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Women on the move in Shan State. The northern part of the state and neighbouring Kachin State are still subject to ongoing flighting with the Burmese military. (Photo: Libby Hogan /DVB)
Eliminating sexual violence in conflict areas
As war continues in Burma’s border areas, calls grow to end attacks on women.
“Do you have an emergency basket at your door?”
This is a question that Ph.D. candidate Jenny Hedström soon learned to ask whenever she interviewed Kachin women about their support for and involvement with the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) for her research on gender, peace and security issues in Burma.
“I spoke to a woman in an IDP camp who had lived through three episodes of very intense bombings in her village and was so fed up with it, but she had these clear patterns — almost obsessively making sure she had a basket ready for all her immediate family’s needs,” says Hedström.
“I then began to ask everyone who was a bit older, ‘Did you have a basket at the door?’ and they would all say, ‘of course’,” she recalls.
For women in Kachin State being prepared to flee a Burmese army attack at a moment’s notice is a skill every bit as important as growing rice, cooking food and caring for children.
An estimated 100,000 civilians have been displaced over the past five years of conflict in Kachin State — which is just one of many strife-torn parts the country.
One issue that often gets overshadowed in this and other conflicts is how they create conditions that make women more vulnerable to sexual violence and rape.
Women’s rights group Akhaya Women has launched a campaign to recognize support for survivors of sexual violence. The poster reads #ISupportYou and #WeBelieveYou in Burmese.
Renewed fighting in resource-rich Kachin State and elsewhere in Burma has often resulted in sexual crimes by members of the country’s armed forces.
“Rape is still being committed by those in the military. It’s about authority and it is very clear that they have impunity,” says Moon Nay Li, secretary of the Kachin Women’s Association Thailand (KWAT).
The way to eliminate sexual violence in conflict areas is by reforming the legal system and involving more women in the peace talks, say women’s rights groups. As Moon Nay Li notes, the system as it now stands is so deeply flawed that justice is all but impossible to achieve.
“We are trying to engage in a legal way but it is very difficult to find justice for any case committed by the Tatmadaw [Burmese armed forces],” she says. “Before the cases get to the Supreme Court, they disappear, they’re dismissed.”
KWAT is just one of several women’s groups working in Shan and Kachin states attempting to address the authorities’ silence by recording instances of rape and sexual violence targeting women in conflict situations.
One of the most brutal cases was last year’s alleged gang rape and murder of two Kachin volunteer teachers, Maran Lu Ra and Tangbau Hkawn Nan Tsin. More than a year later, no charges have been laid against those suspected of committing this brutal crime, prompting accusations of a cover-up.
This month, the Women’s League of Burma (WLB), an umbrella group of 13 ethnic women’s organisations, released a statement calling for a special independent inquiry into the murder of the teachers. Once again, however, the power of the armed forces in Burma’s political affairs continues to be an obstacle to justice.
“The same pattern remains: The military is not going under the government’s ruling even though we have a [political] transformation,” says WLB secretary Julia Marip. “We need to minimise the power of the military.”
Tangbau Hkawn Nan Tsin (21) and Maran Lu Ra (20), victims of a brutal murder in northern Shan State (Photo: Lachid Kachin)
The WLB has just submitted its shadow report on the UN Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) ahead of its scheduled meeting in Geneva in July.
The WLB’s recommendations highlight the prevalence of sexual violence in conflict areas and call for swift punishment of perpetrators. Additionally, they call for the permanent withdrawal of troops in ethnic areas; gender sensitivity training for public officials; involving men in efforts to eliminate violence against women; and for the government to allow community-based organisations to operate freely without restrictions or harassment.
“Conflict-related sexual violence is used as a tactic of war to demoralise ethnic communities, as punishment for supporting ethnic armed organisations,” states the report. “To achieve lasting peace the military must cease committing human rights abuses and women must have a significant roles at all levels of the peace process.”
To date, the Burmese military continues to turn a blind eye to the problem. It claims, however, to have provided “human rights education including all forms of violence against women” in defence academies.
Part of the problem is that despite Burma’s transition to democratically elected, civilian rule, the armed forces remain untouchable. Article 343 of the constitution grants the country’s generals complete jurisdiction over all matters related to national defense, including discipline for military personnel who commit conflict-related sexual violence.
Barriers to seeking justice
Another problem is that documenting rape is no easy task, as many of the ethnic villages are isolated and in conflict zones where women do not know their rights, says Khin Ohmar, coordinator of the organisation Burma Partnership, a network of regional and Burma civil society organizations.
“These areas are hard to get to, so what that tells us is the cases that many groups could document are still hugely under-recorded,” she says.
In 2014, WLB released a report detailing over 100 cases it has documented since 2010, including 47 gang rapes perpetrated by the Burmese military involving victims as young as 8 years old.
The culture of silence and the justice system’s failure to address such crimes is completely unacceptable, says Khin Ohmar. “The police and the court just throw the ball to each other and if the perpetrator is from the army, then the police say there is nothing they can do about it.”
She cites the court’s dismissal of the case of a 71-year-old woman who was raped in 2012 as an example of the weakness of a legal system that continues to fail victims of sexual crimes — something that has been evident again in the case of the two murdered teachers.
The social stigma surrounding rape also makes it difficult for victims to come forward.
Akhaya Women, a Rangoon-based organisation that educates women about their body rights, recently launched their #webelieveyou #Isupportyou campaign to tackle the culture of victim blaming.
“Women need to know that we will believe them if they come forward to report these human rights abuses and that they are not alone,” says Maggi Quadrini, the group’s communications officer.
The campaign encourages women to share information through social media about support services for victims. The group has also launched a petition calling for an end to the silence of unreported crimes of sexual abuse.
Encouraging women to come forward and report rape is a challenge — not only because of the emotional trauma and fear of the military, but also because ethnic women are unable to access the formal justice system due to language barriers, costs and isolation from the nearest court.
Due to these barriers and other obstacles, including the government forbidding international non-governmental organisations from going to remote or sensitive areas in ethnic states for “security” reasons, many female victims try to resolve claims of violence through local village leaders.
KWAT is responding to these conditions by running one- to three-day workshops in ethnic communities with the aim of opening up the conversation on sexual violence.
“First we found that women didn’t want to talk about their experiences as it was like being raped again, sharing and retelling their story,” says Moon Nay Li. But they’ve found that open-group survivor empowerment programs are encouraging more women to come forward. They are also filling the void in government support services by building their own safe houses for victims of violence.
Women take a rest on the side of a road. Many women and families have been forced to flee and leave their farms due the fighting in northern Shan State. (Photo: Libby Hogan / DVB)
The only way to move forward towards peace is to start including women, says Hedström, the Ph. D. candidate: “I think it is pretty clear that the peace talks haven’t gone anywhere and so we need a new approach.”
According to Burma’s 2014 census, in Kachin State, it has the fourth highest reported rate of female headed households, yet they are still locked out of political talks.
Hedström says there is a common misconception that in ethnic areas, women lack the education and knowledge of the outside world they would need to play a more active part in moving the country towards peace.
“The women’s groups have the expertise that is needed to drive this peace process forward, because they are actively traveling internationally and they have experience in hearing conflict resolutions,” she says.
If the government is serious about making changes, quotas at all levels of government and in the peace talks needs to be mandated, say women’s rights advocates.
“At every level we are trying to promote women leadership and empowering survivors at the same time,” says Moon Nay Li.
Tags: Akhaya womenBurma PartnershipBurmese militaryHuman RightsKachin conflictKachin schoolteachersraperape as a weapon of warsexual violenceWomen's League of Burmawomen's rights
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Court Cases (2)
Data & Statistics (1)
Coronavirus envelope protein: current knowledge
<p>Coronaviruses (CoVs) primarily cause enzootic infections in birds and mammals but, in the last few decades, have shown to be capable of infecting humans as well.<a href="http://www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/files/file/Coronavirus.pdf"
Predicting and designing therapeutics against the Nipah virus
<p>Despite Nipah virus outbreaks having high mortality rates (>70% in Southeast Asia), there are no licensed drugs against it. In this study, we have considered all 9 Nipah proteins as potential <a
Diagnostic Methods
African swine fever spreads to Vietnam's southern Tay Ninh province
African swine fever (ASF) has hit Vietnam's southern Tay Ninh province, Vietnam News Agency reported on Sunday. A herd of 16 pigs raised by a household in Tay Ninh's Chau Thanh district have been tested
China reports new African swine fever outbreak in Guangxi region
China’s southwestern region of Guangxi has confirmed a new outbreak of African swine fever, the agriculture ministry said on Saturday. The new outbreak has killed 1 pig and infected 42 more on a farm
Over 2.84 mln pigs in Vietnam culled amid African swine fever spread
African swine fever (ASF) has stricken 61 localities across Vietnam, leading to the culling of over 2.84 million pigs or 10.3 percent of the country's total pig population, Vietnam News Agency reported
Primary structural differences at residue 226 of deer and elk PrP dictate selection of distinct CWD prion strains in gene-targeted mice
<p>Although the unifying hallmark of prion diseases is CNS neurodegeneration caused by conformational corruption of host prion protein (PrP) to its infective counterpart, contagious transmission of chronic
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
African Swine Fever hits Delmas
African Swine Fever (ASF) has broken out among pigs in Delmas, Mpumalanga, according to national Department of Health animal health director Mpho Maja. The outbreak was detected over the weekend when
News 24 (South Africa)
China finds more cases of African swine fever on Hainan island
China has detected new cases of African swine fever in six farms across four locations in Hainan province, the agriculture ministry said on Sunday, adding to two earlier cases of the contagious disease
Frogs, salamanders and toads suffering ‘catastrophic population decline’, scientists say
Amphibians across the world are experiencing “catastrophic population declines” from a widening range of interacting pathogens, scientists say. Fungal disease chytridiomycosis is thought to have caused
Independent (United Kingdom)
African Swine Fever detected in the North West
Zeerust in the North West has reportedly been hit by an African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak. It was reported to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) on Wednesday, according to the Department
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Cameras, iPhones & Instagrams: Reshaping our worldview
Yesterday I went to see the new Dorthea Lange exhibit at the Oakland museum and was pretty much left speechless by the raw power of her photographs. "She would expose a roll of film, send it off to Washington DC to be developed, and then wait for it to come back. Sometimes it was months before she could see how her photos turned out." http://museumca.org/gallery/dorothea-lange-politics-seeing#slide-0-field_phot_gallery-4131
Today we can see within seconds how our photos have turned out -- and, thanks to FaceBook, Instagram and SnapChat, half the world can see how our photos turned out too.
This new and sudden flood of millions of images that wash over us daily might be both a good thing and a bad thing. It's bad because individual photos have now lost the intense power and magic that came with the exceptional and stark rarity of a great photo such as ones that Lange took.
The gut-wrenching reality of Lange's photos moved an entire generation to take immediate action to stop the horrors of the Great Depression. And the stoic and tragic faces of children in her photos of Japanese-Americans being forcefully dragged off to concentration camps like so many cattle also made Americans realize just how vulnerable all of us are and to move us as a nation to apologize for this injustice. "First they came for the...." And now they could come for us too. https://www.facebook.com/firsttheycameforthehomeless/
Back in the day, Lange made everyone who saw her photographs suddenly realize how vulnerable we all are, and this effect of her photos is true even now -- because even now, despite all our totally cool scientific developments and technological inventions since then, we still are as vulnerable. Lose a house? Lose a job? We could be dead within weeks -- perhaps even within days. Lange's haunting images of women and children on the brink of starvation and ruin remind us of this -- that even White Americans back then could be so easily and completely betrayed by Deep State banksters and carpetbaggers. And that this vulnerability that Lange forced Americans to confront in the 1930s is true for her photos even now, 70 years later.
But the good news is that now Dorthea Lange isn't the only one out there who is exposing us to the intense vulnerability of mankind, a vulnerability to all kinds of natural disasters and human-created assaults on both our here-and-now and on our future -- day after day, year after year.
Let's hear it for Dorthea Lange of course -- but let's also hear it for all our modern iPhones, Instagram, FaceBook and digital camera users as well. Slowly but surely, we too are bringing a face to the troubles and woes assaulting human beings daily even now and, like Lange, we too are serving as the conscience of a nation, a nation of people who are just plain lucky to be as well-off as we are, a nation that needs to remember, "There but for fortune go you and I".
PS: This September, I will be taking my trusty Canon PowerShot to the Middle East -- and hope to capture some of the horrors of destabilization over there as a result of the American carpetbaggers and war-mongers who have turned that entire part of the globe into either a fiery inferno or a ravished hulk. Perhaps I too may in my own small way sway the American conscience into finally putting a stop to all the freaking bloody disasters that our very own Wall Street and War Street are causing over there -- and that we, the American people, are ultimately responsible for and have paid for in blood money. "First they came for the Middle East..." http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/47507.htm
PPS: Photographers aren't the only artists who force us to look at the vulnerability of humans. Writers do also -- starting with those Biblical guys who wrote about the compassion of Jesus, something you really don't see all that much in America any more, especially not in the Bible Belt.
During the Great Depression, John Steinbeck's writings moved our parents and grandparents to tears. And now I am reading Jesmyn Ward's tragic memoir "Men We Reaped" and my own eyes are filling with tears too. For many Americans, not all that much has changed since the Great Depression. https://www.amazon.com/Men-We-Reaped-Jesmyn-Ward/dp/160819521X
Stop Wall Street and War Street from destroying our world. And while you're at it, please buy my books! http://straitwellbooks.blogspot.com/2016/04/our-top-best-seller-right-now-is-bring.html
Plus here's a sneak preview of my latest book, a thrilling murder mystery entitled "Road Trip to Damascus," hopefully coming out by the end of 2017: http://straitwellbooks.blogspot.com/2017/05/new-book-by-straitwell-press-coming-out.html
The Strange Case of the Zany Zionist
"Please imagine that you are a poor defenseless elderly women, slight of frame and weighing only 103 pounds," writes Dr. Watson. Sorry, can't do that. In my own mind's eye, I'm still only 15 years old and in prime physical shape. But what else do you got? "Next try to imagine that some lumbering 300-pound oaf with a dyed-orange hairdo suddenly grabs your forearm and starts to tighten and tighten his grip...." Yikes!
"And then imagine that all this manhandling is taking place in a courtroom -- and that suddenly all eyes are upon this elder-abusing bully and he is forced to loosen his grip." Wait a minute. Now this story is beginning to sound uncomfortably familiar. Perhaps that little old lady might actually be me after all.
But assuming that this powerful and dramatic court scene is the climax of Dr. Watson's story, then where exactly did this strange case actually begin? Stand down, Dr. Watson. I can take it from here.
It all began back around 2003, even before I had joined a small California branch of the International Solidarity Movement, a non-violent group devoted to bringing peace and justice to Israel and Palestine. And the lumbering oaf in Dr. Watson's courtroom drama appears to be the exact same guy who has devoted the last two decades of his life to stalking ISM members, bullying us, acting shady and generally giving Zionism a bad name. https://palsolidarity.org/tag/rachel-corrie/
14 years ago, this guy first turned up at one of our meetings disguised as a Pakistani -- that is until his pancake makeup began to run.
Then in 2006, this zany Zionist made an appearance on the Bill O'Reilly show, telling every kook and nut watching it that ISM supported terrorists (which we don't!) And then when even Bill O'Reilly seemed to think that perhaps this hulking oaf might be a bit extreme even for his show, this guy just kept re-publishing that same tired segment over and over again on his blog -- for the next eleven years.
And then this hulking stalker-for-Zionism began falsely accusing us of being members of Hezbollah and fraternizing with Hamas (totally untrue!) He even started publishing photos of us on his website as if we were wanted criminals (including a rather flattering mugshot of me).
Then our zany Zionist stalker started becoming even more obsessive and sent in an "undercover agent" to secretly videotape our meetings (and eat up our refreshments too). Are all Zionists as weird as this one? Now that's a scary thought. https://www.democracynow.org/2017/7/19/unlivable_gaza_on_verge_of_collapse
So. "How does this story finally end?" you might ask. "What was the final courtroom decision and who finally won the case?" Unfortunately it wasn't me -- but it wasn't him either! The judge just shrugged and threw up her hands. "This case is too complex for me to try in this court," she said. Okay. I agree. The judge then indicated that it was time for this overzealous and zany Zionist to be tried in a higher court instead. But which court? The Supreme Court? The Court of Public Opinion? Or an even Higher Court than that -- one involving pearly gates vs. the Fires of Hell? http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/47495.htm
As the ancient Hebrew prophet Micah was fond of saying, "Men will be judged by whether or not they love justice, and whether or not they show mercy". Or words to that effect. ISM passes these criteria with flying colors. But, unfortunately, the Zany Zionist does not. Case closed.
Apparently, our very own U.S. Congress has also become a nest of zany Zionists too. Good grief, now Congress wants to pass a bill that will make it a felony if someone like me demands justice in Israel in the same manner that Nelson Mandela demanded justice in South Africa back in the 1980s. If I keep on insisting on justice in Israel, I could also get stalked by zany Zionists in Congress too. Yikes! http://mondoweiss.net/2017/07/shockwaves-progressive-community/
PS: Just found out that I (and hopefully Dr. Watson too) will be going to Israel in early September as an ISM volunteer in Palestine -- hopefully in Jenin. http://www.thefreedomtheatre.org/
PPS: Dr. Watson is currently busy writing up his latest adventure, the fascinating "Case of the Missing Grandchildren". And I also hear that Dr. Phil is helping him out.
Clear & Present: SaudiGate, IsraelGate, Nixon & Reagan
I've got some good news and some bad news.
The good news is that, for at least the next few months, several million Americans will live a little bit longer because they will still have affordable healthcare. Even though it's not single-payer healthcare (which could save millions more American lives and cost billions of dollars less), it's still better than Trump-Ryan-McConnell-Don't-Care by a long shot. But then this isn't really news at all, right? Just the same old story of our corporate-sponsored government vs. what Jesus would have done. Boring. Nothing to see here, folks. Let's move on.
The bad news is that I just got into a big fight with a friend of mine over RussiaGate. https://consortiumnews.com/2017/07/09/ten-problems-with-anti-russian-obsession/
"The Trumps should be arrested," my friend shouted at me, "for using Russia to influence the 2016 presidential election!"
"But what about the Clintons and their use of the Saudis and Israelis to influence the 2016 election?" I replied.
"But that's completely different."
Is it now? In exactly what way? Israelis have used the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) to rule our elections with an iron hand for the past four decades, and the Saudis have used the Clinton Foundation to influence our elections by donating all kinds of $$$$ to it. But nobody appears to be whining their little hearts out about that kind of stuff. https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/21/us/politics/hillary-clinton-presidential-campaign-charity.html
"Yeah, but..." countered my friend. "Both AIPAC and the Clinton Foundation are run by Americans, not foreign nationals." And that makes it okay? Americans who are unregistered agents of foreign countries are supposed to declare themselves according to the Foreign Agents Registration Act, Section 22 et seq. Or perhaps these Americans are just committing treason?
Is my friend really actually trying to tell me that, "Treason is okay -- just as long as it doesn't involve Russia...."
Then I replied, "But AIPAC and Israel have tried to influence the outcome of almost every single American federal election in the past 50 years -- and in the past few decades, almost no politician has been sent to Washington without AIPAC's stamp of approval. Just ask former congresswoman Cynthia McKinney about that one." Not to mention Israel's grim influence in attempting to sink the USS Liberty 50 years ago today. http://usslibertyveteransblog.org/cong-jerrald-nadler-accepts-discredited-version-of-uss-liberty-attack-1378/
"But what about Barbara Lee?" answered my friend. Geez Louise. Bad example. Rep. Lee is what we call a PEP -- Progressive Except for Palestine. In America, PEPs are elected all the time. Even Al Franken and Bernie Sanders are PEPs. But you never ever hear of any PER (Progressive Except for Russia) getting elected. In fact, according to spell-check, that isn't even a word. https://972mag.com/gaza-will-be-unlivable-next-year-not-2020-as-the-un-says/128598/
Nobody on The Hill dares to cross Israel or the Saudis -- for fear of not getting re-elected. And yet almost everybody on The Hill feels free to bad-mouth Russia. I rest my case. https://www.thenation.com/article/congress-has-removed-a-ban-on-funding-neo-nazis-from-its-year-end-spending-bill/
PS: No, wait. I don't rest my case either. Have you ever gotten yourself into a debate and then gone home and told yourself, "Good grief, I shoulda said this..." Well. Perhaps what I should have also said to my friend is, "Donald Jr. talked with some Russian attorney? HELL, REAGAN KEPT AMERICANS HOSTAGE IN TEHRAN for months in order to get elected -- and later even illegally sold weapons to Iran during the Iran-Contra scandal when our ally Iraq was at 'war' with Iran. But nobody complained about that. You never heard of ReaganGate. Of course you didn't."
Not to mention that Nixon totally screwed the Paris peace talks with Vietnam in order to get elected, causing the grim and unnecessary deaths of hundreds of American soldiers. Where's the anger about that? Plus the Bushes, the Clintons, Obama, etc. all regularly chatted it up with Saudi princes and Israeli neo-colonialists in order to get elected too. Hypocrites. All of them." http://www.globalresearch.ca/ syria-a-civil-war-supported- by-washington-and-its-allies- us-wants-to-partition-and- reconfigure-the-middle-east/ 5598841
And, duh, I also should have told my friend about how I myself have lived through the grim and useless 1950s First Cold War, deliberately started by the Dulles brothers -- and that it was a miserable, scary, McCarthyism-laden time that I wouldn't wish on a dog. And that Putin is no Stalin. And that Trump, Netanyahu, Prince What's-his-Name and Mitch McConnell are not John and Bobby Kennedy either.
America supplies the Taliban's weapons? What!
For the last 16 (sixteen) long miserable years, America has been at war with the Taliban in Afghanistan, right? And so I'm starting to feel rather foolish because, after all these 16 (sixteen) long miserable years, I'm only now just beginning to ask myself, "Who the freak is financing the Taliban? And who is supplying all their weapons?"
And don't try to tell me that the Talibs are still using those rusty old guns and RPGs that the Soviets left lying around in the 1980s or the ones that the Americans used to arm bin Laden and al Qaeda back in the 1990s. That is so yesterday. Let's move on.
Even an American fourth-grader could eventually have figured this out -- that the Taliban have just got to be using sophisticated and up-to-date weaponry. Why? Because they are still in the mix -- even after 16 (sixteen) long miserable years of battling America, Canada, Europe, NATO, the UN, whatever. The most weaponized countries in the world have skin in this game -- and yet they are still losing this "war".
For instance, just look at Palestine. Palestinians use rocks and stones and the occasional bottle-rocket in order to defend themselves from their brutal occupiers who use the most advanced arsenal there is. Plus the IDF now claims that Palestinians have also escalated their weapons arsenal to knives but those are probably just throw-downs. Perhaps the Palestinians use knives. Perhaps not. But see how far stone-age weaponry has gotten them -- they basically live in concentration camps. Their rocks (and even knives) are a joke.
And don't even get me started on the Yemenis -- who appear to be fighting off the entire Saudi air force, army and killer drones only by the grace of slingshots and the willingness to become corpses rather than submit to tyranny. "Give me liberty or give me death!" they cry from behind their pea-shooters and BB guns. https://www.counterpunch.org/2017/06/20/america-will-regret-helping-saudi-arabia-bomb-yemen/
So. I wrote to a friend of mine who works for the Afghan government and asked her, "Who finances the Taliban and supplies them with weapons? Surely they aren't manufacturing RPGs inside their caves?" Here is her answer.
"Yes, you are correct to ask this. The continued persistence of the Taliban is really important, a question that has been sitting out there in plain sight that American media and scholars tend not to ask. This is not just a question of financing; but also the fact that Americans have probably killed more Taliban insurgents since 2001 than the total number of Taliban in 2001.
"Funding seems to come from two sources. First, the opium trade. Last I checked, Helmand Province had gone from negligible production before 2001 to producing 70% of the world's opium by 2010.
"The second major source of funding is charitable organizations in the Gulf, channeled through Pakistan and contributed to by Pakistan. Not sure of the proportion of this funding compared to the narcotics trade. Yep. Our 'allies' in the Gulf seem to be major supporters of the Taliban."
What? The Taliban buys arms with money from opium sales? And who, exactly, buys up most of their opium? Americans do, yeah duh. But let's move on. Again.
The Gulf States supply the Taliban's weapons? And where exactly do the Saudis and them even get any weapons to supply the Taliban with? Hell, even I know the answer to that one. From America! https://sputniknews.com/columnists/201707031055192256-qatar-ace-saudi-nemesis/
What the freak do you think that the Saudis are going to do with all the 130 billion dollars worth of weapons that America just contracted to sell them? Give them out as party favors at weddings? Yeah right.
PS: This constant river of weapons sales to both sides of the Afghan conflict is really working out well for US weapons manufacturers, ya think? They sell to the Taliban and they also sell to the Marines. What could be a better way to turn a profit? This is almost exactly the same deal that the weapons manufacturers had going for themselves during the Iran-Iraq "war". They sold weapons to the Pentagon who sold or gave them to their buddy Saddam Hussein -- and then American entrepreneurs turned around and sold weapons to Iran too. Remember Ollie North and the Iran-Contra scandal? "It's just business."
https://trud.bg/350-diplomatic-flights-carry-weapons-for-terrorists/
These weapons manufacturers really need to be put in check before even more US Marines get murdered. http://mondoweiss.net/2017/07/clinton-because-communities/
PPS: America's current fairy-tale-generating propaganda machine has just gotten even the freaking NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC involved in its evil schemes to swamp us with even more blatant advertisements for "war". WMD consumerism? Exactly how many more deadly weapons do we need?
How many deadly weapons does it take to destroy the entire Earth? To slaughter all seven billion of us humans? Apparently we still don't have enough WMDs. Apparently we gotta keep making (and using) even more and more! And as the flood of propaganda lies about Syria continue to drown us, even the freaking National Geographic has jumped into the lucrative business of lying. Yikes! http://dissidentvoice.org/2017/07/the-national-geographic-hell-on-earth-syria-hoax/#more-69686
Carpetbagger: What I resent most about Donald Trump
Could it be Trump's weird bad-hair-day approach to grooming that I resent most? No, not really. He's actually been getting his hair to behave itself lately.
Is it that The Donald is an even worse president than George W. Bush? Nah, it's not that -- even though Trump seems to be trying really hard to be the absolute worst American president ev-ah. But at least DJT actually did get legally elected (sort of, if you ignore our country's new Jim Crow voting laws, that electoral college nonsense, blatant electronic vote tampering and Citizens United). Bush definitely did not get elected. GWB bought the 2000 election straight up.
Is it because Trump (like Johnson, Bush, Clinton, Bush 2, Reagan and Obama) lied us into yet another phony act of "war"? Nope, that seems to be what American presidents do these days -- make sure that weapons contractors (not us) get all the taxpayers' money. It's part of the job description as far as I can tell.
Is it because Trump lies through his teeth about almost everything else? No, almost all politicians lie through their teeth -- with the possible exception of PEP Senator Al Franken (please read his new book "Giant of the Senate"). I've come to expect constant waterfalls of lies from DC and try to work around them. http://www.businessinsider.com/new-york-times-used-full-page-to-print-all-trump-lies-since-taking-office-2017-6
Is it because Trump kisses the arse of the evil Deep State? Nope, almost everyone in Washington does that (see below regarding HRC). Why just single out Trump?
Is it because Trump promised us that he would end the freaking illegal and criminal "war" on Syria? That he even pinky-swore that he would stop the Pentagon and CIA's traitorous funneling of blood money to ISIS and al Qaeda in Syria and Iraq -- but yet under Trump's watch there are still blatant American ratlines to these disgusting terrorist groups who only Syria's President Assad and the Russians are actually fighting against? No. Trump lied and I fell for it. That one's on me. http://www.moonofalabama.org/2017/06/more-us-torture-a-saudi-coup-and-isis-crimes-but-progressives-are-militant.html
Is it because Trump generates hate between Americans everywhere he goes, blaming immigrants and Blacks and Muslims for all the troubles that the Deep State has systematically caused? Uh-uh. Wall Street and War Street have been screwing Americans for decades, centuries even. If Americans are still falling for this shite, it's not Trump's fault. This one's on the Americans who elected him. To get at the real truth, all Americans have to do is just occasionally read my blog! http://jpstillwater.blogspot.com/2017/05/the-us-freed-libya.html
Is it because Trump has shamelessly disrespected the skilled and vital immigrant labor force that is currently re-building America in the 21st century and doing it under almost slave-labor conditions -- in the same manner that African slaves built America in the 18th century, and that 19th-century America was built by cheap labor supplied by Chinese coolies, immigrants from impoverished European serf classes and America's own exploited and wage-enslaved white factory workers and miners? Well, that too -- but this isn't the main Trump yucky grossness that I resent.
No, what I really resent about Trump is that he's always asking his grassroots base for money -- sending out several lie-filled emails a day, trying to nickel-and-dime America's poor sweet misguided grandmas and grandpas to death. Trump always makes it sound like a national emergency if Junior doesn't cough up his lunch money for Trump.
That's what irritates me most.
Isn't it enough that Trump is stripping his grassroots base of their medical care, their jobs, their emergency back-up food supplies, their chance at a good education, their soldier-boy sons (who will now come back in a box after fighting his senseless "wars" for him), their chances of having a real home and all their hopes of becoming part of the middle-class American Dream? Now Trump's going after their life-savings too?
