSA) by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). You can find out more about our work for early-career researchers at elifesciences.org/careers.
You can browse and register for upcoming webinars at elifesciences.org/events.
We welcome your suggestions for future webinars - what would you like to discuss? Please contact Naomi at n.penfold@elifesciences.org or join an upcoming webinar to let us know.
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American dancer, actor, singer, director, producer and choreographer
Eugene Curran Kelly (August 23, 1912 – February 2, 1996), better known as Gene Kelly, was an American dancer, actor, singer, director, producer, and choreographer.
I really don't know why I clicked. I didn't want to be a dancer, I just did it to work my way through college. But I was always an athlete and gymnast, so it came naturally.
Quoted in "Gene Kelly's Musical Memories" by Rex Reed, in The Chicago Tribune (November 29, 1970)
In the 1930s, when I started, Martha Graham was the only dancer doing anything modern, but she did it all to classical music. I couldn't see myself doing Swan Lake every night, and I wanted to develop a truly American style. The only dancer in the movies at that time with any success was Fred Astaire, but he did very small, elegant steps in a top hat, white tie, and tails.
Quoted in "Gene Kelly's Musical Memories"
It's all true. It's true I didn't want to be a dancer. What I really wanted to be was a shortstop for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Then at 14 I discovered girls, and began to study dancing diligently. At that time dancing was the only way you could put your arm around the girl. Dancing was courtship. Only later did I discover you dance joy. You dance love. You dance dreams. Of course, the Pittsburgh Pirates lost a hell of a shortstop.
Speaking on March 8, 1985 at the American Film Institute; as quoted in "Hollywood Honors Man Who `Danced Joy'" by Paul Rosenfield, in Los Angeles Times (March 9, 1985)
Fred Astaire represented the aristocracy, I represented the proletariat.
Quoted in Vaudeville Old and New, Frank Cullen, Florence Hackman, Donald McNeilly (2004) [1]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikiquote.org/w/index.php?title=Gene_Kelly&oldid=2600623"
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Main Museum
Notice for Visitors
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The Natural History of Taiwan
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The Indigenous Peoples of Taiwan
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Peinan Site Park
Museum of Archaeology, Tainan Branch of NMP
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::: Home > Visit > Peinan Site Park > Permanent Exhibitions
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Exhibition room
The exhibit in the exhibition room is designed in accordance with the archeological findings and the research results of the Peinan Site over the past 20 years. Upon entering, you will see the rescue of the slate coffin burial complex under your feet. The specially designed tempered glass suspension bridge reminds us that we may be walking on the site at any time. After passing the bridge, there is a cross-section of the stratum from the site to present the culture vividly. Continue up, there are few exhibits of the scale models that explain the process and method of excavation, allowing the visitors to gain a basic understanding of the site before entering the main exhibits. The exhibits include the 3D model of Taitung Plain, the stratum of the site, the tiers of the prehistoric culture, the discovery and excavation of the site, and the site in the aboriginal legends. The Peinan Site is presented from geological and historical structure.
The stone pillar reproduction in the center of the exhibit leads the visitors to the contexts the Peinan Culture. The pottery, stone and jade objects made by the people of the Peinan Culture are displayed to tell the ancient stories. The site structure, tools and the burials allow us to relive the prosperity of the Peinan Culture, including the settlement, the dwellings, the dwelling, the manhood ceremony, the funerary traditions, the jade craftsmanship and the pottery technique. Aside from the still exhibits, the film show in the exhibition room presents the life of the people of Peinan Culture in 3000 years ago through computer simulation.
Given the significance of the Peinan Site, Professor Wen-hsun Sung suggested that an outdoor museum be built at the site in 1982. After years of discussion, the decision to build "Peinan Cultural Park" at the Peinan Site was finalized in 1991. The surface area of the first stage plan was 18.4ha. Based on the outcome of the trial excavation, Chung Chih Environment and Landscape Consultant Co., Ltd. was appointed to undertake planning and construction of the museum and this began in 1994. In 1999, the major facilities in the first stage plan were nearly completed. Unfortunately, due to the unresolved protests by the local farmers about the broadening of the roads in the park up to then, the license for the use of the Visitor Center could not be obtained for a long time. It was only after the active intervention of the Tourism Development Commission of the Executive Yuan, that the matter was resolved. In December 2002, the Peinan Cultural Park officially opened to the public, the birth of the first site park in Taiwan.
The management principle of the park is to deem the site as a museum of the universe. In order to realize the principle of co-existence with the site, as well as bringing the architectural technology of the late 20th century into full play. The layout, the architectural landscape design, and the building materials have all been chosen after thorough consideration. In coordination to the distribution of the underground historical artifacts, the gentle slopes at the west side of the park were planned as the facility usage zone and the native planting area, while the east side was presented as a large lawn. The Visitor Center was designed as one-story building on the sloping terrain, and coated with an integrated truss structure and gray stainless steel tiles, creating an open space with a simple structure. The arched entrance of the square was constructed with materials that were well integrated and steel tubes to form suspension beams shaped like a shell, which reflects the stability of the entire structure. The Open-air Amphitheater made use of the natural terrain in building the arched stands that blend in with the surrounding gentle slopes. All the facilities in the park are well matched to the natural green environment.
On-Site Exhibition
Crescent-shape Stone Pillars
The stone pillars are the first item to draw the attention from anthropologists in the Peinan Site. In Kano Tadao's "Megalithic Culture in East Taiwan" (1930), slate pillars were recorded as erecting at the Site. The stone pillars are 1.8-3.6m in height, the highest one is 4.6m, and form a almost-perfect straight line in the directions of the northeast or southwest. After half century of exploitation, the stone pillars are no longer found nowadays, except for one standing at the Site. It is the landmark and the historical witness of the Peinan Site, the Crescent-shape Stone Pillar.
The "Crescent-shape Stone Pillar" is named for the circular hole on the top, which shapes like a full moon. The function of the stone pillar is still vague until today. One legend says that the people of the Peinan Culture used them to support the house, and the hole on the top is for the beam. Another theory says that the ancient people of the Peinan Culture set the round stone pillars in front of the house to symbolize the societal status. Today, the site of the stone pillar is the small platform left by the railroad construction. To its north was once the excavation site but now a railroad switchyard. Only the Tulan Mt. standing far away is still in the clouds, for thousands of years.
Main Site Address
Address: No.1 Museum Rd., Taitung,Taiwan,95060, R.O.C.
Tel： 886-89-38-1166
fax： 886-89-38-1199
Peinan Cultural Park Address
Address: No.200 Cultural Park Rd., Taitung, Taiwan,95059,R.O.C.
Museum of Archaeology,Tainan Branch of NMP Address
Address: No.10, Nanke 3rd Rd.,Xinshi Dist., Tainan, Taiwan,744
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British chemist
For the bishop, see Peter Atkins (bishop). For the professor of geography, see Peter Atkins (geographer).
Peter William Atkins
(1940-08-10) 10 August 1940 (age 78)
Amersham, Buckinghamshire, England
Oxford, England
Academic level chemistry text books
Judith Kearton
Susan Greenfield
Patricia-Jean Nobes (m. 2008)
RSC Meldola Medal
Scientific career
Lincoln College, Oxford
MCR Symons
Laurence Barron
A.D. Wilson-Gordon
David Broomhead
Peter William Atkins FRSC (born 10 August 1940) is an English chemist and a Fellow of Lincoln College at the University of Oxford. He retired in 2007. He is a prolific writer of popular chemistry textbooks, including Physical Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, and Molecular Quantum Mechanics. Atkins is also the author of a number of popular science books, including Atkins' Molecules, Galileo's Finger: The Ten Great Ideas of Science and On Being.
2 Views on religion
3 Private life
4.1 General readers
4.2 University textbooks
5 Media appearances
Atkins left school (Dr Challoner's Grammar School, Amersham) at fifteen and took a job at Monsanto as a laboratory assistant. He studied for A-levels by himself and gained a place, following a last-minute interview, at the University of Leicester.
Atkins studied chemistry there, obtaining a BSc degree in chemistry, and a PhD degree in 1964 for research into electron spin resonance spectroscopy, and other aspects of theoretical chemistry. Atkins then took a postdoctoral position at UCLA as a Harkness Fellow of the Commonwealth fund.[1] He returned to Britain in 1965 as a fellow and tutor of Lincoln College, Oxford, and lecturer in physical chemistry (later, professor of physical chemistry). In 1969, he won the Royal Society of Chemistry's Meldola Medal. In 1996 he was awarded the Title of Distinction of Professor of Chemistry. He retired in 2007, and since then has been a full-time author.[2]
He has honorary doctorates from the University of Utrecht, the University of Leicester (where he sits on the university Court), Mendeleev University in Moscow, and Kazan State Technological University.
He was a member of the Council of the Royal Institution and the Royal Society of Chemistry. He was the founding chairman of IUPAC Committee on Chemistry Education, and is a trustee of a variety of charities.
Atkins has lectured in quantum mechanics, quantum chemistry, and thermodynamics courses (up to graduate level) at the University of Oxford. He is a patron of the Oxford University Scientific Society.
In 2016 Atkins received the James T. Grady-James H. Stack Award for Interpreting Chemistry for the Public from the American Chemical Society.[3]
Views on religion[edit]
Atkins is a well-known atheist.[4] He has written and spoken on issues of humanism, atheism, and the incompatibility of science and religion. According to Atkins, whereas religion scorns the power of human comprehension, science respects it.[5]
He was the first Senior Member of the Oxford University Secular Society, a Distinguished Supporter of Humanists UK (formerly known as the British Humanist Association) and an Honorary Associate of the National Secular Society. He is also a member of the Advisory Board of The Reason Project, a US-based charitable foundation devoted to spreading scientific knowledge and secular values in society. The organisation is led by fellow atheist and author Sam Harris. Atkins has regularly participated in debates with theists such as Alister McGrath, Stephen C. Meyer, Dr. Hugh Ross,[6] William Lane Craig,[7][8] Rabbi Shmuley Boteach,[9] and Richard Swinburne.
In December 2006, Atkins was featured in a UK television documentary on atheism called The Trouble with Atheism, presented by Rod Liddle. In that documentary Liddle asked Atkins: "Give me your views on the existence, or otherwise, of god". Atkins replied: "Well it's fairly straightforward: there isn't one. And there's no evidence for one, no reason to believe that there is one, and so I don't believe that there is one. And I think that it is rather foolish that people do think that there is one".[10]
Atkins is known for his use of astringent language in criticising religion: he appeared in the 2008 documentary Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed, in which he told interviewer Ben Stein that religion was "a fantasy", and "completely empty of any explanatory content. It is also evil".[11] He appeared on a television panel about science and religion with Richard Dawkins and Richard Swinburne. When the latter tried to explain the Holocaust as God's way of giving Jews the opportunity to be brave and noble, Atkins growled: "May you rot in hell".[12]
In 2007, Atkins's position on religion was described by Colin Tudge in an article in The Guardian as being non-scientific. In the same article, Atkins was also described as being 'more hardline than Richard Dawkins', and of deliberately choosing to ignore Peter Medawar's famous adage that "Science is the art of the soluble".[13]
Private life[edit]
Atkins married Judith Kearton in 1964 and they had one daughter, Juliet (born 1970). They divorced in 1983. In 1991, he married fellow scientist Susan Greenfield (later Baroness Greenfield). They divorced in 2005. In 2008, he married Patricia-Jean Nobes (née Brand).
General readers[edit]
The Creation. W. H. Freeman & Co Ltd. 1981. ISBN 0-7167-1350-0.
The Second Law. Scientific American Books, an imprint of W. H. Freeman and Company. 1984. ISBN 0-7167-5004-X
Creation revisited. W. H. Freeman & Co Ltd. 1993. ISBN 0-7167-4500-3.
Second Law: Energy, Chaos, and Form. W. H. Freeman & Co Ltd. 1994. ISBN 0-7167-5005-8.
The Periodic Kingdom: A journey into the land of the chemical elements. BasicBooks. 1995. ISBN 0-465-07266-6.
Atkins' Molecules. Cambridge University Press. 2003. ISBN 0-521-53536-0.
Galileo's Finger: The Ten Great Ideas of Science. Oxford University Press. 2003. ISBN 0-19-860941-8.
Four Laws That Drive the Universe. Oxford University Press. 2007. ISBN 0-19-923236-9.
The Laws of Thermodynamics: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press. 2010. ISBN 978-0-19-957219-9.
On Being: A scientist's exploration of the great questions of existence. Oxford University Press. 2011. ISBN 0-19-960336-7.
Reactions: The private life of atoms. Oxford University Press. 2011. ISBN 0-19-969512-1.
What is Chemistry?. Oxford University Press. 2013. ISBN 978-0-19-968398-7. [14]
Physical Chemistry: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press. 2014. ISBN 978-0-19-968909-5.
Chemistry: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press. 2015. ISBN 978-0-19-968397-0.
Conjuring the Universe: The Origins of the Laws of Nature. Oxford University Press. 2018. [15]
University textbooks[edit]
Atkins, Peter W.; Symons, M. C. R. (1967). The Structure of Inorganic Radicals. Amsterdam, New York: Elsevier Pub. Co. OCLC 543225.
Atkins, Peter W. (1991). Quanta: A Handbook of Concepts (2nd ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-855573-5.
Atkins, Peter W. (1995). The Periodic Kingdom: A Journey Into the Land of the Chemical Elements. New York: BasicBooks. ISBN 978-0-7881-5518-5.
Atkins, Peter W.; Friedman, Ronald (2005). Molecular Quantum Mechanics (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-927498-3.
Atkins, Peter W.; de Paula, Julio; Friedman, Ronald (2009). Quanta, Matter, and Change: A molecular approach to physical chemistry. New York: W. H. Freeman. ISBN 978-0-7167-6117-4.
Atkins, Peter W.; Shriver, D. F. (2010). Inorganic Chemistry (5th ed.). W. H. Freeman. ISBN 978-1-4292-1820-7.
Atkins, Peter W.; Jones, Loretta (2010). Chemical Principles: The Quest for Insight (5th ed.). New York: W. H. Freeman. ISBN 978-1-4292-1955-6.
Atkins, Peter W.; de Paula, Julio (2017). Physical Chemistry (11th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-876986-6.
Atkins, Peter W.; de Paula, Julio (2011). Physical Chemistry for the Life Sciences (2nd ed.). W.H. Freeman & Company. ISBN 978-1-4292-3114-5.
Media appearances[edit]
Railways: The Making of a Nation – Food and Shopping (27 October 2016)
Order & Disorder – The Story of Energy (16 October 2012)
Horizon – What is One Degree? (10 January 2011) - Interviewed by Ben Miller
Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed (18 April 2008)
The Trouble with Atheism (18 December 2006)
^ https://web.archive.org/web/20081005151248/http://www.knaw.nl/vanthoff/sprekers.htm. Archived from the original on 5 October 2008. Retrieved 17 August 2008. Missing or empty |title= (help)
^ "Beyond Belief: Enlightenment 2 – Peter Atkins". The Science Network. Retrieved 20 January 2011.
^ https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/pressroom/newsreleases/2016/july/english-chemist-peter-atkins-wins-grady-stack-award-for-science-journalism.html
^ "Video of March 2007 debate with Alister McGrath". Atheistdebate.org. 11 February 2009. Retrieved 27 August 2011.
^ Atkins, Peter. "Who Really Works Hardest to Banish Ignorance?". Council for Secular Humanism. Retrieved 22 March 2008.
^ Hugh Ross vs Peter Atkins • Debating the origins of the laws of nature on YouTube
^ First Debate With William Lane Craig on YouTube
^ Second Debate With William Lane Craig on YouTube
^ Rabbi Shmuley Boteach Archived 26 April 2008 at the Wayback Machine
^ "The Trouble with Atheism". UK Channel 4 TV Documentary. 18 December 2006.
^ 'Expelled' documentary explores Darwin, Intelligent Design, religion debate Archived 13 October 2008 at the Wayback Machine. Christianexaminer.com. Retrieved on 27 August 2011.
^ Dawkins, Richard (2006). The God Delusion. Bantam Books. p. 64. ISBN 0-618-68000-4.
^ Tudge, Colin (8 December 2007). "The art of the soluble". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
^ The Italian translation, Che cosa è la chimica? Un viaggio nel cuore della materia, won the Asimov Prize for 2016.
^ Frazier, Kendrick (2018). "New and Notable". Skeptical Inquirer. Committee for Skeptical Inquiry. 42 (4): 60.
Sources[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Peter Atkins.
Wikiquote has quotations related to: Peter Atkins
Who's Who in the World, 21st edition.
Debrett's People of Today. Debrett's Peerage Ltd., 2006.
Contemporary Authors Online, Gale, 2006.
Peter Atkins on IMDb
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Peter_Atkins&oldid=904334872"
Alumni of the University of Leicester
British atheism activists
English atheists
English physical chemists
English humanists
Harkness Fellows
English non-fiction writers
Fellows of Lincoln College, Oxford
British textbook writers
People from Amersham
People educated at Dr Challoner's Grammar School
British secularists
English male non-fiction writers
Science education in the United Kingdom
Fellows of the Royal Society of Chemistry
20th-century atheists
21st-century atheists
Use British English from August 2011
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oil and gas logistics
coal trading
coal logistics
Mercator vessel bags Rs 120-crore contract
"One of the company's vessels has secured a time charter contract of total value of about Rs 120 crore," it said in a BSE filing.PTI | December 20, 2016, 18:59 IST
New Delhi: Mercator today said one of its vessels has secured a time charter contract of a total value of about Rs 120 crore.
The period of the contract is four years, Mercator said in a filing to BSE. It will commence from the next month.
"One of the company's vessels has secured a time charter contract of total value of about Rs 120 crore," it said in a BSE filing.
Mercator, one of the country's diversified conglomerates, has interest in coal, oil and gas, shipping and dredging. The company owns and operates a variety of shipping fleet ranging from crude, gas, petroleum product and bulk carriers.
The Mercator group has also acquired economic interest in coal mines in Mozambique and Indonesia with substantial coal resources as part of its backward integration to strengthen shipping activities and meet the huge energy demand in India.
It also provides coal trading and coal logistics solutions.
Tags : Oil & Gas, oil and gas logistics, Oil and gas, Mercator, coal trading, coal logistics
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Research papers on african american women and hiv
Personal mission statement quotes
An analysis of the explanation of literary works of edgar allan poe
The death as a symbol of transition in lord of the flies a novel by william golding
Three half-satiric, half-elegiac novels by J. And yet despite being a song about fighting for individuality, the lyrics are full of apparent conformity.
While the scenes of the children marching through the factory-school are undoubtedly fantastical, the rebellion that takes place during the guitar solo is much more realistic, thus causing a bit of confusion with some viewers as to whether these events are truly taking place.
The poem is one of the earliest attested examples of Old English and is, with the runic Ruthwell Cross and Franks Casket inscriptions, one of three candidates for the earliest attested example of Old English poetry.
The English Renaissance was a cultural and artistic movement in England dating from the late 15th to the 17th century. But now it is known that, through the phenomenon of quantum teleportation, they can deliver exactly that part of the information in an object which is too delicate to be scanned out and delivered by conventional methods.
To capture the dream, we read the book again, or perhaps look for others that will produce the same magical emotion. Middle English literature After the Norman conquest of England inthe written form of the Anglo-Saxon language became less common. Poets such as D.