Because so many of Trump's supporters come from the Red-State South, one would think that his supporters in those states -- with their intense love of dwelling on the past -- would be able to immediately spot a Northern carpetbagger when they see one. But apparently not.
And speaking of Northerners, here's the next episode of my recent adventure in New York City, wherein Hillary Clinton tells all. But what I don't understand is why Red-State voters recognize Clinton as the carpetbagger that she is at heart -- but don't seem to catch on that Donald Trump is one too. Huh?
New York City, Day Three, Part Two: Here's one of my favorite things to do in NYC -- go eat rice pudding at B&H Dairy on Second Avenue. Met a friend there and we talked. The 14th Street cross-town bus took forever to get there. I could have walked faster. At B&H, I told my friend about all the latest soap opera back in Berkeley and she caught me up on Lower East Side news.
"There's a lot of construction going on here in Manhattan right now," she said, "and also all over the world. There's a lot of money-laundering out there apparently and building construction is the best way to do it. Even in Ramallah, buildings are going up like crazy." Even in Berkeley. 10,000 units of housing. They build it and then sell it off to the Saudis or else to the Chinese." I just gotta write a blog post about that! http://jpstillwater.blogspot.com/2017/06/the-real-estate-boom-in-nyc-money.html
My friend looked great by the way. What's her secret?
"There was a big explosion next to the B&H last year and B&H was shut down as a result. The whole neighborhood rallied, even started a Go-Fund-Me site and saved B&H!" So there I was, still eating B&H rice pudding thanks to my friend and the neighborhood. The owners needed the money to rewire their gas lines before they could reopen.
Then I dealt with the subway and transferred two times without getting lost. Boo-yah! Aster Place to 14th Street to 34th Street and Eighth Avenue.
Next? A panel discussion at the Book Expo on how to sell one's book to Hollywood. I asked them, "How do I sell my book to Studio Ghibli in Japan?" Nobody on the panel even knew who Studio Ghibli was. Humph.
Now I'm waiting in line with the rest of the media to get into see Hillary Rodham Clinton. There are about 50 of us. We've already been sniffed by bomb-sniffing dogs. Now it's just wait and see. There are hundreds of people here who actually came (and actually paid good money) to see Killery explain all those dead babies who were murdered on her watch. Gross. But I'm not going to say anything -- at least not until I get home to blog my heart out. Trump may be hitting America over the head with a hammer -- but Hillary and her Deep State friends would have us die slowly by a thousand (budget) cuts. http://jpstillwater.blogspot.com/2017/06/hillary-clintons-bea-speech-gettin.html
Someone just handed me a glass of white wine. I wonder if they will serve food. I wonder if there are any press people here that I know. Probably not. I wonder if the Secret Service is here too. And then the crowd starts moving and I'm inside the auditorium, in the front but off to the side. No food.
Tomorrow Senator Al Franken is going to speak. Should I get up early enough to go to the children's authors' breakfast too? Nah. No free food that I can eat.
Carolyn Reedy of Simon and Schuster was the introducer. "She's a major best-selling author. She's published all five of her books with us -- and a new one is coming soon. Cheryl Strayed, an author in her own right, will interview her. Remember that 65,000,000 people voted for Hillary Clinton and if only a small percentage of those buy her book…."
HRC came out. She got an actual standing ovation -- except for from me. "Do you know how much we love you?" Not me. Not after the slaughter in Libya and Syria. She talked about the re-publications of "It Takes a Village".
"I never know what they are attacking me for," regarding the Republicans. Her other new book is "a personal deep experience and catharsis". It's a book of sayings and quotations. "People shared their own stories with me. Moments when people grab your hand and tell you their stories. That was incredibly meaningful to me." Did Kaddafi grab your hand and tell you his story before you murdered him? "The courage to get back up when you've been knocked down. It was incredibly painful." The book doesn't have a title yet.
"Writing it was cathartic. Resilience is a great gift." Tell that to the Syrians, why don't you? "Whatever gives you that faith to keep going. The extraordinary capacity to keep going." Like the dead people in Libya, Ukraine, Syria, etc. all have?
"One person told me how he was struck down by the landing gear of the plane on 9-11." And lived to tell about it? And why exactly was the landing gear down? "There are challenges every step of the way. A lot are rooted in family and friends but a lot is my own determination and resilience. One foot in front of another. For the part that is larger than myself. I work in the little farmhouse we have." You mean the 5,600-square-foot 2.5 million-dollar cottage with the swimming pool and guest house on acres of land just outside of Brooklyn?
She's going a lot farther in her new book than she had. "This is my truth, no matter what others say. How I saw it, felt and thought. You cannot make up what happened! This is how I experienced it. Pulling the curtain back on running for president. You will find out." She also said something about America's need to come to grips with the future. I definitely agree with her on that one.
The hardest part for HRC was understanding what she didn't do well or what would have worked better. "The more you understand what happened, the more we understand what we need to know. Russia. Russia's interference. I am worried about my country. The way this White House is behaving is deeply troubling. The lies. What happened that was totally unprecedented." The foreign country that actually interfered in our elections? What about Israel and Saudi Arabia? Or the lies she told about Libya? Gag me with a spoon. If she hadn't lied and murdered her way through the world as Secretary of State, then perhaps people would have voted for her instead of Bernie or The Donald or Jill Stein. But then that's just me. http://jpstillwater.blogspot.com/2017/06/hillary-clintons-bea-speech-gettin.html
"I'm fine as a person after this election but I'm worried as an American. Being an American was important when I was growing up. It was an open time. The world was out there waiting for us." She then names Kennedy, Eisenhower. "That's how we were raised. And I always loved reading. Nancy Drew, a girl who thought for herself." Literature as inspiration and also distraction. She likes murder mysteries too so she can't be all bad.
Hope? Is she hopeful? Yes, but hope needs to be linked to strategy, kindness. She was deeply troubled by the white racist in Portland -- breaking through the veneer of civilization. A level of behavior should be expected of everyone. To unleash a level of vitriol is dangerous -- and yet that's exactly what she did with regard to Russia, Syria, Ukraine, Libya, etc.
"As Secretary of State, Senator and First Lady, I've traveled and it doesn't take much to rip off the level of civilization. I've seen it in Bosnia and Rwanda. Find your role. Get involved. People of reason -- there's been a deliberate assault on Truth and Reason." God I wish she'd shut up.
Advice to the first woman president? "Read my book! Plus our system is the most difficult in the world. We don't have a parliamentary system where peers, colleagues and constituents know you first. Here you have to raise a lot of money and run a gauntlet. It's the hardest job in the world -- at least it used to be." Plus women also have the double standard. I've experienced it."
She is now reading "Jersey Brothers" which has authentic dialogue. And she loves independent booksellers. Of course she does. She's talking to an audience full of them. Then she made some snarky remarks about Trump and then asked "How can we be kinder?" Stop bombing countries all over the world? "We are now very divided in America, harder to cross over between each side, the Big Sort. Take it out of politics and put it in the realm of citizenship. Fund more opportunities for conversations like this one."
Then she stated that she was going to do everything she could to support The Resistance, from the ground level up. School boards, county commissions, etc. "I'm going to be active. That's who I am. That's my DNA." Standing ovation, Queen Elizabeth wave.
Then I had a nice walk home to The Jane hotel, ate take-away dinner at the corner deli, showered, popped into bed, watched TV and read some more of Colin Cotterill's new book.
Cameras, iPhones & Instagrams: Reshaping our worl...
The Strange Case of the Zany Zionist "Please ...
Clear & Present: SaudiGate, IsraelGate, Nixon & R...
America supplies the Taliban's weapons? What! ...
Carpetbagger: What I resent most about Donald Tr...
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Graphene ribbons with suspended masses as transducers in ultra-small nanoelectromechanical accelerometers
Fan, Xuge
KTH, School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS), Micro and Nanosystems.ORCID iD: 0000-0002-8811-1615
Fredrik, Forsberg
Scania Technical Centre.
Smith, Anderson David
KTH, School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS), Electronics, Integrated devices and circuits.ORCID iD: 0000-0003-4637-8001
Schröder, Stephan
KTH, School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS), Micro and Nanosystems. Senseair AB.ORCID iD: 0000-0002-8853-0967
AMO GmbH.
Rödjegård, Henrik
Senseair AB.
Fischer, Andreas C.
KTH, School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS), Micro and Nanosystems. Silex Microsystems AB, Järfälla, Sweden.ORCID iD: 0000-0003-3452-6361
Östling, Mikael
Lemme, Max C.
KTH, School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS), Electronics, Integrated devices and circuits. RWTH Aachen University ; AMO GmbH.ORCID iD: 0000-0003-4552-2411
Niklaus, Frank
2019 (English)In: Nature Electronics, ISSN 2520-1131, Vol. 2, no 9, p. 394-404Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [eo]
Nanoelectromechanical system (NEMS) sensors and actuators could be of use in the development of next-generation mobile, wearable and implantable devices. However, these NEMS devices require transducers that are ultra-small, sensitive and can be fabricated at low cost. Here, we show that suspended double-layer graphene ribbons with attached silicon proof masses can be used as combined spring–mass and piezoresistive transducers. The transducers, which are created using processes that are compatible with large-scale semiconductor manufacturing technologies, can yield NEMS accelerometers that occupy at least two orders of magnitude smaller die area than conventional state-of-the-art silicon accelerometers. With our devices, we also extract the Young’s modulus values of double-layer graphene and show that the graphene ribbons have significant built-in stresses.
Nature Publishing Group, 2019. Vol. 2, no 9, p. 394-404
URN: urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-259517DOI: 10.1038/s41928-019-0287-1ISI: 000486394600009Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85072131685OAI: oai:DiVA.org:kth-259517DiVA, id: diva2:1351802
Fan, XugeSmith, Anderson DavidSchröder, StephanFischer, Andreas C.Östling, MikaelLemme, Max C.Niklaus, Frank
Micro and NanosystemsIntegrated devices and circuits
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Archive for month: August, 2014
You are here: Home » News » 2014 » August
Announcement of Company Name Change
RE: New company name
Dear Valued Customers, Suppliers, and Business Partners;
Effective September 1st 2014, we are excited to announce that we are changing our company name to:
KITAGAWA INDUSTRIES America, Inc.
Our new name reflects our global presence as a full-fledged subsidiary of Kitagawa Industries (KGS Group). This name change allows us to incorporate KGS’s corporate name recognition into our business activities. Our operations today has become more global in nature and include product lines beyond where we began under Intermark USA, Inc. in 1990.
Our new internet address will be www.kgs-ind.com
Our email addresses will change to the domain @kgs-ind.com
The company will continue to operate in its current structure, and your contacts will remain unchanged. Other than these visible changes, there is no change in ownership and no change in staff. Our office location, phone, and fax numbers will remain the same as below (mailing, billing, and shipping address) :
Address: 2325 Paragon Drive, Suite 10, San Jose, CA 95131 USA
KGS Group has multiple locations worldwide, including R&D Divisions, factories, and sales offices.
With 60 years of business presence in the industry, we, KGS Group, look forward to continue to grow and serve you in the global market under our new name.
Should you have any questions regarding this name change, please feel free to contact Masae Yokota in our administrative department at info2@intermark-usa.com.com.
Hiroyuki Ikeda
VP & GM
Intermark (USA), Inc. / KITAGAWA INDUSTRIES America, Inc.
/0 Tweets/in Announcement
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Brown (x) ›
Loeb (x) ›
Corrigendum to "A closer look at regime shifts based on coastal observations along the eastern boundary of the North Pacific",
Southern Hemisphere humpback whales wintering off Central America: Insights from water temperature into the longest mammalian migration,
We report on a wintering area off the Pacific coast of Central America for humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) migrating from feeding areas off Antarctica. We document seven individuals, including a mother/calf pair, that made this migration (approx. 8300 km), the longest movement undertaken by any mammal. Whales were observed as far north as 11° N off Costa Rica, in an area also used by a boreal population during the opposite winter season, resulting in unique spatial overlap between Northern and Southern Hemisphere populations. The occurrence of such a northerly wintering area is coincident with the development of an equatorial tongue of cold water in the eastern South Pacific, a pattern that is repeated in the eastern South Atlantic. A survey of location and water temperature at the wintering areas worldwide indicates that they are found in warm waters (21.1-28.3°C), irrespective of latitude. We contend that while availability of suitable reproductive habitat in the wintering areas is important at the fine scale, water temperature influences whale distribution at the basin scale. Calf development in warm water may lead to larger adult size and increased reproductive success, a strategy that supports the energy conservation hypothesis as a reason for migration. © 2007 The Royal Society., Cited By (since 1996):53, Marine Mammals, Birds & Turtles, ,
Rasmussen, Palacios, Calambokidis, Saborío, Dalla Rosa, Secchi, Steiger, Allen, Stone
Pristiophorus lanae sp. nov., a new sawshark species from the western north Pacific, with comments on the genus Pristiophorus Müller & Henle, 1837 (Chondrichthyes: Pristiophoridae)
A new species of sawshark, Pristiophorus lanae sp. nov., is described from off the Philippine Islands. The new species is the second member of the genus Pristiophorus described from the western North Pacific and can be separated from its closest geographic congener, P. japonicus, by having fewer rostral teeth in front of rostral barbels (17-26 versus 25-32), mouth at corners extending forward to below the rear margin of the eye versus extending below the rear one-third of eye margin, a greater mouth width at 6.9-7.8 times into pre-oral length (versus 5.8-6.9), eye length into head length (15.6-15.9 versus 9.8-13.2), mouth width into head length 9.0-10.0 versus 7.4-8.5 times, head width at nostrils 5.2-6.1 times into pre-orbital length versus 3.9-4.9 times, shorter prebarbel length (from snout tip to barbel) of 50.7-54.5% of preoral length versus 53.6-59.2%, a snout angle of 10.6-13.0° versus 12.4°-14.6°, and lateral trunk denticles with flat crowns that are imbricated versus erect crowns that are not imbricated. The number of monospondylous vertebrae is slightly lower in P. lanae (43-48) versus P. japonicus (51-52). The genus is reviewed, with a revised key to its species presented. © 2013 Magnolia Press., Cited By (since 1996):1, Export Date: 11 February 2014, Source: Scopus
Ebert, Wilms
Effect of the bat star Asterina miniata (Brandt) on recruitment of the giant kelp Macrocystis pyrifera C. Agardh,
Cited By (since 1996):10, Ecology, Seaweeds, CODEN: JEMBA, The effect of the common bat star, Asterina miniata (Brandt) on recruitment of the giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera C. Agardh, was addressed through laboratory grazing experiments, a field experiment, and modeling of feeding behavior. In the laboratory, Asterina miniata significantly decreased the density of sporophytes that developed from 1-wk-old gametophytes as well as the percent cover of 2-, 6-, and 7-wk-old sporophytes. All grazed blades remaining at the end of these experiments subsequently died. Small scale variability in spore settlement and sporophyte development were also evident in the laboratory. Bat star density significantly affected short-term kelp recruitment during a large-scale field experiment. Simple modeling suggested that high densities of Asterina miniata could graze nearly 100% of the bottom over the 90-day experiment. However, visible recruitment was seen in less than 30 days, and over this time, 36% of the substratum was predicted to have remained ungrazed. Macrocystis pyrifera of 1 to 3 cm in length may thus obtain a refuge in size from bat star grazing through rapid growth. These results indicate this generalist grazer can affect giant kelp recruitment but that even under high grazing pressure numerous plants survive. Bat star grazing probably does not contribute to large-scale differences in adult plant density but may contribute to small-scale patterns of dispersion., ,
Marine mammal response to interannual variability in Monterey Bay, California
The coastal upwelling ecosystem near Monterey Bay, California, is a productive yet variable ecosystem and an important foraging area for many mobile apex predators, such as marine mammals. Long-term studies are necessary to better understand how wide-ranging predators respond to temporal environmental variability; however, few of these studies exist. We conducted monthly shipboard line-transect surveys in Monterey Bay from 1997 to 2007. We identified 22 species of marine mammals, and calculated monthly and annual densities for the 12 most commonly sighted (focal) species. Species richness remained relatively constant (mean richness ± SE: 13.7 ± 0.396 species yr -1) from 1997 to 2006. Focal species were most evenly distributed (Shannon's equitability, E H = 0.820) but least dense (mean density ± SE: 0.0598 ± 0.0141) during the anomalous upwelling conditions of 2005, and least even (1997 E H = 0.413; 1998 E H = 0.407) but dense (mean density ± SE: 1997: 0.433 ± 0.177; 1998: 0.438 ± 0.169 ind. km -2) during the 1997/1998 El Niño event. There were no statistically significant differences in the densities of marine mammal species between warmer and cooler years. The community and species-specific responses of marine mammals to warm-water years differed depending on the mechanism of oceanographic variability. During the 1997/1998 El Niño (a basin-wide event), marine mammals aggregated in nearshore areas, such as Monterey Bay, with relatively greater productivity than offshore regions, whereas during anomalous upwelling conditions of 2005 (a more localized oceanographic event), marine mammals redistributed away from Monterey Bay to areas less affected by the anomaly. © Inter-Research 2012, Export Date: 24 September 2013
Burrows, Harvey, Newton, Croll, Benson
In situ chemical mapping of dissolved iron and manganese in hydrothermal plumes,
Hydrothermal vents along mid-ocean ridges are an important source of elements such as lithium, silicon, manganese and iron to the world's oceans. The venting produces both episodic and steady-state hydrothermal plumes with unique thermochemical signatures in the mid-water column. The particulate phases in these plumes (predominantly iron oxides and hydroxides) also scavenge phosphorus, vanadium, arsenic, lead, polonium and several rare-earth elements from sea water. Thus, on a global scale, hydrothermal plumes are both a source for some elements and a sink for others. Ultimately, the particulate metals precipitated from plumes form extensive regions of metalliferous sediments over the crests and flanks of mid-ocean ridges. Although the metalliferous sediment coverage is vast and well documented, only a tiny fraction of the vents responsible for these sediments have been located (Fig. 1a). To date, both the number and location of hydrothermal vents and the detailed distribution of chemical constituents within the resultant plumes are poorly understood because of under-sampling of the mid-ocean ridges and the overlying waters. Here we present the results of high-resolution mapping of the chemical and thermal characteristics of hydrothermal plumes in near real time using a novel submersible chemical analyser (Scanner) and a conductivity/temperature/depth/transmissometer instrument package (CTDT). We show that the kinetics of iron oxidation in the plume can be used to constrain estimates of the plume's age, and that variation in the ratio of manganese content to excess heat can be explained by the mixing of several different vent fluids., Cited By (since 1996):31, CODEN: NATUA, ,
Coale, Chin, Massoth, Johnson, Baker
Cobalt and copper distributions in the waters of Santa Monica Basin, California,
The trace metals cobalt and copper are removed from the oceans interior by scavenging on to particle surfaces, but the mechanisms for removal of these two metals are probably quite different. Cobalt appears to be scavenged by manganese oxide particles, whereas organic compounds are the main carrier phase for copper. Remobilization of these metals in marine sediments therefore proceeds by different pathways. The differences in the pathways of remobilization are accentuated in oxygen-deficient environments: manganese oxide reduction is accelerated at low oxygen levels and organic carbon is preserved. Cobalt fluxes from sediments underlying oxygen-deficient waters should be enhanced and copper fluxes reduced. We report here measurements of the cobalt and copper distributions in the waters of an oxygen-deficient marine basin in the Southern California Bight. Cobalt concentrations near the bottom are raised four times above the background level, whereas copper concentrations show no increase. These measurements confirm features of existing models for the oceanic cycles of these metals., Cited By (since 1996):18, Oceanography, CODEN: NATUA, ,
Johnson, Stout, Berelson, Sakamoto-Arnold
Temporal stability and origin of chemoclines in the deep hypersaline anoxic Urania basin
Submarine brine lakes feature sharp and persistent concentration gradients between seawater and brine, though these should be smoothed out by free diffusion in open ocean settings. The anoxic Urania basin of the eastern Mediterranean contains an ultrasulfidic, hypersaline brine of Messinian origin above a thick layer of suspended sediments. With a dual modeling approach we reconstruct its contemporary stratification by geochemical solute transport fundamentals and show that thermal convection is required to maintain mixing in the brine and mud layer. The origin of the Urania basin stratification was dated to 1650 years B.P., which may be linked to a major earthquake in the region. The persistence of the chemoclines may be key to the development of diverse and specialized microbial communities. Ongoing thermal convection in the fluid mud layer may have important yet unresolved consequences for sedimentological and geochemical processes, also in similar environments. © 2015. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved., Export Date: 19 February 2016, Article
Goldhammer, Schwärzle, Aiello, Zabel
Chemical and biological interactions in the Rose Garden hydrothermal vent field, Galapagos spreading center,
The concentrations of a suite of redox reactive chemicals were measured in the Rose Garden hydrothermal vent field of the Galapagos spreading center. Sulfide, silicate, oxygen and temperature distributions were measured in situ with a submersible chemical analyser. In addition, 15 chemical species were measured in discrete samples. Variability in the slope of the temperature-silicate plots indicates that heat is lost from these relatively low temperatures (<15°C) solutions by conduction to the solid phase. Consumption of oxygen, sulfide and nitrate from the hydrothermal solution as it flows past the vent animals is apparent from the distributions measured in situ and in the discrete samples. The fraction of sulfide and nitrate removed from the solution by consumption appears to have increased between 1979-1985. Sulfide and oxygen appear to be consumed under different conditions: sulfide is removed primarily from the warmest solutions, and oxygen is consumed only from the cold seawater. This separation may be driven primarily by the increased gradients of each chemical under these conditions. There is no evidence for the consumption of significant amounts of manganese(II) by the vent organisms. The analysis of other data sets from this vent field indicate no significant consumption of methane by the vent organisms, as well. © 1988., Cited By (since 1996):103, Oceanography, ,
Johnson, Childress, Hessler, Sakamoto-Arnold, Beehler
Modeling the upper ocean dynamics in the Subantarctic and Polar Frontal Zones in the Australian sector of the Southern Ocean,
A one-dimensional (1-D) mixed layer model (the Chen scheme) was applied in the Subantarctic Zone (SAZ) and the Polar Frontal Zone (PFZ) to simulate the upper ocean dynamics. The model was forced with 4 years data of the heat fluxes, freshwater fluxes, and wind stresses from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction. In both the SAZ and PFZ, the 1-D model was capable of reproducing the amplitude of the seasonal sea surface temperature (SST) and the seasonality of the mixed layer depth (MLD). The shallowest MLD was found in January-February (20 m in the SAZ, 35 m in the PFZ), and the deepest MLD was found between August and October (600 m in the SAZ, 160 m in the PFZ). The summer MLD was shallower in the SAZ than in the PFZ due to the lower wind stress. However, the shallower winter MLD in the PFZ than in the SAZ was due to the strong stratification in the water below the mixed layer. In the SAZ, variability in the wind stress was the dominant term driving the fluctuation in MLD in the summer, but variability in the heat flux was the major factor controlling the timing of the deepening and shoaling of the mixed layer in the winter. In the PFZ both the variability in the wind stress and the heat flux dominated the variability of the MLD in both the summer and the winter. Copyright 2001 by the American Geophysical Union., Cited By (since 1996):8, , , Downloaded from: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2000JC000357/pdf (9 June 2014).
Wang, Matear
Possible food caching and defence in the Weddell seal: Observations from McMurdo Sound, Antarctica,
Cited By (since 1996):7, CODEN: ANTSE, , ,
Kim, Conlan, Malone, Lewis
Sediment-water exchange of total mercury and monomethyl mercury in the San Francisco Bay-Delta,
Five field trips were conducted in the San Francisco Bay-Delta between May 2000 and October 2001 to investigate the sediment-water exchange of total mercury (Hg) and monomethyl mercury (MMHg). Solid-phase Hg averaged ∼1 nmol g -1 and did not show any variability with depth or time or among sites. In contrast, solid-phase MMHg showed considerable vertical, temporal, and spatial variability (0.4-66 pmol g -1), with the highest values occurring at a peat-rich environment in May 2001, suggesting that MMHg production was largely controlled by temporal factors and habitat type. In pore water, both Hg and MMHg concentrations were generally elevated near the sediment-water interface during warm months. Sediment-water exchange flux of MMHg, determined with benthic chamber deployments, ranged from -92 to 850 pmol m -2 d -1, with higher values occurring in May. In most cases, diffusional fluxes of Hg and MMHg, estimated with the use of interfacial concentration gradients, constituted only a minor portion of the measured fluxes, suggesting the importance of advective processes on sediment-water exchange. Surface-water transect and time series studies conducted in Franks Tract support the commonly held belief that wetland and marsh regions are major sources for MMHg within the Delta. The integrated sediment-water fluxes of Hg and MMHg in the study area were estimated to be 130 and 6 mmol d -1, respectively, and the benthic input was as important a source of Hg and MMHg as the riverine input within the Delta during low-flow months., Cited By (since 1996):63, Rocks and Cores, Oceanography, CODEN: LIOCA, ,
Choe, Gill, Lehman, Han, Heim, Coale
The vertical distribution and feeding habits of two common midwater fishes (Leuroglossus stilbius and Stenobrachius leucopsarus) off Santa Barbara,
, Downloaded from: calcofi.org/publications/calcofireports/.../Vol_31_Cailliet___Ebeling.pdf (9 July 2014)., ,
Cailliet, Ebeling
A shark antibody heavy chain encoded by a nonsomatically rearranged VDJ is preferentially expressed in early development and is convergent with mammalian IgG
In most vertebrate embryos and neonates studied to date unique antigen receptors (antibodies and T cell receptors) are expressed that possess a limited immune repertoire. We have isolated a subclass of IgM, IgM1gj, from the nurse shark Ginglymostoma cirratum that is preferentially expressed in neonates. The variable (V) region gene encoding the heavy (H) chain underwent V-D-J rearrangement in germ cells "germline-joined"). Such H chain V genes were discovered over 10 years ago in sharks but until now were not shown to be expressed at appreciable levels; we find expression of H1gj in primary and secondary lymphoid tissues early in life, but in adults only in primary lymphoid tissue, which is identified in this work as the epigonal organ. H1gj chain associates covalently with light (L) chains and is most similar in sequence to IgM H chains, but like mammalian IgG has three rather than the four IgM constant domains; deletion of the ancestral IgM C2 domain thus defines both IgG and IgM1gj. Because sharks are the members of the oldest vertebrate class known to possess antibodies, unique or specialized antibodies expressed early in ontogeny in sharks and other vertebrates were likely present at the inception of the adaptive immune system., Cited By (since 1996):41, CODEN: PNASA, Fish and Fisheries
Rumfelt, Avila, Diaz, Bartl, McKinney, Flajnik
The transmission of phocine herpesvirus-1 in rehabilitating and free-ranging Pacific harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) in California,
Phocine herpesvirus-1 (PhHV-1) causes regular outbreaks of disease in neonatal harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) at rehabilitation centers in Europe and in the U.S. To investigate transmission of this virus samples were collected from harbor seal pups during exposure studies at a Californian rehabilitation center from 1999 to 2002 and from free-ranging harbor seals off central California during the same period. The exposure studies provided evidence that PhHV-1 can be transmitted horizontally between animals most likely through direct contact with oro-nasal secretions. However vertical transmission may also occur, as adult female harbor seals were found to be shedding the virus in vaginal and nasal secretions, and premature newborn pups had evidence of early infection. Results also indicated that PhHV-1 infections were common in both free-ranging (40%, 49/121) and rehabilitating (54%, 46/85) young harbor seals, during the spring and early summer. This timing, which correlated with pupping and weaning, suggested that the majority of animals were infected and infective with PhHV-1 between pupping and breeding. © 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved., Cited By (since 1996):9, Marine Mammals, Birds & Turtles, CODEN: VMICD, ,
Goldstein, Mazet, Gulland, Rowles, Harvey, Allen, King, Aldridge, Stott
Dietary niche expansion of a kelp forest predator recovering from intense commercial exploitation
Marine ecosystems are increasingly at risk from overexploitation and fisheries collapse. As managers implement recovery plans, shifts in species interactions may occur broadly with potential consequences for ecosystem structure and function. In kelp forests off San Nicolas Island, California, USA, we describe striking changes in size structure and life history traits (e.g., size at maturation and sex change) of a heavily fished, ecologically important predator, the California sheephead (Semicossyphus pulcher). These changes occurred in two phases: (1) after intense commercial fishery exploitation in the late 1990s and (2) following recovery in the late 2000s, nearly a decade after management intervention. Using gut contents and stable-isotope values of sheephead and their prey, we found evidence for a dietary niche expansion upon recovery of population size structure to include increased consumption of sea urchins and other mobile invertebrate grazers by larger sized fish. By examining historical diet data and a time series of benthic community composition, we conclude that changes in dietary niche breadth are more likely due to the recovery of size structure from fishing than major shifts in prey availability. Size-dependent predator-prey interactions may have ecosystem consequences and management measures that preserve or restore size structure, and therefore historical trophic roles of key predators, could be vital for maintaining kelp forest ecosystem health. © 2014 by the Ecological Society of America., Fish and Fisheries
Hamilton, Newsome, Caselle
Contamination of the deep-sea,
Cited By (since 1996):17 Oceanography, CODEN: MPNBA, , ,
Ballschmiter, Froescheis, Jarman, Caillet
Tidal and nontidal oscillations in Elkhorn Slough, CA,
Elkhorn Slough is a shallow, tidally forced estuary that is directly connected to Monterey Bay. It is ebb-dominated and, due to continued erosion, the tidal prism has tripled over the past 40 years. Water level measurements at four locations are used to examine tidal and nontidal oscillations in Elkhorn Slough. The tidal response of Elkhorn Slough differs from that of Monterey Bay primarily due to the generation of a relatively large number of shallow-water tidal constituents that are due to tidal distortion caused by friction along the bottom and lateral boundaries, intertidal storage, and nonlinear advection. The shallow-water constituents range from 3 to almost 15 cycles per day (cpd) and include a rich variety of overtides and compound tides, whose amplitudes generally increase toward the head of the slough. The tidal harmonics are seasonally dependent, with lower amplitudes during the fall and winter and higher amplitudes in summer. The tidal constituents were examined using two types of spectral decomposition, the conventional power spectrum and the more recent Hilbert spectrum. Unlike the power spectrum, the Hilbert spectrum does not reveal any harmonic structure in the data. Energy associated with tidal distortion in this case appears to be broadly distributed across the spectral continuum. At least four nontidal oscillations occur in Elkhorn Slough with frequencies of 26.0, 39.7, 52.7, and 66.9 cpd. The Hilbert spectrum reveals maxima at 26, 39.7, and 66.9 cpd, but not at 52.7 cpd, suggesting that it is harmonically related to the oscillation at 26.0 cpd. The nontidal oscillations fall into the range of frequencies associated with the natural oscillations of Monterey Bay. However, evolutionary power spectra indicate that they appear to be permanent features of the system and thus are not necessarily consistent with seiche-like oscillations that are often transient and subject to damping. These oscillations could be caused by several factors including edge waves along the coast of Monterey Bay, long-period surface waves of atmospheric origin that enter the bay from offshore, or breaking internal waves in and around the Monterey Submarine Canyon. In conclusion, detailed hydrodynamic models are needed to provide a better understanding of how tidal harmonics are generated and preserved in Elkhorn Slough, and to determine the origin of the natural oscillations in Monterey Bay. © 2007 Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation., Cited By (since 1996):12, ,
Breaker, Broenkow, Watson, Jo
Sedimentation in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica: A disturbance mechanism for benthic invertebrates,
A slumping event that occurred on permanent transect lines from 12- to 30- m depth located at Arrival Heights, McMurdo Sound, Antarctica in 1993, provided an opportunity to examine the effects of sediment-mediated disturbance on the benthic invertebrate fauna. The disturbance had a particularly significant impact on the soft coral Alcyonium paessleri, which resulted in 84% colony mortality downslope from the slump site compared to an average annual mortality rate of 14% on control transects. In contrast, anchor ice at the same site accounted for removal of 5% of the population in 1992. Laboratory experiments with A. paessleri colonies under conditions of periodic sediment resuspension indicate that the soft corals are susceptible to this form of disturbance. Our observations suggest they are capable of shedding fine silt in the laboratory, which might ex-plain the presence of A. paessleri in soft-sediment sites around McMurdo Sound. However, scarring by larger gravel in laboratory assays was slow to heal and may account for much of the colony mortality we observed. Several invertebrate-barren rocky benthic regions in McMurdo Sound were suggestive of historical slumping events. Given the removal of the smaller grain size sediments from these areas - a typically slow process it appears these communities are slow to recover. The long-term effects of sedimentation on the benthic communities are unknown, but the impact on A. paessleri, one of the most common and fastest growing species, suggests this disturbance mechanism could lead to significant restructuring of these communities., Cited By (since 1996):13, Invertebrates, CODEN: POBID, ,
Slattery, Bockus
Population biology of the intertidal kelp, Alaria marginata Postels and Ruprecht: A non-fugitive annual,
Persistence of annual plant populations requires sufficient seeds and suitable habitat for development and growth each year. Competition with perennials may prevent within site persistence and result in "fugitive" annual populations. Comparisons have been made between the population biology of annual macroalgae and terrestrial plants, but demographic information necessary to make strong comparisons is lacking for most of these algae, and life history differences may make such comparisons questionable. We studied population dynamics of the kelp Alaria marginata to determine if it was an annual and, if so, how populations persisted. This kelp is the dominant macroalga on exposed mid to low rocky intertidal shores along the Big Sur coast of California. Experimental clearings at two sites were used to assess recruitment timing and survivorship. Sporophytes were collected monthly to determine growth and fecundity. Recruitment occurred in late winter to early spring, primarily on geniculate corallines and residual A. marginata holdfasts. Thinning was inversely related to density, and occurred during the February through July growing season as larger thalli rapidly increased in length (up to 1.4 m month-1) and formed a thick canopy. Sorus development was positively related to size, began as early as March, peaked in late August-October, and decreased as adults were removed by winter surf. Spore release was generally highest (108-109 spores individual-11 h-1) between October and January and associated with high water motion. Survivorship of sporophytes beyond one year was < 1%, showing the populations were annual. Field observations and experiments on effects of canopy clearing, season of clearing, and influence of substrate type on recruitment were done to assess how these annual populations persist. Massive spore production at the onset of fall storms, survival of microscopic stages for 3-4 months facilitated by microhabitat refuges, rapid growth, large size and rapid maturation of sporophytes contributed to persistence. Furthermore, the dense stands with thick canopies may suppress potential competitors via shading and abrasion. Rather than being a fugitive, this combination of growth and life history features enables A. marginata and perhaps other large, annual kelps to maintain perennial populations. © 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved., Cited By (since 1996):9, CODEN: JEMBA, ,
McConnico, Foster
Particulate thallium fluxes in the northeast pacific,
Particulate fluxes of thallium in the northeast Pacific exhibit pronounced spatial gradients, which range over four orders of magnitude (3 X 10-1 to 5.4 X 103 nmol m-2a-1) and show scavenging by both organic and inorganic processes. They are highly correlated (R=0.96) with POC fluxes, have have elevated rates in coastal upwelling waters, and decrease exponentially with depth. They also appear to be correlated with lateral fluxes of manganese (hydro)oxides off the continental shelf. These findings substantiate recent seawater measurements which indicate that metastable species of monovalent thallium are cycled through the marine biosphere as a potassium analogue, whereas thermodynamically stable trivalent thallium (TI (OH)3) is scavenged by ferromanganese (hydro)oxides. © 1989., Cited By (since 1996):11, CODEN: MRCHB, ,
Flegal, Sanudo-Wilhelmy, Fitzwater
An overview on the role of Hexanchiformes in marine ecosystems,
The large size, high trophic level and wide distribution of Hexanchiformes (cow and frilled sharks) should position this order as important apex predators in coastal and deep-water ecosystems. This review synthesizes available information on Hexanchiformes, including information not yet published, with the purpose of evaluating their conservation status and assessing their ecological roles in the dynamics of marine ecosystems. Comprising six species, this group has a wide global distribution, with members occurring from shallow coastal areas to depths of c. 2500 m. The limited information available on their reproductive biology suggests that they could be vulnerable to overexploitation (e.g. small litter sizes for most species and suspected long gestation periods). Most of the fishing pressure exerted on Hexanchiformes is in the form of commercial by-catch or recreational fishing. Comprehensive stock and impact assessments are unavailable for most species in most regions due to limited information on life history and catch and abundance time series. When hexanchiform species have been commercially harvested, however, they have been unable to sustain targeted fisheries for long periods. The potentially high vulnerability to intense fishing pressure warrants a conservative exploitation of this order until thorough quantitative assessments are conducted. At least some species have been shown to be significant apex predators in the systems they inhabit. Should Hexanchiformes be removed from coastal and deep-water systems, the lack of sympatric shark species that share the same resources suggests no other species would be capable of fulfilling their apex predator role in the short term. This has potential ecosystem consequences such as meso-predator release or trophic cascades. This review proposes some hypotheses on the ecology of Hexanchiformes and their role in ecosystem dynamics, highlighting the areas where critical information is required to stimulate research directions. © 2012 The Authors. Journal of Fish Biology © 2012 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles., CODEN: JFIBA, , , Fish and Fisheries
Barnett, Braccini, Awruch, Ebert
Entanglements of marine mammals and seabirds in central California and the north-west coast of the United States 2001-2005,
Entanglement records for seabirds and marine mammals were investigated for the period 2001-2005. The entanglement records were extracted from databases maintained by seven organizations operating along the west coast of the United States of America. Their programmes included beach monitoring surveys, rescue and rehabilitation and regional pinniped censuses. Records of 454 entanglements were documented in live animals and in carcasses for 31 bird species and nine marine mammal species. The most frequently entangled species were Common Murres, Western Gulls and California sea lions. The entanglement materials identified were primarily fishing related. Entanglements were recorded every year suggesting that although the incidence level differs annually, entanglement is a persistent problem. It is recommended that each programme records details in standardized categories to determine entanglement material sources. Numbers of entanglements observed during these surveys are likely to be a conservative view of the actual entanglement rate taking place at sea. © 2009 Elsevier Ltd., Cited By (since 1996):9, Marine Mammals, Birds & Turtles, CODEN: MPNBA, ,
Moore, Lyday, Roletto, Litle, Parrish, Nevins, Harvey, Mortenson, Greig, Piazza, Hermance, Lee, Adams, Allen, Kell
Antibodies to phocine herpesvirus-1 are common in North American harbor seals (Phoca Vitulina),
Phocine herpesvirus-1 (PhHV-1) has been associated with morbidity and high mortality in neonatal harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) along the Pacific coast of California (USA) and in northern Europe. Seals dying with PhHV-1 associated disease in California primarily have histopathologic evidence of adrenal necrosis or adrenalitis with herpesviral inclusion bodies. Little is known about prevalence of exposure to PhHV-1, modes of disease transmission, and viral pathogenesis in free-ranging harbor seal populations. To evaluate the prevalence in North America, 866 serum samples collected between 1994 and 2002 from harbor seals captured or stranded on the Pacific and Atlantic coasts of North America were assayed by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for evidence of PhHV-1 exposure. Samples from three harbor seal age classes (pre-weaned, weaned, and subadults/adults) were obtained from each of four regions to compare exposure among sex, age class, and region. We found increasing prevalence with age as 37.5% of pre-weaned pups, 87.6% of weaned pups, and 99.0% of subadults and adults were seropositive. When accounting for age, no associations between seropositivity and sex or location of harbor seals were detected. These data indicate that PhHV-1 is endemic in the harbor seal populations of North America. © Wildlife Disease Association 2003., Cited By (since 1996):7, Marine Mammals, Birds & Turtles, ,
Goldstein, Gulland, Aldridge, Harvey, Rowles, Lambourn, Jeffries, Measures, Yochem, Stewart, Small, King, Stott, Mazet
Cailliet (120) + -
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KAM CEO’s Brief | 18th January 2019
Manufacturers, Retailers and Suppliers sign Code of Practice to guide Prompt Payment in the Retail Sector
Kenya Association of Manufacturers, Association of Kenya Suppliers (AKS) and Retail Trade Association of Kenya (RETRAK) have today signed the Retail Trade Code of Practice to guide Prompt Payment in the Retail Sector.
The purpose of this Code of Practice is to encourage self-regulation and harmonize the retailers’ and suppliers’ ways of engagement and in so doing, also apply international best practice applicable to the Kenyan situation.
Speaking at the Signing Ceremony, Trade PS, Dr Chris Kiptoo noted that the retail sector is among the six priority sectors that has been singled out in the Kenya Vision 2030 to support the economic transformation of Kenya’s economy.
Speaking during the Forum, KAM Chairman, Mr Sachen Gudka noted that cash flow is essential to the economy, and for businesses to thrive, its guaranteed stream and circulation are critical.
These Regulations will be anchored on the Trade Development Act whose process of enactment is at an advanced stage.
KRA launches its 7th Corporate Plan
The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) launched its 7th Corporate Plan, running from 2018-2021, on 16th January 2018.
Through this plan, KRA is set to raise revenue to GDP ratio from current 18.3 per cent in 2017/18 to 19.2 per cent in 2020/21.
The Authority also expects to collect Kshs 6.1 trillion of core revenues – Exchequer revenues, Road Maintenance Levy Fund (RMLF) and Railway Development Levy (RDL) – requiring an annual revenue growth of 12.9 per cent.
Key among the Plan’s strategies and programs is tax base expansion aimed at raising the number of active taxpayers from 3.94 million to 7 million by implementing a segmented approach to deal with the identified sectors.
During the launch of the 7th Corporate Plan presided over by the Cabinet Secretary for National Treasury Mr. Henry Rotich, the KRA management expressed optimism that the blueprint will steer the Authority to a success in tax administration and consequently the Big Four Agenda.
“I believe a lot of effort has been put in the development of the 7th Corporate Plan and is expected to be a pivot in the success of the Big 4 Agenda,” said Mr. Rotich.
Mr. Rotich said the Corporate Plan focuses on the country’s development agenda as spelt out in the Kenya Vision 2030, the Third Medium Term Plan (MTP 2018-2022), the Budget Policy Statement 2018 and the Big Four Agenda.
Source: KRA Website
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The Traffic (Driving Schools, Driving Instructors and Driving Licences) Rules, 2018
These Rules apply to driving schools, driving instructors and to Application the issuance of driving licenses in Kenya.
The rules provide that a person should not set up or maintain a driving school if he/she is not a holder of a valid school licence. The application for a school licence should be made to the National Transport and Safety Authority in the form set out in the rules.
The rules further prescribe that a school licence should be valid for two years from the date of Validity of issue.
NTSA has been given the power to either consider or reject the application. In considering an application for a school licence for a new or existing driving school, an inspector should inspect the premises referred to in the application , as the intended location of the proposed school, to ascertain whether the premises are suitable and adequately equipped for the purposes of the proposed school.
A driving school is expected to have a school manager whose role should be to:
Ensure the preparation of all teaching materials according to the curriculum;
Oversee the preparation and conduct of all internal examinations; and
Perform all record keeping and reporting obligations of the school.
In addition to this , a driving school is expected to maintain a minimum of two instructors.
A driving school is expected to , by the thirty-first of January of every year, submit to the Authority, either in electronic or hard copy form, an annual report for the immediately preceding calendar year in a format that the Authority shall prescribe. Further to this , A driving school should immediately notify the Authority in writing of any vehicular accident involving it’s vehicles used in the training of pupils, resulting in a fatality.
2. Driving Instructors
The rules provide that a person should not, for gain or reward, teach the theory or driving practice of driving a motor vehicle unless they have a valid instructor’s licence issued by the Authority:
A person may apply for an instructor’s licence if that person meets the minimum conditions for the relevant class of vehicles. An application for an instructor’s licence should be made to the Authority and should be accompanied by documents as provided by the Rules.
The rules state that an instructor’s licence should be valid for a period of two years from the date of issue. The Authority is expected to determine the minimum number of continuous development courses and approve the nature, content and duration of refresher courses to be attended by a driving instructor.
A driving inspector is expected to always carry their instructor’s licence at all times when instructing a pupil and should produce it for inspection when requested by an authorized officer of the Authority or a police officer.
NTSA has been vested the authority to suspend, revoke, refuse to issue or Suspension, revocation or renew an instructor s licence or vary the terms and conditions of an variation of an instructor’s licence as provided by the rules.
3. Driving Instructions
The NTSA should develop the curriculum for training and testing of drivers and driving instructors and all driving instruction should be in accordance with the approved curriculum.
The rules provide that a person should not use a motor vehicle, other than a motorcycle or invalid carriage, .as a driving school vehicle unless the motor vehicle-
is equipped with –
a minimum dual control facility of brake and clutch for manual transmission or dual brake facility for automatic transmission;
two reflecting mirrors so constructed and fitted as to enable both the pupil and the driving instructor, at all times, to be or become, aware of the presence (to the rear) of any other vehicle or object;
flashing directions indicators in full operating condition;
three-point safety belts in four places, two at the front and two at the rear;
head restraints in four places, two at the front and two at
the rear; and
a fire extinguisher of at least one kilogram in weight and a first aid kit;
exhibits the name and address of the driving school; and
is marked in such a manner as to be clearly visible by a person at the front and at the rear of the vehicle with the words- “CAUTION-DRIVER UNDER INSTRUCTION”.
A proprietor or school manager or a person in charge of a Unauthorized driving school should not permit an unlicensed driving instructor to give instruction to a pupil on the class of vehicles concerned. A proprietor, manager or person in charge of the school who contravenes this commits an offence.
4. Driving Licence and driving examinations exemptions
A driving license in categories A, B, F and G, that is Validity of licence issued to a driver who is under the age of seventy years, should be renewed after every three years over a nine-year period from the date of first issue and upon payment of the fees set out in the rules.Provided that, the tenth year, the licence holder should repeat the driving examination and submit a duly filled medical examination report in the form set out in the Fifth Schedule.
A driving licence in categories A, B, F and G, that is issued to a driver who is at least seventy years of age, should be renewed annually and the licence holder should submit a duly filled medical examination report in the form set out in the Fifth Schedule.
A driving license in categories C, D and E, that is issued to a driver, should be renewed after every three years and should be subject to the following conditions –
that the driver repeats the driving examination after every three years; and
that the driver has attended the required number of annual continuous development courses as determined by the Authority.
The rules provide that a driving school should apply for a driving examination on behalf of a pupil after conducting an internal driving examination and the pupil is successful in the examination and in the form provided by the rules. Further to this, a driver can also apply for an examination as provided by the rules.
NTSA is expected to conduct a driving examination that should at least consist of a practical driving examination conducted over a minimum distance of five kilometers and a theoretical driving examination which should examine the driver’s knowledge of the Highway Code and traffic signs.
A driver test examiner is expected to keep and maintain a driving examination register containing: name and address of each applicant for a driving test; the serial number of the test application form; the date on which such test was given; the result of such test; and if the applicant was issued with a certificate of competence, the number of the certificate and class of vehicles to which it related.
Lastly the rules states that a person who passes a driving test to drive a motor vehicle of a particular class should not be considered to have passed a driving test to drive a motor vehicle of any other class unless that person has passed a test to drive a motor vehicle of that other class.
CATEGORIES OF DRIVING LICENCES
Licence Category Vehicle in licence category Description of vehicle to operate and restrictions Minimum requirements
Category A Category A1 ( Moped)
Enables one to ride a motorcycle to and including 50 C.C
No passengers allowed to be carried.
No loads Minimum age 16 years
Category A2 ( light motorcycle)
Enables one to ride a motorcycle above 50 C.C
Carry a maximum load 60 Kg ( for up to 400 C.C )
Can carry a passenger Minimum age 18 years
Category A3 ( motorcycle taxi , couriers and three wheelers)
Enables one to ride a motorcycle 100 C.C and above.
Carry a maximum load 100 Kg ( for up to 50 C.C )
Can carry a passenger Minimum age 21
1- year riding experience of category A2
Category B Category B1 ( motorcycle taxi , couriers and three wheelers ) Enable one to drive a light vehicle ( passenger car) with a maximum Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) of 3500 kg with one light trailer ( not exceeding 750 kg)
Can drive a vehicle equipped with both a manual or automatic gearbox Minimum age 18 years
Category B2 Automatic (Light Vehicle Automatic ) Can carry up to a maximum of 7 passengers
Enable one to drive a light vehicle ( passenger car ) with automatic gear box with a maximum Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) of m 3500 kg with one light trailer ( not exceeding 750 kg)
Cannot drive a vehicle equipped with a manual gearbox
Can carry up to a maximum of 7 passengers Minimum age 18 years
Category B3 ( professional )
Enable one to drive a light vehicle ( passenger car ) with a Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) of maximum 3500 kg with one light trailer ( not exceeding 750 kg)
Equipped with manual or automatic gear box
Category C Category C1 ( Light Truck) Enables one to drive a light truck with a Gross Vehicle Weight ( GVW) exceeding 3500 kg and a maximum 7500 kg with maximum one light trailer not exceeding 750 kg
Equipped with manual or automatic gear box Minimum age 22 years
Category C (Medium Truck) Enables one to drive a heavy truck with a Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) exceeding 7500 kg with maximum one light trailer not exceeding 750 kg.
Equipped with manual or automatic gear box. Minimum age 24 years.
Two year experience of driving category C1.
Required to undergo training and retesting for category C.
Category CE ( Heavy Truck with trailer ) Enables one to drive a heavy truck with a Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) exceeding 7500 kg with heavy trailer or semi-trailer.
Enables one to drive articulated vehicles.
Equipped with manual or automatic gear box Minimum age 28 years.
Four years’ experience of driving category C
Required to undergo training and retesting for category CE
Category CE ( Heavy Goods Vehicle for Transportation of Hazardous materials ) Enables one to drive a heavy truck with a Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) exceeding 7500 kg with heavy trailer or semitrailer.
Two years’ experience of driving category CE
Required to undergo training and retesting for category CD
Category D Category D1 ( Van) Enable one to drive a van with a maximum of 14 passengers.
Equipped with manual or automatic gearbox Minimum of 22 years
Category D2 ( mini Bus) Enables one to drive a bus with 14 to 32 passengers.
Minimum experience of 3 years driving category D1
Required to undergo training and retesting for category D2
Category D3 Enables one to drive a bus with 33 or more passengers
Equipped with manual or automatic gear box Minimum age of 30 years
Category E Special professional driving license Enables one to drive any vehicles classified under categories Cl, C, CE, D, Dl, D2, D3 and licensed as ECI, EC, ECE, ED, EDI, ED2 and ECD3 respectively
Class ED2 Licenses shall be endorsed for classes Dl & D while Class ECE Licence shall be endorsed for C and C 1 Minimum age 21years
Completed 3 months driving practice with. any vehicle classified under categories Cl,
C, CE, D, Dl, D2, D3 and licensed as ECI, EC, ECE, ED, ED1, ED2 AND ECD 3 respectively.
Class ED2 Licenses shall be endorsed for class D1 and D while Class ECE Licenses shall be endorsed for C and C1
Category F Special Driving License for Persons with Disability Enables one to drive a vehicle depending on the category the PWD is trained on. Minimum age of 18 years
Requirement is as per the class the categories of abled drivers
Category G Industrial construction and agricultural plants equipment Enables one to operate forklift, motor grader, shovel, excavator, roller and any other special kinds of plant and equipment for which special authorization is required from the authority as defined in the Traffic Act before such plants can be registered for use. Endorsement for class G will be done on the driving license.
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katherine behar
Title: SPK (E-Waste)
Media: USB-powered speakers, tripod legs, Magic-Sculpt, foam coat, styrofoam, sand, pigment, MP3 players, SD cards, cables, sound
Exhibited:
Tuska Center for Contemporary Art, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY. November 6-28, 2014
Eyedrum Art and Music Gallery, Atlanta, GA. April 3-May 3, 2015
Boston Cyberarts Gallery, Boston, MA. November 7-December 20, 2015
Sound Design: Shelley Burgon
Special Thanks: Dima Strakovsky, Anna Watkins Fisher, Mark Kornbluh, Michael Tick, Shelley Burgon, Lorraine Rudin, Nicole Companik, James Wade, Derek Eggers, Trevor Smith, Irina Aristarkhova, Alex Golden, Lynn Sullivan, Sarada Rauch.
Photography: Jason Mandella
Photo Art Direction: Lorraine Rudin
"E-Waste" is co-produced by the College of Arts & Sciences and the College of Fine Arts in collaboration with CELT (Center for the Enhancement of Learning & Teaching) at the University of Kentucky, and is supported in part by a PSC-CUNY Award, jointly funded by The Professional Staff Congress and The City University of New York.
art: SPK (E-Waste)
The works in SPK belong to E-Waste, a series of sculptures inspired by commonplace USB devices. The series centers on a science fiction scenario in which modest USB peripherals are doomed to continue working, long after the humans they were designed to serve have gone extinct. The gadgets are transformed into mutant fossils, encased in stone with lights blinking, speakers chirping, and fans spinning, eternally. Combining machine-made, handmade, and organic forms, the works in this series take on an extraterrestrial quality, highlighting the surplus of consumer media artifacts, and drawing attention to its environmental impact.
E-Waste challenges digital culture's intense escalation of productivity. The slow-moving sculptures elicit sympathy for the devices we exploit, suggesting that we ourselves are becoming increasingly device-like: ensnared in compulsory productivity, whether "working" in the traditional sense for our own gain, or generating value for distant corporations each time we search the web or click "like."
Other works in the "E-Waste" series:
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from "Commentaries on the Dhammapada"
Niraya (= Hell): Listening to the inner law
As in all these teachings there are always several ways of understanding them. The external way is the commonplace. In all moral principles, the same thing is always said.
This Niraya for example, which some take as a kind of hell where one is punished for one's sins, has also another sense.
The true sense of Niraya is that particular kind of atmosphere which one creates around oneself when one acts in contradiction, not with outer moral rules or social principles, but with the inner law of one's being, the particular truth of each one which ought to govern all the movements of our consciousness and all the acts of our body. The inner law, the truth of the being is the divine Presence in every human being, which should be the master and guide of our life.
When you acquire the habit of listening to this inner law, when you obey it, follow it, try more and more to let it guide your life, you create around you an atmosphere of truth and peace and harmony which naturally reacts upon circumstances and forms, so to say, the atmosphere in which you live. When you are a being of justice, truth, harmony, compassion, understanding, of perfect goodwill, this inner attitude, the more sincere and total it is, the more it reacts upon the external circumstances; not that it necessarily diminishes the difficulties of life, but it give these difficulties a new meaning and that allows you to face them with a new strength and a new wisdom; whereas the man, the human being who follows his impulses, who obey his desires, who has no time for scruples, who comes to live in a complete cynicism, not caring for the effect that his life has upon others or for the more or less harmful consequences of his acts, creates for himself an atmosphere of ugliness, selfishness, conflict and bad will which necessarily acts more and more upon his consciousness and gives a bitterness to his life that in the end becomes a perpetual torment.
Of course this does not mean that such a man will not succeed in what he undertakes, that he will not be able to possess what he desires; these external advantages disappear only when there is within the inmost being a spark of sincerity which persists and makes him worthy of this misfortune.
If you see a bad man become unlucky and miserable, you must immediately respect him. It means that the flame of inner sincerity is not altogether extinguished and something still reacts to his bad actions.
Finally, that leads us again to the observation that you must never, never judge on appearances and that all the judgements you make from outward circumstances are always, necessarily false judgements.
To have a glimpse of the Truth, one must take at least one step back in one's consciousness, enter a little more deeply into one's being and try to perceive the play of forces behind the appearances and the divine Presence behind the play of forces.
in CWM, volume 3, "On the Dhammapada", pages 278-280
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About Rotherham
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News > Hot off the Press! >
New SFSY Connection and Innovation Voucher Scheme!
posted 7 Feb 2017, 02:17 by RiDO Rotherham [ updated 7 Feb 2017, 02:18 ]
See your business grow! Access a faster broadband connection, introduce a new innovation and reap the rewards!
Do you want a speedy, reliable connection that will open your business up to global markets? Could a new innovation create new business opportunities? If the answer is yes then the SFSY Connection and Innovation Vouchers Scheme could provide you with the help you need!
The SFSY Connection and Innovation Vouchers Scheme offers Vouchers to encourage small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to take-up faster digital connectivity, and to further support SMEs to introduce transformational innovations to the business that can improve business performance through faster digital connections. Vouchers will have a maximum value which will be 50% of the actual cost for the connection or innovation provided, (all figures stated are excluding VAT):
• Connection Voucher : Actual connection costs between £1000 and £5000
(Voucher values would be between £500 and £2500)
• Innovation Voucher: Actual innovation costs between £5000 and £24999
(Voucher values would be between £2500 and £12499.50)
For full information visit: http://www.superfastsouthyorkshire.co.uk/vouchers, Call us on 01709 334334 or email: vouchers@superfastsouthyorkshire.co.uk
The SFSY Connection and Innovation Voucher Scheme is supported by the Sheffield City Region European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), part of the European Structural Investment Fund (ESIF) portfolio 2015 to 2020.