And yet despite being a song about fighting for individuality, the lyrics are full of apparent conformity. Crown, ] in later had a sequel, "The Shores of Another Sea. John Miltonone of the greatest English poets, wrote at this time of religious flux and political upheaval. For that time in fan history, it was an impressive effort.
A single, large sheet of paper might have a written, usually partisan, account of an event. He established the heroic couplet as a standard form of English poetry. Like John Bunyan 's allegory Pilgrim's ProgressEveryman examines the question of Christian salvation through the use of allegorical characters.
It was popular and influential in the later revival of interest in the Arthurian legends. His two Treatises on Government, which later inspired the thinkers in the American Revolution.
Other stories are designed to make people look bad by comparison. Despite their rebellious intentions, they have become just as homogeneous as when they were school clones.
Merritt wrought fabulous novels. Few today recall his prose works "Contes" of the genre of Boccacchio and Marguerite de Navarre, yet they were the works he cared for most. As the end of the century approached, an urge to look back—at starting points, previous eras, fictional prototypes—was widely evident.
The ideas of conformity in revolution inherent in the song are exemplified to a large extent in the accompanying film footage. Beowulf is the conventional title, [11] and its composition is dated between the 8th [12] [13] and the early 11th century. For more on the Many-Worlds interpretation of Quantum Mechanics, particularly as it related to consciousness, extraterrestrials, philosphy, and immortality, see: The dictatorial teacher represses each individual child, but the lack of any education whatsoever is just as harmful.
It is also one of the earliest recorded examples of sustained poetry in a Germanic language. To make the definition cover all science fiction instead of 'almost all' it is necessary only to strike out the word 'future'.
No important new novelists or playwrights appeared. The use of the helpless school children is magnificent and proves my point even more. There are two events that we would love as many as possible to be part of: The only surviving manuscript is the Nowell Codexthe precise date of which is debated, but most estimates place it close to the year The author told me that he wrote this abord a ship in Sydney Harbor, Australia, which was infested with ordinary rats.
Mystery plays were presented in the porches of cathedrals or by strolling players on feast days. The most gifted exponent of this kind of writing, which sought immediate access to the realm of the subconscious, was Angela Carterwhose exotic and erotic imagination unrolled most eerily and resplendently in her short-story collection The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories We have built actual Gravity Wave detectors, perhaps the first of which was constructed by Dr.
The church acknowledges the support of the wider community via the shop by offering a good portion of my time as Missioner towards community projects on their behalf.Lord Capulet in William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet - Lord Capulet in William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet Lord Capulet is a character in the play "Romeo and Juliet" by William Shakespeare which we have been reading together in class.
Ever loved a book or story, and been unable to find another quite like it? Maybe we at Magic Dragon Multimedia can help to steer you in the right direction. The Few By Alex Kershaw Book Report - The Few by Alex Kershaw In the summer ofWorld War II had been in progress for nearly a year.
Belgium officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Western Europe bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to the southwest, and the North Sea to the northwest.
It covers an area of 30, square kilometres (11, sq mi) and has a population of more than million. The capital and largest city is Brussels; other major cities. On Saturday morning a group of pilgrims gathered at the entrance of St Peter's Cathedral with the Sarawak flag flapping above them.
We gathered to welcome the Bishop of Kuching (Danald) and his wife (Julita) to a Waikato hikoi. Children and Teens Videotapes in the Media Resources Center, UC Berkeley.
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Wheat Subsidies
McKenzie County, North Dakota
Pick a county North Dakota State Total Adams County, North Dakota Barnes County, North Dakota Benson County, North Dakota Billings County, North Dakota Bottineau County, North Dakota Bowman County, North Dakota Burke County, North Dakota Burleigh County, North Dakota Cass County, North Dakota Cavalier County, North Dakota Dickey County, North Dakota Divide County, North Dakota Dunn County, North Dakota Eddy County, North Dakota Emmons County, North Dakota Foster County, North Dakota Golden Valley County, North Dakota Grand Forks County, North Dakota Grant County, North Dakota Griggs County, North Dakota Hettinger County, North Dakota Kidder County, North Dakota LaMoure County, North Dakota Logan County, North Dakota McHenry County, North Dakota McIntosh County, North Dakota McKenzie County, North Dakota McLean County, North Dakota Mercer County, North Dakota Morton County, North Dakota Mountrail County, North Dakota Nelson County, North Dakota Oliver County, North Dakota Pembina County, North Dakota Pierce County, North Dakota Ramsey County, North Dakota Ransom County, North Dakota Renville County, North Dakota Richland County, North Dakota Rolette County, North Dakota Sargent County, North Dakota Sheridan County, North Dakota Sioux County, North Dakota Slope County, North Dakota Stark County, North Dakota Steele County, North Dakota Stutsman County, North Dakota Towner County, North Dakota Traill County, North Dakota Walsh County, North Dakota Ward County, North Dakota Wells County, North Dakota Williams County, North Dakota North Dakota NRCS
Wheat Subsidies in McKenzie County, North Dakota totaled $116 million from 1995-2017.
Programs included in wheat subsidies
Direct Payment - Wheat $24,914,726
Production Flexibility - Wheat $16,719,346
Loan Deficiency - Wheat $13,942,116
Market Loss Assistance - Wheat $8,397,065
Price Loss Coverage - Wheat $6,042,368
Agricultural Risk Coverage County - Wheat $2,304,926
Advance Deficiency - Wheat $1,030,181
Market Gains - Wheat $377,477
Agricultural Risk Coverage Individual - Wheat $60,740
Commodity Certificates - Wheat $11,764
Durum Wheat Quality Program $3,331
Hard Winter Wheat Incentive Payment $60
Loan Def. Refund - Wheat $-23
Loan Def. Refund - Wheat $-9,655
Deficiency - Wheat $-1,004,825
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Book Review: Delirium
Note: This review originally posted to Facebook/Goodreads/Amazon November 2012
By Lauren Oliver
Harpercollins, 2011
It was something of a reckless indulgence for me to open this book at all after reading the back cover, one I don’t regret a bit. As a writer, I do my best to regulate my intake of anything belonging to an oversaturated or declining trend, to keep any dreaded Unmarketable Concept At This Time from making up a disproportionate segment of my pool of influence and inspiration. Even when reading according to nothing but my own whims, I’ve never been much for trends anyway. If I love a book, I don’t really expect to find another one that does what it does better than it does it, so I’d prefer to read one that attempts something different instead.
But I’ve been a sucker for Dystopian ever since I discovered Fahrenheit 451 at the age of twelve, and I’ve been thrilled to see it flourish in YA, even if only temporarily. Oliver’s Delirium is yet another YA gem in the Dystopian tradition.
In an alternate reality, love has been classified as a disease, renamed amor deliria nervosa. The USA has closed its borders, all citizens are “cured” (essentially lobotomized) at the age of eighteen, and all who resist, display symptoms, or attempt to contact the uncured “Invalids” on the outside are treated as terrorists, threatening to spread a devastating pandemic. Our hero, seventeen year old Lena, has been raised by her dispassionate, cured aunt and uncle since her mother’s death, supposedly the result of an incurable case of love. Lena carries the stigma of hereditary predisposition and can’t wait to be cured, to prove that she can be normal, until she meets an Invalid boy, who begins to teach her what love really is.
The world Oliver creates does what all good Dystopian worlds should. It forces the reader to reexamine the world as it is, recognize the worst of it, defend the best of it against new arguments, to consciously justify ideals that are usually taken for granted. It asks WHY love is good and important in spite of all the ways it goes wrong, and it presents human potential for indifference and paranoia with haunting realism. Oliver doesn’t sanitize the police state culture necessary to the story’s universe. Its injustices are not simply indicated with characters’ shudders of remembrance. The brutal, government sanctioned home raids and the secretive prison referred to as “The Crypts” are described in graphic and terrifying detail.
Unlike many Dystopian works, however, Delirium is intensely uplifting and far from pessimistic in its overall outlook. The sheer number of things that are missing from Lena’s world serve to point out how jam-packed full of love the real world is. It’s impossible to turn on a TV or radio without coming across something that would make her government’s secret list of Dangerous Ideas and feeling, at least in my case, a little thrill of gratitude for the simple ability to feel.
Delirium is also a joy as a simple love story in its own right. Lena’s internal conflict as she reexamines everything she’s ever known is natural and complex. Alex is an irresistible hybrid of the seductive man of mystery and the knight in shining armor, with the charisma of the first, the comforting trustworthiness of the second, and (almost) none of the condescension common in both. The relationship that develops between the two is a perfect, inescapably relatable picture of the process of falling in love, and the near-loveless backdrop highlights the feeling of irreplaceable rareness that accompanies every good love or love story, no matter how common.
Lena’s best friend, Hana, is also endearing and refreshingly compassionate, given her role as someone to be grown apart from. Instead of the jealous impediment she could easily have been, she’s a heartwarming representative of another form of love worth acknowledging.
A few major flaws prevent me from giving Delirium a perfect A+. As smart and decisive as Lena is for much of the book, her part in its otherwise beautiful ending is unsatisfyingly minimal. Oliver also gets a little careless with the word “love,” given how loaded it’s meant to be in Lena’s world. It’s treated as a major milestone when Lena first says the word out loud, even to describe a simple view of the stars, but Lena HAS said the word before, not only in passing as our narrator, but within earshot of public officials and with the encouragement of her strict, conformist family. When we first meet Lena, preparing for the official evaluation intended to determine her place in society after her cure, she’s rehearsing the lie that she “loves children.”
Still, even with its quantifiable issues, Delirium successfully makes me cry, think, and see the world with fresh eyes, and for that I cannot give it adequate credit.
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Nestlé Nespresso SA Introduces George Clooney As New U.S. Brand Ambassador
Partnership and Multi-Channel Marketing Campaign Spotlight Nespresso’s Quality Coffee Credentials and Sustainability Efforts; Encourage Americans to “Experience a cup above”
This is the 1st U.S. TV commercial for Clooney and the 10th TV commercial internationally.
Nespresso, the worldwide pioneer and reference in premium, single-serve coffee, has announced that George Clooney — American actor, screenwriter, producer, director and activist — will extend his relationship with the company by becoming the new brand ambassador in the U.S. Beginning November 2nd, Clooney will be featured in Nespresso’s new integrated marketing campaign in the U.S., which brings to life Nespresso as “a cup above” across television, print and digital advertisements, a partnership web film, social media and a dedicated microsite. The campaign will also run in Canada. This is the first branded television advertising campaign in North America to feature Clooney.
George Clooney on the set of the new Nespresso “Experience a cup above” advertising shoot in Los Angeles, CA
Nestlé Nespresso SA is the pioneer and reference for highest-quality portioned premium coffee. Headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, Nespresso operates in 62 countries and has more than 10,500 employees. In 2014, it operated a global retail network of over 400 exclusive boutiques.
Extended Partnership to the U.S. Solidifies Clooney as Global Ambassador for Nespresso
As Nespresso’s U.S. brand ambassador, Clooney will share with American consumers Nespresso’s heritage of quality coffee, innovative design, leading sustainability and customer service. Clooney has been a long-term partner with the brand in Europe and other international markets, charming fans and coffee aficionados in broadcast and print campaigns since 2006. He also serves as a member of the Nespresso Sustainability Advisory Board, collaborating on ideas and solutions towards improving the lives and futures of coffee farmers.
“We are thrilled that George Clooney is expanding his relationship with Nespresso by becoming the new U.S. brand ambassador. We are very proud of the work we have done together and we look forward to extending the partnership to bring our brand story and high quality, sustainable coffee to more and more people in the U.S.,” said Guillaume Le Cunff, President, Nespresso USA and member of the Nespresso Sustainability Advisory Board.
Danny DeVito on the set of the new Nespresso “Experience a cup above” advertising shoot in Los Angeles, CA
In the 30- and 60-second television ads, Clooney dressed in a war General costume is in a movie studio commissary lined up for coffee where he meets Danny DeVito, wearing a Napoleon costume. Danny is pouring himself a coffee from an antiquated coffee pot while George brews himself a fresh Nespresso. Danny, and various other characters in costume, is intrigued with George’s coffee selection and proceeds to ask Clooney to introduce him to Nespresso. Clooney, in his characteristic wit and charm, agrees to train Danny in the art of good taste – from his coffee selection to the beauty of tango dancing to a finely tailored suit. In the end, George himself is even impressed. Through their entertaining and comedic interplay, Clooney and DeVito demonstrate how everyone can “Experience a cup above.”
Danny DeVito, with supporting actor, Helena Mattsson, on the set of the new Nespresso “Experience a cup above” advertising shoot in Los Angeles, CA
The statement is an invitation into Nespresso’s elegant lifestyle and the company’s commitment to deliver the highest quality sustainable Grand Cru coffees to its consumers. Only 1-2 percent of the world’s coffee crops match the brand’s strict quality requirements and aroma profiles. Continue reading →
Consumer Electronics Consumer Goods Culinary/Kitchen Fine Living Food & Beverage News Home/Interiors Lifestyle
Travel Alert: ZERO HALLIBURTON, Inc. Introduces the GEO Aluminum 2.0 Luggage Collection
ZERO HALLIBURTON‘s best-selling aluminum series, The GEO Aluminum, has recently been updated and now includes new features like recessed Drawbolt Latches that feature TSA-Accepted Combination Locks, Stain-Resistant Signature Linings, and a reinforced Sealed-Gasket Frame. Besides classic Silver and Black, there is a striking new third color that is being introduced: Bronze. The two largest Spinners, the ZRG228 and the ZRG230, will also include a premium Neoprene Luggage Cover for quick identification and additional protection of the exterior.
Travel in Style (PRNewsFoto/Zero Halliburton, Inc.)
According to Mr. Atsushi Osaki, President of ZERO Halliburton, Inc., “The new GEO Aluminum 2.0 addresses the needs of today’s traveler: it is quite functional with exceptional organization and packing capacity; it is extremely durable and offers the ultimate protection of your belongings while traveling. In regard to design, ZERO HALLIBURTON‘s new GEO Aluminum 2.0 is one of the most aesthetically attractive cases on the market. Travelers who carry the new GEO Aluminum 2.0 will definitely feel both rewarded and empowered.”
ZERO HALLIBURTON‘s NEW GEO Aluminum 2.0 Luggage Collection is is available in seven sizes, ranging from the International Carry-On 4-Wheel Spinner Travel Case to the 30″ 4-wheel Spinner Travel Case. Prices range from $750 to $1,300; and sold at the ZERO HALLIBURTON Flagship Store in New York City and at the finest specialty luggage and department stores throughout the world.
Architecture & Modern Design Business Business Travel Living/Travel
2015 Holiday Gift Guide: Moda Operandi Launches The 2015 Holiday Collection
Collection Includes Expanded Range of Extravagant and Over-the-top Gifts for All Ages
Moda Operandi Has Established A Retail Renaissance Where The Time-Honored Institution Of Luxury Meets An Innovative Point Of View On Fashion.
The legendary Neiman Marcus Christmas Book has some competition this season. And although Moda Operandi doesn’t have the decades-old pedigree of The Christmas Book, it easily competes with it when it comes to opulent gifts and luxurious experiences. Moda Operandi, the first online luxury retailer to provide consumers access to the full collections of top designers directly from the runway, announces the launch of their 2015 Holiday Collection.
Featuring one-of-a-kind items and once-in-a-lifetime experiences, the assortment of extraordinary gifts is curated to appease even those with the most discerning taste. (The holiday campaign was shot by renowned British photographer Steve Hiett who regularly shoots for Vogue Italia, Numero, and Elle France. )
“Every holiday season, I look forward to selecting gifts for my nearest and dearest,” said Lauren Santo Domingo, Moda Operandi Co-Founder. “One could argue the sentiment and sense of creativity that goes into a selecting a gift can be a chore. But between our stylists and our collection of gifts, Moda Operandi can make (almost) everyone’s wish list a reality.”
Moda Operandi’s gift collection is priced from $20 to $5 million and is available to shop on the site and in the London Mews, 32 Grosvenor Crescent Mews, Belgravia boutique. Items and one-of-a-kind experiences available in the collection include:
The 2015 Moda Operandi Holiday Collection campaign photographed by Steve Hiett. (PRNewsFoto/Moda Operandi)
– Buccellati Diamond Engagement Ring & Party: In addition to selecting a diamond ring from the brand’s celebrated collection of fine jewelry, the happy couple will have the opportunity to host a lavish engagement party at the exclusive Buccellati Club in New York.
– Bespoke Playlist by Steve Aoki on Goldgenie iPod: This incredible, all-encompassing experience is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to spend a weekend in Las Vegas including a meet-and-greet session, dinner at his VIP table at the Hakkasan nightclub, and a personally-curated playlist on a 24K gold-plated iPod by GoldGenie IPod.
– The “One-Hit Wonder” Experience: Your chance to record a song with Grammy Award-winning hitmaker and songwriter Dallas Austin, who has collaborated with Michael Jackson, Madonna, Mick Jagger and others.
– Custom Children’s Super Kart: Have a custom-made children’s car built by Jason Castriota of Skylabs, who has helped shape designs for the likes of Ferrari and Maserati.
– Kiki de Montparnasse Love Suite Experience: An exclusive collaboration between the five star resort in Alpina Gstaad, Switzerland and the beloved luxury fashion brand in New York. This package provides couples with a private retreat and includes a shopping spree, personalized lingerie set, spa treatment, and a seven-course dinner at hotspot Megu.
– Private Casamigos Mixologist Package: You and eight guests enjoy a night filled with Casamigos cocktails and fine food with an expert mixologist and world-renowned chef, brought straight to your door.
— 2015 World Snow Polo Championship in Aspen: A collaboration between Moda Operandi and the St. Regis to provide exclusive access to the 2015 World Snow Polo Championship in Aspen and a luxurious 5-night stay at the St. Regis Aspen Resort. Not only does the package provide access to the polo matches, it also includes polo lessons with international polo star and St. Regis Connoisseur, Nacho Figueras at the Aspen Valley Polo Club, two sixty minute massages at the Remede Spa, two Aspen Snowmass lift tickets, and dinner for two at the Chefs Club by Food & Wine.
RARE & ONE-OF-A-KIND:
– A made-to-order Goldgenie 24K Gold Racing Bicycle
– Bayco 24 cts Emerald and Diamond Ring
– Jamie Clawson made to order Resin-Coated Python Leather Surfboard
– Savelli Geneve Limited Edition Mobile Phone with 3 cts Emeralds, 18K Rose Gold
– Jewelry and home decor by Simon Teakle, Baccarat, and Buccellati
FINE JEWELRY: Exquisite pieces from Buccellati, Irene Neuwirth, Nam Cho, Sutra and Nina Runsdorf
FOR THE GENTLEMAN: Playful cufflinks from Deakin & Francis, Cedes Milano Traveling Shaving Set and exclusive Python Leather Surfboard and Dartboard from Jamie Clawson
FOR THE KIDS: Personalized Christmas Wish Pillow from Julia B. Couture, Back at the Ranch cowboy boots, life-size Hansa stuffed animals, and a Bulldozer Bed by Imobili
FINE ART: A private collection of contemporary artists, including names such as Jean-Michel Basquiat, Damien Hirst, Andy Warhol, and Cindy Sherman.
“Our client is dynamic–there is always a demand for us to curate more than clothing for her and the holiday season is no exception,” said Deborah Nicodemus, Moda Operandi CEO. “Our international stylist team offers the ultimate in bespoke luxury shopping services, ensuring each and every detail is perfect; from the selection of the item down to the perfectly-tied bow.”
For the Holiday season, Moda Operandi will be partnering with the iconic St. Regis New York hotel, placing service buttons in three suites, for the ultimate luxury experience. Guests staying in the Presidential, Royal, and Imperial suites will have 24/7, direct access to a Moda Operandi stylist to source, wrap, and deliver the perfect gift. Not in New York? The Moda Operandi stylist team is global and available for all wishlists. Contact Stylist@modaoperandi.com to discover more.
The Holiday 2015 Collection is available to shop online at https://www.modaoperandi.com/shop/holiday-gift-guide-2015.
About Moda Operandi
Moda Operandi is the only place to preorder looks straight from the unedited runway collections of the world’s top designers–months before they are available anywhere else. But for those who just can’t wait? Moda Operandi Boutique offers an expertly curated selection of in-season items from both established and emerging designers, ready to ship now. In homage to the history of couture, Moda Operandi offers a bespoke shopping experience that includes unprecedented access to your favorite designers and hand-selected recommendations from personal stylists. For more information visit www.modaoperandi.com
celebrations Fashion Fashion Plus - Accessories Fashion Plus - Jewelry Fine Arts Fine Living Fine Wines & Liqueur Food Fragrances Holiday Entertaining Holiday Gift Guide Hotels and Hospitality Jewelry Lifestyle Living/Travel Music Recreation Sports Sports - Polo Travel
Beauty & Grooming: MopTop Haircare Announces New Products, New Business Relationship
MopTop, Inc., an award-winning natural haircare line known for its nourishing shampoos, conditioners, and stylers, launches two new products – MopTop® Co-Wash Cleansing Conditioner and MopTop® Mongongo Oil.
Founded in 2005 by Kelly Foreman, MopTop, Inc. is a global company of award-winning hair care products manufactured in Texas. MopTop is dedicated to providing the finest natural hair care products for all ages, ethnicities, and hair textures, to invigorate confidence and embrace natural beauty.
The MopTop® Co-Wash Cleansing Conditioner is an oasis in the desert for the “No ‘Poos” (those who do not use shampoo) or for those with extra-dry hair. The Co-Wash is a conditioner that is used in lieu of a shampoo, and the friction used to work the product into the hair works to both moisturize and clean hair and scalp, without drying hair out. This product is ideal to clean and condition for second- and third-day hair that is wavy, curly, or kinky in texture.
The MopTop® Mongongo Oil is a decadent oil infused with mongongo, a nutty oil rich in protein and Vitamin E, that penetrates the hair follicle to repair hair cells, help retain strength and elasticity, and shield hair from the elements. It has the versatility to act as a styler or a finisher while adding shine and moisture, smoothing fly-aways and frizzies, and can be used as a sealer after styling. This product does not have thermal protection and should not be used for flat ironing. It can be used with leave-ins, custards, or gels to hydrate, regenerate, and restructure hair.
“Our Co-Wash and Mongongo Oil are great additions to our natural line and we’re excited to bring these products to market,” said Foreman. “The ‘no poos’ have been pretty vocal about having more options to freshen up their hair without drying it out, and our Co-Wash does just that. There has also been a demand for a finisher that could both add shine and manage frizzy ends. We’re thrilled to give the people what they want!“
MopTop also announced a developing partnership during 3rd Quarter 201515 with United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI), a leading national distributor of organic and personal care products. UNFI is now selling the MopTop natural haircare line through their natural retail channels in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast territories.
MACY’S HEARTS PEANUTS®
This Holiday Season, Macy’s Celebrates PEANUTS As The Retailer Partners With The Iconic Entertainment Brand In Celebration Of Its 65th Anniversary And The 50th Anniversary Of The Holiday Classic, “A Charlie Brown Christmas”
This November, the PEANUTS® gang takes center stage at Macy’s for the holiday season in celebration of their 65th anniversary and the golden anniversary of the classic holiday animated special, “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” A collaboration that is sure to delight generations of fans who have grown up with PEANUTS beloved characters and stories, this holiday season at Macy’s, the world-famous characters will be showcased with a collectible plush and exclusive themed merchandise as inspiration for Macy’s famed holiday windows and via a new float in the 89th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade®.
Snoopy Plush at Macy’s This Christmas
“Together Macy’s and PEANUTS have a long history of entertaining generations of fans, dating back to the first-ever Snoopy balloon in the 1968 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade,” said Amy Kule, group vice president, Macy’s Parade & Entertainment Group. “This year, we are celebrating the milestone anniversaries of this American treasure by putting Peanuts and its beloved characters front and center during the holidays at Macy’s, with featured roles in a host of our most beloved holiday traditions – from our collectible plush and animated holiday windows to our iconic Thanksgiving Day Parade.”
“Peanuts and Macy’s are two brands that are essential to celebrating the holidays – it just isn’t the holiday season until you see Snoopy soar down the streets of Manhattan in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and watch Charlie Brown decorate his pathetic tree in ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas,’” said Leigh Anne Brodsky, managing director of Peanuts Worldwide. “This year, as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas,’ that connection will be even stronger as Snoopy and his sister, Belle, star as the collectible plush package and the Peanuts gang is featured in Macy’s windows around the country.”
Kicking off the holiday celebration will be PEANUTS iconic beagle Snoopy, who will serve as the 2015 Macy’s Holiday Ambassador. Starting Nov. 2, an exclusive Snoopy collectible plush featuring his sister Belle will be available at more than 600 full-line Macy’s stores and on macys.com. The huggable plush features Snoopy dressed in a warm holiday hat and vest along with a bonus backpack clip of his sister Belle. For two decades, Macy’s collectible plush program has featured some of the most recognizable characters in history. Selected to highlight the family fun and excitement that awaits shoppers at Macy’s stores during the holiday season, Snoopy makes his fifth appearance as the Official Holiday Ambassador. The Snoopy plush will be in stores through the end of the holidays and will be available for $15.95. As part of his duties as Holiday Ambassador, Snoopy will be featured in a host of holiday collateral at Macy’s, including posters and custom-designed shopping bags distributed nationwide throughout the holiday season. In addition, Snoopy cold-air inflatable balloons will adorn marquee entrances at Macy’s flagships in New York City and San Francisco, and he will be a featured character at a series of in-store special children’s events from coast-to-coast. Continue reading →
Children Holiday Gift Guide Marketing & Merchandising
The Elton John AIDS Foundation Awards $4.4 Million in New Grants
New EJAF Grants Challenge HIV Criminalization Laws, Address The Needs Of Vulnerable Homeless Youth, And Increase Access To Clean Needles For Injection Drug Users
“Join Us In Speaking Out, Taking Action, And Contributing To Our Efforts To Achieve A World Without AIDS.” – Scott Campbell, EJAF’s Executive Director
The Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF), a leader in the global effort to end AIDS, has announced a new series of grants totaling $4.4 million to support organizations fighting the HIV/AIDS epidemic in critical and innovative ways. The Foundation is renewing 16 grants and funding nine new organizations to scale up programs that address societal trends driving the HIV/AIDS epidemic. This is one of EJAF’s largest grant cycles to date.
Elton John AIDS Foundation logo (PRNewsFoto/Elton John AIDS Foundation)
To most people, the Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF) is primarily known for its renown (and-hard-to-get-into) annual Oscar Night Viewing Party/Benefit Gala in Hollywood. But it’s one of the driving force in the fight against HIV and AIDS throughout the world. The Foundation believe that AIDS can be beaten. As such it act on that belief by raising funds for effective programs and policies, and also by speaking out with honesty and compassion about the realities of people’s lives. Sir Elton John created EJAF over twenty years ago, first in the United States in 1992 and then in the United Kingdom in 1993. Through hard work and with the help of our network of kind, amazing, creative, and generous friends and supporters, the two foundations together have raised more than $349 million over the past two decades to combat stigma, prevent infections, provide treatment and services, and motivate governments to end AIDS. The U.S. foundation focuses its efforts on programs in the United States, the Americas, and the Caribbean, while the U.K. foundation funds HIV-related work in Europe, Asia, and Africa.
“For more than 20 years, the Elton John AIDS Foundation has been committed to confronting the HIV/AIDS epidemic where it exists,” said EJAF Founder Elton John. “Our newest round of grants supports exciting and innovative projects addressing transgender health, homeless LGBT youth, the continued criminalization of HIV-positive people, and the syringe services for people who inject drugs. We also remain focused on increasing access to HIV prevention, treatment, and care for all.”
Included in this wide-ranging cohort of grantees, EJAF is also renewing its commitment as a founding partner of the Syringe Access Fund and will award $2 million over two years to reduce injection-related transmissions of HIV. This award builds on the $2.5 million investment the foundation made in 2013 and 2014 for services that aid people who inject drugs.
“Our grantees are on the front lines of the epidemic,” said Scott Campbell, EJAF’s Executive Director. “As one of the largest funders in the world dedicated to ending AIDS, we are committed to making real-time investments that address the latest trends in the epidemic and also providing ongoing support for the tried and true strategies that improve access to healthcare and ensure basic human rights for people most affected by the epidemic.”
AMONG THE NEW GRANTS ARE:
– Bold projects by Equality California Institute and The Williams Institute in California to change discriminatory state laws enacted during the HIV panics of the 1980s that criminalize HIV transmission;
– A new national survey by the University of Chicago to document the numbers and needs of homeless youth – especially homeless LGBT youth, who are at increased risk of HIV/AIDS;
– A program run by Garden State Equality to improve transgender people’s adherence to HIV treatment in New Jersey;
– A project by Immigration Equality in New York City that provides much-needed, high quality legal services to people with HIV caught up in the U.S. immigration system; and
– Increased support for programs by the National Black Justice Coalition to identify and cultivate the next generation of young Black LGBTQ leaders and engage them in the effort to end HIV/AIDS.
For more information and for a complete list and descriptions of EJAF’s 2015 grantees, please visit www.ejaf.org.
American Airlines is the official sponsoring airline of the Elton John AIDS Foundation.
Advocacy Arts & Entertainment Charity Charity - Family Charity - Women Children Education Health
Luke Bryan to Kick Off 125th Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign with LIVE Halftime Performance During Dallas Cowboys 2015 Thanksgiving Day Game
Over $2 Billion Raised Since Dallas Cowboys And The Salvation Army Joined Forces 19 Years Ago
Luke Bryan to Kick Off 125th Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign with LIVE Halftime Performance During Cowboys Thanksgiving Day Game
Country music star Luke Bryan will perform LIVE at AT&T Stadium during halftime of the Dallas Cowboys game against the Carolina Panthers on Thanksgiving Day, November 26, kicking off The Salvation Army’s annual Red Kettle Campaign. The nationally televised halftime performance marks the 19th year the Dallas Cowboys have partnered with The Salvation Army to launch the iconic annual campaign, which raises millions of dollars throughout the holiday season. Donations help provide meals and shelter for families and Christmas toys for millions of children, in addition to numerous other social services programs year-round, such as substance abuse programs, shelter and counseling for victims of domestic violence, and military veteran assistance.
From its humble beginnings as a Salvation Army captain’s start-up program in 1891 in San Francisco, the Red Kettle Campaign has grown into one of the most recognizable and important charitable campaigns in the United States. It provides toys for kids, coats for the homeless, food for the hungry and countless social service programs year-round. As part of the campaign, more than 25,000 Salvation Army volunteers throughout the country ring bells and solicit donations to the Red Kettles.
Luke Bryan was joined by Charlotte Jones Anderson, Lt. Col. Ron Busroe and the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders before his concert in Dallas to announce that he will kickoff The Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign with a halftime performance during the Dallas Cowboys Thanksgiving Day game.
The Red Kettle Campaign runs from Thanksgiving Day through Christmas Eve and is the largest and longest-running fundraiser of its kind. It raised $144.7 million last year alone, with more than $2 billion raised since the Dallas Cowboys Thanksgiving Day partnership began in 1997. For the second year, this campaign will include an invitation for donors to share their reasons for giving on social media, and Luke Bryan will add his own #RedKettleReason.
Luke Bryan shares his #RedKettleReason, “Because I want my kids to know Christmas is a time to give”
The Red Kettle Kickoff Halftime Show has been nationally televised for all of its 19 years, reaching millions of viewers with the campaign’s message. Bryan is the newest addition to a list of Red Kettle Kickoff celebrity halftime performers, including Selena Gomez, Kenny Chesney, Enrique Iglesias, Keith Urban, Daughtry, Jonas Brothers, Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Sheryl Crow, Destiny’s Child, Toby Keith, LeAnn Rimes, Creed, Jessica Simpson, Billy Gilman, Clint Black, Randy Travis and Reba McEntire.
In addition to giving online or to the traditional bell ringers that will be stationed at retail locations across the country, supporters can donate through the Army’s text-to-give program. By texting the word “KETTLE” to 80888, donors can send $10 to the Red Kettle Campaign. Continue reading →
Advocacy Charity - Family Children Food Music Recreation Social/Life Sports
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FIFA Forums › Career Mode Stories
LiamTheSwans2000
23 posts Ball Boy
December 5, 2018 6:15PM edited December 2018
FC Kaiserslautern have won 4 German Championships. 1950/51, 1952/53, 1990/91 and most recently 1997/98 (as a newly promoted side).
They have also won the DFB-Pokal 2 times in 1989/90 and 1995/96 and the DFL-Supercup in 1991.
Performances in European competition aren’t too bad either, this includes reaching the Champions League Quarter Finals in 1998/99 where they succumbed to a 6-0 aggregate defeat to eventual losing finalists Bayern Munich.
They went one round better in the UEFA Cup, reaching the Semi-Final stage twice in 1981/82 and 2000/01.
Around this time Kaiserslautern found itself on the brink of bankruptcy due to bad management and the need of construction work for the Fritz-Walter-Stadium to be a 2006 World Cup venue.
Only with the clubs new president Rene C. Jäggi selling the stadium were Kaiserslautern able to continue.
Post edited by LiamTheSwans2000 on December 2018
Things where not the same after that.
2005-06 saw them relegated to Bundesliga 2 after a 9 year stay in the top flight.
6th, 13th and 7th followed before 2009/10 in which the team finished 1st earning promotion back to the top flight.
It was soon forgotten about because they were relegated again in 2011/12, finishing bottom with just 4 wins from 34 games.
2012/13 ended in 3rd position and a chance for promotion, but a 5-2 aggregrate defeat in the promotion play-off against Hoffenhiem brought them back down to earth.
Nothing was achieved by two promising 4th place finishes, then 10th and 13th in 2016/17.
December 6, 2018 6:55PM
The 2017/18 season was possibly the worst in their 118-year history.
Not only did they spend most of the season at the bottom of the table. But, in a match against Darmstadt in January 2018 manager Jeff Strasser suffered a heart attack and was rushed to hospital at half time.
The match was subsequently abandoned.
A week after the incident Michael Frontzeck was handed the task of keeping them up.
They managed 4 wins and two draws under his management but it wasn’t enough.
FC Kaiserslautern relegated to the third tier for the first time!
90 percent of the players in the Kaiserslautern squad did not have contracts for Germany's third league, this meant they could depart the club with little to no transfer compensation.
Kaiserslautern forecasted a €24 million reduction in turnover and expected to have just a €5 million budget.
Michael Frontzeck appointed in February 2018 would stay on as manager, he was the man responsible for guiding Kaiserslautern back up the first time of asking.
The statement of intent was there as Kaiserslautern brought in Timmy Thiele for €379,568 from fellow third division side Carl Zeiss Jena. This was the 4th highest transfer ever in the 3rd division. He scored 25 goals in 53 appearances.
A total of 23 players left the club in the summer of 2018, all free transfers.
Some of the most notably where that of striker Sebastian Andersson to Union Berlin who signed for €657,236 just 10 months prior and Brandon Borrello to Freiburg signed from Australian club Brisbane roar for €151,653.
December 7, 2018 11:26AM
Good luck with the story.
Very interesting team. I remember the European Cup Barcelona won in 1992 and the hell it was to play against them in the 2nd leg of the previous round. Only a goal in the injury time saved us.
Willing to follow this story.
subpop- Thanks . German football is very interesting at the moment with Koln and Hamburg both relegated to the 2nd division. I had to choose Kaiserslautern mainly because of the dramatic decline they have been on recently. They have a stadium capacity of nearly 50,000 but struggle to fill even half of that
Good results in pre-season increased optimism for the new season.
Matchday 1. H 1-0 W
41,324 fans packed the Fritz-Walter-Stadion for the game between two fallen giants of German football.
Matchday 2. A 1-1 D
A dissapointing draw for the away side against one of the leagues weaker opponents.
Matchday 3. H 1-2 L
The first taste of defeat in unknown territory cam against last seasons mid-table finishers.
Matchday 4. A 2-0 L
Another unexpected defeat against lesser opposition puts the pressure on Michael Frontzeck early inot the new season.
DFB 1st Round H 1-6 L
Against top flight opposition with a highly sort after manager in Julian Nagelsmann, it was a tough ask to get anything out of the game.
FluZ8
Hope your form picks up
Matchday 5. H 0-0 D
A week after being thrashed in the DFB, Kaiserslautern had a big game against Karlsruher who lost in the promotion play-offs the previous year. Not a bad result.
Struggling against lesser sides. Conceding a 92nd minute penalty was a real kick in the teeth for Frontzeck's men.
A bit of a break before this one. 2-0 down after half an hour, it was looking like another home loss. Managed to draw level at half-time before a late goal put the home side 3-2 up. That wasn't the end, another injury time goal and Kaiserslautern drop points again.
3 goals conceded again! Kaiserslautern went 3-2 up on 88 minutes, but for the 3rd game in a row they slip up in injury time.
Matchday 9. A 1-4 W
17,000 spectators for the game between the two relegated sides. Level at half time before a fantastic performance in the 2nd half gave Kaiserslautern their first win in four. Braunschweig drop down to 19th.
Matchday 10. H 2-1 W
Just their 2nd home win of the season and finally managed to beat a team they where expected to.
6 games without defeat and up to 8th.
FluZ8 - Hope your form picks up
Watch this space
Bitburger Verbandspokal Südwest - *bit of a mouthful* we will call it the Regional Cup
4th round
3rd October SC Idar-Oberstein (5th tier) 0-7 Kaiserslautern
Matchday 11. A 2-0 L
A very tough away fixture to start October. Just 1 defeat in 10 games for Osnabrück and they made it 11 in a tightly contested affair. They went 1-0 up after 60 minutes and another 90+ minute goal sealed the win for the home side.
Kaiserslautern moved up to 9th position with a fantastic result against 3rd place Uerdingen.
Bitburger Verbandspokal Südwest (Regional Cup)
FK Pirmasens (4th tier) which proved a harder task than the previous cup fixture but onto the next round.
Matchday 13. A 1-2 W
The last game of October ended in a win for the away side who came from a goal behind. Results went Kaiserslautern's way, moving them up to 7th just 2 points off the promotion play-off spot.
After a terrible start of the season, it seems that the team has found their best form in the last games. Hopefully it's a start of a greater reaction. 7th is not bad at this point of the season.
I wish you could post the league table from time to time.
subpop wrote: »
I was going to do that around January time, but your wish is my command
2/11 Matchday 14. H 0-2 L
A bad start to the 2nd half damaged the confidence of the players. On 76 minutes Energie Cottbus struck again sealing the 3 points and another very disappointing home defeat.