The Superfast South Yorkshire partnership was formed in 2014 between the 4 South Yorkshire authorities alongside a deal of £22m to extend the availability of high-speed, fibre broadband with further investment of £4.8m to delivery ultrafast technology at the Enterprise Zones and Key Business Parks for ultrafast technology. The project is jointly funded by Sheffield City Region LEP, the Government’s Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) fund, BT and Sheffield City Region European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). For further information visit http://www.superfastsouthyorkshire.co.uk
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The Impact of an educational intervention on the microbiological infection risk posed by water stored in households
Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences
Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences ETDs
Nala, Ntombifuthi Patience
The aim of this study was to investigate whether a water-handling hygiene education programme could contribute to improving the health-related microbiological quality of container water stored and used in households in the dense urban settlement of Botshabelo in the Free State Province. Previous studies in the area indicated that stored container water became contaminated during the fetching, storing and handling of the water at home. These practices exposed the study population to a potential risk of microbiological infection. An intervention, in the form of the education programme, was implemented simultaneously with a water quality assessment component. Members of a sample of households from the study population participated in a series of domestic water-handling hygiene education training sessions over a period of eight of the twelve-month study period. The sample was eventually divided into three sub-groups based on attendance of the training sessions (never, intermittent and frequent (NIF)) and water samples from each group analysed during and after the programme (after data). This was done to determine any changes in the health-related microbiological water quality during training. The water quality of the NIF groupings before (baseline data from previous studies) and after the hygiene education intervention programme, was also assessed for significant changes. Seasonal influence was also investigated. Turbidity was used to indicate biofilm formation on the inner sidewalls of storage containers, which implied changes in container-washing practices. Heterotrophic bacteria (HB) numbers were used as indicators of general microbial water quality. Total coliform (TC) bacteria were used to indicate organic pollution, while E. coli (EC) bacteria were used to indicate faecal pollution. There were significant changes between the before and after data for all the indicators examined. Turbidity decreased to levels below the risk of slight potential health effects after the intervention period, indicating less biofilm formation that could be attributed to improved container hygiene. However, the bacterial indicators still indicated potential risk of infection for consumers. HB numbers indicated an increased risk of infectious disease transmission. Slight decreases in TC numbers indicated reductions in organic pollution of the container water, but still posed a significant chance of infection. EC numbers were also lower, but still rendered the water unsafe for domestic, especially potable use. Despite improved container washing, large HB numbers were still being introduced into container-stored water, probably from the domestic environment during water handling. TC and EC numbers still indicated hazardous microbiological contamination of container water by faecal as well as other organic matter during water use, probably from aspects such as unwashed hands. Generally no significant changes were found in water quality between NIF groupings, either before or after the programme, even though the frequent group attended all the training sessions. This indicated that the programme did not have a particular influence on anyone group. The lower levels of turbidity did not necessarily reflect an effect from the programme but was possibly an effect of awareness created during related studies done before in the area. Climate appeared to have played a role in TC and EC counts during the programme because the counts were higher for both indicator organisms in warmer than in colder and moderate months. Container water was still contaminated during storage despite the water-handling hygiene education programme. The water still posed a potential risk of infection when consumed. An effective hygiene education programme should be so designed and implemented that those inherent, deep-rooted, individual personal behaviours such as handling stored water with unwashed hands can be changed. The programme should bring about improved domestic water management by members of households, such as protection of containerstored water from environmental contamination. Changes such as these, brought about by sustainable awareness creation and education should contribute towards sustained improved health-related quality of water stored in domestic environments.
Name: Nala, Ntombifuthi ...
Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences ETDs [236]
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Starr (x) ›
Knauer (x) ›
Durkin (x) ›
Armbrust (x) ›
Observations of carbon export by small sinking particles in the upper mesopelagic
Carbon and nutrients are transported out of the surface ocean and sequestered at depth by sinking particles. Sinking particle sizes span many orders of magnitude and the relative influence of small particles on carbon export compared to large particles has not been resolved. To determine the influence of particle size on carbon export, the flux of both small (11–64 μm) and large (> 64 μm) particles in the upper mesopelagic was examined during 5 cruises of the Bermuda Atlantic Time Series (BATS) in the Sargasso Sea using neutrally buoyant sediment traps mounted with tubes containing polyacrylamide gel layers and tubes containing a poisoned brine layer. Particles were also collected in surface-tethered, free-floating traps at higher carbon flux locations in the tropical and subtropical South Atlantic Ocean. Particle sizes spanning three orders of magnitude were resolved in gel samples, included sinking particles as small as 11 μm. At BATS, the number flux of small particles tended to increase with depth, whereas the number flux of large particles tended to decrease with depth. The carbon content of different sized particles could not be modeled by a single set of parameters because the particle composition varied across locations and over time. The modeled carbon flux by small particles at BATS, including all samples and depths, was 39 ± 20% of the modeled total carbon flux, and the percentage increased with depth in 4 out of the 5 months sampled. These results indicate that small particles (< 64 μm) are actively settling in the water column and are an important contributor to carbon flux throughout the mesopelagic. Observations and models that overlook these particles will underestimate the vertical flux of organic matter in the ocean., published
Durkin, Estapa, Buesseler
Silicic acid supplied to coastal diatom communities influences cellular silicification and the potential export of carbon
Microcosm experiments were conducted along the Washington and Oregon coasts in May 2009, May 2010, and July 2010 to determine whether variation in the supply of silicic acid from the Columbia River could influence the silicification and sinking potential of coastal diatom blooms. The chlorophyll a concentration increased similarly in communities incubated with added nitrate or both nitrate and silicic acid, indicating that growth was limited by nitrate availability. Communities that grew in the treatment with added silicic acid and nitrate were more silicified than communities in the treatment with only nitrate added. No difference in community composition was detected between these treatments in three out of four experiments. Isolates of Minutocellus, Cylindrotheca, Thalassiosira, and Odontella were obtained from the microcosm experiment conducted in May 2010 and were maintained in the laboratory in 20 µmol L−1 silicic acid. All four diatom isolates contained ∼ 2.5 times more silica per cell when silicic acid concentration in the media was increased to 80 µmol L−1. The intensity of a fluorescent cellular stain of newly precipitated silica (2-(4-pyridyl)-5{[4-dimethylaminoethyl-aminocarbamoyl)-methoxy]phenyl}oxazole) strongly correlated with silica content among species, but was a less sensitive indicator of changing silicification within a single species. Changes in silicification were not correlated with changes in the transcript abundance of silicic acid transporters. Sinking rates increased roughly 2-fold for cells that contained ∼ 2.5 times more silica. Variation in silicic acid supply alters the silicification of nitrate-fueled coastal diatom blooms and the potential sink of carbon from coastal zones., published
Buesseler (1) + -
Estapa (1) + -
Journal (2) + -
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Attn: Google Money Babies
McSweeney’s is having a problem. Last year, their distributor went bankrupt and left them high and dry to the tune of $130,000, which they are now attempting to recoup via a big sale on all their backlog items and a… continue reading »
Dear Loud Obnoxious Cell Phone Girl Sitting on CalTrain in the Seat in Front of Me
Do you, like, know, like, how annoying it is to, like, listen to you, like, talk so loudly on your, like, cell phone and go on and on about, like, that video shoot? You know? And, like, okay, so, like,… continue reading »
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Filters: Author is Mohamed, MB [Clear All Filters]
Mohamed MB, Ismail KZ, Link S, EL-Sayed MA. Thermal reshaping of gold nanorods in micelles. Journal of Physical Chemistry B. 1998 ;102:9370-9374.
Mohamed MB, Wang ZL, EL-Sayed MA. Temperature-dependent size-controlled nucleation and growth of gold nanoclusters. Journal of Physical Chemistry A. 1999 ;103:10255-10259.
Link S, Mohamed MB, EL-Sayed MA. Simulation of the Optical Absorption Spectra of Gold Nanorods as a Function of Their Aspect Ratio and the Effect of the Medium Dielectric Constant. The Journal of Physical Chemistry B [Internet]. 1999 ;103(16):3073 - 3077. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/jp990183f
Link S, Mohamed MB, EL-Sayed MA. Simulation of the optical absorption spectra of gold nanorods as a function of their aspect ratio and the effect of the medium dielectric constant. Journal of Physical Chemistry B. 1999 ;103:3073-3077.
Talaat MH, Abdallah T, Mohamed MB, Negm S, EL-Sayed MA. The sensitivity of the energy band gap to changes in the dimensions of the CdSe quantum rods at room temperature: STM and theoretical studies. Chemical Physics Letters. 2009 ;473:288-292.
Varnavski OP, Mohamed MB, EL-Sayed MA, Goodson III T. Relative enhancement of ultrafast emission in gold nanorods. The Journal of Physical Chemistry B [Internet]. 2003 ;107(14):3101-3104. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/jp0341265
Burda C, Link S, Mohamed MB, EL-Sayed MA. The pump power dependence of the femtosecond relaxation of CdSe nanoparticles observed in the spectral range from visible to infrared. The Journal of chemical physics [Internet]. 2002 ;116:3828. Available from: http://link.aip.org/link/doi/10.1063/1.1446851
Mohamed MB, Volkov VV, Link S, EL-Sayed MA. The 'lightning' gold nanorods: fluorescence enhancement of over a million compared to the gold metal. Chemical Physics Letters. 2000 ;317:517-523.
Link S, Burda C, Mohamed MB, Nikoobakht B, EL-Sayed MA. Laser photothermal melting and fragmentation of gold nanorods: Energy and laser pulse-width dependence. Journal of Physical Chemistry A. 1999 ;103:1165-1170.
Link S, Furube A, Mohamed MB, Asahi T, Masuhara H, EL-Sayed MA. Hot electron relaxation dynamics of gold nanoparticles embedded in MgSO4 powder compared to solution: The effect of the surrounding medium. Journal of Physical Chemistry B. 2002 ;106:945-955.
Mohamed MB, Ahmadi TS, Link S, Braun M, EL-Sayed MA. Hot electron and phonon dynamics of gold nanoparticles embedded in a gel matrix. Chemical Physics Letters. 2001 ;343:55-63.
Link S, Burda C, Mohamed MB, Nikoobakht B, EL-Sayed MA. Femtosecond transient-absorption dynamics of colloidal gold nanorods: Shape independence of the electron-phonon relaxation time. Physical Review B. 2000 ;61:6086-6090.
Varnavski OP, Goodson T, Mohamed MB, EL-Sayed MA. Femtosecond excitation dynamics in gold nanospheres and nanorods. Physical Review B. 2005 ;72.
Wang ZL, Mohamed MB, Link S, EL-Sayed MA. Crystallographic facets and shapes of gold nanorods of different aspect ratios. Surface Science. 1999 ;440:L809-L814.
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LPGE cross country competes in first meet
The Thunder cross country got their first look of competition last Monday when they raced in the Central Minnesota River Run Invitational hosted by United North Central. The varsity boys fielded a full team while the girls had a handful of runners participate in the varsity race. The top LPGE...
Thunder tennis completes busy week
The Thunder tennis team traveled to Litchfield for a triangular last Monday. In their first match of the day, they ran into a very tough team in the hosting Dragons, falling 7-0. The closest match came at first singles where Abby Ecker suffered her first loss of the season in a three set battle...
Thunder volleyball will work in new players
There will be many new faces on Thunder head coach Lindsey Noll’s varsity volleyball squad this fall as the team brings back just a pair of players from last season’s lineup. The challenge will be to work to continue to turn the program around after last season’s team jumped up to 15 wins after...
Thunder tennis team gets season underway
Fall sports are now underway as the Thunder tennis team was the first area squad to log an official match when they traveled to BBE last Monday. The season got started off on the right foot as the Thunder were able to edge the Jaguars 4-3. The top three singles players were able to pick up...
Cardinals will look to rebuild under new head coach
There is a new person on the sidelines and at the helm of the Upsala volleyball program as the 2016 season gets underway. Reba Leither steps into the head coaching position for the Cardinals after recently coaching junior varsity at St. Cloud Cathedral. Leither also has experience playing college...
USA optimistic about new season
The Upsala/Swanville Area football program enters 2016 looking to replace a strong crop of graduated seniors. Several of those players were big parts of the program’s state tournament trips in 2013 and 2014, and last year’s 8-2 record. The biggest vacancy will be left by 4,000 career yard rusher...
Tiger volleyball will look for underclassmen to step up this season
The 2016 fall season will usher in a new era for Tiger volleyball after the program graduated a large core of players from recent years. The team brings back just a pair of players -- Quinn Kircher and Kenzi Riedel -- from last season’s lineup, so the team will be looking to work in several new...
Bulldogs bring back a few key pieces for a new head coach
As the nets go up in area gyms and players are diving and spiking volleyballs as they gear up for the fall season, the program at Swanville welcomes in Erin Sabyan as their new head coach. She will take over a program that finished 9-15 a year ago and lost a few key players from that roster....
LPGE cross country brings back some talented runners
After putting on many miles throughout the summer, the cross country runners at LPGE officially began their 2016 season last Monday with their first practices. Both the boys and girls teams will have many familiar faces back this fall for new head coach, Chris Bemboom, who is familiar with most...
Club tournament held at Long Prairie Country Club
The annual club tournament for men and women members was held this past Saturday and Sunday at the Long Prairie Country Club. Play on Saturday was less than ideal with the cold, wind, and numerous rain showers. Six women competed in 18 holes of medal play on both days and the 16 men had 36 holes of...
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Clovis Toons
Sorry and the police lorry
Gloudon
Have you noticed that “sorry” has become a sorry word? It seems to have lost its power, or maybe we no longer understand the concept. “Seh sorry!” — Parents demand that quarelling children utter the word. It very often was delivered grudgingly, sounding like a curse, as the offending child pitches the “sorry” like a stone.
Children aren't the only ones who can weaponise the “sorry”. In recent times we've seen public apologies making the rounds which really leave you wondering, who should be sorry? “I'm sorry if you took offence.” Translation: Why are you nyamming up yuself? I never really do nutten wrong!
In its truest intention, an apology is an act of contrition, an expression of regret, an attempt to make amends.
The latest paltry apology comes from the alleged driver of the motor car which was recorded spinning wildly on a busy thoroughfare in broad daylight. The 'apologiser' stated that he only came to find out that recklessly stunting on a public road was wrong when concern was raised by the public. Furthermore, he said, it only happened because the car was so powerful and fast.
Perhaps the apology should come from the car, which clearly led the alleged driver astray with its “aggressive” engine?
According to retired Senior Superintendent Radcliffe Lewis, in an interview regarding his views on the incident, he said the car should have been arrested.
In the meantime, the police are under fire for accepting the apology and not bringing charges against the driver. The matter has now become complicated as another video has come to public attention showing that the apologiser may not be the doughnut-spinning driver. So, enquiring minds want to know: Will the police now have to reject the sorry and issue an apology for accepting the regret?
Fun and joke aside, apologies should not be a throwaway activity. There should be more value attached to sorry. Sorry should come from a place of compassion, where a genuine, heartfelt step is made towards making things right.
Apologies are a two-way process. Someone must accept the apology for there to be value to the exercise. But when we are wronged, do we want to accept the sorry? The receiver must also be ready to take the apology. Still, some say it's not the word but the action that counts.
In 2006, the Anglican Church issued an apology for its involvement in the transatlantic slave trade. The church body recognised its actions in sustaining and profiting from the trade. Rowan Williams, who was then the archbishop of Canterbury, said: “To speak here of repentance and apology is not words alone; it is part of our witness to the gospel to a world that needs to hear that the past must be faced and healed and cannot be ignored.”
Some accepted the declaration, remarking that it took deep contemplation to acknowledge and admit the error, and that brought them a level of peace. Others have said an apology is not enough; it must be followed up with action, specifically reparation paid to the descendants of slavery. Discussions continue not just in the Caribbean, but it has become a talking point in American politics as well. The details of how recompense should be handled is still a hot topic.
How do you show that you are really sorry?
On a different level of regret and restitution is the commonly heard statement that convicted prisoners should be made to work and pay back the victims of their crimes. The idea being that whoever takes the life of the breadwinner of a family, or causes the victims to be disadvantaged, should be made to assist and support those who have felt the brunt of the crime.
A friend once said, “I woulden want nutten from them. I could never tek that money and buy food. It would ride mi chest.”
For her it would be too hard to forgive, much less forget, and how would she forget if every pay cycle she was reminded of the crime?
In our thirst to make those who have wronged us pay for their deeds we sometimes call for severe and harsh punishment. The current head of the Jamaica Teachers' Association says the cat-o'-nine should be brought back to make paedophiles and other criminals really feel sorry for their actions. Sorry, Boss, I don't know if whipping the flesh off criminals will help our current situation, but I would be sorry to see that our answer to the savagery around us is to mete out more brutality.
Barbara Gloudon is a journalist, playwright and commentator. Send comments to the Observer or gloudonb@gmail.com.
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synopsis: Dynata, a global leader in first-party data and data services, announces it has reached an agreement to acquire Reimagine Holdings Group, a global leader in data creation and technology-enabled business intelligence headquartered in Westport, Connecticut.
buyer parent: Court Square Capital Partners
buyer: Dynata
Dynata is the premier global provider of data solutions and technology for consumer and B2B survey research. Dynata reaches participants in 90+ sample countries via internet, telephone, mobile/wireless and mixed-access offerings. "
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Reimagine is a global leader in data creation for business intelligence, and has redefined the insights industry by acquiring and investing in growth-oriented, technology-enabled service companies.
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startup300 AG, acquired Pioneers.io
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synopsis: startup300, an Austrian angel investor network and business accelerator, has acquired Pioneers.io, an international relationship builder in the tech and startup scene. Pioneers' flagship event, Pioneers Festival, brings together a global community of 2,500 founders, investors, and innovation executives to build partnerships and shape the future.
buyer: startup300 AG
startup300 is an Austrian angel investor network and business accelerator that offers their services to Austrian startups. The group consists of 142 angels and investors that help startups grow their businesses. They focus on startups that have scalable, innovative or disruptive business models. "
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Pioneers.io is an international relationship builder in the tech and startup scene, offering events, consulting, and investment. Their Pioneers Festival event brings together a global community of 2,500 founders, investors, and innovation executives to build partnerships and shape the future.
closed 3/14/2017 via PR Newswire
The Shipyard, acquired TOMORRO\\\ LLC
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synopsis: The Shipyard, an independent marketing firm, today announces the acquisition of TOMORRO\\\, an innovation consultancy led by marketing icon Jon Bond – combining the companies' strategic, creative and data-centric talents to address rising demand from businesses seeking to inoculate themselves against Disruption.
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The Shipyard is an independent marketing consultancy and the first "marketing engineering" firm. It is creating digital transformation for the world's most significant brands- where high velocity content creation meets big data, where competitive strategy meets creative and disruptive advertising. "
target: TOMORRO\\\ LLC
TOMORRO\\\ LLC is a consultancy designed to accelerate brand value through the adoption of the most forward-thinking marketing approaches and technologies. TOMORRO\\\ is an active investor and advisor in ad technology companies.
closed 5/24/2017 via Company Press Release
Io-Tahoe, acquired RokittAstra
synopsis: Io-Tahoe LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Centrica plc, has acquired the assets of Rokitt Inc. and their proprietary Rokitt Astra technology. Rokitt Astra is a data discovery software solution that enables companies to discover meaningful information from their data and data relationships through a unique set of machine learning algorithms.
buyer parent: Centrica plc
buyer: Io-Tahoe
Io-Tahoe is a big data management solution company with expertise in data science, analytics and systems architecture. Io-Tahoe pours data into the lake, ensures that it is organized and able to flow unhindered and recognized to the analytics platform. "
target: RokittAstra
RokittAstra is an algorithmic solution that enables enterprises to discover more information about its data and data relationships. It utilizes algorithmic analysis to discover previously unknown metadata and data relationships in order to be able to manage data, reduce regulatory risk and more.
closed 10/8/2014 via Market Wire
New Relic, Inc, acquired Ducksboard
synopsis: Software analytics company, New Relic, announced that it has acquired Ducksboard, a provider of real-time dashboards for tracking business metrics from a broad set of application sources.
buyer: New Relic, Inc (NEWR:$512.01)
New Relic is a software analytics company that makes sense of billions of data points about millions of application instances in real time. Their comprehensive SaaS-based solution provides one interface for web and native mobile applications. "
target: Ducksboard
Ducksboard is a real-time dashboard that helps companies visualize and monitor their data in one single place. Optimized for large screens, it makes it easy to connect a variety of apps and create a display to keep an eye on your company's growth.
Teradata Corporation, acquired Revelytix
synopsis: Teradata, the analytic data platforms, marketing applications, and services company, acquired Revelytix, a leader in information management products for big data with unique metadata management technology and deep expertise in integrating information across the enterprise. Revelytix brings new data management and data preparation tools in Hadoop.
buyer: Teradata Corporation (TDC:$2,268.00)
Teradata, a global leader in analytic data platforms, marketing and analytic applications, and consulting services, helps organizations become more competitive by increasing the value of their data and customer relationships. Their products and services deliver data integration and business insight."
target: Revelytix
Revelytix is a commercial software company providing tools for enterprise information management. With the emergence of Hadoop, Revelytix have ported their core technology to that platform, in a product called Loom. Loom makes data scientists and other Hadoop users more productive.
closed 11/21/2018 via PR Web
Alaris Royalty Corp., FutureTech Holding Company, acquired OvalEdge, LLC
synopsis: OvalEdge LLC, a data catalog company, announced that it has been acquired by FutureTech Holding Company (FTH), a firm with strategic holdings in the financial, technology and healthcare sectors. OvalEdge, established in 2013 and headquartered in Peachtree Corners GA, empowers companies to harness big data and use it to build insights.
buyer: Alaris Royalty Corp. (TSX:AD:$89.51)
buyer: FutureTech Holding Company
FutureTech Holding Company is a leader in Information Technology (IT) and IT Enabled Services with their strategic holdings in the healthcare, financial and technology sectors. Alaris provides cash financing to private businesses across North America. "
target: OvalEdge, LLC
OvalEdge empowers companies to harness big data and use it to build insights. With OvalEdge, companies can launch a data catalog within a month. It provides a Smart Catalog that virtually centralizes all of a company’s data into a single repository or data catalog.
closed 12/15/2017 via Company Press Release
Maxburg Capital Partners, acquired Paterva
synopsis: Maxburg Capital Partners, an investment management company, has acquired Paterava, a South Africa-based software company focusing on Cyber Security and Big Data Analytics. Its core product Maltego is used for graph-enhanced visualization and linkage analysis.
buyer: Maxburg Capital Partners
Maxburg Capital Partners is an investment management company focusing on Germany and the German-speaking markets. Maxburg is actively seeking out long-term investments in stable and profitable small and medium-sized companies with a view towards lasting and sustainable value creation. "
target: Paterva
Paterava is a South Africa-based software company focusing on Cyber Security and Big Data Analytics. Its core product Maltego is used for graph-enhanced visualization and linkage analysis.
closed 5/5/2017 via BNC Analysis
Onyx CenterSource, acquired eCommission Solutions LLC
synopsis: Onyx CenterSource, the global leader in hotel commission payment and recovery services, announced the acquisition of eCommission Solutions LLC, a New York-based company that provides revenue recovery, data management, business intelligence and consulting services to travel agencies, consortia and corporate travel managers.
buyer: Onyx CenterSource
Onyx CenterSource is the world's leading provider of hospitality technology for commission payments and recovery solutions for hotels and travel distributors. "
target: eCommission Solutions LLC
eCommission Solutions offers a comprehensive data consolidation, commission recovery and reporting program for travel agencies, travel management companies and corporate travel departments.
closed 3/31/2017 via BusinessWire
Zelis Healthcare, acquired Strenuus
synopsis: Zelis™ Healthcare, a market-leading healthcare information technology company, is pleased to announce the purchase of Strenuus®. Overland Park, Kansas-based Strenuus is a healthcare information technology company and provider of healthcare provider network analytics.
buyer parent: Parthenon Capital Partners
buyer: Zelis Healthcare
Zelis Healthcare is a healthcare information technology company and market-leading provider of end-to-end healthcare claims cost management and payments solutions. Zelis Healthcare focuses on network solutions, claims integrity and electronic payments for healthcare payers, providers and consumers. "
target: Strenuus
Strenuus is the leader in healthcare provider network analysis and data management. Their flagship platform, Network360, delivers actionable network intelligence services to payer clients nationwide. They also power consumer-facing solutions for leading benefit consultant & healthcare IT companies.
announced 3/6/2017 via BNC Analysis
TA Associates, will acquire ITRS Group Plc
synopsis: Global alternative asset manager The Carlyle Group and TA Associates, a leading global growth private equity firm, announced that Carlyle will sell ITRS to funds managed by TA Associates. ITRS is an international software vendor to the financial services sector, offering real-time monitoring and analytics software.
buyer: TA Associates
TA Associates is one of the oldest and largest growth private equity firms in the world. They invest in growing private companies in exciting industries, with the goal of helping management teams build their businesses into great companies. "
target parent: Carlyle Group
target: ITRS Group Plc
ITRS creates software that transforms the mass of raw data generated by organisations into meaningful information, enabling clients to understand the performance of their critical systems and to influence their businesses intelligently.
The Carlyle Group, acquired ITRS Group Plc
synopsis: The Carlyle Group announced that it has acquired ITRS Group, a global provider of real-time monitoring systems for the world's financial institutions, in partnership with its founders and management. Carlyle will support ITRS' international expansion and is committed to broadening of the Company's specialized product offering.
buyer: The Carlyle Group (CG:$3,068.40)
The Carlyle Group is a private global investment firm that originates, structures and acts as lead equity investor in management-led buyouts, strategic minority equity investments, equity private placements, consolidations and buildups, and growth capital financings. "
ITRS Group is the leading provider of risk mitigation solutions to global financial institutions. It leads the way in a new discipline which extends real-time monitoring into a comprehensive operational and service management solution.
closed 11/20/2019 via BNC Analysis
Mohawk Analytics, acquired Futusome
See 3978 Comparable Transactions
synopsis: Mohawk Analytics, an Oslo, Norway-based software company, announced the acqusition of the Finnish company Futusome. Futusome, founded in 2014, sells software solutions for cleaning up and structuring the public and open data on the Internet.
buyer: Mohawk Analytics
Mohawk Analytics, founded in 2011 and based in Norway, built a software solution focused on validation, recovery of assets and the exposure of fraud. "
target: Futusome
Futusome, founded in 2014 in Finland, sells software solutions for cleaning up and structuring the public and open data on the Internet. The company provides a unique and innovative solution that enables its customers to leverage real-time data to support decision making.
closed 7/10/2019 via GlobeNewswire
mPhase Technologies, Inc., acquired Alpha Predictions LLP
synopsis: mPhase Technologies, a technology driven, innovative development company, has acquired Alpha Predictions LLP, a technology company that has developed a suite of commercial data analysis products for use across multiple industries.
buyer: mPhase Technologies, Inc. (OTCPK:XDSL:$0.00)
mPhase Technologies Inc. is a technology driven, innovative development company. They create and commercialize products and applications that impact everyday people. Their involvement is cross vertical, and they are wherever common technologies create great social value. "
target: Alpha Predictions LLP
Based in India, Alpha Predictions LLP is a technology company that has developed a suite of commercial data analysis products for use across multiple industries. They have software designed to provide enhanced levels of data analysis.
Periscope Data merged with SiSense,
synopsis: Periscope Data, a data analysis tool that unifies business data across multiple different data sources, has merged with Sisense, an innovative business intelligence software company that empowers users to manage, analyze and visualize complex data quickly and effectively.
buyer: SiSense
SiSense is an innovative business intelligence software company that empowers users to manage, analyze and visualize complex data quickly and effectively. Their mission is to transform complex data into insights everywhere, enabling access to business intelligence across the entire organization. "
target: Periscope Data
Periscope Data is a data analysis tool that unifies business data across multiple different data sources. Their Unified Data Platform addresses the complete analytics lifecycle, allowing data teams to ingest, store, analyze, visualize and report on data all from one connected platform.
Logi Analytics, acquired Jinfonet Software, Inc.
synopsis: Logi Analytics has announced the acquisition of Jinfonet Software, the leading provider of data visualization and reporting software for the enterprise. Its cornerstone product, JReport, is a leading Java reporting solution that delivers integrated business intelligence.
buyer parent: Marlin Equity Partners
buyer: Logi Analytics
Logi Analytics empowers companies to embed analytics into the fabric of their organizations and products—enabling anyone to analyze data, share insights, and make informed decisions. With Logi, product teams create analytic applications that are purpose-built to users’ unique roles. "
target: Jinfonet Software, Inc.
Jinfonet Software is the leading provider of data visualization and reporting software for the enterprise. Its cornerstone product, JReport, is a leading Java reporting solution that delivers integrated business intelligence.
closed 11/5/2018 via GlobeNewswire
Altair Engineering Inc., acquired Datawatch Corporation
synopsis: Altair, a product design and development, engineering software and cloud computing software company, has acquired Datawatch, the data intelligence provider with market leading enterprise data preparation, predictive analytics and visualization solutions that fuel business analytics.
buyer: Altair Engineering Inc. (ALTR:$438.05)
Altair transforms design and decision making by applying simulation, machine learning and optimization throughout product life cycles. Their broad portfolio of simulation technology and patented units-based software licensing model enable Simulation-Driven Innovation for their customers. "
target: Datawatch Corporation (DWCH:$40.30)
Datawatch Corporation is the data intelligence provider with market leading enterprise data preparation, predictive analytics and visualization solutions that fuel business analytics.
price ($mm)[EV]
$179 [$174]
Infogix, acquired Datum
synopsis: Infogix, a leading provider of data management tools, has acquired DATUM, a leader in data governance software and strategic services. DATUM drives decision integrity across any enterprise, empowering organizations to discover the right data and make the right decisions faster.
buyer parent: Thoma Bravo, LLC
buyer: Infogix
Infogix’s data integrity and data governance solutions, powered by advanced analytics and big data, ensure that organizations can maximize the value of their data. Customers rely on Infogix to reduce risk, support regulatory compliance and substantially enhance operational efficiencies. "
target: Datum
DATUM drives decision integrity across any enterprise, empowering organizations to discover the right data and make the right decisions faster. By focusing on what data matters and why, DATUM's proven data governance and stewardship platform delivers business value insights.
Tableau Software, acquired Empirical Systems
synopsis: Tableau Software, a software company that helps people see and understand data, has acquired Empirical Systems, an analysis platform that helps customers in a variety of industries to automatically analyze and understand their structured data. Empirical Systems' platform can be used to uncover statistical insights in data for a variety of uses.
buyer: Tableau Software (DATA:$1,191.61)
Tableau helps people see and understand data and explore with limitless visual analytics. Users can share their work with anyone and make an impact on their business. From enterprises to SMBs, more than 74,000 customer accounts around the world use Tableau to turn data into actionable insights. "
target: Empirical Systems
Empirical Systems is an analysis platform that helps customers in a variety of industries to automatically analyze and understand their structured data. The platform can be used to uncover statistical insights in data for sales, marketing, human resources, clinical trials, IoT, and more.