10/11 Matchday 15. A 4-1 L
Despite the bad result the previous week Kaiserslautern had the chance to close in on the top 3 against 6th place. 6 minutes in they went ahead with a header, it wasn't long until the home side levelled it up 1-1. Then 2 goals in 2 minutes 35' and 36', Hansa were already out of sight before the break. Just 10 minutes from time they made it 4-1 and moved up to 4th extending the gap to 5 points over 9th place Kaiserslautern.
14/11 Bitburger Verbandspokal Südwest (Regional Cup)
TSV Gau-Odernheim (6th tier) This came at a good time. It meant that the team were able to get some confidence up moving into last November.
25/11 Matchday 16. H 0-0 D
2 defeats in November and another tough fixture against the team 1 place above them in the standings. It was a tight affair which ended in a stalemate.
Unterhaching lost just once all season, they had the knack of getting back into games when all was lost. They certainly didn't need that in this game. It took them just half an hour to be 2-0 up against a lost side in Kaiserslautern. It wasn't until the 65 minute when they made it 3-0, then 4-0 71' and 6 minutes from time 5-0.
It looks like the team was not able to keep the good run of results. The team receive too many goals and this is a problem. I'm not familiar with the Bundesliga 3. How many teams go into the playoffs? Things don't look very well...
It's just like the Bundesliga 2 play-off. 3rd in B3 Will play 16th in B2.
New owners bring a bright future
A local German consortium named STEIp have purchased a 49% stake of 1.FC Kaiserslautern.
They are in advanced talks to buy the Fritz-Walter-Stadion and nearby land in a hope to revitalise the club and take it back to where it once was.
They released a statement on the club’s website:
“We are delighted to have finally got this deal through. We were in talks since the end of last season but for several reasons it didn’t happen. Our main objective is to get this club back to where it belongs. We will be assessing all staff in the coming days and make any decision that is necessary to get this club moving in the right direction.”
The 50+1 rule
https://www.bundesliga.com/en/news/Bundesliga/german-soccer-rules-50-1-fifty-plus-one-explained-466583.jsp
New owners of Kaiserslautern sack Michael Frontzeck on the day the club's takeover goes through!
After that 5-0 loss against Unterhaching it's hardly suprising.
I didn't know about the 50+1 rule, very interesting policy.
Going back to football, I guess it was normal to expect the manager to be fired after these terrible results. Waiting for news about the replacement.
6/12/2018 - Marc Stengel appointed manager of 1.FC Kaiserslautern until 30/6/2019 with the option of a further year.
Stengel was born in Koblenz, 90 miles from Kaiserslautern.
DOB: 24/10/87
Managerial statistics
2015/16 - TuS Koblenz Coach/Assistant Manager
1st Oberliga Rheinland-Pfalz/Saar (5th tier)
23 wins, 7 draws, 2 defeats
8th Regionalliga Südwest (4th tier)
15 wins, 7 draws, 14 defeats
2017/18 – Stuttgart U19’s Manager
6th Bundesliga Süd/Südwest (u19's League)
2018/19 (until 5/12/2018)
1st Bundesliga Süd/Südwest
Objective: Get Kaiserslautern back into the Bundesliga as quickly as possible
Marc Stengel will watch the first game from the stands, Home vs Würzburger Kickers 8/12/2018
* Attempted to replicate the real-life Bundesliga 3 table on FIFA 19 *
I don't know the manager, but I wish him luck. The situation is far from good, but I hope he's able to change things.
Matchday 18. H 0-0 D
The new manager was in attendance for this one. He got a good look at the players that would be available to him throughout the season.
In 7 days time the new man will take charge of his first game!
Worrying situation. I wish the new manager can give fresh air to the squad... it's badly needed.
January transfer window soon, so may need to bring in some players. Let's see what he can do
December 18, 2018 10:21AM edited December 2018
Matchday 19.
First game in charge and a win! A brilliant performance, the players have shown their new boss that they can be the ones to turn the season around for Kaiserslautern
I just accidentally saved over this save It's EA's fault because now you can only have 4 save slots
Sorry to hear that... so you lost the whole story?
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Clemson QB Bryant to transfer after losing starting job
Clemson Tigers quarterback Kelly Bryant (2) throws a pass against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the first half at Bobby Dodd Stadium on Saturday.Photo Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
QB Kelly Bryant has decided to transfer from Clemson after losing his starting role to freshman Trevor Lawrence.
Bryant declared his intentions to The Greenville News after meeting with coach Dabo Swinney. The latter described Monday’s meeting with Bryant as “emotional” and allowed him to take the day off from practice, although the senior quarterback skipped Tuesday’s session as well.
“They asked me how I felt about it,” Bryant told the newspaper about his meeting with Swinney. “I was like, ‘I’m not discrediting Trevor. He’s doing everything asked of him, but on my side of it, I feel like I haven’t done anything to not be the starter. I’ve been here. I’ve waited my turn. I’ve done everything y’all have asked me to do, plus more.’
“I’ve never been a distraction. I’ve never been in trouble with anything. To me, it was kind of a slap in the face.”
Bryant has posted a 16-2 record as a starter and led Clemson to the College Football Playoffs last year. He started the first four games this season, but split time with Lawrence.
“I feel like it’s what’s best for me and my future,” Bryant said of his decision to transfer. “I was just going to control what I could control and try to make the most of my opportunity, but at the end of the day, I just don’t feel like I’ve gotten a fair shot.”
Swinney had a chance to respond to Bryant’s claim of being given a “fair shot” on the ACC coaches teleconference Wednesday, declaring that he was as open about the quarterback competition.
“He won the job after Deshaun Watson and beat out the No. 1 (high school) quarterback in country to do that in Hunter Johnson, and another recruited quarterback in Zerrick Cooper, both who have gone on to play elsewhere,” Swinney said, per ESPN.
“He won the job, and he was the starter for us last year and did a great job, and he came out of camp slightly ahead, and so he continued to start these first four games, but I definitely feel he’s been given a fair shot. But at the end of the day, this is not middle school. There’s tough decisions that have to be made at this level, and you gotta do what’s best for the team.”
Bryant has completed 36 of 54 passes for 461 yards with two touchdowns and one interception this season. He has also rushed for 130 yards and two scores.
The 6-foot-5, 205-pound Lawrence is 39 of 60 for 600 yards with nine scores and two interceptions this season for Clemson (4-0, 1-0 Atlantic Coast Conference), which faces Syracuse on Saturday.
Redshirt freshman Chase Brice will serve as Lawrence’s backup.
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Internet Opinion
How Google and Facebook Are Creating an Internet of Walled Gardens
By Pranay Parab | Updated: 12 February 2015 14:16 IST
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Google used to be a search engine that would simply show you where to find answers, but over time, the site has increasingly been turning into an answers engine instead. Google's Knowledge Graph makes it incredibly convenient to find answers to your queries.
The company's most recent SEC filing states, "We used to show just ten blue links in our results. You had to click through to different websites to get your answers, which took time. Now we are increasingly able to provide direct answers - even if you're speaking your question using Voice Search - which makes it quicker, easier and more natural to find what you're looking for."
If you have searched for a product on Google, you may have noticed a box labelled "Sponsored" with pictures of the product and prices from various retailers. These ads are far more likely to grab eyeballs than a simple line of blue links, and Google knows this.
"We asked, what if ads weren't intrusive and annoying? What if we could deliver a relevant ad at just the right time and give people useful commercial information?", Google says at another place in the document.
Google's answers take up a lot of valuable real estate on the screen, so even if the answer wasn't the one you're looking for, you will see fewer links on the first scroll of the page. And on a smartphone, you'll see even less. Studies have shown people don't look look beyond the first few links to get the information they need. So we have a situation where a large number of people don't click on any link at all thanks to the on-the-spot answers given by Google's Knowledge Graph, or end up clicking one the sponsored results. It may not be plainly obvious, but Google's slowly built-up a walled garden, and there's a price to be paid if you want to get in. Google's dominant position in the search market accentuates the problem.
Google isn't alone in changing the way we access the Web either. The concerns that Facebook is building the biggest walled garden since AOL are well documented. However, it's a recent Facebook initiative that's taking things to the next level.
Facebook has partnered with Reliance Communications in India to allow the telco's customers free access to around 40 participating websites. This is part of the company's Internet.org initiative that has been launched in other countries as well.
(Also see: Facebook's Internet.org Comes to India: Everything You Need to Know)
In many ways, this is a great idea. While the number of people in India connecting to the Internet, particularly using mobile devices, has been skyrocketing, there are still huge numbers of people for whom even basic 2G packs are inaccessible because of the cost. But aside from that, the lack of familiarity with the Internet can be an even bigger barrier to adoption. Internet.org makes it possible for this huge mass of people to get a feel of the Internet and gain from sites that are educational, offer news content, and even try a few e-commerce platforms.
There is a flip side to this though. At the moment it isn't clear who is subsidising the cost of Internet, but such initiatives immediately put all non-participating websites at a disadvantage.
The objective of the Internet.org initiative is to bring the next billion online. But if a website isn't among the handpicked group of partners then it is as good as non-existent for Internet.org users. Visiting other sites requires you to get a paid data connection, which can range from Rs. 9 per day for 2G access, to more expensive weekly and monthly access plans. For a vast majority, 3G access is still prohibitively expensive, despite falling rates. Because of this, the name Internet.org seems ironic considering how selective that 'Internet' is.
We're not saying that providing free Internet access is a bad thing, but unless the access is universally applicable to all websites, there is a chance that people will have to juggle between various apps to get a taste of the different corners of the Internet. That is quite inconvenient and seems pointless when we already have one app to do the job - the browser.
Which brings us back to Google, a website has effectively become the starting point for most users familiar with the Internet. With Knowledge Graph and paid results taking up the prime real estate, it's becoming increasingly difficult for smaller websites to attract more users via search, even if they have good quality content that's relevant to the search terms.
But that's not the only way in which Google's instant answers can affect the Web. Imagine, for example, if Google partners with Quikr to show secondhand product listings as answers. Competing businesses like Olx would definitely suffer if this happens, but that's exactly what's already happening in reverse - Olx is one of the sites on Internet.org that people can access for free, and this will drive a huge number of new users to the site instead of its competitors.
The Internet was designed keeping free sharing in mind and links taking people from one part to the next. Looking at recent trends, it appears as if we are moving toward a future where the Internet instead comprises of several walled gardens. Unless you are a big corporation or one of its partners, it is getting increasingly harder to be heard on the Internet.
For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on Twitter, Facebook, and subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Further reading: Answers, Facebook, Google, Google Knowledge Graph, Google Search, Internet.org, Search
Pranay Parab Email Pranay Pranay is in charge of podcasts and videos at Gadgets 360. Over the years, he has helped build the tutorials section of this site from the ground up, got the Guide section off the ground, started two podcasts, written several in-depth features, reviewed fitness gadgets, handled social media and most recently, taken charge of videos as well. He loves travelling, particularly to places not frequented by tourists. He keeps running half-marathons across the country and hopes to complete a full ...More
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Even Though Marian Hill Grew Up Just Friends, They’re Still Indie’s Sexiest Band
Jul 29, 2015 @ 3:00 pm By Maria Pasquini
I’ve heard it said that what the world needs now is love, sweet love, but let’s be real, unless you’re the kind of person who gets off on deprivation, there’s no such thing as love without sex, sweet sex. While some of the best sex I’ve ever had has happened in the dead of night, with nothing but the distant whirring of the upstairs neighbor’s air conditioning unit in the background, music always gives you permission to give in to the ecstasy at hand.
I remember the first time I heard “Got It” last fall. I had never heard of Marian Hill before, and I was pretty confident that the music I was hearing was the sole product of one very talented lady. Like so many times in my life, it took me months to realize that I was mistaken. Marian Hill is a band compromised of Jeremy Lloyd and Samantha Gongol. He produces the music, she sings it. They’ve been friends since they were 12, and somehow, out of this innocence, they write songs that make people want to f-ck.
The world moves in mysterious ways. But before you go out and call whoever it is you call when you need to get it in, why don’t you get to know the band behind all the sexy songs.
So I know you guys have been friends since you were kids, so what’s your first memory of each other?
Jeremy: I remember seeing Sam sing at a 7th grade talent show – she sang “Don’t Know Why” by Norah Jones and literally sounded exactly like Norah Jones and all the rest of us 12 year olds didn’t know what to do with ourselves.
Samantha: My first memory of Jeremy: we were actually both in or seventh grade production of bye bye birdie before the music man- however I was relegated to the chorus, while Jeremy played the lead (he continued to get the lead in every other middle/high school show thereafter). I remember being really impressed at how he commanded the stage like an old pro- and then next year I nailed my 8th grade audition and we got to play love interests in The Music Man.
Ooooh. Steamy. So I take it that music’s been a life-long dream for both of you?
J: Yes, absolutely. Both of us have been pinching ourselves for a while now.
How did you guys transition from just friends to friends who also create dope music together?
J: The important middle step in that equation is that for a while we were friends who talked a lot about music. The main thing we’d do when hanging out was chatting about songs we loved, songs we didn’t, and sharing stuff we were working on. So there was definitely a learning curve once we started writing more and more together, but we’d been doing a lot of the legwork in advance without knowing it.
Has being in a band together ever put a strain on your friendship, or do you mostly have the whole working relationship thing figured out?
J: It’s a working relationship and we’re two creative people with very strong opinions but we agree on the fundamentals and never stay mad for long.
Is there a specific atmosphere you try and create with your music? Or like, if your music was a Pinterest board, what images would you guys pin?
J: Haha that’s funny we actually just made one for our next music video! There is definitely a specific atmosphere sonically, and it’s always a fun (and sometimes exasperating) game to figure out how that translates to visuals. But we know it when we see it.
That makes sense. Speaking of knowing it when you see – err, hear it, I know putting a label on your music totally sucks, but if you could create your own hyper-specific genre, what would it be?
J: electro-E&D (Ella & Drake)
So what’s the weirdest thing a fan has ever told you?
J: This weirdest thing has actually happened a few times…we’ve had a few fans come up to us after shows (usually in couples) to tell us that they love having sex to our music. And you know, we’re all for it.
Haha yeah, I guess that’s totally a compliment. Do you draw any inspiration from sex when you’re writing?
S: We’re often inspired by relationships – ours, our friends, and even characters on shows or in novels…often our songs are about a two-person dynamic and it’s a constant challenge for us to keep finding new subtleties in the relationships two people can find themselves in.
How do you guys typically set about writing songs together?
S: Jeremy will come in with a bunch of skeletal beats and then we’ll pick our favorites and write melody and lyrics together.
Is there any song that you feel you really nailed? Like even after listening to it 100 times, there’s absolutely nothing you would change?
J: Honestly, for me it’s our whole EP. The last stage of my production process is just listening to the song over and over again and tweaking things until there’s nothing else I want to change…and I went through that with all of those songs. Once I finish that process, the songs exist in the world and they are what they are and I love them for it.
S: If I sit with a song long enough, there are always little things here and there that I would change. That’s why getting to perform live is so great 😉
What was it like when “Whiskey” started making it big on the blog scene?
J: It’s funny, because when Whisky charted on Hype Machine (in July 2013) there is definitely an initial feeling of – this is it! We did it! Attention was coming in from lots of fronts and we were getting emails and skype calls and everybody was telling us how big we were going to be. But the thing we didn’t realize is that we then had a year of hard work ahead of us, writing, playing shows, to really build this to its full potential. And we’re still going!! We’ve been writing pretty much constantly since then, working on our debut…2015 has been huge and 2016 will be even bigger.
Why, are you working on any new material for 2016?
S: We’re in the process of finishing up our debut album!! Can’t say much more now – but we’re very excited.
Congratulations. Well, last but not least, inquiring minds want to know: when performing life, how do you keep the cell phone-obsessed generation entertained?
S: With a saxophone.
Until 2016 rolls around, catch Marian Hill at a city near you and make sure you grab a copy of their EP here – who knows, it could just be the soundtrack to the rest of your wet, hot, American summer.
About The Author: Maria Pasquini
Maria Pasquini writes about celebrities and makes a lot of jokes. Hopefully you find some of them funny. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter.
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Don’t Worry, Dragon Ball Super Will Be Back Soon
by Ben Lamoreux
It’s been a wild ride since
Dragon Ball Super made its debut in 2015. Goku, Vegeta, and friends have discovered other universes, battled gods, faced off against old foes, traveled to the future, and broken past their limits time and time again. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end, and Toei Animation recently announced that episode 131 will be the final Dragon Ball Super story. If you’ve been loving this Dragon Ball revival, don’t fret! There’s no way the series is gone.
The fact of the matter is, Dragon Ball Super is just way too popular for Toei to pull the plug for long. The Dragon Ball franchise is a huge part of what’s keeping Toei profitable. Since Super made its debut, overall profits for the Dragon Ball brand have skyrocketed. In 2014, Dragon Ball as a whole generated ¥1.174 billion, or about $11.2 million. In 2017, that number rose to ¥9.288 billion, or around $88.7 million. That’s nearly eight times the profits from just a few short years ago. There’s no way Toei is going to let that kind of money disappear.
The second thing to consider is that
Dragon Ball Super‘s narrative simply isn’t complete yet. It might seem hard to top a season where the fate of the multiverse is at stake, but there’s more story to tell. Toyotaro is the illustrator on the Dragon Ball Super manga, and he’s also series creator Akira Toriyama’s chosen successor. According to Toyotaro, the goal is for Super‘s story to catch up with the ending of Dragon Ball Z. While the bulk of Z‘s story wraps up with the defeat of Buu in Age 774, there are a few final episodes that follow a ten year time skip from the Buu saga. Dragon Ball Super picks up a few years after Buu’s death, taking place in between the end of the Buu saga and the final episodes of Z. The current Tournament of Power story is set in December of 780, six years after the Buu saga. That means there’s still another three and a half years left in between Super‘s current age and the ending of Z that Toyotaro wishes to revisit.
Next up on the list of clues that Super will return is the upcoming movie. A new movie (with Toriyama involved) is set to launch this December. Although there’s no official title for it yet, Toei Animation has confirmed that it will be the first movie to carry the “Super” title, and will follow after the events of episode 131. Even though Battle of Gods and Resurrection ‘F’ are set during the first two seasons of Super, they were known as Dragon Ball Z movies. Why switch branding to the Super name just as you’re retiring it? With the series taking some time off, launching a movie under the Super brand is the perfect way to get fans excited for the show’s revival.
Dragon Ball Super goes off air, it will be replaced in its time slot by the latest iteration of Gegege no Kitarō. However, flyers from Toei indicate that the show’s run is planned for around 50 episodes. With episodes airing weekly, Dragon Ball Super‘s time slot could become available again as early as April or May of 2019, just a few months after the movie makes its debut. Fittingly, April also marks the 30th anniversary of Dragon Ball Z‘s debut in Japan.
Voice actors from the show recently gave their thoughts on the finale, and several gave hints that the show will be back. Masako Nozawa, who voices Goku, Gohan, and Goten, stated that the show is “taking a little break,” but she hopes it will return “while the iron is still hot.”
Piccolo voice actor Toshio Furukawa expressed similar sentiments, stating “While this episode marks the end of the TV anime for now, I expect that it will probably start up again. Of course everyone should look forward to the movie in December, but also look forward to what will happen afterwards!“
Krillin voice actor Mayumi Tanaka gave perhaps the clearest indication that the voice team expects to return, telling fans “Dragon Ball will definitely keep on going, so this doesn’t really feel like the final episode. The TV anime may end, but there’s still the movie and games…I think it’ll be back again before too long!“
Toriyama himself has even hinted at a return, telling fans “Now then, the animated version on TV will be ending for the time being…” So
Dragon Ball Super is going away for awhile, but this is almost certainly not the end, and it’s probably for the best. The year off (or however long it may be) provides numerous benefits. Animators from the show can focus their efforts on making the upcoming movie a masterpiece. Toyotaro can take the year to get the manga caught up to the anime, and the English anime can catch up to its Japanese counterpart. Then, when the series makes its return, Toei’s team will have had plenty of time to plan, write, and animate the return of Dragon Ball Super.
A Note From the Editor-in-Chief
Hey, everyone! I just want to take a moment to explain what’s happening here. Gamnesia is a website dedicated to news about video games and the culture that surrounds them, and that’s not changing. Gamnesia will always be about the games. However, when we post articles or memes (on social media) about anime-related games, we’ve always gotten an extremely positive reaction from our viewers. There are a few of us here at Gamnesia who are big fans of anime, so from time to time we’ll be trying out articles like this. If you guys like what you see, we’ll keep ’em coming!
Tags: akira toriyama anime dragon ball dragon ball super toei animation toyotaro
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Democracy In Doubt
If the young are our future, then we’re in trouble. The results of two polls released this week give a glimpse of what young people in Australia think about democracy and free speech.
For anyone who thinks these two things are fundamental to our society, the figures are not pretty.
A poll for the Lowy Institute found that 23 per cent of respondents between the age of 18 and 29 said: “For someone like me, it doesn’t matter what kind of government we have.”
Thirty-eight per cent said: “In some circumstances a non-democratic government can be preferable.”
That’s more than half who said they would contemplate an alternative to democracy. Just 39 per cent said: “Democracy is preferable to any other kind of government.”
A poll for the Institute of Public Affairs (IPA) found that 29 per cent of respondents between the ages of 18 and 24 said government should regulate the opinions published in newspapers.
Fifty-three per cent said the government should not, and 18 per cent did not have an opinion.
It’s difficult to know what’s more worrying – that 29 per cent of young people had no problem with government censorship or that 18 per cent didn’t know whether they had a problem with it or not. It’s not much of a relief that a bare majority came out in favour of freedom of speech.
It would be easy to rationalise these results away. You could say that “democracy” is so vague and theoretical a concept that young people don’t really know what it means anyway, and if ever democracy as we understand it were actually threatened they would choose the right side. Or you could believe young people are naive. You could hope that as people get older and get some life experience, they get more sensible. These polls do, indeed, reveal a stark difference in attitudes between old and young.
Seventy-four per cent of respondents in the Lowy Poll who were aged 60 or older thought democracy was preferable to anything, compared with the 39 per cent of young people who thought the same thing. In the IPA poll only 11 per cent of respondents aged 50 or more thought government should regulate opinions in newspapers, which means young people are three times more likely than older people to believe in government censorship.
The line, supposedly from Winston Churchill, that “if you are young and not liberal, then you have no heart; but if you are old and not conservative, then you have no brain”, is funny, but not necessarily true. The evidence is unclear whether people’s attitudes actually do change as they get older and get a job and a mortgage.
There is an alternative explanation for all of this. Which is that these poll outcomes are not just what’s to be expected – they are in fact exactly the outcomes intended to be produced by our education system.
Put simply, students in schools and universities are taught that the ideal of democracy is but one value among many other values, and it is neither better nor worse than the alternatives.
The new national curriculum to be taught to every school student in Australia says very little about democracy and free speech. The priorities of the curriculum are that students understand Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history and culture, Asia, and sustainability.
The claims that whether democracy is a good thing or not depends on the context, and that democracy can be sacrificed to achieve other objectives, are widespread.
New York Times columnist and best-selling author Thomas Friedman famously said back in 2009: “One-party autocracy certainly has its drawbacks. But when it is led by a reasonably enlightened group of people, as China is today, it can also have great advantages . . . Our [America’s] one-party democracy is worse.”
The anniversary of Tiananmen Square was a few days ago.
The classic example of such thinking is the old chestnut: “Well, Cuba might not be a democracy but at least it’s got good health services . . .”
A professor at an Australian university wrote almost exactly this about Cuba in The Age a few months ago. Another Australian academic is renowned for recommending democracy be suspended so we can deal with climate change.
If these are the sorts of things students are being told by their teachers, it’s no surprise that young people would prefer Fidel Castro’s hospitals to democracy and free speech.
source: Institute of Public Affairs
PIESA-I GATA, TRAG OBLONUL…MOTTO: „Piesa-i gata, trag oblonul/ Hei, ce ploaie e afară/ Dacă v-a plăcut bufonul/ Mai poftiți și mâine […]
Luni, Iunie 18th, 2012. You can leave a response here.
« Un om valoreaza mai mult decat aurul pe care il poarta. La fel si o tara || Logica simplă a crizei economice »
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James Madison Papers
Documents filtered by: Author="Madison, James" AND Period="Revolutionary War" AND Period="Revolutionary War"
From James Madison to William Bradford, [ca. 21 May] 1776—Summary
To William Bradford
Letter not found.
Ca. 21 May 1776. In “A Memorandum Book,” Bradford noted on 28 May 1776: “This morning I recieved a Letter from Mr Maddison who is a member of the Virginia Convention, informing me of the declaration of Independency made by that body.”1
1. Since the resolution calling upon the delegates of Virginia in the Second Continental Congress to propose that “the United Colonies” be declared “free and independent States” was adopted by the Convention on 15 May (Force, American Archives description begins Peter Force, ed., American Archives, 4th ser. (6 vols.; Washington, D.C., 1837–46). description ends , 4th ser., VI, 1524), this missing letter must have been written by JM on that date or a short time thereafter. More of its content is probably indicated in Bradford’s memorandum of 3 June (q.v.).
Permalink What’s this?
https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Madison/01-01-02-0056
Note: The annotations to this document, and any other modern editorial content, are copyright © University of Chicago Press. All rights reserved.
Madison Papers
Madison, James
Bradford, William
“From James Madison to William Bradford, [ca. 21 May] 1776—Summary,” Founders Online, National Archives, accessed April 11, 2019, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Madison/01-01-02-0056. [Original source: The Papers of James Madison, vol. 1, 16 March 1751 – 16 December 1779, ed. William T. Hutchinson and William M. E. Rachal. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1962, p. 180.]
From Bradford to Madison [20 May 1776]
From Bradford to Madison [3 June 1776]
All correspondence between Bradford and Madison
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April 19, 2018 April 16, 2018 Guest Contributor
(Book Review) The French Chef in America… By Alex Prud’homme
A Literary Fallen Souffle
The French Chef in America: Julia Child’s Second Act By Alex Prud’homme
Review by Pam Munter
“Hello! This is JOO-lia Child.” Is there anybody on the planet who doesn’t recognize that falsetto chirrup? She was a household name in her lifetime and—incredibly—her fan base has only increased since her death in 2004, two days short of her 92nd birthday. The books about her have poured off the presses, many of them biographies. One of the most recent is The French Chef in America: Julia Child’s Second Act by her grandnephew, Alex Prud’homme (Knopf, 2016). Prud’homme is also the co-author of a delicious photographic tome featuring Child and her husband, Paul, and is the co-author of Child’s engaging memoir, My Life in France. Julia has even been memorialized by Meryl Streep, certainly a ticket to immortality if there ever was one. What more can there be said about this surprisingly charismatic, mediagenic woman?
Much of the terrain here will be well-known to readers and admirers: her privileged upbringing, her long-time marriage, her collaboration with two French chefs who together detonated the culinary revolution in their seminal Mastering the Art of French Cooking, her wildly popular TV show on PBS, the prolific cookbooks later in life, and her many TV shows after the groundbreaking one ended. Hers was an outsized personality made for television, the first “celebrity chef.”
Prud’homme’s self-described task is to capture Child’s “second act,” after she left France to create the personality known as JULIA CHILD. He considers her “act one” as morphing from a “‘too-tall, too-loud, rather unsophisticated social butterfly,’ as she described herself, into a worldly diplomatic wife and expert on what she liked to call ‘cookery.’” In spite of the book’s title, a significant portion details her familiar life in her prized cottage in France, not America. The book’s timeline is frustratingly nonlinear and seems to wander wherever his attention takes him. We’re led through the history of WGBH where she got her start with “The French Chef;” he writes brief and unnecessary histories of nearly everyone who came in contact with her; and somewhere near the middle of the book, he explores her parents’ backgrounds. He offers verbatim conversations to which he was not a party with little attribution. It results not in the savory treat we expect but is more reminiscent of day-old bread.
And therein lies the major disappointment. Prud’homme knew Julia Child well – socialized and worked with her – but he doesn’t provide much insight. Writing about the Childs’ now-famous house in Cambridge, Massachusetts: “…upon entering 101 Irving Street you were stepping into Paul’s and Julia’s conjoined brains. It was the decorations that gave that impression.” But what was the feeling? The ambience? We know that guests would inevitably end up in the kitchen but what was the conversation like, other than about the food? Were there disagreements? Guests who may not have gotten along? Those who drank too much?
We do read about her notorious fights with her French collaborators, well-documented in other biographies. And when two of her later TV shows were canceled, she was publicly angry at PBS. Prud’homme alleges she was absolutely certain that the network nabobs were wrong because “the shows were so good.” Did she ever consider the possibility that the public had simply moved on? “She suspected that she had been overlooked, let down or even sabotaged,” certainly an allegation that demands further substantiation. Most of this book, regretfully, comes from secondary sources, not from his frequent, direct contact with her. Both Julia and Paul wrote extensively, making this more a literary olio.
The author was a frequent observer of the synergistic Child marriage, but offers little insight other than pop psychology. He notes it “grew more complex” with her celebrity, adding, “There was a tension inherent between her wish to be a good wife and her professional ambitions.” And yet, Paul was the driving force in promoting her career, helping her become a star. He knew his wife was talented and ambitious, but Prud’homme smells trouble in that “Julia’s professional obligations dictated how and where she and Paul spent their time.” When there are corroborating quotes, they are too meager to justify his allegations. Did Julia confide in him about chronic disagreements with Paul?
Perhaps the author was reluctant to reveal less-than-glowing information. One of the more unsettling observations was that both Julia and Paul used homophobic slurs, even though many of their friends and colleagues were gay. Prud’homme doesn’t comment except to say, “There is no simple way to explain Julia and Paul’s homophobia, except as a function of their generation, their ignorance and their experience.” Experience? He later notes she had a change of heart when her longtime lawyer died of AIDS.
Prud’homme spends insufficient time discussing Child’s lasting appeal to the non-chefs who comprised a significant part of her audience. Many would tune in merely to drink in her culinary exuberance, relish her “conversations” with her food and chuckle at her often hilarious mistakes—which she would good-naturedly dismiss. She was funny, unpretentious and endearing but this cut-and-paste book seems more like an overwrought Hollandaise that has separated after too much mixing.
At the end of her life and after her beloved Paul had died, she moved to a senior community in Montecito, California where she had breakfast daily with several women she had known from her childhood in Pasadena. He describes those final days, planning her own 92nd birthday party, inviting friends from around the globe. Before it could happen, however, she died in her sleep of kidney failure. “Julia Child died as she had lived, with great dignity, in her words, ‘slipping off the raft’…What was to have been her birthday celebration became a wake…Julia had managed to exit her life as she lived it, with a touch of drama and exquisite timing.”
For those seeking a more rounded, organized biography of this colorful icon, try Dearie: The Remarkable Life of Julia Child by Bob Spitz (Knopf, 2012). Spitz might not have known her personally, but manages to give us a warm, moving and more coherent portrait.
Pam Munter has authored several books including When Teens Were Keen: Freddie Stewart and The Teen Agers of Monogram (Nicholas Lawrence Press, 2005) and Almost Famous: In and Out of Show Biz (Westgate Press, 1986) and has been a contributor to many others. She’s a retired clinical psychologist, former performer and film historian. Her essays and short stories have appeared in over 70 publications. She has an MFA in Creative Writing and Writing for the Performing Arts and is a Pushcart Prize nominee. Her memoir, As Alone As I Want To Be will be published by Adelaide in October.
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2018 Book Review
Alex Prud'homme
nonfiction review
Pam Munter
The French Chef in America
Published by Guest Contributor
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Essays, Short Stories, Reviews – Pam Munter says:
[…] 25, 2017 pammunter Off Articles and Essays .optimposts .post-118 { display: none; } Book Review: “A Literary Fallen Souffle,” a review of Julia Child’s Second Act by … “Hello! This is JOO-lia Child.” Is there anybody on the planet who doesn’t recognize that […]
2018 Nonfiction Reviews – New Fourth and Sycamore says:
[…] The French Chef in America: Julia Child’s Second Act By Alex Prud’homme […]
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Inspiring photo shows SDSU grad standing in the fruit fields where her immigrant parents work
Posted 5:14 AM, May 27, 2019, by Malik Earnest and CNN Wire, Updated at 07:34AM, May 27, 2019
SAN DIEGO — Erica Alfaro says she never forgot the advice her mom gave her when the two worked long hours together in California’s Central Valley tomato fields.
“One day, I was very tired and told my mom and she said to me, ‘This is how life is going to be from now on. The only people who don’t have to go through this get an education.’ Those words stuck with me,” Alfaro, 29, told CNN on Saturday.
Those wise words inspired Alfaro, who dropped out of high school when she got pregnant at 15, to dive back into education.
On May 19, Alfaro graduated from San Diego State University with a master’s degree in education, with a concentration in counseling. She decided to honor her parents in her graduation photos, standing in her cap and gown with her parents, in work clothes, in the middle of the fruit fields where her mother still works.
“With love I dedicate my master’s to my parents. Their sacrifice to come to this country to give us a better future was well worth it,” Alfaro said when she shared her graduation photos on her Facebook and Instagram accounts this month.
Erica Alfaro poses with her father, Claudio Alfaro.
Growing up, Alfaro crossed the US-Mexico border for school
Alfaro said her parents are farmers who were never able to go to school. Her mother, Teresa Herrera, 51, and father, Claudio Alfaro, 50, are from Oaxaca, Mexico, and speak Mixtec, an indigenous language of Mexico. Both migrated to the United States separately and met later.
Erica Alfaro was born in Fresno, California, but raised in Tijuana as her parents moved back to Mexico in order for her mother to obtain a US residency.
During her time in Tijuana, Alfaro would cross the border every day to go to school. When she turned 13, the family moved to Oceanside, California, with another family and 11 people shared a one-bedroom apartment.
Alfaro said she, her brother and sister used to work with her parents in the fruit fields during their summer vacations.
Alfaro overcame obstacles to earn her two degrees
When she got pregnant at 15, she moved in with her boyfriend, who she says made her sleep outside with the baby months after giving birth. She moved back in with her parents.
Alfaro credits her mother’s advice on education as her inspiration for going back to school. At 17, she enrolled in a homeschool program in Fresno.
Erica Alfaro poses with her mother, Teresa Herreras.
She was accepted at California State University San Marcos, but during her first semester, in 2012, her son was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Alfaro’s grades suffered, but she kept going, determined to give her and her son a better life — the life her parents worked hard to give her.
“It took me almost six years to get my bachelor’s degree,” Alfaro said.
Alfaro earned her degree in psychology from the university in 2017. She was selected to be the commencement speaker at the graduation ceremony.
“The reason I share my story is because I want to encourage undocumented single mothers, and people who suffer from domestic violence, to get an education and achieve their goals,” Alfaro said.
She said she hopes posting her graduation photos in the fruit fields will inspire others in the Latino community who are facing similar struggles.
“These photos represent many of us,” she said. “Our parents came to this country to give us a better life and we wouldn’t be here without them.”
Alfaro said her main goal now is to be a school counselor. She said she hopes to encourage underrepresented students to continue their education. She also wants to work with domestic violence victims and teenage mothers.
Filed in: News, Trending
Topics: Featured On Instagram, San Diego State University
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You are here: Home Page > Law > Employment & Labor Law > Employment Law
Hugh Collins
Provides a succinct and accessible overview for those new to the subject - giving students an understanding of the contours and key elements of employment law
Covers all the main areas of employment law including anti-discrimination laws, trade unions and industrial action, contracts of employment, and human rights in the workplace
Provides frequent comparisons with the law of other countries, including the US
Assesses the effectiveness of employment regulation and examines the different national and transnational methods available
Thoroughly updated to include the Lisbon Treaty, major changes in discrimination law, and the application of the Human Rights Act to employment law
This updated edition offers a fresh approach to the law governing employment relations, emphasizing the contemporary policy themes of social inclusion, competitiveness, and the rights of citizenship in the workplace. It acts as a succinct and accessible overview for those new to the subject as well as an excellent summary for students.
Employment Law covers all the main areas of the subject including contracts of employment, anti-discrimination law, trade unions, industrial action, and human rights in the workplace. It also discusses how UK law, under the influence of EU law and international protection of human rights, has been transformed for the twentieth-first century by pursuing new goals such as helping to achieve a better balance between work and life, to improve the competitiveness of business through partnership institutions, and to provide superior protection for the basic rights of employees in the workplace. Offering frequent comparisons with the law of other countries, including the United States, the book also discusses the effectiveness of employment regulation as well as examining the different national and transnational methods available.
Part I: Aims and Techniques of Employment Law
1. 'Labour is not a Commodity'
2. Regulating the Workplace
Part II: Social Inclusion
3. Opportunity and Discrimination
4. Work and Life
Part III: Competitiveness
5. Co-operation
7. Competition and Industrial Action
8. Discipline and Dismissal
9. Economic Security
Part IV: Citizenship
10. Civil Liberties at Work
11. Social Rights
12. Shelf-life
Professor Hugh Collins studied law at Oxford University and Harvard Law School. He taught law at Brasenose College, Oxford, before moving in 1991 to the London School of Economics to the chair in English Law. He has previous books include the first edition of this title, Regulating Contracts (OUP, 1999), Labor Law: Texts and Materials 2nd edn ( with K.D. Ewing and A. McColgan, Hart Publishing, 2005), and A European Civil Code: The Way Forward (CUP, 2008).
Regulating Contracts
Bentham and the Common Law Tradition
Gerald J. Postema
The Oxford Handbook of Crime and Public Policy
Michael Tonry
T P Kennedy
Marxism and Law
Robert Chambers
Blackstone's Employment Tribunals Handbook 2014-15
John Sprack
Evidence, Inference and Enquiry
William Twining, Philip Dawid, and Dimitra Vasilaki
European Intellectual Property Law
Justine Pila and Paul Torremans
Michael Bridge
Robert Upex, Richard Benny, and Stephen Hardy
THE POLITICS OF GENDER, COMMUNITY, AND MODERNITY
Nita Kumar
Anthony Arnull and Damian Chalmers
Law > Employment & Labor Law
Law > European Union Law
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#GNW2019: Social Innovation Explored in the EMBA Global Network Week at EGADE
This article originally appeared on the EGADE website.
By José Ángel de la Paz
Nineteen students from six Global Network for Advanced Management schools came together at EGADE Business School in Mexico City to explore the topic of Social Innovation during the June 2019 EMBA Global Network Week.
The participants, of 11 different nationalities, are MBA students from EGADE Business School in Mexico, Haas School of Business at the University of California—Berkeley in the United States, Yale School of Management in the United States, ESMT Berlin in Germany, Fudan University School of Management in China, and UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School in Ireland.
Through conferences, debates, and experiential learning, EGADE Business School’s “Social Innovation” module immersed the participants in the process of finding innovative solutions for social transformation.