Scintel Technologies, Inc., acquired Deep Blue Analytics Inc.
synopsis: Scintel Technologies, Inc. announces the acquisition of New York-based predictive analytics firm, Deep Blue Analytics Inc. Deep Blue Analytics Inc. was founded with the vision of helping innovative companies harness the power of Predictive Analytics. Deep Blue's team includes renowned academic researchers and seasoned management consultants.
buyer: Scintel Technologies, Inc.
Scintel Technologies is a premier technology consulting firm with a substantial background in digital transformation, business intelligence, and analytics. Scintel provides custom-tailored solutions to their clients that range from Fortune 500 companies to mid-size firms. "
target: Deep Blue Analytics Inc.
Deep Blue Analytics Inc. offers platform, predictive solutions and guidance to help enterprises gain an analytics-driven competitive advantage. It was founded with the belief that companies need specialized skills to make sense of extensive data to support effective business decision-making.
Reimagine Holdings Group, acquired MarketSight
synopsis: Reimagine Holdings Group, a holding company focused on growing consumer insights and marketing services companies, announced that it has acquired MarketSight, a global data analysis and visualization software platform company.
buyer: Reimagine Holdings Group
Reimagine Holdings Group is redefining the consumer insights industry by acquiring and investing in growth-oriented, technology-enabled service companies. Reimagine provides industry, operating, product development and transaction expertise to its group of companies. "
target: MarketSight
MarketSight is a leading provider of data reporting and analysis tools for marketers and researchers to collaborate and create informed business decisions. Its impressive client base spans across a variety of industries and includes many leading consumer brands, insights and consulting firms.
Research Now SSI, acquired DMA Institute
synopsis: Research Now SSI, the global leader in digital market research data and data services, has acquired DMA Institute, an independent SaaS Enterprise Solution that is designed to bring full transparency to the digital media measurement and effect validation.
buyer: Research Now SSI
Research Now SSI is the world's leading global provider of first-party consumer and professional data based on extensive, proprietary market research panels. The company has built innovative data services and solutions that bring the voice of the individual to the entire marketing spectrum. "
target: DMA Institute
DMA Institute provides an independent SaaS Enterprise Solution that is designed to bring full transparency to the digital media measurement and effect validation. The company's philosophy is to bring full, validated and integrated transparency to sellers and buyers of digital media.
announced 10/12/2017 via PR Newswire
Survey Sampling International will be merged with Research Now Group, Inc.,
synopsis: Research Now Group, Inc., a global leader in digital research data for better insights and business decisions, announced that they have signed a merger agreement with Survey Sampling International (SSI), a premier global provider of data solutions and technology for consumer and business-to-business survey research.
buyer: Research Now Group, Inc.
Research Now Group, Inc., is a global leader in digital research data for better insights and business decisions. The company provides world-class research data solutions that enable better decisions and better results for its 3,000 market research, consulting, media, and corporate clients. "
target parent: HGGC, LLC
target: Survey Sampling International
Survey Sampling International (SSI) is a premier global provider of data solutions and technology for consumer and business-to-business survey research. SSI reaches participants in 90+ sample countries via internet, telephone, mobile/wireless and mixed-access offerings.
closed 3/18/2015 via Market Wire
Court Square Capital Partners, acquired Research Now Group, Inc.
synopsis: Research Now Group, Inc. announced that Court Square Capital Partners, a leading private equity firm, has completed its previously announced acquisition of the company. Research Now Group, Inc., headquartered in Plano, Texas, is the global leader in digital data collection to power analytics and insights.
buyer: Court Square Capital Partners
Court Square is one of the most experienced teams in the private equity industry. Since 1979, the team has made over 200 investments including several landmark transactions and has developed numerous businesses into leaders in their respective markets. "
target: Research Now Group, Inc.
Research Now Group, Inc. is the leader in digital data collection to power analytics and insights. It enables data-driven decision making for clients who listen to and interact with the world’s consumers and business professionals through Research Now’s online panels and other media technologies.
announced 5/8/2012 via Market Wire
e-Rewards, Inc., will acquire iPinion, LLC
synopsis: e-Rewards, Inc., a global leader in digital data collection and owner of Research Now, announced it has reached an agreement to acquire the business of iPinion, LLC. Founded in early 2010, iPinion is a fast-growing, global leader in the mobile research market having released its enterprise platform in June 2011.
buyer: e-Rewards, Inc.
e-Rewards, Inc. provides permission based digital data collection and reporting services worldwide. It offers online sampling and survey data collection services ranging from programming and hosting to sample delivery and scripting to online reporting for various research projects. "
target: iPinion, LLC
iPinion, LLC is a leading enterprise-grade smartphone and tablet market research solutions provider. iPinion delivers unprecedented data collection capabilities for consumer insights and market research in the mobile world.
announced 5/11/2011 via Market Wire
e-Rewards, Inc., will acquire Conversition Strategies
synopsis: e-Rewards, Inc. has reached an agreement to acquire Conversition Strategies, a pioneer in the Social Media Research industry. Its primary, EvoListen, collects data sourced from online social media outlets, filters the data collected, utilizes scientific sampling and weighting to report the results, and then formats it into quantitative data sets.
e-Rewards, Inc. is a global leader in permission based digital data collection and reporting. With over 1000 employees worldwide, it operates a strong portfolio of brands including Research Now, e-Miles, and Peanut Labs. "
target: Conversition Strategies
Conversition Strategies is an online social media data collection company based in Toronto, Canada. Conversition listens to consumers by applying scientific principles to the collection and analysis of social media data.
e-Rewards, Inc., acquired Peanut Labs, Inc.
synopsis: e-Rewards, Inc. announced the successful completion of its recently announced transaction to acquire Peanut Labs, Inc. ("Peanut Labs"). Effective immediately, Peanut Labs is a wholly-owned subsidiary of e-Rewards.
e-Rewards, Inc., owns Research Now, a global online sampling and online data collection company, recognized for delivering high-quality panelists, high response rates, and industry-leading panel retention rates. "
target: Peanut Labs, Inc.
Peanut Labs enables companies to gather quality data for market research by embedding surveys into a large and diverse population of social media sites. Peanut Labs has grown its respondent pool from 20 million consumers in 2007 to over 240 million consumers to date.
announced 12/15/2009 via Capital IQ
e-Rewards, Inc., will acquire Research Now Plc
synopsis: e-Rewards, Inc., the United States' largest online market research panel provider, announced that it has reached an agreement on the terms of a Recommended Acquisition of Research Now PLC, one of the research industry's leading international online fieldwork and panel firms.
e-Rewards, Inc. is the world's largest "by-invitation-only" online research panel provider, serving nearly 1,000 market research clients. With millions of participating panelists, the e-Rewards® Opinion Panels provide research firms with quality respondents. "
target: Research Now Plc
Research Now is one of the leading international online fieldwork and panel specialists to the global market research industry and some of the world's best known companies with offices in London, Paris, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Munich, Athens, New York, San Francisco, and elsewhere.
closed 4/3/2019 via Company Press Release
ResearchBods merged with STRAT7,
synopsis: UK's specialist data and analytics agency ResearchBods, is now a part of STRAT7 – a new UK group backed by Horizon Capital that will help businesses and brands extract and interpret customer insights to create powerful data driven strategies.
buyer parent: Horizon Capital
buyer: STRAT7
UK’s STRAT7 is an inspired partnership of data, insight analytics and strategy specialists. STRAT7 was created to help brands overcome the challenges of capturing consumer data seamlessly and harnessing the insights to evolve strategies and make game-changing business decisions. "
target: ResearchBods
UK's ResearchBods is a creative and forward thinking company with vast experience within market research. They help brands, businesses and organisations understand and engage with their customers, stakeholders or employees through access panels, insight communities and digital research solutions.
announced 12/17/2018 via BusinessWire
Verint Systems Inc., will acquire ForeSee
synopsis: Verint Systems Inc., a leader in Actionable Intelligence solutions, is to acquire ForeSee. ForeSee voice of the customer (VoC) software solutions are designed for business impact, to measure and benchmark a 360-degree view of the customer across every touchpoint in digital, location, and contact center.
buyer: Verint Systems Inc. (NasdaqGS:VRNT:$1,255.80)
Verint is a leader in Actionable Intelligence solutions with a focus on customer engagement optimization, security intelligence, and fraud, risk and compliance. Organizations in more than 180 countries count on intelligence from Verint solutions to make more informed, effective and timely decisions."
target: ForeSee
ForeSee® helps companies grow by listening to what matters most—customer voices. ForeSee voice of the customer (VoC) software solutions are designed for business impact, to measure and benchmark a 360-degree view of the customer across every touchpoint in digital, location, and contact center.
STR Global, Ltd., acquired LJ Research Limited
synopsis: STR, a data benchmarking and analytics specialist, has acquired LJ Research, a full-service market research agency. The company specialises in analysing customer feedback and is a leading provider of key data and specialised insights to the tourism, travel and hospitality industry.
buyer: STR Global, Ltd.
STR Global track supply and demand data for the hotel industry and provide valuable market share analysis for international, regional hotel chains and independent hotels. They offer standard reports and customized data sets that help forecast market performance and supply and demand dynamics. "
target: LJ Research Limited
LJ Research is a full-service market research agency undertaking quantitative and qualitative market research. They’re experts in analysing customer feedback and delivering actionable insights. They are used to applying quantitative methods in online, face-to-face, or self-completion questionnaires.
closed 2/10/2016 via Company Description
GfK Group, acquired Netquest
synopsis: GfK, the trusted source of relevant market and consumer information, has acquired Netquest, an independent online field provider for the market research sector in Spain, Portugal and Latin America.
buyer: GfK Group (XTRA:GFK:$1,759.04)
GfK is the trusted source of relevant market and consumer information that enables its clients to make smarter decisions. More than 13,000 market research experts combine their passion with GfK’s long-standing data science experience. "
target: Netquest
Founded in Barcelona in 2001, Netquest is an independent online field provider for the market research sector in Spain, Portugal and Latin America. They have more than 400,000 consumers willing to give their opinion in 21 countries, and the latest technology in order to manage and survey them.
OnePoll Limited, acquired 2Brewarded
synopsis: In the UK, OnePoll, which specialises in conducting online polls for PR purposes, has acquired panel provider 2Brewarded. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Founded in 2013, 2Brewarded runs short surveys on behalf of brands and organisations, offering panellists points which can be redeemed for cash.
buyer parent: SWNS Media Group
buyer: OnePoll Limited
OnePoll conducts surveys, hold online discussions, offer a range of reporting solutions, build research communities, write compelling reports, and get their clients press and digital exposure, and much more. "
target: 2Brewarded
Founded in 2013, 2Brewarded runs online surveys on behalf of brands and organisations of all shapes and sizes. For every survey users complete, they will receive credits, and 2Brewarded will pay cash straight into their PayPal or bank account when their credits reach just £20.
announced 7/17/2014 via BusinessWire
Rakuten Inc., will acquire AIP Corporation
synopsis: Rakuten, Inc. announced that it has reached a basic agreement with a group of shareholders, which includes the largest individual shareholder, of AIP Corporation, a Tokyo-based leading online market research fieldwork agency in Asia, for the acquisition of its outstanding shares.
buyer: Rakuten Inc. (TSE:4755:$11,115.66)
Rakuten, Inc. is one of the world's leading Internet service companies. They provide a variety of products and services for consumers and businesses, with a focus on e-commerce, finance, and digital content. "
target: AIP Corporation
AIP is the leading online market research fieldwork agency in Asia. AIP's proprietary panels in 15 markets are actively managed to the highest standards, combined with dedicated multi-national/lingual consultants who are specialized in global projects.
closed 12/23/2013 via BusinessWire
Answers Corporation, acquired ForeSee
synopsis: Answers Corporation, a leading provider of cloud-based solutions that enhance customer acquisition and brand engagement, announced it has acquired ForeSee Results, Inc., the leader in customer experience analytics.
buyer parent: Summit Partners
buyer: Answers Corporation
Established in 1998, Answers Corporation is the industry’s top destination for Q&A content. The Answers platform integrates and surfaces the best content from subject matter experts, community members, social networks, and Internet databases to create the most multidimensional resource on the Web. "
ForeSee Results, Inc. provides online customer satisfaction measurement solutions in the US and internationally. The company enables organizations to understand how improvements to customer satisfaction lead to profitable behaviors.
closed 12/9/2011 via BNC Analysis
GfK Group, acquired Knowledge Networks Inc.
synopsis: GfK, one of the largest market research companies in the world, has acquired US-based consumer specialist Knowledge Networks. Founded in 1998, Knowledge Networks provides online research solutions including KnowledgePanel, which claims to offer a ‘truly representative’ sample of the US population.
The GfK Group is one of the largest market research companies in the world. GfK delivers services in all major consumer, pharmaceutical, media and service sector market segments. Its services are divided into three sectors: Custom Research, Retail and Technology and Media. "
target: Knowledge Networks Inc.
Knowledge Networks is passionate about research in packaged goods, retail, media, health and social policy. It specializes in innovative online research that consistently gives leaders in business, government, and academia the confidence to make important decisions.
closed 10/6/2009 via PR Newswire
Knowledge Networks, acquired Dimestore Media, Inc.
synopsis: Knowledge Networks has acquired Dimestore Media, whose unique, proprietary technology enables marketers to measure the effectiveness of digital advertising by adding engaging surveys to online content as consumers engage in various digital media across the Internet.
buyer: Knowledge Networks
Knowledge Networks specializes in solving complex, high-impact problems. They work closely with clients to create healthy consumer-brand connections, effective marketing and advertising, sound public policies, and accurate social science research. "
target: Dimestore Media, Inc.
Dimestore Media enhances video and other advertising by wrapping ads in a casual game format that can be configured to test attentiveness and brand response or purchase intent and direct response.
Critical Mix, Inc., acquired UBMobile
synopsis: Critical Mix, a premier global data and insights company, acquired UBMobile, a mobile-first consumer insights technology and services company. UBMobile captures stated and observed consumer data to improve marketing decision making. Their LifeTap app helps to reach consumers to deliver more representative audiences and reliable insights.
buyer: Critical Mix, Inc.
Critical Mix creates insights that drive business decisions with easy, collaborative tools to access global target audiences, program engaging surveys and visualize results. Insights professionals around the world rely on their simplified solutions to help them innovate and grow. "
target: UBMobile
UBMobile is a mobile-first consumer insights technology and service company. Using modern technologies, UBMobile captures stated and observed consumer data to improve marketing decision making. Their LifeTap app helps to reach consumers to deliver more representative audiences and reliable insights.
closed 7/6/2011 via BusinessWire
Knowledge Networks, acquired Cada Cabeza
synopsis: Knowledge Networks has acquired Garcia Research Associates, a firm known for its thoughtful approaches to measuring the growing influence of Latinos on commerce and society in the U.S. The acquisition of Cada Cabeza, along with KnowledgePanel LatinoSM and the National Shopper Lab, strengthens KN’s ability to reach U.S. Hispanic segments.
Knowledge Networks is passionate about research in packaged goods, retail, media, health and social policy – collaborating closely with client teams throughout the research process, while applying rigor in everything it does. "
target: Cada Cabeza
Garcia Research Associates is a firm well known for its thoughtful approaches to measuring the growing influence of Latinos on commerce and society in the U.S. Its Cada CabezaSM survey panel provides high respondent engagement and expert bilingual support.
closed 1/3/2012 via Capital IQ
SurveyMonkey.com, TPG Growth, acquired MarketTools Inc.
synopsis: TPG Growth, the middle market and growth equity investment platform of TPG, and SurveyMonkey, the leader in web-based survey solutions, announced they have entered into a definitive agreement to acquire MarketTools, Inc., a leading provider of software and services for market research and enterprise feedback management.
buyer: TPG Growth
buyer: SurveyMonkey.com (NasdaqGS:SVMK:$276.92)
TPG Growth is a principal investment firm specializing in early stage, growth capital, and leveraged buyouts investments. The firm primarily invests in the technology, life sciences, biotechnology, renewable energy, and retail sectors. "
target parent: Ticonderoga Capital Inc.
target: MarketTools Inc.
MarketTools is the leading provider of software and services for enterprise feedback management and market research. It is focused on providing leading organizations the actionable customer insights they need to make better business decisions that lead to high-value business impact.
ZM Capital, will purchase Internet survey solutions from Greenfield Online, Inc.
synopsis: Microsoft Corp. and Greenfield Online Inc. announced that in connection with the acquisition agreement between the two companies, Microsoft has signed an agreement to sell the Greenfield Online Internet survey solutions business to ZM Surveys LLC, an entity affiliated with ZM Capital L.P., a private equity investment partnership.
buyer parent: ZelnickMedia
buyer: ZM Capital
ZM Capital is a private equity investment partnership focused on entertainment and media investments. The partners have extensive experience investing in the marketing services, business information, advertising, interactive entertainment, direct marketing, recorded music, film and television. "
seller parent: Microsoft Corporation
seller: Greenfield Online, Inc.
Greenfield Online, Inc. is a global interactive media and services company that collects consumer attitudes about products and services, enabling consumers to reach informed purchasing decisions about the products and services they want to buy; and helping companies better understand their customer.
closed 11/6/2019 via Company Press Release
Schlesinger Group, acquired Focus Pointe Global
synopsis: Schlesinger Group, a leading international data collection and research services company, has acquired Focus Pointe Global, a US marketing research data collection company offering a range of in-person and online qualitative solutions.
buyer parent: Gauge Capital
buyer: Schlesinger Group
Schlesinger Group is a data collection company offering a broad range of qualitative and quantitative research solutions. They provide effective online surveys that include programming and hosting. As the world transforms, they reach for new heights, redefining services beyond clients’ expectations."
target: Focus Pointe Global
Focus Pointe Global is a US marketing research data collection company offering a range of in-person and online qualitative solutions with expertise in the consumer space, clinical studies, and jury research. Its 1.6 million-member QualPanel is a rich source of qualified respondents.
Ironwood Insights Group, acquired Discovery Research Group
synopsis: Ironwood Insights Group, a full-service research firm dedicated to helping their clients make informed business decisions, has acquired the data collection company, Discovery Research Group, headquartered in Saratoga Springs, UT.
buyer: Ironwood Insights Group
Ironwood Insights Group is a full-service research firm dedicated to helping their clients make informed business decisions. They aim to fully understand their client's research objectives. With those objectives, they design a research strategy to achieve their clients' specific goals. "
target: Discovery Research Group
Discovery Research Group, with 30+ years of experience, completing thousands of surveys each year, they are the best choice for high quality, competitively priced data collection methodologies in market research, healthcare follow up, customer loyalty, tracking and polling studies.
announced 6/3/2019 via Yahoo, Inc.
Beyond Commerce, Inc., will acquire Issues & Answers Network, Inc.
synopsis: Beyond Commerce, Inc., a provider of B2B internet marketing analytics, technologies and services, announced it has agreed to acquire Issues & Answers Network, Inc. Issues & Answers is a global consumer insights research partner providing answers for brands and companies through both qualitative and quantitative methodologies.
buyer: Beyond Commerce, Inc. (OTCPK:BYOC:$0.46)
Beyond Commerce, Inc. is focused on business combinations of "big data" companies in the global B2B internet marketing analytics, technologies and related services space. Their objective is to develop and deploy software technology that will build on growth potential and to exploit opportunities. "
target: Issues & Answers Network, Inc.
Issues & Answers Network (I&A) is a global consumer insights research partner dedicated to providing the answers that brands or companies need through both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. I&A collects information through telephone interviewing, web surveys and face-to-face focus groups.
closed 4/3/2019 via PE Hub
Bonamy Finch merged with STRAT7,
synopsis: UK's specialist data and analytics agency Bonamy Finch, is now a part of STRAT7 – a new UK group backed by Horizon Capital that will help businesses and brands extract and interpret customer insights to create powerful data driven strategies.
target: Bonamy Finch
UK’s Bonamy Finch is an analytically-driven insights consultancy group. They provide a unique blend of advanced analytics, data science and bespoke research solutions to uncover growth opportunities for the world’s leading brands.
Delineate., acquired Opinion.Life
synopsis: UK's Insights and data firm Delineate has acquired survey and opinion research business Opinion.Life. Opinion.Life was co-founded by Delineate CEO James Turner and Dr Zsolt Kiss in the UK as a challenger polling company. It uses a proprietary set of algorithms built on data science and behavioral science to better predict consumer opinions.
buyer: Delineate.
Delineate. is a UK company whose mission is to put better data and more meaningful insights into the hands of marketers and communicators. They fuse the best of opinion research, modern technology and data science to provide insight solutions for real world marketing and communication challenges. "
target: Opinion.Life
UK's Opinion.Life is an international market research firm driven by the idea that all opinions matter. Opinion.Life uses a combination of opinion polling, data science and behavior science to accurately understand and predict the true opinions, behaviors, and attitudes that shape the world.
Matching Companies
Ticker: TICC
TICC Capital Corp.
TICC Capital Corp. is a business development company primarily engaged in providing capital to technology-related companies in the following sectors: computer software and hardware, information technology infrastructure or services, internet, networking systems and diversified technology.
EBIT ($mm)
Net Income ($mm)
Ticker: AIM:MERC
Mercia Technologies PLC
Mercia is a national investment group focused on the funding and scaling of innovative businesses with high growth potential from the UK regions. Initially this is through Mercia's managed funds and then selectively scaling businesses through its own balance sheet capital.
Ticker: XTRA:M3B
mic AG
Mic AG is an investment company based in Germany. Mic AG invests in medium-sized companies with disruptive technologies in the fields of optics, electronics, medicine and IT.
Ticker: OTCPK:ADAC
Adama Technologies Corp.
Adama Technologies Corp. is a publicly traded venture capital company that owns, operates and invests in technology companies as well as startups and expansion companies. They employ an investment matrix that allows them to identify & select what they believe to be high growth, high yield companies.
Ticker: DRGV
Dragon Capital Group Corporation
Dragon Capital Group Corp. is doing business in China through its subsidiaries. DRGV was established to serve as a conduit between Chinese high-growth companies and Western investors. DRGV functions as an incubator of high-tech companies in China.
Ticker: LSE:ALM
Allied Minds
Allied Minds plc is an IP commercialisation company focused on technology and life sciences. Allied Minds forms, funds, and operates a portfolio of companies with the objective of delivering successful liquidity events that will generate attractive long-term returns for its investors & stakeholders.
($108.37)
Ticker: CNSX:BZ30197
Fantasy 6 Sports Inc.
Fantasy 6 is a sports, entertainment and technology company which produces games, contests and other related products and experiences for fans around the world. Fantasy 6 Sports Inc. currently offers a wide variety of daily, weekly and season-long contests across multiple professional sports leagues
Ticker: ITT.V
LX Ventures Inc.
Mobio is the parent company to Strutta and Twenty Year Media. Strutta is a social promotions platform that helps marketers bring potential customers from stranger to fan to customer. Twenty Year Media is a media and technology company developing advanced technologies for the motion picture sector.
Ticker: XTRA:BCK
Blockescence plc
Based in Malta, blockescence is a strategic investment holding company which focuses on a buy, build and sell strategy of fast-growing companies in consolidating TMT sectors. New technologies are proactively used to create USPs and efficiencies within the portfolio companies.
UTEK Corporation
UTEK® is a leading innovation services company. UTEK’s services enable clients to become stronger innovators, rapidly source externally developed technologies and create value from their intellectual property. UTEK is a business development company.
Ticker: INAR
InternetArray, Inc.
InternetArray, Inc., a Delaware corporation, is an Internet development, technology licensing and marketing company that provides guidance and investment for innovative, early stage web-centric companies.
Ticker: ASX:TCN
Techniche Limited
Techniche is a listed investment company headquartered in Brisbane, Australia. They acquire, manage and build niche B2B technology software & services companies. Their businesses develop and deliver proprietary software solutions that serve critical needs in the day-to-day operations of customers.
Ticker: ASX:TSN
Transaction Solutions International Limited
Transaction Solutions International Ltd (TSN) is an ASX listed company, focusing on financial payments and technology. Their approach is to invest and collaborate with promising businesses who have commercialised solutions in the digital, cybersecurity, analytics and risk/compliance segments.
Ticker: ASX:DVI
Disruptive Investment Group Limited
Disruptive Investment Group (DVI) Limited is a technology investment company listed on the Australian Securities Exchange. It focuses on niche markets with attractive growth prospects and has partnered with high quality, established businesses in order to maximise shareholder value.
Ticker: AIM:KRM
KRM22 is a London-listed investment company that invests in, and acquires stakes in, selected technology companies with a focus on risk management software to the capital markets sector.
Ticker: ASX:PPL
Pureprofile Pty Ltd.
Pureprofile is a technology and insights company that helps brands, businesses and consumers make better decisions. Consumers answer short surveys to build their own unique profiles and Pureprofile uses this information to connect them to surveys, insights, and offers tailored to their preferences.
Ticker: ENXTPA:IPS
Ipsos S.A
Ipsos ranks third in the global research industry. They have built a solid Group around a multi-specialist positioning – Media and advertising research; Marketing research; Client and employee relationship management; Opinion & social research; Mobile, Online, Offline data collection and delivery.
Ticker: SCOR
comScore, Inc.
comScore, Inc. is a global leader in digital measurement and analytics, delivering insights on web, mobile and TV consumer behavior that enable clients to maximize the value of their digital investments.
Ticker: ENXTPA:ALBLD
Bilendi
At a time when the volumes, variety and speed of data broadcast and exchange are expanding rapidly, Bilendi brings an innovative, technology-led approach to data collection, management and analysis. Its core activities are Services for Market Research and Customer Engagement and Loyalty.
Ticker: PGND
Press Ganey Associates, Inc.
Press Ganey offers an integrated suite of solutions that enables enterprise transformation across the patient journey. Delivered through a cutting-edge digital platform, Press Ganey solutions address safety, clinical excellence, patient experience, and workforce engagement.
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American Nationals Arrested in “Black Money” Scam – Pasay City
June 2, 2018 Philippine Dreams Hazards, Money
Three foreigners have been arrested by the PNP (Philippine National Police) in what authorities are describing as a “black money” scheme.
Among the arrested foreigners was 43-year-old Brown Akew Fonboh, allegedly from the United States, 28-year-old Gum Blanche Murphy from Angola and 44-year-old Aroon James who claimed to be from the American territory of Puerto Rico. All three were arrested by fast-acting PNP officers during an entrapment operation conducted by the CIDG (Criminal Investigation and Detection Group) in Pasay City, right next to the Mall of Asia [Quick aside – I am not sure what is the bigger crime – the black money scam run by these unscrupulous flimflammers or the fact that the vaunted Mall of Asia doesn’t have central air conditioning!]
The Black Money scam is simple but effective and has been kicking around for over ten years. Like many of these scams, the origin seems to be in the Scam Capital of the World, Nigeria and is based on a centuries old hustle called the ‘red mercury’ scam. The victim is contacted through whatever means (email, text, in-person, etc.) and then told there is a large amount of ‘blackened’ US dollar bills (or other currency) that were slated for destruction but intercepted en route. A special chemical is required to remove the blackening agent and the scammer will even pull one bill out at apparent random and show how the black chemical is removed. He will then either spill the chemical removal agent or have just a small bottle of it. He will then say he will split the money with the victim if the victim will provide thousands of dollars to purchase more of the removal chemical. The scammer will even tell the victim that he can hold the briefcase full of notes (either blank paper ‘bills’ or counterfeit currency) as collateral while the scammer runs off to get more blackening removal chemical. Of course, the scammer never returns and the victim is left short of cash but with a cheap case full of counterfeit bills and one heck of a cool story.
The arrest of these foreigners on May 28 came just three days after five nationals from the African nation of Cameroon were arrested in another black money operation.
In the first case, a Chinese national approached the police and lodged a formal complaint against the scammers, claiming that he had given them 250,000 pesos ($5,000 US dollars) to purchase ‘special chemicals’ that would take the black coating off a large number of US 100 dollar bills.
A police spokesman stated that “This is a new scam, where some type of liquid is put on the bill to reveal the currency underneath.” In fact, the “Nigerian black money” scam has been around for over a decade, merrily separating greedy suckers from their hard-earned cash.
The PNP spokesman went on to note that the wily hustlers resisted arrest which resulted in a chase and resultant injury to several of their heroic officers. The suspected swindlers apparently tried to toss away their scamming gear but it was later recovered by sharp-eyed investigators.
In total, over 5 million pesos ($100,000 USD) in police-marked entrapment money, 52 100 dollar American bills (suspected counterfeit) and four bottles containing a mysterious white chemical were received during the operation. The spokesman stated that the chemical will be chemically tested to ascertain its contents.
Finally, the PNP officer offered the following: “The arrested foreigners were only carrying their ID’s. Foreigners are supposed to have their passports with them, but the suspects did not have their passports.” To verify their identities, the PNP are coordinating with the US, Angolan and Puerto Rican Philippines embassies. [Um, pretty sure there isn’t a Puerto Rican embassy in the Phils….]
All three suspects are being charged with swindling, assault on persons of authority, resistance, disobedience and charges of syndicated estafa (deceitful harm).