The program explored the idea of social innovation from three perspectives:
Context: Which factors foster or hinder social innovation in a particular context?
Agent: Who generates social innovation, why, and what for?
Mechanisms: What makes it possible to combine existing elements in new ways, across sectors and disciplines, forming new social relationships?
The EGADE Business School academics who taught the course were Eric Porras, national director of MBA programs, and professors Ezequiel Reficco, Francisco Layrisse, Ezequiel Reficco, and Luli Pesqueira, specialists in corporate Sustainability, social Entrepreneurship, and sustainable development.
Further, guest speakers from Ashoka and Gentera, among others, offered participants diverse viewpoints to understand the social innovation scenario in Mexico and Latin America.
Through business, cultural, and recreational trips, the participants visited the Impact Mx innovation hub, the “green” accelerator New Ventures, the archeological zone of Teotihuacán, Mexico City’s historical center, the National Museum of Anthropology, and the Coyoacán neighborhood.
During the week, some of the participants in the EMBA Global Network Week held in Mexico City commented on their experience:
“[I have met] people from around the world sharing ideas, willing to participate, to connect with you, to stay in touch, to share all about what are they doing, and how they do it in their countries," said EGADE Business School student Juan Pablo Préstamo.
"This experience at the Global Network Week has been amazing. It's been fantastic to meet new people from all over the world," said EGADE Business School student Karla Peña.
“Coming to EGADE taught me so much about this industry [social innovation] that I was not aware of,” said Haas School of Business student Anuja Verma.
“I was able to interact with different [social] entrepreneurs, see their ideas, their passion, and offer some guidance and advice afterward. It was an amazing experience. I loved this [Global Network] Week,” said Yale School of Management student Caleb Cheng.
“The GNAM experience at EGADE has been so impactful for me. I wanted to experience its city and its wonderful Mexican culture. I would 100 percent recommend this experience. The program is phenomenal, putting social innovation in action,” said Yale School of Management student Ashley Lorenz.
This edition of the EMBA Global Network Week took place from June 10 to 14 at 15 of the Global Network schools, including EGADE Business School.
A total of 48 EGADE Business School students, from the EGADE MBA and MBA in global business and strategy programs, participated globally.
The EGADE Business School students who participated outside of Mexico traveled to 11 Global Network member schools, including UNSW Business School in Australia, IE Business School in Spain, Asian Institute of Management in the Philippines, Hitotsubashi University Business School in Japan, Seoul National University Business School in South Korea, among others.
EGADE Business School is a founding partner of the Global Network, composed of 30 leading business schools from diverse regions, countries, cultures, and economies from across the world.
Global Network Week
Other Recent News
#GNW2019 on Twitter
Students participating in the June Global Network Week for EMBA students share photos and reflections on their experiences. See posts.
Scenes from #GNW2019 at ESMT
ESMT Berlin
Global Network Faculty Survey Finds Support for Urgent Action on Climate Change
The faculty members overwhelmingly agree that climate change and its impact on business and society should be incorporated into the core MBA curriculum. They also agree that climate change poses a material risk to businesses.
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October 6, 2018 - 8:52 am EDT 10 months ago
Ruling Results College Golf Team Being DQ’d
The modernized Rules of Golf, which are set to be released and enforced on Jan. 1, 2019, may not have simplified the rules as much as they could have.
Playing in the Marquette Intercollegiate this week at Erin Hills in Wisconsin, site of the 2017 U.S. Open, the University of Iowa brought the normally-mandated five players with the top-4 players’ scores counting towards their team total.
A mid-round injury to Matthew Walker on Monday left the Hawkeyes with four players competing and no safety net for a poor round. That was no issue, however, as freshman Gonzo Leal had tied for the lead midway through the second round.
That’s where the Rules of Golf came up and bit the Hawkeyes in a preposterously bizarre way.
“I’ve never seen something like this happen before,” Iowa head coach Tyler Stith told Golfweek.com’s Brentley Romine. “Not even close.”
Leal hit his tee shot right at the par-4 12th hole, which features a blind tee shot, native grass and a small water hazard.
Unsure of where his ball came to rest, Leal declared and played a provisional drive. When Leal reached the landing area, there were two balls in site — his provisional and what the group assumed was the tee shot of Northwestern’s Lucas Becht.
Leal asserted that he believed his first ball went into the small water hazard, but his group couldn’t come to a consensus, so he invoked the two-ball rule (Rule 3-3) in which he would finish the hole by playing two balls — his provisional ball and the ball he would drop under the belief that his original tee ball went into the water hazard.
Becht hit his second shot onto the green and Leal proceeded to play both of his balls up to the putting surface as well. When the group reached the green, there were three golf balls marked with Leal’s mark on it, meaning Becht had hit the wrong ball from the fairway and Leal’s original ball, which he thought was in the hazard, had been in play the whole time.
Still following?
As a result, Becht was assessed a two-stroke penalty for playing the wrong ball, but Leal was in a much more penalizing position. Leal abandoned the ball that he dropped from the hazard since both his original and provisional balls were in play. He returned to play his original ball from the landing area, but was told he had committed a “serious breach” by playing a ball he had previously abandoned without rectifying the rule he had invoked.
“By hitting his original ball, he actually hit the ‘wrong’ ball,” Stith said. “And since he didn’t correct the mistake and abandoned the other ball, he had no score for the hole and was disqualified.
“But I don’t know what 18-year-old kid is going to know to do that in that situation. I know what happened and it’s been three days, and I’m still not entirely sure what I would’ve done in that situation.”
Iowa Completes Play at Erin Hills https://t.co/rtaARt5UFe
— Iowa Hawkeye Golf (@IowaHawkeyeGolf) October 2, 2018
The coach said the ruling took over an hour and required a “highly-regarded USGA rules official on site” to make the final call. He called the rule “overly complicated and unnecessarily punitive.”
“Give the player the benefit of the doubt,” Stith said. “He wasn’t trying to gain an advantage. He thought he was doing everything correct. Give him a two-shot penalty and just move on. It would make things a lot easier.”
Finally, because of Walker’s previous WD and Leal’s DQ, the Hawkeyes could only post three scores, therefore disqualifying the team from the event.
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Did You Miss Tye Tribbett’s Filmmore Live Recording? See What Happened
There are many ways to describe Motown Gospel recording artist Tye Tribbett live in concert, uplifting, powerful, comical, encouraging and entertaining to say the least. Tye’s music ministry is a gift to all those who have an opportunity to experience it.
On Saturday, July 16th the Two-Time GRAMMY winning singer, songwriter, television host and pastor unleashed new songs and reunited with his former group Greater Anointing (G.A.) performing past hits. The live recording session is for Tye’s upcoming 6th album titled BLOODY WIN.
The concert opened with a video of Tye explaining the title “Bloody Win” to an audience of thousands of admirers at the Fillmore in Philadelphia. He went on to explain the concept of praise and war-ship.
“War-ship is for the warrior in all of us. We have to be prepared to take hits understanding that being hit doesn’t mean that you’ve lost. Sometimes you come out of a win bloody!” states Tribbett.
Afterward, it was time for Tye and his group to hit the stage. The audience excitedly cheered as the lights dimmed to signify the start of his set. He and his background singers appeared dressed in torn and tattered clothing signifying the fight and filling the entire space with their contagious energy. For the first half of his set he and his crew passionately sang new war-ship anthems inviting gospel powerhouses such as the emerging singer/songwriter KJ Scriven, GRAMMY winner Le’Andria Johnson, and African singer Uche Agu to add to the energy. It seems that Tye has even created a new genre of music called “Trap Gospel.” The band and the fans couldn’t seem to move on from chanting “Work it out!” over the heavy bass laced instrumental as he closed out the first half of his set.
The 2nd half of the recording featured the long-awaited and highly anticipated reunion of Greater Anointing (G.A.). The crowd went into a frenzy as the group made their way to the stage with Tribbett. Before they performed countless hits they started with a group prayer. G.A. performed a medley of 30 songs such as “Mighty Long Way,” “No Way,” “You Are My Joy,” “Still Have Joy,” “Bless The Lord,” “Everything Will Be Alright,” “Stand Out, ” “Everything” and “Victory” from their chart-topping albums Life (2004), Victory Live(2006), and Stand Out (2008). Tye and G.A. also performed “He Turned It” from his latest GRAMMY winning album Greater Than.
The first part of BLOODY WIN was recorded in May to a jam packed house in Greenville, South Carolina at The Redemption Center with Tye’s label-mate Tasha Cobbs as a featured artist among others.
Adopted From: uGospel.com
Live RecordingThe Bloody WinTye Tribbett
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Home Arts Sear Festival: A Treat For The Senses
Sear Festival: A Treat For The Senses
Great Neck Record Staff
By Jeffrey Levinton
The Sear Festival for the Arts, held at Great Neck House this past May, was a treat for the eyes and ears. Charlotte Sear showcased her striking acrylics and photo collages. Dave Sear debuted his retrospective of Pete Seeger’s songbook, a clever and heartfelt assembly, starting with Seeger’s early days in the Army through his ever-optimistic view of the realization of human justice.
Charlotte’s color and design sparkled with her series of acrylics, using a naturalistic array of people and animals often gazing into space. Her painting “Walking the Dogs” is emblematic of the style, and features striking colors in strong opposition, as well as a wistful feeling of motion into the future. The motion is subtle, as all figures are presented flattened on the canvas with strong hues and a cubist style.
In recent years, Charlotte has turned to the desktop computer to assemble collages from a multitude of sources, including her own paintings, photographs and pictures from many sources. “Dancing with Mao” combines Andy Warhol’s Mao in an ironic combination with a sexy dancing woman, pointing to China’s transition from an ascetic society to a hedonistic future. According to Charlotte, the collages are computer-assembled layers and the jumble either works or it doesn’t. She said that instead of tossing the failed canvas to the corner, she just doesn’t press the save button—and poof, it’s gone. The survivors work in many ways, but Charlotte’s constructions only suggest a direction; she leaves it up to the viewer to piece together a story from the layers. They freely combine many elements that fit her original sense of design and color. Explore all of these elements on her website, www.charlottesearsweb.com.
Charlotte and Dave have lived together and worked in Great Neck for many years. Dave’s life’s work was cast at age 10 when Pete Seeger appeared with the Almanac Singers at the Little Red Schoolhouse in Greenwich Village. That long-necked banjo and Seeger’s wonderful songs inspired Dave to a lifetime of pickin’ and singing.
He soon joined Seeger’s teenage group, The Song Swappers, which included Mary Travers and Eric Darling, who all learned to combine music, justice and solidarity. Dave was on his way to singing across the country with his nationally renowned American Folk Trio and many other groups as well as solo performances over the years. While his repertoire ranges far and wide, Dave was uniquely connected to Seeger in style and interest, especially through his masterful learning of the art of frailing on the long-necked five-string banjo. Like Seeger, he sought out the sweet combination of gentleness and power in American folk music as he sought out justice and peace.
Dave played Seeger’s songbook with fun and authenticity and brought concertgoers back to the beginning, when a simple song like “Go Tell Aunt Rhody” transported listeners to the middle of mountain whimsy in the American folk ballad. “The Cumberland Mountain Bear Chase” showed audiences the driving power of the five-string banjo and “I Was Born in East Virginia” turned the song art to desperate love and so many other moods and passions. But, no Seeger showcase would be complete without Seeger’s moral compass, which served human justice for so many decades. It started with Woody Guthrie, where justice for the working man was the central dogma, and it touched the spirit of labor unions, politics and racial justice.
Dave chose his songs carefully, starting with the Almanacs’ passion for winning World War II, but rapidly moving to the glorious fight of the Lincoln Brigade with “Viva La Quince Brigada,” then workers’ and women’s rights with “Factory Girl” and onto “John Henry,” the ultimate labor hero, who beats the machine with his own hands—not just a real machine, but also a metaphor for the scheming exploitative boss. Next, his selections focused on racial justice, brought on by Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad with tunes such as “On My Way” and “Oh Mary,” Rosa Parks with “Back of the Bus” and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with “Oh Freedom.”
Seeger was a towering figure, bringing the people’s daily passions, triumphs and frustrations to the audience through the delicate yet powerful truths found in folk music and the folk process, which can turn a soul-stirring hymn into a whimsical ditty and back. Can one man thrill listeners with the gentle power of folk songs, move them with stories of injustice and inspire them with an optimistic expectation of human justice for all? Yes, Pete Seeger did. Can his disciple make listeners feel all of these things in an hour? Yes, Dave Sear did.
Sear will open and close the set this Sunday, Aug. 7, at 8 p.m. at Steppingstone Park. For details, see Steppingstone Park Summer 2016 Concert Series.
Jeffrey Levinton is a professor at Stony Brook University.
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Since 1908, the Great Neck Record has served the communities of Great Neck, Great Neck Estates, Great Neck Plaza, Kensington, Kings Point, Lake Success, Russell Gardens, Saddle Rock, Thomaston and the unincorporated areas as a source for local news and community events.
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Close Reading in the Qur’an
Date: February 20, 2017Author: HAT 0 Comments
text from the end of sura 18 (al-Khaf, the Cave)
Notes on Chapter 2 (“Close Readings, Old and New”) of Michael Birkel, ed. Qur’an in Conversation (Waco, TX: Baylor UP, 2014) 33-35.]
Mohammad Hassan Khalil unpacks the meaning of the opening line of the Qur’an, the bismillah, rendered into English in various ways, such as “In the name of God, the all-compassionate, the all-merciful.” He points out that the underlying Arabic root of compassion and mercy, rahma, points back literally and connotes the womb of a mother, the embodiment of compassion. [The same relationship is apparent in Hebrew, a language related to Arabic, in which rachamim, compassion or mercy, derives from the Hebrew word for womb, rechem.] According to Khalil, this invocation, which precedes all but one of the suras in the Qur’an and which opens the text as a whole, provides an interpretive key to the entire sacred text, including its numerous references to the recompense due unbelievers and evil-doers. Scholarly commentary on this fact is, as Khalil notes, ancient and continuous, occupying an important place in medieval Qur’anic commentary. It is a mistake to think that Muslims have only begun talking about God’s compassion and mercy since 9/11, a mistake that likely stems from ignorance of the wider body of Islamic commentary. In fact, as Khalil points out, the idea that hell is not eternal, but has a temporal limit, even for unbelievers, is also an old idea, despite the sense among some contemporary Muslims that this does not represent “orthodox” Islam. Khalil argues that, especially as “the prevailing view in Islamic thought anyway is that God will eventually save all believers, however sinful they may be … the effect should be devotion rather than laxity of complacency” (39)
Emran El-Badawi looks closely at suras 17-20, and argues that these late Meccan suras indicate the significance of the Qur’an’s original Jewish and Christian audience. He identifies a number of examples within the text of the Qur’an that support this suggestion, in particular the sequence of addresses in suras 17-20 that seem to identify first Jews and then Christians, verses that address themselves to “you who believe” and then in the same verse mention Jews and Christians, expressions that seem to recognize the existence of different Christian ideas in the environment of the Qur’an, etc. This intertextual dialogue stems from theological conversations of the past, so in one sense it doesn’t matter directly for the theological conversations of the present; but in the sense that it demonstrates that these conversations have been going on for a long time, and that the Qur’an is embedded in an ongoing theological conversation that includes Jewish and Christian text and reflection, it may affect people’s tendency to see Islam as having arisen and developed in an isolated theological environment.
Asma Barlas looks in depth at the similarities and differences in the Qur’an’s account of Abraham’s near-sacrifice of one of his sons, and the Biblical narrative of the binding of Isaac, looking at the way the two different narratives identify God, and the location of moral agency in the narrative. Her reading stresses the fact that God in the Qur’an is never identified as “father,” which makes it impossible to use the human relationship to God, in particular Abraham’s relationship to God, as justification for patriarchal “father-right,” prototypically the right of absolute power of life and death over one’s children, a relationship the Biblical account presupposes. As she notes, Kierkegaard’s Fear and Trembling focuses on Abraham and Abraham’s moral dilemma for the good reason that Abraham is the moral agent in the Biblical narrative. In the Qur’an’s account, Abraham’s unnamed son appears more to be the moral agent. Barlas also brings forward Ibn al-‘Arabi’s commentary on the account, which was a test of “knowledge, not of ethics,” and which Abraham fails “by taking his dream literally, because dreams are on a different plane from ordinary reality,” so that “God saved Abraham’s son from the deadly consequences of his father’s misunderstanding” (55). Barlas extends al-Arabi’s reading in a feminist direction, arguing that “this rescue signals a resistance on the Qur’an’s part to father-right, or traditional patriarchy” (56). Barlas emphasizes the importance of the inclusion of the son’s voice in the Qur’an’s account, which limits the authority of the father, and which locates moral agency in the story in the son, who submits to God rather than to his father (59-60). She emphasizes this reading by drawing a contrast between the account of Abraham and his son, and that of Abraham and his own father, a maker of idols, whom Abraham opposes. That episode also precipitates a divine rescue, but in Barlas’s interpretation the two rescues are significantly different; one is a rescue from coercion that opposes faith; the other is a rescue from the consequences of faithful submission, but implicitly – based on her invocation of al-Arabi – to a misinterpretation of God’s demands.
Kecia Ali focuses on a comparison on the annunciation stories to Hannah or Anne, the mother of Mary, to Zakariya, and to Mary, demonstrating that the parallels between Mary and Yahya (John the Baptist), between Mary and Zakariya, and between Mary and her own mother, serve to destabilize what we might otherwise think of as stable categories of gender. That is, the Qur’an presents its account of events in such a way that miraculous children may be either female or male, that miraculously blessed parents may be either male or female, even that prophets may (on Ali’s argument) be either female or male – in light of the argued question of whether Mary should or should not be recognized as a prophet in Islamic tradition. Her discussion highlights the way a text of this kind opens itself up over and over again to deeper and deeper reflection through the practice of close reading.
AbrahamIslamMaryQuranreligionsacred text
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Who is HiCoup?
As a former political activist and noted abstract expressionist painter, HiCoup is one of the most enigmatic artists you will ever meet. His life has been nothing but a paradox. Born in Brooklyn to a college educated mother and political activist father, but raised in Jersey City in the 80’s, he still had to withstand the harsh realities of the disenfranchised. Fighting for his survival was the norm, whether it was rising from child abuse and continued abuse in the foster care system or dealing with gang violence in his neighborhood. He will tell you he experienced more terrible events in his life by age 12 than most have by age 45.
His life hardships have only proved HiCoup to be a resilient survivor. His name serves as an explanation of himself. The name HiCoup does not only allude to the Japanese poetic style; it also conveys his approach to life: that he is willing to take what he needs by force, like a coup d’etat, if required. His life combined with his “I don’t give a F*&K’” attitude permeates his music and his latest album, Beast of Burden.
HiCoup is no stranger to the music scene having opened for artists like Busta Rhymes, Ghostface Killah, and Dead Prez, and performing in venues like SXSW for years. He has many albums and mixtapes under his belt, the most notable being Silverbackcaddilacslang, Ghetto Factory, and the Guerilla Jones mixtape and LP. He also has a strong following in Europe under the French label Vilain Mac, and longstanding collaborations with Dutch artist Sotu the Traveller, most recently on the Rise and Shine EP.