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1745266/Manila/Local-News/3-foreigners-arrested-over-black-dollar-scheme
black dollarblack moneynigerian scamscam
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Kelly Bell says:
There is a Puerto Rico rmbassy in the Philippines. Its the US embassy. Puerto Rico is a terretory of the US and they are US citizens.
Manuel Laboirer says:
Dont go making sense;)
Leave a Reply to Manuel Laboirer Cancel reply
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Décharge (Dump)
Following the development of transportation in the nineteenth century, painters have developed a taste for landscape. It wasn’t long before photography followed suit and appropriate the classical subject. The genre has then spread to geographical and travel magazines, even to advertising. At first glance, Décharge (Dump) looks like a huge postcard. It has the particularity to exclude human and animal presence. Houses, trees, petrified statues, empty lots are all spheres forming mounds, hills, elevations, some of which escape into the air like soap bubbles.
With over one thousand six hundred amateur photographs, scanned and reworked by different softwares, I bring viewers to think about the overflow of images in our societies. If families used to bequeath their images from one generation to another, this is no longer the case today; they now sell in batches on the web. We now prefer the instantaneity of our cell phone than to archive collective and family memories. Hence piles of spheres reminiscent of dumps of our post-industrial societies. But come closer, spheres shimmering effects invite us to contemplation. Are we facing a bucolic landscape or a mound of wastes? Your turn to decide.
► Exhibition views
► Décharge (Dump)
► Décharge (Dump) ‘tableaux’
Titre / Title:
Digital photomontages, inkjet prints on polypropylene and rag paper
352 x 114 in / 894 x 290 cm and an edition of 4 images of 40 x 40 in / 101 x 101 cm
Année / Year:
A proud user of Wordpress
© Noémie da Silva — A modified Codestag Theme for WordPress
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Home NEWS 24 Department of Arts and Culture appoints new Robben Island Museum acting chairperson-2019
Department of Arts and Culture appoints new Robben Island Museum acting chairperson-2019
The Department of Arts and Culture says it has appointed Khensani Maluleke as the acting chairperson of the Robben Island Museum (RIM) following a disagreement with former chairperson Bernadette Muthien just months into her appointment.
In a statement on Friday, the department said for the past five months, the newly appointed council “could not function properly due to conflicting views among council members on how the affairs of council should be managed”.
On November 28, Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa called a meeting to mediate the situation.
“The meeting was necessary for a frank and an open discussion in line with the audi alteram partem principle, where everyone is heard before any decision/s are taken,” the department said.
“The discussions during the aforesaid meeting were robust and frank to ascertain the root causes that will allow the collective to find appropriate and relevant solutions to the impasse.”
However, the department added in the heat of discussions, Muthien walked out of the meeting.
“The department viewed her conduct as unbecoming of a council member, let alone a chairperson of the council who is expected to maintain the highest professional standards and to lead by example.
“Further, the department understood Ms Muthien’s actions of leaving the meeting before the time as the culmination of her expressed desire to resign as she had previously informed the minister before the commencement of the meeting.”
The department then decided to dismiss Muthien and appoint Maluleke who is also the current deputy chairperson of the council.
“Moreover, advocate Michael Masutha and Ms Louisa Mabe have since been appointed to replace Ms Muthien and another council member who has resigned. The council is therefore fully constituted. A permanent chairperson of the RIM council will be announced soon,” the department said.
It also emphasised it had no intention of abandoning the findings and recommendations of the Morar forensic investigation report.
“None of the new council members appointed on July 1, 2019, is implicated in the report. As such, the department has requested the council and other relevant persons to pursue all the matters [which include irregularities and breaches of governance] contained in the aforesaid report to their final conclusion.”
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12312012 - UPDATES: Michigan OIDV Cases - 2012
LaDonna Glenn: Domestic violence program coordinator for AWARE Inc. [Jackson, MI].
On September 24, 2009, Glenn was arrested and charged with felonious assault after she assaulted her husband with a hammer. Glenn retained her position working with domestic violence victims at AWARE until her conviction for felonious assault in May 2010.
http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2009/09/ladonna-glenn-aware-dv-program.html
Former Sheriff Deputy Kevin Haan [Allegan County SD]:
On October 15, 2012, Haan fled the scene of an accident and led police on a high-speed chase that ended with Haan driving his truck into a building.
Haan was charged with: third-degree fleeing and eluding police, a five-year felony; third-offense driving while intoxicated, a five-year felony; resisting and obstructing police, a two-year felony; and leaving the scene of an accident to fixtures (a road sign), a misdemeanor.
http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2012/10/former-deputy-kevin-haan-allegan-county.html
Haan's past record:
March 04, 2008: Deputy Kevin Haan [Allegan County SD]: Arrested for domestic violence / making threatening phone calls to his wife.
http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2008/03/deputy-haan-allegan-county-sd.html
March 13, 2008: Deputy Kevin Haan [Allegan County SD]: Arrested for violating bond conditions.
http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2008/03/deputy-kevin-haan-allegan-co-sd.html
March 28, 2008: Deputy Kevin Haan [Allegan County SD]: arrested for drunk driving.
http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2008/03/deputy-kevin-haan-allegan-co-sd_28.html
BUENA VISTA POLICE OFFICER KENNETH BLUEW: CONVICTED OF THE MURDER OF HIS PREGNANT GIRLFRIEND AND DEATH OF UNBORN CHILD.
OFFICER BLUEW SENTENCED FOR MURDER OF JENNIFER WEBB AND UNBORN SON
http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2011/08/officer-bluew-sentenced-for-murder-of.html
OFFICER BLUEW CONVICTED FOR MURDER OF JENNIFER WEBB: VIDEOS
http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2011/08/officer-bluew-convicted-for-murder-of.html
OFFICER BLUEW CONVICTED FOR MURDER OF JENNIFER WEBB: PHOTOS
http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2011/08/officer-bluew-convicted-for-murder-of_5440.html
OFFICER BLUEW CONVICTED FOR MURDER OF JENNIFER WEBB: NEWS
http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2011/08/officer-bluew-convicted-for-murder-of_30.html
OFFICER BLUEW TRIAL FOR MURDER OF JENNIFER WEBB: VIDEOS
http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2011/08/officer-bluew-trial-for-murder-of_1294.html
OFFICER BLUEW TRIAL FOR MURDER OF JENNIFER WEBB: PHOTOS
http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2011/08/officer-bluew-trial-for-murder-of_30.html
OFFICER BLUEW TRIAL FOR MURDER OF JENNIFER WEBB: NEWS
OFFICER KEN BLUEW: WEBB MURDER CASE [VIDEOS]
http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2011/08/officer-ken-bluew-murder-case-videos.html
OFFICER KEN BLUEW: WEBB MURDER CASE [NEWS]
OFFICER BLUEW: PRELIMINARY FOR WEBB MURDER [VIDEOS]
http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2011/08/officer-ken-bluew-preliminary-for-webb_30.html
OFFICER BLUEW: PRELIMINARY FOR WEBB MURDER - PHOTOS
http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2011/08/officer-bluew-preliminary-for-webb.html
OFFICER BLUEW: PRELIMINARY FOR WEBB MURDER [NEWS]
http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2011/08/officer-ken-bluew-preliminary-for-webb.html
OFFICER KEN BLUEW: ARRESTED FOR MURDER OF JENNY WEBB [VIDEOS]
http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2011/08/officer-ken-bluew-arrested-for-murder.html
OFFICER BLUEW ARRESTED FOR MURDER OF JENNY WEBB - PHOTOS
http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2011/09/murder-case-against-officer-ken-bluew.html
OFFICER KEN BLUEW: ARRESTED FOR MURDER OF JENNY WEBB - NEWS
http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2011/08/officer-ken-bluew-arrested-for-murder_30.html
MURDER OF JENNIFER WEBB: VIDEOS
http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2011/08/murder-of-jennifer-webb-videos.html
MURDER OF JENNIFER WEBB: PHOTOS
http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2011/08/murder-of-jennifer-webb-photos.html
MURDER OF JENNIFER WEBB: NEWS ARTICLES
CORRECTIONS OFFICER ROB DENNIS [IONIA]
http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2012/07/correction-officer-rob-dennis-murder-of.html
Jamie Lynn Wilson Dennis. Murdered by her husband / corrections officer Rob Dennis
On July 14, 2012 Correction officer Rob Dennis shot and killed his wife, Jaimie Lynn Dennis.
Friends and neighbors reported that the Dennis' had marital problems and that they had heard noises, including gunshots coming from the Dennis' home.
However, authorities maintained that the Dennis' did not have any known history of domestic violence.
OFFICER DEAN TOWARD [WARREN PD]
February 2008: Chesterfield PD arrested Warren Officer Dean Toward arrested on probable cause for domestic violence against his step-daughter. After Officer Toward's arrest, his step-daughter contacted the prosecutor's office and Toward was never formally charged.
October 2008: Warren officer Toward filed a lawsuit against the Chesterfield police officers who arrested him for DV. Toward claimed the officers violated his civil rights by arresting him, because he was never formally charged with DV.
August 2009: Officer Toward took part in the domestic violence arrest of Dawanne Sparks. During that arrest, Sparks lost a tooth and his jaw was broken.
February 2010: Warren officer Toward's lawsuit against Chesterfield PD was dismissed.
2011: Dawanne Sparks filed a lawsuit against Officer Toward / Warren PD for the injuries he suffered during arrest. Lawsuit was later dismissed.
December 2012: Officer Toward filed a "seven figure" lawsuit against the Warren PD, claiming he was retaliated against for blowing the whistle on another officer.
http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2008/02/officer-dean-toward-warren-pd.html
FORMER MICHIGAN SENATOR DAVID JAYE:
According to a recent article in the Deadline Detroit, videos of infamous "gay porn mustached...drinking problem...drop his gun in a state capitol...star of a racist cable program...accused of domestic violence...drunk driving...storing porn on his state issued computer," Senator David Jaye is now a making a come back. It appears that videos on youtube of Jaye's former 1990's cable access show are becoming a hit.
http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2001/04/senator-david-jaye-macomb-county.html
http://youtu.be/Ekep_rEQjY4
MACOMB COUNTY SHERIFF DEPUTY THOMAS SUAVE:
Convicted of stalking and domestic violence. Sentenced to two years probation. Allegations of misuse of Department's LEIN system and internal discipline, still pending.
http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2011/03/deputy-thomas-romano-suave-jr-macomb.html
WASHTENAW COUNTY SHERIFF CHARLES BALL: Charged with assault with a dangerous weapon, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and domestic violence [03-02-2012]
http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2012/03/deputy-charles-ball-washtenaw-county-sd.html
HART CITY COUNCILMAN TIMOTHY SHANNON CHARGED IN MURDER OF HIS WIFE: LEE-ANN SHANNON [12-29-2012]:
HART COUNCILMAN TIMOTHY SHANNON: CHARGED IN MURDER OF WIFE, LEE-ANN [NEWSPAPER ARTICLES]
http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2012/12/hart-councilman-timothy-shannon-charged.html
HART COUNCILMAN TIMOTHY SHANNON: VIDEOS: MURDER CASE
http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2012/12/hart-councilman-timothy-shannon-video.html
HART COUNCILMAN TIMOTHY SHANNON: PHOTOS: MURDER CASE
http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2012/12/hart-councilman-timothy-shannon-photos.html
LEE-ANN ELIZABETH SHANNON MURDER: COUNCILMAN TIMOTHY SHANNON CHARGED
http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2012/12/lee-ann-elizabeth-shannon-murder.html
DEPUTY RYAN SALISBURY [GRAND TRAVERSE SHERIFF DEPARTMENT]
2011: Investigated for domestic violence altercation with his ex-wife. Deputy Salisbury was not charged:
http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2011/09/deputy-ryan-salisbury-grand-traverse-sd.html
December 07, 2012: arrestd for domestic violence and disorderly conduct. Deputy Salisbury pled guilty to disorderly conduct and the domestic violence charges were dropped:
OFFICER RONALD DUPUIS:
[Former Ecorse Police Officer; Former Southgate Police Officer; Former Highland Park Police Officer; AND Former Hamtramck Police Officer; Current Highland Police Department]
http://youtu.be/Vxj78inW1ew
Feb. 17, 1997: Officer Ronald Dupuis written up for careless driving while on duty. Ecorse Police Department.
http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/1997/02/officer-ronald-dupis-ecorse-pd.html
Between 1997 and 1998: Officer Ronald Dupuis leaves the Ecorse PD and becomes an officer with the Southgate PD.
October 08, 1998: Officer Ronald Dupuis allegedly beat up a mentally disabled man. Southgate PD.
http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/1998/10/officer-ronald-dupis-southgate-pd.html
November 04, 1998: Officer Ronald Dupuis reprimanded by the Southgate Police Department for the October 8th beating incident.
Dec. 24, 1998: Officer Ronald Dupuis accused of falsifying overtime slips. Southgate PD.
March 16, 1999: Officer Ronald Dupuis accused of stalking a woman and repeatedly pulling her over while he was on duty. Southgate PD.
March 30, 1999: Officer Ronald Dupuis was informed that he would be fired from the Southgate PD [Stalking incident].
April 02, 1999: Officer Ronald Dupuis resigned from the Southgate PD, to avoid being fired for stalking incident.
Sometime after April 02, 1999: Officer Ronald Dupuis was hired by the Highland Police Department [after resigning from the Southgate PD, to avoid being fired for stalking incident].
Nov. 7, 2000: Officer Ronald Dupuis was laid off by the Highland Park Public Safety department.
Sometime after November 07, 2000: Officer Ronald Dupuis was hired by the Hamtramack PD, after being laid off by the Highland PD.
April 21, 2002: Officer Ronald Dupuis was accused of assaulting a man during a traffic stop. Hamtramck PD. Resulted in a lawsuit, which was settled for $20,000 on November 05, 2005. Dupuis was not fired from the Hamtramack PD. for this incident.
http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2002/04/officer-ronald-dupis-hamtramck-pd.html
Nov. 3, 2005: Officer Ronald Dupuis was accused of discharging a Taser stun gun and striking his female partner, Officer Prema Graham, in the leg with the weapon. [Hamtramack PD]
http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2005/11/officer-ronald-dupuis-hamtramck-pd-not.html
Nov. 10, 2005: Officer Ronald Dupuis was fired from the Hamtramck Police Department for tasering Officer Prema Graham.
Sometime after November 10, 2005: Officer Ronald Dupuis won legal challenges related to the tasering incident Officer Prema Graham, and the Hamtramck PD's firing of him.
Sometime after November 10, 2005: Officer Ronald Dupuis returned to duty at the Highland Police Department [previously laid off from department in November 2000].
Dec. 7, 2005: Officer Ronald Dupuis charged with misdemeanor assault and battery in connection with the Taser incident.
April 01, 2006: Officer Ronald Dupuis found not guilty at trial of November 2005 taser incident against Officer Prema Graham
http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2006/04/officer-ronald-dupuis-trial-for-2005.html
June 16, 2006: Officer Ronald Dupuis won an unemployment claim dispute against the City of Hamtramck for their firing of him after the November 2005 taser incident Officer Prema Graham. Chief of Police also refused to reinstate Dupuis.
http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2006/06/officer-ronald-dupuis-unemployment-suit.html
2006: Officer Ronald Dupuis filed a lawsuit against the City of Hamtramck and Officer Prema Graham [November 2005 taser incident]
http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2006/01/officer-ronald-dupuis-lawsuit-against.html
August 2006: City of Hamtramck lost appeal on Officer Ronald Dupuis' unemployment.
http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2006/08/officer-ronald-dupuis-mi-unemployment.html
November 01, 2006: Officer Ronald Dupuis filed a lawsuit against the City of Hamtramck: Civil Rights / Employment. Police Chief refused to reinstate him. [November 2005 taser incident of Officer Graham].
http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2006/11/officer-ronald-dupuis-lawsuit-filed.html
January 2007: Officer Ronald Dupuis filed suit to be reinstated to Hamtramck PD, following his being terminated after November 2005 taser incident against Officer Prema Graham.
October 31, 2008: Officer Ronald Dupuis filed suit against City of Hamtramck.
http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2008/10/officer-ronald-dupuis-filed-suit.html
February 28, 2012: Officer Ronald Dupuis filed a suit against Highland Park: Civil Rights / Employment.
May 22, 2012: Officer Ronald Dupuis' gun "accidently" went off outside the department's cell block. Dupuis was shot in the leg. Sources at the Highland PD said there would be no disciplinary action taken against Dupuis.
http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2012/05/officer-ronald-dupuis-highland-pd.html
Labels: Michigan officer involved domestic violence, Police Officer involved domestic violence
12292012 - Lee-Ann Shannon murder - Councilman Timothy Shannon - Hart, MI
Forlorn wife drowns in tub on day nanny-turned-mistress moves in - True Crime Daily
Pt. 1: Woman's Bathtub Death Raises Suspicions - Crime Watch Daily with Chris Hansen
On December 29, 2012 Lee-Ann Shannon drowned in the bathtub at her home. Her husband, Hart City Councilman Timothy Shannon was charged on January 09, 2013 with her murder.
Hart City Councilman Timothy Shannon charged with the murder of his wife Lee-Ann
Councilman Tim Shannon - Convicted / Plea Bargain - Murder of Lee-Ann - June 03, 2013
http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2013/06/councilman-tim-shannon-convicted-plea.html
Councilman Tim Shannon - Sentenced - Murder of Lee-Ann - July 15, 2013
http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2013/07/councilman-tim-shannon-sentenced-murder.html
http://www.tatekingfuneralhome.com/fh/obituaries/obituary.cfm?o_id=1889355&fh_id=10968
http://thetributecenter.com/tributeplayer/default.aspx?webvideoID=7502#/WebPlayerPage
Labels: Councilman Tim Shannon, Hart City Council, Lee-Ann Shannon murder, Michigan officer involved domestic violence, Police Officer involved domestic violence
Location: Hart, MI, USA
12172012 - Deputy Rebecca Wilder - Sentenced - Alger SD
Deputy Rebecca Wilder - Charged with domestic violence [July 02, 2011]
http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2011/07/deputy-rebecca-wilder-alger-sd.html
Original charges: assault with a dangerous weapon, weapons felony firearm, and domestic violence and possession of a firearm while under the influence.
Posted by survivor at 10:51 AM No comments:
Labels: Alger Sheriff Department, Deputy Rebecca Wilder, Michigan officer involved domestic violence, Police Officer involved domestic violence
12132012 - MCL 769.4a Amended - Senate Bill 0633 Of 2011/ Public Act No. 550 - Concurred By Senate - Cases and disposition of criminal DV charges closed to public inspection
DV/OIDV cases tried under MCL 769.4a are closed to public inspection
MCL 769.4a
Sec. 4a. (6) "Unless the court enters an adjudication of quilt under this section, all proceedings regarding the disposition of the criminal charge shall be closed to the public inspection..."
MCL-769-4a--Amended--Senate-Bill-0633-2011--Public-Act-550-2012--Concurred-By-Senate--12132012
Posted by Renee' Harrington at 6:42 PM No comments:
12122012 - MCL 769.4a Amended - Senate Bill 0633 Of 2011/ Public Act No. 550 - Passed By House - Cases and disposition of criminal DV charges closed to public inspection
MCL-769-4a--Amended--Senate-Bill-0633-2011--Public-Act-550-2012--Passed-By-House--12122012
12112012 - Corrections Officer Kenneth M. Norton - Paroled - Tabatha Horn Murder
Corrections Officer Kenneth M. Norton - Murder of Tabatha Horn [07/05/1993]
http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/1993/07/corrections-officer-kenneth-norton.html
Corrections Officer Kenneth M. Norton - Sentenced For Tabatha Horn Murder - [02/10/1994]
http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/1994/02/corrections-officer-kenneth-m-norton.html
Norton, convicted of second-degree murder, paroled
By SUSAN FIELD
The Morning Sun
Posted: 01/09/13, 4:45 PM EST
Updated: on 01/09/2013
http://www.themorningsun.com/article/MS/20130109/NEWS01/130109664
A former Isabella County man is free after serving two decades in prison for the second-degree murder of a 3-year-old girl.
Kenneth Monroe Norton Jr., 54, was released from a prison in Muskegon County Dec. 11, after serving nearly 19 years of a 22- to 35-year sentence.
Norton, who will be on supervised release in Muskegon County for two years, was convicted in Isabella County of killing his girlfriend’s daughter, Tabatha Horn, in July 1993.
He was sentenced Feb. 10, 1994, four years prior to the passage of Truth in Sentencing by the Michigan Legislature, which mandates that prisoners serve maximum minimum sentences before being eligible for parole.
Because Norton, who lived in Fremont Township at the time of the murder, was incarcerated before Truth in Sentencing, he was eligible for time off for good behavior.
Norton was denied parole in June 2011 but served less than the maximum-minimum sentence, Michigan Department of Corrections spokesman John Cordell said.
Former Isabella County Prosecutor Larry Burdick, who handled the murder case, contacted the Michigan Parole Board in June to comment on the “tragic and disturbing aspects of” Tabatha’s murder, and cautioned the board to “look carefully at the case and Norton’s record when reviewing the matter for parole.”
“In the end, his release is a function of his sentence, which makes him eligible, and the parole board’s determination that he is not a risk to the public,” said Burdick, who retired in September after being prosecutor for 24 years.
Early releases were the one of the driving forces behind the Truth in Sentencing law, Burdick said.
An Isabella County jury found Norton guilty of second-degree murder in January 1994.
Tabatha disappeared in July 1993; her body was found less than two miles from Norton’s home, just inside Montcalm County.
Norton reported the girl missing July 5, 1993, telling authorities that she vanished from his car at a convenience store in Livingston County’s Brighton while the two were headed to Ann Arbor to visit Tabatha’s mother, Wendy Gokee.
At the time of the disappearance, Norton was a corrections officer at the Carson City Correctional facility, and Gokee was in the University of Michigan Hospital undergoing tests.
Norton told police in Brighton that he didn’t remember when he last saw Tabatha but that he was certain she started the trip with him.
Norton’s car yielded no clues, and nobody at the convenience store saw the girl.
Norton was arrested July 8, 1994 after police discovered her body the same day in a shallow grave.
A woman who wanted to remain anonymous offered a tip that the girls’ body would be found in or by a green duffle bag near a wishing well, police said at the time of the investigation.
Police followed a two-track road and discovered the grave, about 150 yards away from a wishing well, on land near County Line Road, according to previous reports.
Tabatha’s body was identified later than night.
Police said at the time that Norton was linked to the murder because he was the last person to see Tabatha and because there were inconsistencies in his account to police about what happened.
Although not admissible in court, Norton also refused to take a polygraph test.
Labels: Corrections Officer Kenneth M. Norton, Michigan officer involved domestic violence, Police Officer involved domestic violence, Tabatha Horn murder
12072012 - Deputy Ryan Salisbury - Grand Traverse SD
Deputy Ryan Salisbury [Grand Traverse SD]: December 12, 2012 domestic violence assault:
Deputy Ryan Salisbury: Fighting termination after DV conviction:
http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2013/02/deputy-ryan-salisbury-fighting.html
Deputy Ryan Salisbury: DV plea agreement
http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2013/01/deputy-ryan-salisbury-dv-plea-agreement.html
Deputy Ryan Salisbury: 2011 investigation for domestic violence assault:
http://youtu.be/tMia-6QUUVE
In December 2012, Deputy Ryan Salisbury was arrested for assaulting his girlfriend at a bar. He was charged with disorderly conduct and domestic violence. In January 2013, the domestic violence charge was dropped and Deputy Salisbury pled guilty to disorderly conduct.
This was not Deputy Salisbury's first rodeo in escaping accountability for domestic violence. In late 2011, he was investigated for a domestic violence altercation with his ex-wife. The prosecutor did not file charges against Deputy Salisbury for that incident:
DEPUTY RYAN SALISBURY: 2011 investigation for domestic violence:
UPDATE: In February 2013, Grand Traverse Sheriff Tom Bensley fired Deputy Salisbury for the December 2012 domestic violence assault.
Attorney: Grand Traverse deputy to fight his termination
Fri Feb 15, 2013, 12:10 AM EST
http://record-eagle.com/local/x730443865/Attorney-Grand-Traverse-deputy-to-fight-his-termination
TRAVERSE CITY — A fired Grand Traverse sheriff’s deputy will fight his termination, his attorney said.
Sheriff Tom Bensley fired Ryan Salisbury on Wednesday. The move came about a month after Salisbury, a roughly 10-year veteran of the department, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of disturbing the peace for his role in a Dec. 6 incident at Union Street Station in Traverse City.
Salisbury’s attorney, Craig Elhart, said Salisbury already contacted a union attorney for arbitration.
“He’s been punished enough by the courts,” Elhart said. “I think his employer has gone way overboard in reaction to what he did.”
Salisbury, 35, declined comment through Elhart.
He initially was charged with disturbing the peace and a misdemeanor count of domestic violence, but the latter charge was dismissed as part of a plea deal. A judge sentenced him to one year of probation, and his conviction will be vacated if he successfully completes that probation.
Bensley said the decision to fire Salisbury came after administrators met with Salisbury and reviewed the department’s rules.
“Because of Deputy Salisbury’s actions .... which were in violation of general orders of the sheriff’s office, we feel that the separation from employment was appropriate,” he said in a statement.
When reached for comment by a Record-Eagle reporter, Bensley declined additional comment about his firing decision or the upcoming arbitration process. The entire situation took a toll on the department, he said.
“Unfortunately, these situations do occasionally occur,” he said. “It does suck a lot of energy out of the staff at the sheriff’s office.”
Salisbury’s girlfriend was at the bar with a few others when Salisbury came in. Authorities said Salisbury struck his girlfriend on the neck with his elbow and made a punching motion toward her face, and he also had physical contact with a man sitting near Salisbury’s girlfriend.
Antrim County Prosecutor Charles Koop, who handled the case as a special prosecutor, said the man had been sending Salisbury’s girlfriend texts over a period of time.
In late 2011, Leelanau County assistant prosecutor Doug Donaldson declined to issue a domestic violence charge against Salisbury for an alleged assault on a different woman in Grand Traverse County. That woman, Salisbury’s then-wife, asked Donaldson not to charge.
GT deputy fired
Thu Feb 14, 2013, 10:46 AM EST
http://record-eagle.com/local/x2056614952/GT-deputy-fired
TRAVERSE CITY - A Grand Traverse sheriff’s deputy convicted of disturbing the peace has been fired.
Sheriff Tom Bensley on Thursday confirmed the dismissal of Ryan Salisbury, 35, from the sheriff’s department.
Salisbury worked for the department for about 10 years. He pleaded guilty in January to a misdemeanor count of disturbing the peace for his role in a Dec. 6 incident at Union Street Station in Traverse City.
Salisbury was accused of assaulting his girlfriend, but he denied striking the woman. He accepted a plea agreement resulting in a conviction of disturbing the peace. Salisbury received probation as part of a delayed sentence.
If he completes court-ordered terms during the next year, the conviction will be vacated, said Antrim County Prosecutor Charlie Koop, who handled the case as a special prosecutor.
Bensley declined further comment.
Decision coming soon on whether to discipline deputy
BY ANGIE JACKSON
Fri Feb 08, 2013, 06:48 PM EST
http://record-eagle.com/local/x1525012691/Decision-coming-soon-on-whether-to-discipline-deputy
TRAVERSE CITY — Grand Traverse sheriff's officials said they'll soon decide whether to discipline a deputy convicted of disturbing the peace.
Sheriff Tom Bensley said authorities planned to speak with Deputy Ryan Salisbury today as part of an internal investigation and then will determine their next step.
Bensley would not say when Salisbury's fate will be decided, but said it will happen "soon."
"We're meeting with him (today) to go over the internal investigation and his side of the story," Bensley said.
Salisbury, 35, has been with the sheriff's department about 10 years. He was placed on unpaid suspension on Jan. 2, and this week received a delayed sentencing in district court and a year probation for a misdemeanor count of disturbing the peace.
Salisbury initially was charged with domestic violence after a Dec. 6 incident at Union Street Station in Traverse City.
If Salisbury completes court-ordered terms during the next year, the conviction will be vacated, said Antrim County Prosecutor Charlie Koop, who handled the case as a special prosecutor.
Authorities said Salisbury struck his girlfriend with an elbow to the neck and made contact with a man who sat next to her in the Union Street bar.
Koop earlier said it appeared Salisbury's girlfriend was not a target; rather, he shoved her aside as he confronted a man who had sent her text messages. Witnesses provided conflicting accounts during the investigation, Koop said.
Eighty-Sixth District Judge Thomas J. Phillips ordered Salisbury to have no contact with the male victim. He also said Salisbury cannot possess alcohol or illegal drugs and he must stay away from bars.
He also is not to possess firearms or engage in aggressive behavior, except during his law enforcement job.
Salisbury is required to complete a 26-week group therapy program for men.
"The thing is, Mr. Salisbury has to sit in with a group of other people who've been assigned to the men's program and has to deal with the fact they all know he's a police officer. He's going through it with everybody else," Koop said.
Salisbury's attorney, Dena Horvath, said he voluntarily enrolled and is eight weeks into the program.
Horvath said Salisbury has tried to focus on his family.
"Basically, it was an unfortunate set of circumstances and Ryan just hopes that he and everyone can move on from here and go forward," she said.
In 2011, Salisbury's then-wife asked Leelanau County assistant prosecutor Doug Donaldson not to issue a domestic violence charge for a separate incident of alleged assault against her.