Conceptually, Beast of Burden explains HiCoup’s current stage of life and his necessary hiatus from music. Beast of Burden recounts his growing pains into adulthood; trading a music career for one of hard manual labor in order to provide a household for his son after years of fighting for legal custody. The song “Wolf Tickets” is a modern day fable that speaks to the hard headedness of adolescence and explains to young men, that they are not the first, nor the last, to go though their problems. “Concrete Jungle Bunny” examines the unsavory aspects of HiCoup’s upbringing with the positive influences he had with academia and the art world, and how he reconciles them in his adult life. While going back to his activist roots, “Animal Crackers” provides social commentary on the crumbs mainstream society gives disenfranchised communities.
Having collaborated with acclaimed producer DJ Johnny Juice of Public Enemy, the tracks bring a distinct retro sound with clear influences of 60’s blues and 70’s soul. Together, HiCoup and Johnny Juice make Beast of Burden both sonically engaging and lyrically compelling. The burden HiCoup presents in this album is heavy, yet also his badge of honor.
Copyright 2019 HiCoup Online Store by Big Cartel
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Performances: Love Letters At Retford Park
5 Feb 2019 | Announcements, Events | 0 comments
Image courtesy of the National Trust NSW
The National Trust of Australia (NSW) is hosting return performances of A.R. Gurney’s, Love Letters with the Bowral-based Creative & Co.
‘Love Letters’ was a finalist in the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, in 1990. The play brings to life the correspondence of two characters over fifty years, chronicling their hopes, dreams and disappointments. Love Letters has been performed around the world many times since it first premiered on Broadway in 1988 and has famously been performed by many well-known acting-duos including Alan Alda and Candice Bergen, Rita Wilson and Tom Hanks.
The performances will be held in the Morning Room of the delightful Italianate style residence, Retford Park in Bowral. This impressive property was built by Mr Samuel Hordern in 1887 and was then later purchased by Mr James Fairfax AC in 1964. It was then that James Fairfax went about transforming the property into a gentleman’s residence. Many years later, on the 19th April 2016, James Fairfax, generously gifted the property to the National Trust of Australia (NSW) to be preserved for the enjoyment and benefit of future generations.
Once again, Retford Park will open its doors for this unique theatrical experience. The Manager of Retford Park, Scott Pollock, and the Creative Director of Creative & Co, Michaela Bolzan, will perform the play.
Performing in historical settings is not unfamiliar for Michaela Bolzan. As a guest of the Virginia Woolf Society of Great Britain, Michaela performed the Virginia Woolf’s essay, A Room of One’s own, at Girton College, Cambridge, (the actual college where Virginia Woolf delivered the lecture in 1918). Michaela was then invited by the National Trust (UK) to deliver another performance of the same essay at their Mount Stewart property in Northern Ireland.
Scott Pollock, on the other hand, studied acting at the Ensemble Theatre and has dabbled in theatre on and off of the past twenty years. Now having spent 9 years working for the National Trust, Scott is looking forward to reprising this highly successful piece of theatre.
With champagne and canapés served following the performance, ‘Love Letters’ will make for a very intimate theatre event at Retford Park – perfect for Valentines Week!
You can read more here.
When: Wednesday 13th, Thursday 14th and Friday 15th February, 7pm to 9pm
Where: Retford Park 1325 Old South Road, Bowral, NSW, 2576
Contact: 02 4861 1933 or retfordpark@nationaltrust.com.au
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Home › About Us › High Commissioner
His Excellency Mr. Taranjit Singh Sandhu
High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka
H.E. Mr. Taranjit Singh Sandhu presented his credentials to H.E. President Maithripala Sirisena on 24 January 2017.
Prior to his current assignment in Colombo, High Commissioner H.E. Mr. Taranjit Singh Sandhu was Deputy Chief of Mission at Embassy of India in Washington D.C. from July 2013 to January 2017. He served as Consul General of India in Frankfurt from September 2011 to July 2013. He served in the Ministry of External Affairs from March 2009 to August 2011, as Joint Secretary (United Nations) and later as Joint Secretary (Administration) heading the Human Resource Division. High Commissioner Sandhu was at the Permanent Mission of India to United Nations, New York from July 2005 to February 2009. He was First Secretary (Political) at Embassy of India, Washington, D.C. responsible for liaison with the United States Congress from 1997-2000.
High Commissioner Sandhu has earlier served as the Head of the Political Wing in the High Commission of India, Colombo from December 2000 to September 2004.
In a distinguished career spanning nearly thirty years after joining Indian Foreign Service in 1988, High Commissioner Sandhu’s various assignments have included working in the former Soviet Union (Russia) from 1990 to 1992 as Third Secretary (Political) / Second Secretary (Commercial). Following the breakup of Soviet Union, he was sent to open a new Embassy in Ukraine. He served as Head of Political and Administration Wings in Indian Embassy in Kiev from 1992 to 1994. On his return to India, he served as Officer on Special Duty (Press Relations), Ministry of External Affairs from 1994 to March 1997. He was responsible for liaison with foreign media in India.
Born on 23 January 1963 in a family of educationists, High Commissioner Sandhu studied at The Lawrence School, Sanawar and graduated with History Honors from St. Stephens' College, Delhi. He pursued a Masters Degree in International Relations at the Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.
High Commissioner Sandhu is married to Mrs. Reenat Sandhu, who is Ambassador of India to Italy. They have two children.
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HEADstrong; Nick Colleluori’s Relentless Battle and Lime Green Legacy
Home » HEADstrong; Nick Colleluori’s Relentless Battle and Lime Green Legacy
Holmes, PA – When Nick Colleluori was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in September of 2005, he channeled his inner athlete to tackle the disease. At just 19 years old, standing 5’9” and 170-pounds, the undersized defensive lineman from Ridley High School known for his tenacity, aggressiveness and relentless attitude on the playing field was now facing his toughest opponent. And just like he once did on the playing field, Colleluori defied the odds, focusing his attention and energy during treatments on creating a non-profit organization to improve quality of life for other patients and their families while uniting athletes nationwide in the fight against cancer. From his hospital bed the HEADstrong Foundation™ was born.
Hank Fraley (left), Nick Colleluori (right)
Just 12 months prior to his diagnosis, Colleluori received the 2004 Hank Fraley Award, (Fraley was a former Philadelphia Eagles Center), presented to a high school football player in the Philadelphia area gaining the most from their abilities. #56 was known for terrorizing quarterbacks and running backs during his playing career at Ridley and it was his mind-over-matter mentality that allowed him to rise above adversity, which unknowingly prepared him for his battle against cancer.
“I had the privilege of chronicling Nick’s career on video and time and time again, he would make a play that you would have to watch over and over again.” One of my lasting vivid images was in a game against Penn Wood, with the Patriots in punt formation near their own goal line, Nick shot through the line, blocked the punt and then crawled relentlessly to make the recovery for a touchdown,” said Mike Iannacci, Former Teacher.
Despite being a young adult facing a terminal diagnosis, with uncertainties surrounding his future, amounting medical expenses, lengthy hospital stays, physical and emotional anguish, it was the struggles and sacrifices of his family that troubled Colleluori most. Throughout it all he believed that his journey could assist others, so he began chronicling his experience to assure others affected that they were not alone. He began counseling patients; he raised funds to purchase beds for caregivers and designed a multi-entertainment unit to provide inpatients with a temporary escape and outlet of entertainment.
While enduring a 40-day inpatient stay at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania to undergo an autologous stem cell transplant, Colleluori began to strategize and develop an awareness item to unite athletes in the fight the against cancer. He realized that he was one of the youngest patients on his floor and rather than wallow in pity or fear, Colleluori was determined to use his youthful spirit as motivation for creating an awareness symbol that sparked the HEADstrong Foundation™: lime green shoelaces.
Lime green is the national awareness color for non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and Colleluori believed that the color’s vibrancy paired with its significance would make a powerful statement on the playing field—and it did. Colleluori publicly championed the mission until his untimely passing on November 28, 2006. Prior to his death, however, Nick asked his family to take the reins of HEADstrong and grow the organization nationally.
Nick Colleluori receiving his bone marrow transplant
It has been ten years since Colleluori’s passing but his legacy lives on through his vision, the HEADstrong Foundation™. Just as he predicted, athletes and teams nationwide are uniting on the playing field, proudly wearing lime green HEADstrong shoelaces and other Foundation merchandise to make a statement and raise funds to support the cause. HEADstrong grants financial assistance, provides complimentary housing and amenities through Nick’s House™, funds projects at hospitals to improve accommodations, supports innovative research, serves family meals, provides outlets of entertainment, delivers comfort kits and lends a direct arm of support through its peer to peer advocacy group.
“Our Nick was a three-sport athlete in high school and football was his first love. As a mother, I went from cheering on my son from the bleachers at Ridley High School to championing his mission in the cancer community. We are tackling a global epidemic, with cancer affecting 1 out of 2 people in the US alone. Our mission is simple yet critical. We are helping families here and now, when they need it the most. We continue to rally support and our hope is to ignite the football community to join our Team of Champions.” says Cheryl Colleluori HF President and Nick’s Mom.
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Joints in the body
Bony Joints
Fibrous Joints
Gomphoses
Syndesmoses
Cartilaginous Joints
Synchondroses
Symphyses
Synovial Joints
Classes of Synovial Joints
The Jaw Joint
The Shoulder Joint
The Elbow Joint
The Hip Joint
The Knee Joint
The Ankle Joint
Any point where two bones meet is called a joint (articulation), whether or not the bones are mobile at that interface. Joints, or articulations, link the bones of the skeletal system into a functional whole—a system that supports the body, permits effective movement, and protects the softer organs. Joints such as the shoulder, elbow, and knee are remarkable specimens of biological design—self-lubricating, almost frictionless, and able to bear heavy loads and withstand compression while executing smooth and precise movements. Yet it is equally important that other joints be less movable or even immobile. Such joints are better able to support the body and protect delicate organs. The vertebral column, for example, is only moderately mobile, for it must allow for flexibility of the torso and yet protect the delicate spinal cord and support much of the body’s weight. Bones of the cranium must protect the brain and sense organs, but need not allow for movement (except during birth); thus, they are locked together by immobile joints.
The science of joint structure, function, and dysfunction is called arthrology. The study of musculoskeletal movement is kinesiology. This is a branch of biomechanics, which deals with a broad variety of movements and mechanical processes in the body, including the physics of blood circulation, respiration, and hearing.
The name of a joint is typically derived from the names of the bones involved. For example, the atlanto–occipital joint is where the atlas meets the occipital condyles; the glenohumeral joint is where the glenoid cavity of the scapula meets the humerus; and the radioulnar joint is where the radius meets the ulna.
Joints can be classified according to the manner in which the adjacent bones are bound to each other, with corresponding differences in how freely the bones can move. Authorities differ in their classification schemes, but one common view places the joints in four major categories: bony, fibrous, cartilaginous, and synovial
A bony joint, or synostosis, is an immobile joint formed when the gap between two bones ossifies and they become, in effect, a single bone. Bony joints can form by ossification of either fibrous or cartilaginous joints. An infant is born with right and left frontal and mandibular bones, for example, but these soon fuse seamlessly into a single frontal bone and mandible. In old age, some cranial sutures become obliterated by ossification and the adjacent cranial bones, such as the parietal bones, fuse. The epiphyses and diaphyses of the long bones are joined by cartilaginous joints in childhood and adolescence, and these become bony joints in early adulthood. The attachment of the first rib to the sternum also becomes a bony joint with age.
A fibrous joint is also called a synarthrosis. It is a point at which adjacent bones are bound by collagen fibers that emerge from one bone, cross the space between them, and penetrate into the other. There are three kinds of fibrous joints: sutures, gomphoses, and syndesmoses. In sutures and gomphoses, the fibers are very short and allow for little or no movement. In syndesmoses, the fibers are longer and the attached bones are more mobile.
Figure 1. Fibrous joints
Note: (a) A suture between the parietal bones. (b) A gomphosis between a tooth and the jaw. (c) A syndesmosis between the tibia and fibula.
Sutures are immobile or only slightly mobile fibrous joints that closely bind the bones of the skull to each other; they occur nowhere else. Sutures can be classified as serrate, lap, and plane sutures. Readers with some knowledge of woodworking may recognize that the structures and functional properties of these sutures have something in common with basic types of carpentry joints.
Serrate sutures appear as wavy lines along which the adjoining bones firmly interlock with each other by their serrated margins, like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. Serrate sutures are analogous to a dovetail wood joint. Examples include the coronal, sagittal, and lambdoid sutures that border the parietal bones.
Lap (squamous) sutures occur where two bones have overlapping beveled edges, like a miter joint in carpentry. On the surface, a lap suture appears as a relatively smooth (nonserrated) line. An example is the squamous suture where the temporal bone meets the sphenoid and parietal bones. The beveled edge of the temporal bone.
Plane (butt) sutures occur where two bones have straight nonoverlapping edges. The two bones merely border on each other, like two boards glued together in a butt joint. This type of joint is represented by the intermaxillary suture in the roof of the mouth.
Figure 2. Sutures joint
Even though the teeth are not bones, the attachment of a tooth to its socket is classified as a joint called a gomphosis. The term refers to its similarity to a nail hammered into wood. The tooth is held firmly in place by a fibrous periodontal ligament, which consists of collagen fibers that extend from the bone matrix of the jaw into the dental tissue. The periodontal ligament allows the tooth to move or give a little under the stress of chewing. Along with associated nerve endings, this slight tooth movement allows you to sense how hard you are biting and to sense a particle of food stuck between the teeth.
A syndesmosis is a fibrous joint at which two bones are bound by relatively long collagenous fibers. The separation between the bones and length of the fibers give these joints more mobility than a suture or gomphosis has. An especially mobile syndesmosis exists between the shafts of the radius and ulna, which are joined by a broad fibrous interosseous membrane. This permits such movements as pronation and supination of the forearm. A less mobile syndesmosis is the one that binds the distal ends of the tibia and fibula together, side by side.
A cartilaginous joint is also called an amphiarthrosis. In these joints, two bones are linked by cartilage. The two types of cartilaginous joints are synchondroses and symphyses.
Figure 3. Cartilaginous joints
Note: a) A synchondrosis, represented by the costal cartilage joining rib 1 to the sternum. (b) The pubic symphysis. (c) Intervertebral discs, which join adjacent vertebrae to each other by symphyses.
A synchondrosis is a joint in which the bones are bound by hyaline cartilage. An example is the temporary joint between the epiphysis and diaphysis of a long bone in a child, formed by the cartilage of the epiphyseal plate. Another is the attachment of the first rib to the sternum by a hyaline costal cartilage. The other costal cartilages are joined to the sternum by synovial joints.
In a symphysis, two bones are joined by fibrocartilage. One example is the pubic symphysis, in which the right and left pubic bones are joined anteriorly by the cartilaginous interpubic disc. Another is the joint between the bodies of two vertebrae, united by an intervertebral disc. The surface of each vertebral body is covered with hyaline cartilage. Between the vertebrae, this cartilage becomes infiltrated with collagen bundles to form fibrocartilage. Each intervertebral disc permits only slight movement between adjacent vertebrae, but the collective effect of all 23 discs gives the spine considerable flexibility.
The most familiar type of joint is the synovial joint, also called a diarthrosis. Ask most people to point out any joint in the body, and they are likely to point to a synovial joint such as an elbow, knee, or knuckle. Many synovial joints, like these examples, are freely mobile. Others, such as the joints between the wrist and ankle bones and between the articular processes of the vertebrae, have more limited mobility.
Synovial joints are the most structurally complex type of joint and are the type most likely to develop uncomfortable and crippling dysfunctions. They are the most important joints for such professionals as physical and occupational therapists, athletic coaches, nurses, and fitness trainers to understand well. Their mobility makes the synovial joints especially important to the quality of life. Reflect, for example, on the performance extremes of a young athlete, the decline in flexibility that comes with age, and the crippling effect of rheumatoid arthritis.
In synovial joints, the facing surfaces of the two bones are covered with articular cartilage, a layer of hyaline cartilage up to 2 or 3 mm thick. These surfaces are separated by a narrow space, the joint (articular) cavity, containing a slippery lubricant called synovial fluid. This fluid, for which the joint is named, is rich in albumin and hyaluronic acid, which give it a viscous, slippery texture similar to raw egg white. It nourishes the articular cartilages, removes their wastes, and makes movements at synovial joints almost friction-free. A connective tissue joint (articular) capsule encloses the cavity and retains the fluid. It has an outer fibrous capsule continuous with the periosteum of the adjoining bones, and an inner, cellular synovial membrane.
The synovial membrane is composed mainly of fibroblast-like cells that secrete the fluid, and is populated by macrophages that remove debris from the joint cavity. Joint capsules and ligaments are well supplied with lamellar corpuscles and other sensory nerve endings that enable the brain to monitor limb positions and joint movements.
In a few synovial joints, fibrocartilage grows inward from the joint capsule and forms a pad between the articulating bones. In the jaw (temporomandibular) joint, at both ends of the clavicle (sternoclavicular and acromioclavicular joints), and between the ulna and carpal bones, the pad crosses the entire joint capsule and is called an articular disc. In the knee, two cartilages extend inward from the left and right but do not entirely cross the joint. Each is called a meniscus because of its crescent-moon shape. These cartilages absorb shock and pressure, guide the bones across each other, improve the fit between the bones, and stabilize the joint, reducing the chance of dislocation.
Accessory structures associated with a synovial joint include tendons, ligaments, and bursae. A tendon is a strip or sheet of tough collagenous connective tissue that attaches a muscle to a bone. Tendons are often the most important structures in stabilizing a joint. A ligament is a similar tissue that attaches one bone to another.
A bursa is a fibrous sac of synovial fluid located between adjacent muscles, where a tendon passes over a bone, or between bone and skin. Bursae cushion muscles, help tendons slide more easily over the joints, and sometimes enhance the mechanical effect of a muscle by modifying the direction in which its tendon pulls. Tendon (synovial) sheaths are elongated cylindrical bursae wrapped around a tendon, seen especially in the hand and foot. They enable tendons to move back and forth more freely in such tight spaces as the wrist and ankle.
Figure 4. Synovial joint
There are six fundamental types of synovial joints, distinguished by the shapes of their articular surfaces and their degrees of freedom. We will begin by looking at these six types in simple terms, but then see that this is an imperfect classification for reasons discussed at the end. All six types can be found in the upper limb. They are listed here in descending order of mobility: one multiaxial type (ball-and-socket), three biaxial types (condylar, saddle, and plane), and two monaxial types (hinge and pivot).
Ball-and-socket joints. These are the shoulder and hip joints—the only multiaxial joints in the body. In both cases, one bone (the humerus or femur) has a smooth hemispherical head that fits into a cuplike socket on the other (the glenoid cavity of the scapula or the acetabulum of the hip bone).
Condylar (ellipsoid) joints. These joints exhibit an oval convex surface on one bone that fits into a complementary shaped depression on the other. The radiocarpal joint of the wrist and metacarpophalangeal joints at the bases of the fingers are examples. They are biaxial joints, capable of movement in two planes. To demonstrate this, hold your hand with the palm facing you. Make a fist, and these joints flex in the sagittal plane. Fan your fingers apart, and they move in the frontal plane.