UPDATE: Grand Traverse County Deputy to Serve Probation
Posted: Feb 07, 2013 2:59 PM CST
Updated: Feb 07, 2013 2:59 PM CST
http://www.9and10news.com/story/21076621/update-grand-traverse-county-deputy-to-serve-probation
A Grand Traverse County Sheriff's Deputy will spend a year on probation for disturbing the peace.
As part of a plea deal last month, the domestic violence charge against Ryan Salisbury was dropped.
He was accused of assaulting his Girlfriend near a bar in downtown Traverse City back in December.
Deputy Salisbury has been on unpaid suspension since January 2nd.
Grand Traverse deputy takes plea bargain
Domestic violence charge dropped as part of the deal
The Record Eagle
Thu Jan 10, 2013, 07:14 AM EST
http://record-eagle.com/local/x1746076848/Grand-Traverse-deputy-takes-plea-deal
TRAVERSE CITY — A Grand Traverse sheriff's deputy had a domestic violence charge dismissed as part of a plea deal.
Sheriff's officials have yet to determine what, if any, discipline they'll hand out to Ryan Scott Salisbury, 35.
Salisbury pleaded guilty Wednesday to a misdemeanor count of disturbing the peace for his role in a Dec. 6 incident at Union Street Station in Traverse City. He initially was charged with disturbing the peace and a misdemeanor count of domestic violence.
Salisbury will receive a delayed sentence as part of the deal. If he completes a series of court-ordered terms during the next year, the disturbing the peace conviction will be vacated. He also won't be charged with any other crimes tied to the bar incident.
Antrim County Prosecutor Charlie Koop handled the case as a special prosecutor. He said Salisbury didn't receive special treatment. The type of plea deal Salisbury received is commonly offered in domestic violence cases, Koop said.
"It's the same offer that would have been offered to any other defendant in his situation," he said.
Authorities previously said Salisbury assaulted his girlfriend by striking her with an elbow to the neck, and he also made contact with a man sitting near Salisbury's girlfriend. Koop said it appears Salisbury shoved his girlfriend aside as he confronted a man who sent her texts over a period of time.
"The girlfriend was really not the target of his actions," Koop said. "(She) happened to be standing between where the deputy came in and this guy."
Koop said there were some problems with the case. Some witnesses changed their stories, he said, and the two alleged victims claim they aren't victims at all.
"We've got witnesses who don't want to testify, we've got both victims claiming they were never touched, and we have a 30-second incident in a bar," he said.
Witnesses initially told Traverse City Police Salisbury yelled profanities at his girlfriend and appeared to make a punching motion toward her after elbowing the woman in the neck, according to a police report. He also made contact with the man nearby, witnesses said.
The male victim initially told police he was reluctant to talk about the incident because he was intimidated by Salisbury, a report shows.
Salisbury's girlfriend denied being injured and repeatedly asked the court to lift a no-contact order in the case. On Wednesday, she told a judge she didn't feel threatened by Salisbury and the bar situation "had nothing to do" with her.
Sheriff Tom Bensley said his office's review of the situation continues. He wouldn't say what disciplinary action could or will be taken, and he wouldn't comment on Salisbury's disciplinary history — or lack thereof — at the department.
"When we've completed our internal investigation as quickly as possible, we'll take the appropriate action," he said.
Salisbury has worked for the department for about 10 years. He is currently a K-9 handler. He was on paid suspension for a few weeks but has been on unpaid suspension since Jan. 2, Bensley said.
Salisbury's attorney, Dena Horvath, said Salisbury wants to keep his job. He pleaded guilty against the advice of his attorneys, Horvath said. She believed Salisbury would be acquitted of all charges had he gone to trial.
In late 2011, Leelanau County assistant prosecutor Doug Donaldson declined to issue a domestic violence charge against Salisbury for an alleged assault on a different woman in Grand Traverse County. That woman, Salisbury's then-wife, asked Donaldson not to charge.
Koop said Salisbury's history is problematic considering his profession.
"I have a snapshot of his behavior in two situations involving a wife and a live-in girlfriend," he said. "That snapshot says to me that this officer has a behavioral issue that needs to be addressed."
Grand Traverse deputy pleads guilty
By Jeff Broddle
Cadillac News
http://www.cadillacnews.com/news_story/?story_id=1806191&year=2013&issue=20130109
TRAVERSE CITY — A Grand Traverse County sheriff's deputy has pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor.
According to the Grand Traverse Sheriff's office, Deputy Ryan Salisbury has pleaded guilty in 86th District Court to a count of disturbing the peace, which is punishable by up to 90 days in jail.
According to Lt. Chris Clark, Salisbury has been on unpaid suspension since Jan. 9. He will remain on unpaid suspension until an investigation is concluded.
The sheriff's office said no other information regarding the charges was available.
Sheriff’s Deputy Pleads Guilty to Disturbing The Peace
BY Eric Wotila
MI News 26
http://www.minews26.com/content/?p=22239
A local Deputy pled guilty to a Misdemeanor earlier today.
Grand Traverse Sheriff’s Deputy Ryan Salisbury pled guilty to one count of Disturbing the Peace in the 86th District Court earlier this morning. Disturbing the Peace is a Misdemeanor with a maximum penalty of 90 days; Salisbury has been on unpaid suspension since January 2 and will remain suspended until the Sheriff’s Office concludes their investigation.
Deputy accepts plea deal
Wed Jan 09, 2013, 12:03 PM EST
http://record-eagle.com/latest-mobile/x1303513162/Deputy-accepts-plea-deal
TRAVERSE CITY -- A Grand Traverse sheriff’s deputy charged with domestic violence had the charge dismissed as part of a plea deal.
Ryan Scott Salisbury pleaded guilty Wednesday morning to a misdemeanor count of disturbing the peace for his role in a Dec. 6 incident at Union Street Station in downtown Traverse City. He initially was charged with disturbing the peace and a misdemeanor count of domestic violence.
For more, see Friday’s Record-Eagle.
Sheriff's deputy pleads guilty to misdemeanor
Posted: 01.09.2013 at 11:40 AM
Up North Live
http://www.upnorthlive.com/news/story.aspx?id=845708
GRAND TRAVERSE CO. -- Grand Traverse County Sheriff's Deputy Ryan Salisbury has pled guilty to one count of Disturbing the Peace stemming from a bar fight in downtown Traverse City.
The Sheriff's Office says Salisbury has been on an unpaid suspension since January 2, and will remain on unpaid suspension until they conclude their internal investigation. They say they hope to wrap up the investigation as quickly as possible.
Salisbury was charged after a fight at Union Street Station in Traverse City.
UPDATE: Grand Traverse Deputy Plead Guilty to Disturbing the Peace
Posted: Jan 09, 2013 10:28 AM CST
Updated: Jan 16, 2013 10:28 AM CST
http://www.9and10news.com/story/20543294/update-grand-traverse-deputy-plead-guilty-to-disturbing-the-peace
Today, a Grand Traverse County Deputy plead guilty to disturbing the peace.
Deputy Ryan Salisbury was arrested near Union Street Station Bar in December accused of assaulting his girlfriend and disturbing the peace.
He was released on bond from the Grand Traverse County Jail.
If convicted, he could face up to 90 days in jail for one count of disturbing the peace.
He's been on unpaid leave from the sheriff's department since January 2nd, while the incident is under investigation.
Suspended deputy could face another assault charge
BY GLENN PUIT
Fri Jan 04, 2013, 07:08 PM EST
http://record-eagle.com/local/x1303508898/Suspended-deputy-could-face-another-assault-charge
TRAVERSE CITY — A Grand Traverse County sheriff’s deputy who’s been accused of striking his girlfriend at a local tavern could face an additional criminal charge because he also had physical contact with a man during the same incident, newly released police reports show.
Ryan Salisbury, 35, faces domestic violence and disturbing the peace charges after a Dec. 6 incident at Union Street Station.
Police reports obtained Friday by the Record-Eagle through a state Freedom of Information Act request provide more details. The reports state Salisbury walked into the bar that night at 11:15 p.m. to speak with his girlfriend, who sat near another man.
Salisbury directed profanities at the woman, then said, “What are you doing?” and hit her “with a elbow strike to the neck area, which caused her head to jerk backwards,” an officer wrote in a probable cause arrest form.
Police said Salisbury confronted another man nearby and witnesses “observed him strike (the man) in the shoulder.”
Salisbury then made “a punching motion” towards the woman, but “witnesses could not say for sure whether he had made contact with her face.”
Salisbury denied wrongdoing.
“Salisbury denied any assaultive behavior during this incident,” the reports state. “Salisbury indicated he was mad when he saw (a man) sitting next to his girlfriend at the bar. Salisbury did approach (the man) and advised him to ‘stop calling her’ and then left.”
Witnesses said the incident unfolded in about 30 seconds. An officer who talked to Salisbury that night said it “did not sound as if Salisbury was intoxicated, and he (Salisbury) could not believe that someone was accusing him of assault.”
Police did not observe any visible signs of injury on the female victim.
Special Prosecutor Charles Koop of Antrim County said he may file at least one more criminal charge because of the contact made with the man who sat next to Salisbury’s girlfriend.
“I’m waiting for some supplemental reports concerning some statements that were made,” Koop said. “I think he’ll be charged as to the assault of the other person.”
Salisbury pleaded not guilty to the misdemeanor charges. He is currently on administrative leave with pay.
Grand Traverse County sheriff's deputy charged after alleged assault at Traverse City bar
By Garret Ellison
Updated December 29, 2012 at 12:30 PM
http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2012/12/grand_traverse_county_sheriffs_1.html
TRAVERSE CITY, MI — A Grand Traverse County sheriff’s deputy has been formally charged with domestic violence following an alleged assault on a female acquaintance at a downtown Traverse City bar earlier this month.
Deputy Ryan Salisbury, a handler with the sheriff’s K-9 unit, was arraigned on misdemeanor domestic violence and disturbing the peace charges on Friday, Dec. 28, in 86th District Court in Traverse City.
The charges stemmed from a Traverse City Police Department investigation into an incident around 12:15 a.m. at Union Street Station on Saturday, Dec. 7, where witnesses said Salisbury and the woman got into a physical altercation, according to the Traverse City Record-Eagle.
The Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s Office said Salisbury remains on administrative leave with pay. The office released a statement Friday.
“We will be reviewing the charges and the police report. As required by our union contract, prior to any further action we will hold a hearing as soon as possible to review allegations, any possible violation of our policy and procedures and take whatever action may be appropriate.
Our final decision for any disciplinary action will most probably include the courts final disposition of the complaints against him.”
According to the Record-Eagle, the woman denied being injured but officers arrested Salisbury at his residence following the incident. Salisbury was investigated in 2011 by Leelanau County authorities for suspicion of domestic violence, but was not arrested.
GT County deputy charged in assault case
Sat Dec 29, 2012, 07:14 AM EST
http://record-eagle.com/local/x730421853/GT-County-deputy-charged-in-assault-case
TRAVERSE CITY — A Grand Traverse sheriff's deputy who dodged a domestic violence charge last year now faces a pair of misdemeanors for an altercation with a female acquaintance.
Deputy Ryan Salisbury, who hired on with the sheriff's department about 10 years ago, is charged with domestic violence and disturbing the peace. He is free on bond after 86th District Judge Mike Stepka arraigned him Friday morning.
Salisbury serves as a K-9 deputy, according to profile information on the sheriff's department web page. City police arrested him after a Dec. 6 incident at Union Street Station. Witnesses said Salisbury assaulted the woman, police said previously, though she denied being injured.
Antrim County Prosecutor Charles Koop, who is handling the current matter as a special Salisbury in 2011 was investigated for an alleged assault against another woman. Assistant Leelanau County Prosecutor Doug Donaldson, who handled that case after Leelanau Prosecutor Joe Hubbell was assigned special prosecutor, declined to issue charges then.
The victim in that case, Salisbury's now ex-wife, "was adamant about not wanting to go forward" with charges, Donaldson said.
Salisbury remains on paid leave from the sheriff's department. Sheriff Tom Bensley said his department will wait for the criminal process to wrap before making final disciplinary decisions.
"We take these one step at a time. There is a contract in place that we have to follow," he said. "The final disposition is going to be down the road, though there may be some interim steps that we take prior to that final disposition."
The alleged victim in the recent case asked Stepka to remove a no-contact order during Friday's arraignment. Stepka declined, but said the matter could be addressed at Salisbury's Jan.
Sheriff's deputy charged with domestic violence
by Anne Cook
Posted: 12.28.2012 at 2:29 PM
GRAND TRAVERSE -- A Grand Traverse County Sheriff's Deputy has been charged with Domestic Violence and Disturbing the Peace.
The charges against Deputy Ryan Salisbury come as a result of a fight at the Union Street Station in Traverse City.
According to the Grand Traverse Sheriff's Office, the status of the officer has not changed. He remains on Administrative Leave with pay. The Sheriff's Office said they will be reviewing the charges and the police report.
As required by the union contract, prior to any further action, the Sheriff's Office says they will hold a hearing as soon as possible to review allegations, any possible violation of policy and procedures, and then take whatever action may be appropriate.
The Sheriff's Office says the final decision for any disciplinary action will probably include the courts final disposition of the complaints against him.
No further information has been released.
Grand Traverse deputy charged with domestic violence
Fri Dec 28, 2012, 10:44 AM EST
http://record-eagle.com/latest-mobile/x964858913/Grand-Traverse-deputy-charged-with-domestic-violence
TRAVERSE CITY - A Grand Traverse County sheriff’s deputy faces two misdemeanors after authorities said he assaulted a female acquaintance.
Ryan Salisbury is charged with domestic violence and disturbing the peace. Eighty-sixth District Court Judge Mike Stepka arraigned him this morning.
Traverse City police said he assaulted the woman at a local bar in early December.
For more reporting, see Saturday’s Record-Eagle.
UPDATE: Grand Traverse County Deputy Accused of Assault Faced Judge Today
Posted: Dec 28, 2012 9:53 AM CST
Updated: Jan 04, 2013 9:53 AM CST
http://www.9and10news.com/story/20440255/update-grand-traverse-county-deputy-accused-of-assault-faced-judge-today
A Grand Traverse County deputy was arraigned this morning, accused of assaulting his girlfriend.
Ryan Salisbury was arrested near Union Street Station Bar earlier this month, and lodged in the Grand Traverse County Jail, where he was released on bond.
He's been on paid leave from the sheriff's department while the incident is under investigation.
This morning, he pleaded not guilty to two crimes, including domestic violence.
Sheriff's deputy arrested after bar fight
TRAVERSE CITY -- A Grand Traverse County Sheriff's Deputy has been suspended with pay after he was arrested for assault at a Traverse City bar.
7 and 4 News is told that Ryan Salisbury was arrested around midnight on Friday at Union Street Station.
Police were called out to investigate, which led to the arrest of the deputy.
Salisbury did post bond last week. Official charges have not yet been filed.
UPDATE: Name of Deputy Accused of Assault Now Released
Posted: Dec 10, 2012 3:23 PM CST
Updated: Dec 17, 2012 3:23 PM CST
http://www.9and10news.com/story/20307988/update-name-of-deputy-accused-of-assault-now-released
We can now tell you the name of a Grand Traverse County deputy who the sheriff's office says was arrested for assault.
We're told Ryan Salisbury is now on paid leave, accused of assaulting his girlfriend near Union Street Station, in downtown Traverse City, last Friday morning.
Salisbury was released on bond, and the prosecutor is reviewing the complaint.
GT deputy arrested after report of assault
He also was a suspect in a separate assault last year
Sat Dec 08, 2012, 03:35 PM EST
http://record-eagle.com/local/x2120612569/GT-deputy-arrested-after-report-of-assault
TRAVERSE CITY — City police arrested a Grand Traverse sheriff's deputy after witnesses said he assaulted his girlfriend at a downtown saloon.
Officers arrested off-duty deputy Ryan Salisbury on Friday at about 5:30 a.m. after an incident at Union Street Station several hours earlier. Salisbury was a suspect in an assault against another woman last year, but Leelanau County authorities declined to charge him with a crime.
City police and sheriff's officials wouldn't identify the deputy, but Grand Traverse Prosecutor Al Schneider and his attorney identified Salisbury.
City police Capt. Brian Heffner said officers went to the bar at about 12:15 a.m. on a report that a man assaulted a woman.
"We had allegations made that a man and a woman who reside together ... had what witnesses described as physical altercation," he said.
The woman denied being injured, Heffner said, but officers arrested the suspect at his residence. Grand Traverse Sheriff Tom Bensley said the deputy was suspended with pay after his Friday arrest on suspicion for domestic violence.
Defense attorney Craig Elhart said he will "vigorously defend" Salisbury against any charges that may arise.
"Mr. Salisbury did nothing wrong," he said.
Schneider said he will remove himself from the case because of a conflict of interest and will ask for a special prosecutor to be assigned.
Salisbury was investigated last year by Leelanau County authorities for suspicion of domestic violence, but was not arrested. Leelanau County Prosecutor Joe Hubbell was assigned to the case after Schneider removed himself.
Assistant Leelanau Prosecutor Doug Donaldson handled that case, which he characterized as a "shoving match."
"It was not a significant assault," he said.
The female victim later decided she didn't want to press charges, Donaldson said, and none were issued. But the fact that Salisbury is in trouble now for an alleged assault complaint made Donaldson think twice about the previous case.
"It gives me pause for thought regarding my prior decisions, but they are what they are," he said.
Grand Traverse Sheriff's Deputy Arrested
They Record Eagle
Fri Dec 07, 2012, 06:28 PM EST
Record Eagle
http://record-eagle.com/local/x520558107/Grand-Traverse-sheriffs-deputy-arrested
City police arrested a Grand Traverse sheriff's deputy after witnesses said he assaulted his girlfriend at a downtown saloon.
Officers arrested off-duty deputy Ryan Salisbury today at about 5:30 a.m. after an incident at Union Street Station several hours earlier. Salisbury was a suspect in an assault against another woman last year, but Leelanau County authorities declined to charge him with a crime.
The woman denied being injured, Heffner said, but officers arrested the suspect at his residence. Grand Traverse Sheriff Tom Bensley said the deputy has been suspended without pay pending the outcome of the criminal investigation.
Salisbury was investigated for domestic violence about a year ago. Leelanau County Prosecutor Joe Hubbell was assigned to the case after Schneider removed himself.
The female victim later decided she didn't want to press charges, Donaldson said, and none were issued. But the fact that Salisbury was arrested again for an alleged assault complaint made Donaldson think twice about the previous case.
Grand Traverse County sheriff's deputy suspended after assault at Traverse City bar
Updated December 08, 2012 at 4:57 PM
http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2012/12/grand_traverse_county_sheriffs.html
TRAVERSE CITY, MI — The Grand Traverse Sheriff’s Office says one of its deputies could be facing assault charges after an incident at a downtown Traverse City bar.
The sheriff’s office said one of its employees was lodged in the county jail after being arrested by city police, who responded to an assault complaint at Union Street Station, 117 S. Union St.
The incident took place at 12:15 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 7.
“The officer has been suspended with pay and will not be involved with any functions or operations of the Sheriff’s Office until the final disposition of this incident and any disciplinary hearings,” said a sheriff’s office statement.
The deputy has posted bond and the incident will be reviewed by prosecutors.
Grand Traverse County Police Officer Arrested Accused of Assault
By Katelyn Boomgaard, Reporter
http://www.9and10news.com/story/20291794/grand-traverse-county-police-officer-arrested-accused-of-assault
Early this morning a Grand Traverse County police officer was arrested accused of assault.
Traverse City Police investigated an assault complaint around 12:15 this morning at the Union Street Station.
City police arrested a Grand Traverse County police officer and brought to the Grand Traverse County Jail where he later posted bond.
The prosecuting attorney's office will review the complaint submitted by the Traverse City Police Department.
The officer has been suspended with pay and will not be allowed to be involved with any functions or operations of the Sheriff's Office.
Labels: Deputy Ryan Salisbury, Grand Traverse Sheriff Department, Michigan officer involved domestic violence, Police Officer involved domestic violence
Location: Traverse City, MI, USA
12292012 - Lee-Ann Shannon murder - Councilman Tim...
12172012 - Deputy Rebecca Wilder - Sentenced - Alg...
12132012 - MCL 769.4a Amended - Senate Bill 0633 O...
12112012 - Corrections Officer Kenneth M. Norton -...
12072012 - Deputy Ryan Salisbury - Grand Traverse ...
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Tag: misogyny
To “wage a war against all women”: Elliot Rodger, girls, women and corpus linguistics
By Kat 1 July, 2014 1 July, 2014 Gender, Research
Content warning: explicit discussion of misogyny, violence against women and racism.
This is a working paper currently being developed for publication – comments and feedback are very welcome!
Wordcloud of Elliot Rodger’s manifesto
Like many people, I was shocked at the Isla Vista shootings. In an effort to understand what happened, I read – a lot. There is a collection of links about Elliot Rodger, rape culture and misogyny at the end of this post.
I then downloaded Elliot Rodger’s manifesto and approached it with corpus linguistic techniques. I first calculated keywords, then go on to examine girl, girls and wom?n in more detail.
This table shows the top 25 keywords when compared with the British National Corpus (BNC). A keyword occurs more frequently than we’d expect; in corpus linguistics, we work this out by comparing how often it occurs in a reference corpus (in this case, the BNC) with how often it occurs in the corpus we’re interested in. Words that are more key are more frequent in the target corpus than we’d expect from looking at the reference corpus.
Keyness
1 I 5,926 13,752.69
2 my 2,501 9,101.61
3 me 1,544 4,546.97
4 didn’t 303 4,137.62
5 was 2,668 2,141.77
6 father’s 144 1,966.18
7 mother’s 105 1,433.64
8 girls 292 1,406.19
9 life 523 1,349.66
10 soumaya 97 1,324.40
11 couldn’t 96 1,310.74
12 I’ve 84 1,146.89
13 wasn’t 83 1,133.24
14 mother 292 935.53
15 would 841 862.82
16 isla 71 820.35
17 santa 115 794.72
18 house 359 754.95
19 father 236 702.35
20 topanga 52 700.05
21 vista 71 685.43
22 myself 192 672.68
23 barbara 105 648.11
24 friends 196 624.09
25 retribution 72 619.44
I’ve used the BNC because it’s a large general corpus that contains both speech and writing and which is balanced across different text types and genres. If I used a different reference corpus it would show me different things which may or may not be useful. Comparing Rodger’s manifesto with other manifestos written by ideologically-motivated murderers might be interesting, as would comparing the manifesto to other texts written by misogynists. However, the BNC does a decent job of highlighting both the individual characteristics of Rodger’s manifesto and a more general discourse of misogyny.
We have placenames like isla, vista, santa, topanga and barbara; words indicating family members and social relationships like mother’s, father’s, mother, father, Soumaya and friends; modal verbs like didn’t, was, couldn’t, wasn’t and would; and lots of first person pronouns like I, my, me, I’ve and myself. Finally, we have retribution, the name Elliot Rodger gave to the day of his attack. When we think about what kind of writing this is – a manifesto in which Rodger outlined his personal history, explained the worldview that led him to such an act of violence, and detailed his plans – this is unsurprising.
Girls shows up as the 8th most key term, while girl is only the 48th most key. I’m going to look at both, starting with girl. A girl can be pretty (14 occurrences), beautiful (11 occurrences), white (9 occurrences) or blonde (9 occurrences) but the bigram no girl appears 12 times and the trigram not one girl appears three times. Notably, a girl is something that happens or belongs to other people:
N Concordance
1 ngle party because anyone would admit a beautiful girl into it, to make passionate love to her in my
2 gine how heavenly it would be to have a beautiful girl by my side. It is such a shameful tragedy. I
3 and I walk in all alone. A man having a beautiful girl by his side shows the world that he is worth
4 home. Why does he deserve the love of a beautiful girl, and not me? Why do girls hate me so? Questio
5 r to me if he walks into a store with a beautiful girl on his arm and I walk in all alone. A man hav
6 the experience of holding hands with a beautiful girl and walking on a moonlit beach, I could never
7 lking back to my room in triumph with a beautiful girl on my arm, but instead I stumbled back to my
8 watch another boy experience it, with a beautiful girl who should be mine, was a living hell. I cons
9 around in all of that excitement with a beautiful girl on my arm, to attend every single party becau
10 worth something, because obviously that beautiful girl sees some sort of worth in him. If a man is a
11 look. I soon found out the name of the beautiful girl in my math class. Her name was Brittany Story
With the exception of line 11, the beautiful girl exists as a symbol of status and is usually found on her male partner’s arm or by his side. This is reflected in the cluster with a beautiful girl which makes up 5 of the 11 occurrences of beautiful girl. There doesn’t appear to be evidence of her agency, let alone her personality or individuality. Instead, she is rather like a bespoke suit or pair of expensive cufflinks. When Rodgers asked “[w]hy does he deserve the love of a beautiful girl, and not me?” it is without asking how he would love someone back.
We also find that a girl occurs 37 times and the girl occurs 11 times. Interestingly, the girl predominantly appears because Rodger noted that she is with someone else. The next set of concordance lines are longer so you can see that more clearly.
1 the man looked to be in his late 20's or early 30's, and the girl he was walking with looked like a supermodel. I assumed he w
2 aside, trying to act cocky and arrogant to both the boy and the girl. My drunken state got the better of me, and I almost fell ov
3 rse towered over her. They were both wearing beach gear, and the girl was in her bikini, showing off to everyone her sensual, erec
4 cular young couple that stood out from the rest only because the girl looked absolutely perfect. She was tall, blonde, and sexy. S
5 I never admitted it to anyone. To be teased and ridiculed by the girl I had a crush on wounded me deeply. The world that I grew up
6 ed like an obnoxious punk; he was tall and wore baggy pants. The girl was a pretty blonde! They looked like they were in the throe
7 en more angry is that Spencer gave me a smug look when I saw the girl, even though she was ugly. He had the nerve to feel like he
8 rginity when he was only thirteen! In addition, he said that the girl he lost his virginity to was a blonde white girl! I was so e
9 end place his hand on the girl's ass, and when he did this the girl looked at him and smiled with delight. That guy was in heave
10 so shocked and outraged that I waited outside his room until the girl left, so I could get a glimpse of how she looked. To my reli
11 d of girl who was always meant to be my girlfriend. This was the girl that I was meant to go through college in Santa Barbara with
Rodger focused on appearances, especially perceived disparities in attractiveness between women and the men they were with. We also see evidence of adjectives like blonde and white. While it is important to read Rodger’s actions in context of his misogyny, it is also important to acknowledge the role of race. The girls that Rodger focused on are tall, pretty, blonde and white; brown only appears in the context of martial arts (brown belt, 2 occurrences) and black in the context of skin colour (7 occurrences, all describing boys/men), a black carpet (5 occurrences), clothing (2 occurrences) and Rodger’s own black hair (3 occurrences). Dark is largely used metaphorically, and the only woman described as having dark hair is his father’s girlfriend (“I saw a woman with dark hair and fair skin standing in the kitchen, and she introduced herself as Soumaya”). Brunette only appears once and is used to describe his sister’s boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend (“My sister even showed me a picture of one of his ex-girlfriends, a pretty brunette white girl”). Brunettes doesn’t appear at all. His stepmother, Soumaya, and his sister’s boyfriend are both people he resented, saw as an intrusion into his life, and who highlighted his lack of sexual experience compared to other members of his family.
It is also very clear from the data which women Rodger found attractive, that he conflated race and attractiveness, that the women he was most attracted to are also unambiguously white, and that he was deeply angered by ugly/black men having sex with beautiful/white women:
“How could an inferior, ugly black boy be able to get a white girl and not me? I am beautiful, and I am half white myself”
“If this is actually true, if this ugly black filth was able to have sex with a blonde white girl at the age of thirteen while I’ve had to suffer virginity all my life, then this just proves how ridiculous the female gender is. They would give themselves to this filthy scum, but they reject ME? The injustice!”
Girls shows similar patterns: beautiful girls (23 occurrences), because girls (6 occurrences), blonde girls (11 occurrences), from girls (6 occurrences), hot girls (8 occurrences), no girls (4 occurrences), of girls (19 occurrences), pretty girls (15 occurrences), the girls (36 occurrences) and young girls (4 occurrences). Clusters show that more than one adjective can be used: beautiful blonde girls appears six times. Again, it is very very clear which women Rodger found attractive, and it’s also clear that he placed enormous emphasis on physical attractiveness. One gets the sense that Rodger constantly judged and assessed women based on their appearance – he wanted attention from the “hot”, status-conferring girls, and there is little evidence in these sets of collocates of girls who do not conform to his ideas of beauty.
So let’s have a closer look at the girls. We find the following make up 15 occurrences of the 36: all the girls (3 occurrences), all of the girls (6 occurrences), most of the girls (1 occurrence), none of the girls (1 occurrence), some of the girls (1 occurrence), one of the girls (2 occurrences) and two of the girls (1 occurrence). As the following quotes show, these occurrences continue to demonstrate Rodger’s belief that girls are a mark of a man’s status, power and prestige.
“They then had the audacity to tell me that they lost their virginity long ago, bragging about all the girls they had slept with”
“He will become a popular kid who gets all the girls. Girls will love him. He will become one of my enemies”
“All of those popular boys must be punished for enjoying heavenly lives and having sex with all the girls while I had to suffer in lonely virginity”
As the following concordance lines demonstrate, Rodger discussed girls as a monolithic entity. They all dress alike, his friends pursue all of them, they all flock to the same boys – and, crucially, they all view him with disdain. This is highlighted in the case of none of the girls: Rodger complained that “[t]hey all started socializing right next to me, and none of the girls paid any attention to me”. Again, there is a strange lack of personality or individuality ascribed to these women.