Saddle joints. Here, both bones have a saddle-shaped surface—concave in one direction (like the front-to-rear curvature of a horse’s saddle) and convex in the other (like the left-to-right curvature of a saddle). The clearest example of this is the trapeziometacarpal joint between the trapezium of the wrist and metacarpal I at the base of the thumb. Saddle joints are biaxial. The thumb, for example, moves in a frontal plane when you spread the fingers apart, and in a sagittal plane when you move it as if to grasp a tool such as a hammer. This range of motion gives us and other primates that invaluable anatomical hallmark, the opposable thumb. Another saddle joint is the sternoclavicular joint, where the clavicle articulates with the sternum. The clavicle moves vertically in the frontal plane at this joint when you lift a suitcase, and moves horizontally in the transverse plane when you reach forward to push open a door.
Plane (gliding) joints. Here the bone surfaces are flat or only slightly concave and convex. The adjacent bones slide over each other and have relatively limited movement. Plane joints are found between the carpal bones of the wrist, the tarsal bones of the ankle, and the articular processes of the vertebrae. Their movements, although slight, are complex. They are usually biaxial. For example, when the head is tilted forward and back, the articular facets of the vertebrae slide anteriorly and posteriorly; when the head is tilted from side to side, the facets slide laterally. Although any one joint moves only slightly, the combined action of the many joints in the wrist, ankle, and vertebral column allows for a significant amount of overall movement.
Hinge joints. These are essentially monaxial joints, moving freely in one plane with very little movement in any other, like a door hinge. Some examples are the elbow, knee, and interphalangeal (finger and toe) joints. In these cases, one bone has a convex (but not hemispherical) surface, such as the trochlea of the humerus and the condyles of the femur. This fits into a concave depression on the other bone, such as the trochlear notch of the ulna and the condyles of the tibia.
Pivot joints. These are monaxial joints in which a bone spins on its longitudinal axis like the axle of a bicycle wheel. There are two principal examples: the atlantoaxial joint between the first two vertebrae, and the radioulnar joint at the elbow. At the atlantoaxial joint, the dens of the axis projects into the vertebral foramen of the atlas and is held against the anterior arch of the atlas by the transverse ligament. As the head rotates left and right, the skull and atlas pivot around the dens. At the radioulnar joint, the anular ligament of the ulna wraps around the neck of the radius. During pronation and supination of the forearm, the disclike radial head pivots like a wheel turning on its axle. The edge of the wheel spins against the radial notch of the ulna like a car tire spinning in snow.
Figure 5. Six types of synovial joints
Some joints cannot be easily classified into any one of these six categories. The jaw joint, for example, has some aspects of condylar, hinge, and plane joints. It clearly has an elongated condyle where it meets the temporal bone of the cranium, but it moves in a hingelike fashion when the mandible moves up and down in speaking, biting, and chewing; it glides slightly forward when the jaw juts (protracts) to take a bite; and it glides from side to side to grind food between the molars. To observe the importance of the forward glide, try to open your mouth while pushing the jaw posteriorly with the heel of your hand; it is difficult to open the mouth more than 1 or 2 cm when there is resistance to protraction of the mandible.
The knee is a classic hinge joint, but has an element of the pivot type; when we lock our knees to stand more effortlessly, the femur pivots slightly on the tibia. The humeroradial joint acts as a hinge joint when the elbow flexes and a pivot joint when the forearm pronates.
The temporomandibular (jaw) joint (TMJ) is the articulation of the condyle of the mandible with the mandibular fossa of the temporal bone. You can feel its action by pressing your fingertips against the jaw immediately anterior to the ear while opening and closing your mouth. The synovial cavity of the TMJ is divided into superior and inferior chambers by an articular disc, which permits lateral and medial excursion of the mandible. Two ligaments support the joint. The lateral ligament prevents posterior displacement of the mandible. If the jaw receives a hard blow, this ligament normally prevents the condylar process from being driven upward and fracturing the base of the skull. The sphenomandibular ligament on the medial side of the joint extends from the sphenoid bone to the ramus of the mandible. A stylomandibular ligament extends from the styloid process to the angle of the mandible but is not part of the TMJ proper.
A deep yawn or other strenuous depression of the mandible can dislocate the TMJ by making the condyle pop out of the fossa and slip forward. The joint is relocated by pressing down on the molars while pushing the jaw posteriorly.
Figure 6. Temporomandibular joint (TMJ)
The glenohumeral (humeroscapular) joint, or shoulder joint, is where the hemispherical head of the humerus articulates with the glenoid cavity of the scapula. Together, the shoulder and elbow joints serve to position the hand for the performance of a task; without a hand, shoulder and elbow movements are almost useless. The relatively loose shoulder joint capsule and shallow glenoid cavity sacrifice joint stability for freedom of movement. The cavity, however, has a ring of fibrocartilage called the glenoid labrum around its margin, making it somewhat deeper than it looks on a dried skeleton.
The shoulder is stabilized mainly by the biceps brachii muscle on the anterior side of the arm. One of its tendons arises from the long head of the muscle, passes through the intertubercular groove of the humerus, and inserts on the superior margin of the glenoid cavity. It acts as a taut strap that presses the humeral head against the glenoid cavity. Four additional muscles help to stabilize this joint: the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, and subscapularis. Their tendons form the rotator cuff, which is fused to the joint capsule on all sides except the inferior.
Five principal ligaments also support this joint. Three of them, called the glenohumeral ligaments, are relatively weak and sometimes absent. The other two are the coracohumeral ligament, which extends from the coracoid process of the scapula to the greater tubercle of the humerus, and the transverse humeral ligament, which extends from the greater to the lesser tubercle of the humerus and forms a tunnel housing the tendon from the long head of the biceps.
Four bursae occur at the shoulder. Their names describe their locations: the subdeltoid, subacromial, subcoracoid, and subscapular bursae. The deltoid is the large muscle that caps the shoulder, and the other bursae are named for parts of the scapula.
Figure 7. Shoulder joint
The elbow is a hinge joint composed of two articulations: the humeroulnar joint where the trochlea of the humerus joins the trochlear notch of the ulna, and the humeroradial joint where the capitulum of the humerus meets the head of the radius. Both are enclosed in a single joint capsule. On the posterior side of the elbow, there is a prominent olecranon bursa to ease the movement of tendons over the joint. Side-to-side motions of the elbow joint are restricted by a pair of ligaments: the radial (lateral) collateral ligament and ulnar (medial) collateral ligament.
Another joint occurs in the elbow region, the proximal radioulnar joint, but it is not involved in the hinge. At this joint, the edge of the disclike head of the radius fits into the radial notch of the ulna. It is held in place by the anular ligament, which encircles the radial head and is attached at each end to the ulna. The radial head rotates like a wheel against the ulna as the forearm is pronated or supinated.
Figure 8. Elbow joint
The coxal (hip) joint is the point where the head of the femur inserts into the acetabulum of the hip bone. Because the coxal joints bear much of the body’s weight, they have deep sockets and are much more stable than the shoulder joint. The depth of the socket is somewhat greater than you see on dried bones because of a horseshoeshaped ring of fibrocartilage, the acetabular labrum, attached to its rim. Dislocations of the hip are rare, but some infants suffer congenital dislocations because the acetabulum is not deep enough to hold the head of the femur in place. If detected early, this condition can be treated with a harness, worn for 2 to 4 months, that holds the head of the femur in the proper position until the joint is stronger.
Figure 9. Hip joint
The tibiofemoral (knee) joint is the largest and most complex diarthrosis of the body. It is primarily a hinge joint, but when the knee is flexed it is also capable of slight rotation and lateral gliding. The patella and patellar ligament also articulate with the femur to form a gliding patellofemoral joint. The joint capsule encloses only the lateral and posterior aspects of the knee joint, not the anterior. The anterior aspect is covered by the patellar ligament and the lateral and medial patellar retinacula. These are extensions of the tendon of the quadriceps femoris muscle, the large anterior muscle of the thigh. The knee is stabilized mainly by the quadriceps tendon in front and the tendon of the semimembranosus muscle on the rear of the thigh. Developing strength in these muscles therefore reduces the risk of knee injury. The joint cavity contains two C-shaped cartilages called the lateral and medial menisci (singular, meniscus) joined by a transverse ligament. The menisci absorb the shock of the body weight jostling up and down on the knee and prevent the femur from rocking from side to side on the tibia.
The posterior popliteal region of the knee is supported by a complex array of extracapsular ligaments external to the joint capsule and two intracapsular ligaments within it. The extracapsular ligaments include two collateral ligaments that prevent the knee from rotating when the joint is extended—the fibular (lateral) collateral ligament and the tibial (medial) collateral ligament—and other ligaments. The two intracapsular ligaments lie deep within the joint. The synovial membrane folds around them, however, so that they are excluded from the fluid-filled synovial cavity. These ligaments cross each other in the form of an X; hence, they are called the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and posterior cruciate ligament (PCL). These are named according to whether they attach to the anterior or posterior side of the tibia, not for their attachments to the femur. When the knee is extended, the ACL is pulled tight and prevents hyperextension. The PCL prevents the femur from sliding off the front of the tibia and prevents the tibia from being displaced backward. The ACL is one of the most common sites of knee injury.
Figure 10. Knee joint
The talocrural (ankle) joint includes two articulations—a medial joint between the tibia and talus and a lateral joint between the fibula and talus, both enclosed in one joint capsule. The malleoli of the tibia and fibula overhang the talus on each side like a cap and prevent most side-to-side motion. The ankle therefore has a more restricted range of motion than the wrist.
The ligaments of the ankle include (1) anterior and posterior tibiofibular ligaments, which bind the tibia to the fibula; (2) a multipart medial (deltoid) ligament, which binds the tibia to the foot on the medial side; and (3) a multipart lateral (collateral) ligament, which binds the fibula to the foot on the lateral side. The calcaneal (Achilles) tendon extends from the calf muscles to the calcaneus. It plantarflexes the foot and limits dorsiflexion. Plantar flexion is limited by extensor tendons on the anterior side of the ankle and by the anterior part of the joint capsule.
Sprains (torn ligaments and tendons) are common at the ankle, especially when the foot is suddenly inverted or everted to excess. They are painful and usually accompanied by immediate swelling. They are best treated by immobilizing the joint and reducing swelling with an ice pack, but in extreme cases may require a cast or surgery.
Figure 11. Ankle joint
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MAKE GIFT TO US
The Health News – 24 October 2016
• The head of Victorian Council of Social Service, Emma King, said playing community sport had physical and mental health benefits, as well social benefits for children.
• A West Australian doctor has been fined and ordered to undergo re-education programs over the death of a 66-year-old patient who was over-prescribed a medication for rheumatoid arthritis.
• An inquest has been told a 69-year-old woman died just hours after being discharged from Fremantle Hospital where she had undergone what was described as “uneventful and straightforward” surgery. Christine Stroner died at her home in April 2013, about five hours after she had been released from hospital, the day after undergoing surgery to repair a hernia and to remove her gall bladder.
News on Health Professional Radio. Today is the 24th of October 2016. Read by Rebecca Foster. Health News
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-10-22/push-to-subsidised-childrens-sport-in-victoria/7957170
Costs should not be a barrier to children participating in sport, welfare advocates say, as they call for the Victorian Government to introduce subsidies to help kids take part.
The head of Victorian Council of Social Service, Emma King, said playing community sport had physical and mental health benefits, as well social benefits for children.
Speaking at an open day for kids at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre (MSAC), Ms King said all children should have access to sporting activities.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-10-22/wa-doctor-fined-over-death-of-patient/7956942
A West Australian doctor has been fined and ordered to undergo re-education programs over the death of a 66-year-old patient who was over-prescribed a medication for rheumatoid arthritis.
Daniel Lahengking, from Indonesia, was visiting family in Esperance in April 2009 when he saw general practitioner Dian Harun complaining of stiffness and soreness in his joints.
Dr Harun prescribed him the drug methotrexate, but gave him handwritten instructions to take amounts of the drug that were far in excess of the recommended dosage.
Over the next few days, Mr Lahengking became increasingly unwell, including vomiting and stomach pains, and returned to see Dr Harun, who diagnosed him with a urinary tract infection and requested that he undergo a blood test.
Three days later, Mr Lahengking was taken to Esperance hospital where he was diagnosed with methotrexate poisoning.
He was later transferred to Royal Perth Hospital but died as a result of multiple organ failure.
The tribunal imposed a fine of $5,000 and ordered she undertake an education program dealing with the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis, medication safety and administration, and adequate note taking.
There was an inquest in 2014 into Mr Lahengking’s death, with coroner Barry King saying “there was no doubt [the patient] was let down by the health care he received in Western Australia”.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-10-21/inquest-death-of-christine-stroner-after-release-from-hospital/7955730
An inquest has been told a 69-year-old woman died just hours after being discharged from Fremantle Hospital where she had undergone what was described as “uneventful and straightforward” surgery.
Christine Stroner died at her home in April 2013, about five hours after she had been released from hospital, the day after undergoing surgery to repair a hernia and to remove her gall bladder.
The inquest heard Ms Stroner had long-standing reflux disease as well as a number of underlying medical conditions including high cholesterol, chronic pain and type 2 diabetes.
Counsel assisting the coroner, Toby Bishop said about two hours before she was discharged, a nurse had noted an increase in Ms Stroner’s pulse rate and suggested a doctor review her, but it was not clear whether that had occurred.
… after she arrived home, her husband noted she did not seem well and he rang the hospital to query whether she should have been discharged.
Mr Bishop said he was given instructions to check his wife’s sugar levels and was told she had been given pain killers.
Ms Stroner then fell asleep on the couch, and when her husband noticed she had stopped breathing he was unable to rouse her.
Mr Bishop said a post-mortem examination had been unable to determine the cause of Ms Stroner’s death, although the forensic pathologist found there were three potential reasons, including post-operative infection and multiple drug toxicity.
… Professor Mo Ballal, who conducted the surgery, described the procedure as being a “straightforward operation”.
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Home > Industry News > Product Profile > Identifying Lingering Balance Issues as a Result of a Brain Injury
By Dr. Kim Skinner, Director of Physical Therapy at Helius Medical Technologies on June 21, 2019
What is a mild-to-moderate traumatic brain injury?
A brain injury, or more specifically a mild-to-moderate traumatic brain injury, refers to damage to the brain caused by a “traumatic” event such as a car accident, a sports injury, or a work-related accident. Mild-to-moderate is often classified as minimal loss of consciousness lasting less than 24 hours and/or minimal amnesia lasting less than 7 days. A concussion is a type of mild-to-moderate brain injury in which the affected individual may not necessarily lose consciousness.
What are the consequences of a mild-to-moderate brain injury?
Many associate brain injuries with long-term symptoms that may include cognitive (thinking) issues, communication issues, emotional issues, and behavioural issues. What some patients and caregivers may not realize is that mild-to-moderate brain injuries can often lead to long-term physical issues. These may include balance and coordination problems that can result in difficulty walking, trouble climbing stairs, a high risk of falling, and an inability to do simple, everyday functional self-care or household management tasks. Some are unable to return to work or resume the hobbies or activities they engaged in prior to their injury.
What are the shortcomings of current standard-of-care physical therapy?
Even after months of standard-of-care rehabilitation therapy, it is estimated that 10%-40% of people who have balance issues following a mild-to-moderate traumatic brain injury do not fully recover. Long-term balance and coordination issues, also known as chronic balance deficit, may continue to persist or last a lifetime. With little advancements in rehabilitation therapy in the past few decades, healthcare providers are left with little hope of helping improve their patients’ persistent balance symptoms.
What is neuroplasticity and how has it led to new treatment innovations?
Neuroplasticity refers to the ability of the nerves and the network of nerves of the brain (also known as neurons) to change, adapt, and reorganize their connections and behaviour in response to new information, sensory stimulation, development, damage, or dysfunction.
Researchers from the University of Wisconsin have discovered that stimulating the nerves in the tongue using mild electrical pulses translates into stimulation of the cranial nerves that have direct connections into the brain through the brainstem – the part of the brain that controls posture and balance. When the stimulation is combined with physical activity, changes may occur in the neural (nerve) network. Training helps re-organize the neural pathways and facilitates the recovery of function, which in turn may result in improvements in balance and gait.
Neuromodulation-based treatment is now available in Canada
Research in tongue stimulation led to the development of an innovative, non-invasive medical device that has recently become available in Canada, called the Portable Neuromodulation Stimulator, or PoNS™. This device, only available by prescription in Canada, delivers mild stimulation to the tongue and is used in conjunction with physical therapy (read more at ponstreatment.ca).
Clinical trials resulted in nearly 70% of participants experiencing significant improvements in their balance. In a 14-week long-term treatment trial, this benefit persisted for at least 12 weeks following the end of PoNS Treatment™. As a result of improving balance and gait, some of the most impactful and meaningful goals that participants were able to achieve included the ability to perform independent self-care tasks such as dressing, showering, walking up and down the driveway, and going grocery shopping.
This innovation expands treatment options and provides hope for people with chronic balance deficit due to mild-to-moderate traumatic brain injury.
Kim Skinner is a licensed physical therapist with a doctorate in Physical Therapy from the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences. She is the Director of Physical Therapy at Helius Medical Technologies.
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Music and sounds of sedonahoo
Shawn E. Donahoo
sedonahoo
Berklee Graduate, Piano Principal, Music Synthesis (1989)
University of Alabama, Masters Degree, Music Composition (1993)
The power that music has to connect us with memories can be absolutely magical and intoxicating. It pours itself into each person’s unique mold, and resonates differently to match what we need. I love that. It’s always been a place of safe refuge for me, and it’s comforting to know that it can be for others...???
I’ve been a student of piano since age 7. Started composing at 11. Won some AMTA state (AL) competitions for composition and performance at 14 & 15 (respectively), but after high school (1985) pursued a degree in electrical engineering at Auburn University my first two years of college (at the urging a of my loving parents, so I wouldn’t become a starving artist), until the pull of music wouldn’t let me continue down that path. So, I got degrees from Berklee (1989) and Univ of Ala (1993) in Music Synthesis and Composition (respectively), but wasn’t allowed to teach without a DMA. Pulled together what I thought was the best of my work and produced Water Circle the year after graduate school (1994). I spent three years promoting it nationally, but couldn’t get distribution. Gave up on music in order to earn a living. Founded a kite/flag store, Forever Flying (1997-2013), but the pull of music has finally overcome my ability to resist it (again) last year. It’s good to be back! The beauty, mystery and power of nature has always been my primary musical inspiration. Every composition has a visual image or story (real or imaginary) that plays in my mind to accompany the music. It all started 40 years ago (captured in my "Nature Suite for Piano" album, which was composed through my high school years, 1981-1985.
It has been said, that “Art imitates Life.” We certainly know, thru experience, that music is an expression of life. But it can be so much more. My favorite quote, from C.G. Jung, is his attempt to define Art, “Art is a bridge thrown out toward and unseen shore...” which I interpret to have spiritual, mystical properties—a yearning, reaching toward connecting with something greater than ourselves.
Enjoy these soundtracks of the imagination...
Listen to all music and sounds of sedonahoo and follow this user by signing in for free. You can listen to 6 tracks and mixes and follow this user as 0 did before. This artist liked 3 tracks, followed 0 others and reshared 0 tracks and mixes. 2 other people are following this page too.
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Soundtrack sedonahoo
Ancient Ritual
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Mission to Mars by sedonahoo published on 2019-06-28 10:17:48
Into Our Future by sedonahoo published on 2019-06-28 10:12:41
F-15 Eagle by sedonahoo published on 2019-06-28 02:58:40
Ignition by sedonahoo published on 2019-06-27 23:16:55
Witch Hunt by sedonahoo published on 2019-06-27 13:00:52
Ancient Ritual by sedonahoo published on 2019-06-27 12:18:59
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