1 in the faces of all the people who looked down on me, and all of the girls who thought of me as unworthy. I mused that once I beco
2 and her sexy bare stomach showed as her shirt hung down. All of the girls were scantily clad. Rage boiled inside me as I watched
3 e alpha male now, bitches? I thought to myself, regarding all of the girls who've looked down on me in the past. I quickly admir
4 aller than me. I had to suffer watching Julian sweet-talk all of the girls. He acted so confidently, and the way the pretty girl l
5 s confident and sure of myself as possible, thinking that all of the girls I passed were attracted to my appearance. They should b
6 re obnoxious jerks, and yet somehow it was these boys who all of the girls flocked to. This showed me that the world was a brutal
Something different happens when Rodger described one, two or some of the girls. In these cases, Rodger noted his sexual attraction to them, the things they do that sexually provoke him (importantly, this can be as innocuous as doing a handstand while messing around with your mates – if you are a “beautiful blonde girl”, then simply existing is a sexually provocative act for Rodger) and their interactions with other men.
1 owed them for a few minutes. They just laughed at me, and one of the girls kissed the boy on the lips. I'm assuming she was his
2 ooked like they were having so much fun playing together. One of the girls did a handstand in the grass, and her sexy bare stomach
3 so much loneliness and humiliation. I was introduced to some of the girls he had sex with in the past, and they were all pretty.
4 lock of pretty girls with them. One of them sat down with two of the girls, putting his leg up on another chair with a cocky smirk
Reading the concordance lines, there is a strikingly lack of attempts by Rodger to engage with them. I found just one: “One time, as I was walking across the huge bridge that connected the two campuses, I passed by a girl I thought was pretty and said “Hi” as we neared each other. She kept on walking and didn’t even have the grace to respond to me. How dare she! That foul bitch”. Instead, girls are remote, distant – a monolithic entity that constantly rejected and humiliated Rodger yet to which he remained sexually attracted to. To Rodger, the actions of one reflect on them all; the rejection from some girls is a rejection from all girls.
If girl and girls are constantly described in terms of their sexual attractiveness and callousness, with Rodger caught between rage, self-pity and arousal, then wom?n is where his hatred of women is really displayed. Here, the ? in wom?n is a single character wildcard that means that results for both woman and women are included. There are 86 occurrences of wom?n in all.
Unlike girl and girls, there are only a few references to appearance. There are 4 occurrences of beautiful wom?n, 1 occurrence of beautiful model wom?n and 1 occurrence of gorgeous wom?n…and that’s it. There are a couple of references to nationality: German wom?n (2 occurrences) and French wom?n (1 occurrence), and one to race: African American woman.
Interestingly, there are two occurrences of love women, but as the quotes show, this love comes with conditions:
“All I had ever wanted was to love women, but their behavior has only earned my hatred. I want to have sex with them, and make them feel good, but they would be disgusted at the prospect. They have no sexual attraction towards me. It is such an injustice, and I vehemently questioned why things had to be this way. Why do women behave like vicious, stupid, cruel animals who take delight in my suffering and starvation? Why do they have a perverted sexual attraction for the most brutish of men instead of gentlemen of intelligence?”
“All I ever wanted was to love women, and in turn to be loved by them back. Their behavior towards me has only earned my hatred, and rightfully so! I am the true victim in all of this. I am the good guy”
While Rodger claimed to want to “love women”, this is quickly turned into further justification for his sense of victimisation and his rage. It’s difficult to imagine being able to love someone you can describe as “vicious, stupid, cruel animals”. As seen in girl and girls, Rodger focused on the men he perceived all women as being attracted to – “the most brutish of men” – and clearly positioned himself as superior, again reflecting the hierarchies he constructed and his belief that those further up the hierarchy deserved sex.
Most of the collocates of wom?n are fairly low frequency with the exception of all women and of women. Low frequency collocates include strike against women (1 occurrence), war against women (2 occurrences), degenerate women (1 occurrence), naked women (1 occurrence) and punishing women (1 occurrence). A clear semantic preference for physical violence emerges with mention ofwar against, strike against and punishing, with a second semantic preference for sexual judgement. Women are described as wicked and degenerate and naked occurs in the context of a porn video by which Rodger is simultaneously aroused and repulsed (“human beings doing such weird and unspeakable things with each other revolted me”).
Concordance lines for all women are below.
1 ly abolish sex, women themselves would have to be abolished. All women must be quarantined like the plague they are, so that they
2 the popular young people who never accepted me, and against all women for rejecting me and starving me of love and sex. At this p
3 I will arm myself with deadly weapons and wage a war against all women and the men they are attracted to. And I will slaughter the
4 rve. If I can't have it, I will destroy it. I will destroy all women because I can never have them. I will make them all suffer
5 something to fantasize about as I burned with hatred towards all women for rejecting me throughout the years. This whole viewpoint
6 r boyfriend only increased my already boiling hatred towards all women. I could not leave my apartment without seeing at least a f
7 who deprived me of love and sex. My hatred and rage towards all women festered inside me like a plague. Their very existence is t
As these concordance lines show, women are again conflated into a single entity, one that is responsible for provoking Rodger into such violent acts. He railed against “all women for rejecting me and starving me of love and sex” and threatened to “destroy all women because I can never have them” and “wage a war against all women and the men they are attracted to”. Of the seven concordance lines above, three reinstate his “hatred” or “hatred and rage” directed at all women.
However, Rodger firmly believed that women had brought it on themselves and were responsible for their own destruction. There are 11 occurrences of of women
1 ous men. I have observed this all my life. The most beautiful of women choose to mate with the most brutal of men, instead of magn
2 rience it all alone, while other men get to enjoy the company of women. I had nothing left to live for but revenge. Women must be
3 y teenage years were completely denied to me by the cruelness of women. The only way I could make up for it was if I could have an
4 I was ready and capable of fighting back against the cruelty of women. Back when I was a weak and timid boy at Taft High School,
5 ows just how bleak and cruel the world is due of the evilness of women. I tried to show it to my parents, to give them some sort d
6 the best. If a man grows up without knowing of the existence of women, there will be no desire for sex. Sexuality will completely
7 ng with all of the injustices I've had to face at the hands of women and society. I came up with a name for this after I saw all
8 r, condemned to suffer rejection and humiliation at the hands of women because they don't fancy me, because their sexual attract
9 he rejection and mistreatment I've experienced at the hands of women, I knew that becoming wealthy was the only way I could beco
10 what women are attracted to, and many of them share my hatred of women, though unlike me they would be too cowardly to act on it.
11 irls hate me so much?" in which I ask the entire population of women the question I've wanted to ask them for so many years. W
Women are positioned as cruel and evil, but also powerful; Rodger railed against the injustices (1 occurrence), rejection (2 occurrences), humiliation (1 occurrence) and mistreatment (1 occurrence) he felt he experienced at the hands of women.
So what were girls and women to Elliot Rodger? The evidence from his manifesto seems to indicate that Rodger was deeply conflicted about them. They were simultaneously: beautiful, hot bestowers of status on their male companions and the yardstick by which a man could measure his worth; fickle, callous creatures who snubbed him; cruel, evil and deliberately withholding the love and sex which Rodger felt was his right; wholly vicious and deserving of hatred and destruction. In Rodger’s manifesto, women are not individuals, but are completely united in their rejection of him.
There’s obviously a lot more in the paper I’m developing for publication, but I hope that this post offers a an insight into how looking at just four terms can be very revealing.
What a close read of the Isla Vista shooter’s horrific manifesto, “My Twisted World,” says about his values—and ours
“Gay or Asian?” Race, Masculinity, and the UCSB Shooting
On Continuing to Live In the Same World that Made Elliot Rodger (and Many Like Him)
A Gentleman’s Guide to Rape Culture
Fat Girl PhD: The things we tell our girls
Girl On The Net: On whether you have a right to sex
Slut-shamed to death for saying yes to sex, murdered for saying no
Storify: Yes, All Men
Elliot Rodger’s California shooting spree: further proof that misogyny kills
Let’s call the Isla Vista killings what they were: misogynist extremism
A Look Inside the ‘Men’s Rights’ Movement That Helped Fuel California Alleged Killer Elliot Rodger
Elliot Rodger was a misogynist – but is that all he was?
Elliot Rodger’s fatal menace: How toxic male entitlement devalues women’s and men’s lives
Lessons From a Day Spent With the UCSB Shooter’s Awful Friends
‘PUAhate’ and ‘ForeverAlone’: inside Elliot Rodger’s online life
Your Princess Is in Another Castle: Misogyny, Entitlement, and Nerds
On the Geek Guys’ Elliot Rodger Think Pieces
#YesAllWomen: how Twitter reacted to the shootings in California
Why It’s So Hard for Men to See Misogyny: Men were surprised by #YesAllWomen because men don’t see what women experience
Tagged corpus linguistics, critical discourse analysis, discourse analysis, feminism, gender, misogyny, research, sexuality
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Home » NEWS » EDUCATION » Ontario Tech students build robot in three days
Ontario Tech students build robot in three days
Posted on January 7, 2020 by oshawaexpress in EDUCATION, LIFESTYLES
(Engineering students at Ontario Tech University were given 72 hours to completely build a robot from scratch as part of the Robot in 3 Days Competition. (Photo by Chris Jones)
By Chris Jones/The Oshawa Express
Engineering students at Ontario Tech University spent a weekend attempting to build a robot in the second annual Robot in 3 Days Competition (RI3D).
The students spent 72 hours from Saturday, Jan. 4 to Monday, Jan. 6 working on their robot.
Eric Whalls, a third year software engineering student and team captain, explained the goal of the competition is to build the robot in three days, which is significantly less time than given to high school students in similar competitions.
“We’re a team of about 50 engineering undergraduates in various years,” he explained. “This year we had a big [turn out of first year students], and [the point of] this competition is to accomplish different goals in a game.”
When first timers heard the timeline of the competition this year, Whalls said many of his teammate’s jaws dropped.
He explained their ultimate goal is for their robot to compete with those of the other schools, but also to come up with the best design they think is the most feasible in three days.
“There’s a lot going on… Our biggest challenge is how do we package everything in the type of robot that we want,” he explained.
He points out they must follow all of the rules, but they’re also trying to make the robot as impressive as possible.
“We’re also trying to inspire high school kids all around the world who are going to be doing this over six weeks,” he said. “Anything that we build, they’ll be able to find it online and they’ll be able to work with that and [hopefully] do something cool with it.”
Whalls explained this year they are building a robot which would be able to play a game autonomously without any human control at all.
“That’s the [ultimate] goal – that’s not the three day goal, which is to build a robot and watch it drive, and do things with a human controller,” he said.
He explained this year the team has a different approach.
“Last year we built a lot with different materials, and we found that didn’t work so well,” he explained. “So, we’ve changed our manufacturing process and we’re using a lot more water jetting and… different things.”
It’s been a lot easier to work with the new materials according to Whalls.
“We’re also doing a lot of 3D printing this year, which is crazy because we didn’t have a lot of it last year,” he said excitedly. “It’s things that would normally mean a 45 minute drive down to Pickering to pick up supplies – we’re just 3D printing them in house and leaving them over night.”
He noted most stores they would need to visit weren’t open until the Monday, the last day of the competition, so this gives them an edge.
Other schools participating included the University of Waterloo and the University of Michigan.
Whalls explained there really isn’t a prize for winning, so much as the feeling of accomplishment which comes along with successfully building a robot in three days.
According to Whalls, Waterloo students were hoping to build a fully autonomous robot as well, so he is hoping to be able to pick their brains at some point.
However, with innovation comes road blocks, and Whalls noted they hit one on the final day.
“We left out a tolerance for mounting a shaft that went in between our bearings which allowed our intake to flip,” he explained.
He added they reworked different parts to address that.
“The trouble is when you [go to make a different part] that’s a two hour window to actually make that part, and that’s per part,” he said.
The team was able to wrap up on the night of Monday, Jan. 6, completing their robot within the 72-hour timeframe.
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Ontario creating scholarships in memory of Iran plane crash victims
Plenty of ways to help at Epilepsy Durham Region
Teachers in a bad spot
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Engaging Uptown: Why?
Data plays a huge role in the decision making on a city-wide downtown level. It provides a real-time snapshot of how people are interacting with the downtown core, showing the most frequently visited places in the downtown and the frequent times of traffic flow throughout the downtown. Why does this matter? In a nutshell, it lends to more informed decision making and better financial planning on a city-wide level. This data however, can trickle down to help specific businesses and citizens, as demonstrated through the stakeholders identified in this project. Through this Pattern of Life Data Project, we will assist the city and downtown association by providing more information to base decisions off of, result in a stronger Uptown core and local economy.
Interview With Nancy Tissington
Uptown Saint John
Businesses across Atlantic Canada are recognizing the inherent value that lies in data, both open and private. As savvy business owners, they are able to collect and manage data to proactively manage their spend efforts while creating repeat customers. The data that can be provided to these small business owners is pretty well endless, and some of the best businesses in the area are taking full advantage. They are using these data sets today, to collect data about consumer behaviour for further business analysis leading to smart investments.
Saint John, in particular, has a secret weapon when it comes to data and that can be found in their Uptown Saint John Executive Director, data expert extraordinaire, Nancy Tissington. We sat down with Nancy to discuss the value that she sees in open data.
Q: What is the mandate and purpose of Uptown Saint John?
Uptown Saint John is a Business Improvement Association that supports and empowers the businesses within our community to thrive. Our mandate on a more specific level is:
Clean & Safe Streets
Urban Design & Development
Q: How does technology enable you to have a stronger Uptown Saint John core? What is the role of data in that story?
The impact of technology on my operations is huge! The cloud beacons used in this project in particular, are extremely helpful in enabling us (Uptown SJ) to meet our mission. By collecting real-time data on pedestrian and vehicular traffic flow through the Uptown, I’m able to validate so many of my business cases, for example:
We’ve had an issue with our sidewalks getting quite dirty, you know – seagulls, heavy traffic flow, etc. To try and combat this, we requested to get some funding for a new sidewalk sweeper with the city. With this data collected from the cloud beacons, we’re able to understand the volume of pedestrian and vehicular traffic flow, which helps us know when the sidewalks need to be cleaned. This provides a huge validation as to why we need this sweeper; we can show how many people are walking down on it on an hourly, daily, weekly or monthly basis. This data directly impacts our ability to achieve our mandate of a fresh and clean uptown core, with the data to back the dollars.
Another huge value of this data is for policing. I mean, we can have a general idea/guesstimate of the number of people out at the bars or festival, but we don’t necessarily know where they go throughout the uptown afterwards. Because we don’t have an exact idea of the egress, we don’t know how often the police should/shouldn’t be policing the area. With this cloud beacon data, we’re able to get an exact idea of the number of people in the Uptown after a night at the bars, or after a festival. When I go to the police force, I’m able to make a solid case as to why we need more/less police officers because I have the numbers to back it up.
These operational aspects of the work we do at Uptown Saint John are extremely valuable – think about the cleanliness of the streets, the businesses that are in the Uptown, the security, the aesthetic appeal, the economic stimulation – so much of the decisions that we make regarding these points, and our mandate, are only validated through the collection of real-time pedestrian and vehicular traffic flow. By spending our dollars through data-back decision making, we’re able to leverage the use of our funds to have a wider spread and impact.
The last example that comes to mind (not there aren’t more) with the use of this data, is in determining where businesses should set up shop. Because I am able to see the traffic flow, understanding the busy spots and times in the Uptown, I am able to justify why certain locations are ideal for certain businesses that are looking to open their doors in Uptown Saint John. Of course I won’t know the general demographics, but I will have a strong grasp on how people are interacting with the Uptown.
Q: What data sets are most important to Uptown Saint John?
Datasets related to economic impact are definitely the most important to us. To have the foot traffic data to differentiate the spending between employees who work in the uptown versus people who are visiting the uptown specifically to shop or eat would be incredibly valuable to us. Not only is this valuable for us to understand who is shopping in the uptown, it’s what pulls people to come uptown for spending versus spending for convenience during the day, this also leads back to the value of the square footage of different locations within the uptown core.
A second important aspect for us is the walkability score of a business. If someone comes to the Uptown from the cruise ships, the walkability to various businesses will have a huge impact on where they choose to spend their dollars.
Q: Do you think there is a correlation between open data sets and a more resilient economy? If yes, why? If no, why?
Without hesitation, yes. With open data, we can make more informed decisions, decisions that are generally tied a dollar value. This then enables us stretch dollars further because we can justify the exact reasoning behind the spending. Open data is directly linked to financial responsibility.
Nancy’s job is to ensure success for the businesses in the uptown, and it’s clear from above that Nancy uses data on a daily basis to determine trends and how they impact these businesses success. This smart data use speaks volume to the success of many businesses in Saint John, and those businesses who have jumped on the data train seem to thrive.
To see business who’ve enhanced their business with data, click here.
Other BIA’s/DTA’s That Are Using Open Data
Business Improvement Agencies represent the core of every local business community, and their job is to provide resources to ensure the success of every new and old business alike. As you can imagine, this is no small feat, and the BIA’s that are most successful are those that have begun to use data while strategizing for the future. As we see government data sets being opened up and made accessible to the public, we begin to witness a rise in creativity from BIA’s on how they are used . It is these various data sets that aid BIA’s in making smarter business investments that result in spurring the economy into fast growth mode.
Our Top 5 Business Improvement Agencies Leveraging Data:
DataHaven
“At DataHaven, our mission is to improve quality of life by collecting, interpreting and sharing public data for effective decision-making. We have served Greater New Haven and Connecticut as a nonprofit organization since 1992, working with many partners to develop reports, tools, and technical assistance programs that make information more useful to local communities.”
http://www.ctdatahaven.org/blog/datahaven-uses-science-paint-picture-community
Toronto Financial District BIA
“Raising the Standard – Using Data to Improve Public Realm Management”
“Over the past three years, the Toronto Financial District BIA (FDBIA) has leveraged technology to address these concerns through programs based on real-time data of occurrences in the district, enabling the BIA to work directly with responsible agencies to remedy issues related to maintenance and public realm compliance, as well as develop improved models to address by-law enforcement in critical areas and share information with relevant agencies to improve collaboration and service delivery.”
https://www.ida-downtown.org/eweb/docs/2016_Awards/Raising_the_Standard_-_Using_Data_to_Improve_Public_Realm_Management.pdf
Eco-counters
“Since January 2014, Downtown Halifax Business Commission (DHBC), Spring Garden Area Business Association, and Waterfront Development have been collecting pedestrian count information at 10 locations, through 10 Eco-Counter electronic pedestrian devices.”
http://www.eco-public.com:8080/ParcPublic/?id=4468#
Envision Downtown
“Envision’s mission is to advance mobility and livability in Pittsburgh’s central neighborhoods, by making it safer, more attractive and convenient for everyone to get to, through and around Downtown. The initiative leverages a team of committed civic leaders and a robust data development program to implement a series of short-term, accelerated infrastructure projects with the goal of informing longer-term transformation changes to the City’s mobility networks.”
Boston 311
(While this initiative is not directly through the Boston BIA- we love the concept so much that we decided to include it!) “BOS:311, formerly known as Citizens Connect, is a cutting-edge, full-featured tool for enabling Boston’s residents to improve their neighborhoods by reporting issues such as potholes and graffiti.”
http://www.cityofboston.gov/311/
Open Data Index: What factors make a city savvy with open data?
“The Open Cities Index has been created as a supplementary guide for cities looking to initiate or advance their open data programs. Until now, municipalities have lacked a reference point for what types of data to make available to the public, in what format, and at what frequency. The Open Cities Index benchmarks 34 municipalities on 107 variables, providing a detailed comparison of open data programs across regions and provinces/territories. The Open Cities Index measures the readiness, implementation, and impact of the participating cities’ open data initiatives.”
Readiness: To what extent is the municipality ready/capable of fostering positive outcomes through its open data initiative?
Implementation: To what extent has the city fulfilled its open data goals and ultimately, what data has it posted online?
Impact: To what extent has the posted information been used, what benefits has the city accrued as a result of its open data program, and to what extent is the city capable of measuring the impact?
SCORED ON FIVE VARIABLES:
Is that type of data available online, is it machine readable, is it available for free, is it up to date, or is it unavailable? A meaningful and comprehensive open data program will include up to date data sets that are available online for free in a format that is machine readable, facilitating the analysis and reuse of data by the general public and developers.
With open data being a relatively new responsibility for municipal governments, limited progress has been made in most communities in Canada to launch or advance open data portals or initiatives. The Open Cities Top Ten are trailblazers, working to develop the most efficient and effective open data programs despite limited resources.”
READ MORE: http://codx.ca/news/
World Council on City Data
Discovering solutions for our rapidly urbanizing planet, the World Council on City Data (WCCD) is the global leader in standardized city data – creating smart, sustainable, resilient, and prosperous cities.
The WCCD hosts a network of innovative cities committed to improving services and quality of life with open city data and provides a consistent and comprehensive platform for standardized urban metrics. The WCCD is a global hub for creative learning partnerships across cities, international organizations, corporate partners, and academia to further innovation, envision alternative futures, and build better and more liveable cities.
As a global leader on standardized metrics, the WCCD is implementing ISO 37120 Sustainable Development of Communities: Indicators for City Services and Quality of Life, the new international standard; created by cities, for cities. The WCCD has developed the first ISO 37120 certification system and the Global Cities Registry™.
Enterprise Saint John
The Telegraph Building
40 King Street
E2L 1G3
info@enterprisesj.com
http://enterprisesj.com/
Interview With Monica Wachowicz
Interview With Matt Daigle
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Starlight and Pink Poo: Studying Penguins from Space
December is behind us, but there's still a lot icy-cold winter left in our part of the world. That means we’re surrounded by snowmen, sleds, and cute little images of penguins and polar bears. This season I’m seeing those penguins in a whole new light, thanks to research presented at the American Geophysical Union’s annual meeting last month.
Nesting Adélie penguin feeding a chick, Danger Islands, Antarctica.
Image Credit: Michael Polito, © Louisiana State University.
Adélie penguins live on the opposite side of the world from Santa, along the Antarctic coastline. They are adorable, with tuxedo-like coloring and white rings around their eyes. Adults are a little over 2 feet tall and weigh 8-12 pounds. During breeding season Adélies live in large, tightly-packed colonies. They return to the same spot to nest each year. They also poop a lot.
You might say that Adélies are a picky species. To breed successfully, they need ice-free land, open access to water, and a good marine food supply. Since the Antarctic is one of the most rapidly changing places on the planet, in large part due to climate change, many researchers call Adélie penguins “the canary in the coal mine.” In other words, by observing these cute animals we can learn a lot about how the climate is changing and the impacts of this change.
It’s tough to observe creatures in a place where 99% of the land is permanently covered in snow and ice. There are no cities or towns in Antarctica, only research stations and tourist-carrying vessels. The appropriately named Danger Islands, where some of the largest Adélie colonies are located, are surrounded by large fragments of ice. In fact, it was only four years ago—in 2014—that scientists even discovered there were large penguin colonies in the Danger Islands. Now we know there are about 1.5 million Adélies there.
Quadcopter aerial imagery of an Adélie penguin breeding colony on Heroina Island, Danger Islands, Antarctica.
Image Credit: Thomas Sayre-McCord, WHOI/MIT.
The colonies were discovered in pictures taken by Landsat 8, an Earth-focused imaging satellite. Since 1972, Landsat images have been used to monitor and study all kinds of things—including wildfires, glaciers, and forestry. Since the images are taken from 438 miles above the surface of the Earth, you can’t see individual penguins in them. But you can see their collective poop stains.
Penguin poop, or “guano” if you want to be dinner-table appropriate, is pink. Because the Adélies live in such close quarters during their breeding months and their colonies are so large, their nesting areas have a nice pink hue that’s visible from space.
After seeing this characteristic sign on Landsat images, an expedition team went out to the Danger Islands in December of 2015. While there, the team counted penguins, collected samples from nesting grounds, and did other things that biologists do. But as a physicist, what really caught my attention was their guano analysis.
Casey Youngflesh processes penguin guano samples aboard a ship in the Antarctic.
Image Credit: Photo courtesy of Casey Youngflesh.
At the AGU meeting, the University of Connecticut’s Casey Youngflesh talked about how he collected guano samples during the expedition and processed them to learn about the diet of Adélies (he was then a graduate student at Stony Brook University working with Heather Lynch). Adélies eat primarily krill, a type of crustacean, and fish. The researchers wanted to know how diets varied between colonies and over time.
Here’s where the cool physics connection comes in. The color of a penguin’s guano varies slightly depending on the relative proportion of krill to fish in its diet. The difference between one pink and another can difficult to tell by eye, but there’s a better way. We learn about stars and galaxies by analyzing their spectral fingerprint—the specific wavelengths that together compose their light signal. But spectrometers, the tools that break down a light signal into its component colors, aren’t just for astronomers.
By performing a spectral analysis and then a chemical analysis of guano samples, Youngflesh and the team mathematically correlated diet to the spectral fingerprint of guano. Then, they scaled up this relationship and applied it to Landsat images. The result? They can now identify differences in diet between Adélies colonies based on images taken from space! They were able to go back through nearly 40 years of Landsat images and look for changes (preliminary results show no noticeable changes on average), and they can monitor Adélie diets going forward. That’s especially important given the scale of climate change in this region.
Spectral imaging isn’t a new tool to biologists—it’s used in many different fields, but this application is a nice reminder of the power of light to connect and inform us. Whether you’re looking at a distant galaxy or a distant continent, a twinkling star or a guano stain, light is there for the gathering, offering information that can help us better understand, monitor, and protect our home.
For more information on this project and others areas of penguin research, and to search for undiscovered colonies of penguins via their guano, check out Penguin Map.
Adélie penguins jumping of iceberg, Danger Islands, Antarctica.
Image Credit: Rachael Herman, Stony Brook University/ Louisiana State University.
biology penguins space and The Universe spectroscopy
Labels: biology penguins space and The Universe spectroscopy
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Donne to Death
Duration: 0:43:07 | Added: 13 May 2016
Peter McCullough, Professor of English, University of Oxford, gives a talk on John Donne.
John Donne's sermon, Death's duell, was part of an early Stuart vogue for funeral sermons. Professor McCullough discusses Donne's contribution to this genre, and looks at how this tradition is connected to the poetic and dramatic representations of death on display in the exhibition, Shakespeare's Dead.
The Bodleian Libraries (BODcasts)
Peter McCullough
The Bodleian Libraries at the University of Oxford is the largest university library system in the United Kingdom. It includes the principal University library - the Bodleian Library - which has been a legal deposit library for 400 years; as well as 28 other libraries across Oxford including major research libraries and faculty, department and institute libraries. Together, the Libraries hold more than 12 million printed items, over 80,000 e-journals and outstanding special collections...
<iframe width="640" height="400" src="http://podcasts.ox.ac.uk/embed/8df0d9ad0d80c2fa4089" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<iframe width="640" height="400" src="http://podcasts.ox.ac.uk/embed/c8263aa88d89ae96c9db" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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T.E.Hulme and Wyndham Lewis
One of the articles in New Perspectives - Andrzej Gąsiorek's 'Modern art in England circa 1914: Hulme and Wyndham Lewis' - looks at the relationship between the theory Hulme was advancing and the idea Wyndham Lewis had as to what he was doing. It begins with Lewis himself reminiscing and insisting that among all the artists associated with the movement it was really only his own work that corresponded to Hulme's idea of abstraction: 'In England there was no one else working in consonance with an abstract theory of art to the same extent as myself. Neither Gaudier nor Epstein would in the end have been "abstract" enough to satisfy the requirements of this obstinate abstractionist. He would have had to fall back on me.'
'We happened, that is all, to be made for each other, as critic and "creator". What he said should be done, I did. Or it would be more exact to say that I did it, and he said it.' (10)
(10) 'New Perspectives' p.151 quoting Wyndham Lewis: Blasting and Bombadeering, London, Calder, 1982, p.36.
While Lewis obviously wants to make it clear he wasn't simply following a programme laid out for him by Hulme he is still suggesting that Hulme's theory was indeed a good account of his own practise. Gąsiorek disagrees. He argues that where Hulme's abstraction, following Worringer, is based on a state of alienation from the world, Lewis sees it as a means of entering into harmony with it.
But Hulme is not quite so categorical as Worringer in suggesting that abstract art is based on 'a great inner unrest inspired in man by the phenomena of the outside world ... an immense spiritual fear of space'. Summarising what Worringer has to say about the "space-shyness" of 'primitive people' he says:
'In art this state of mind results in a desire to create a certain geometrical shape, which, being durable and permanent, shall be a refuge from the flux and impermanence of outside nature. The need which art satisfies here, is not the delight in the forms of nature, which is a characteristic of all vital arts [the word 'vital' used here is descriptive not an expression of admiration - PB] but the exact contrary. In the reproduction of natural objects there is an attempt to purify them of their characteristically living qualities in order to make them necessary and immovable. The changing is translated into something fixed and necessary. This leads to rigid lines and dead crystalline forms, for pure geometrical regularity gives a certain pleasure to men troubled by the obscurity of outside appearance. The geometrical line is something absolutely distinct from the messiness, the confusion, and the accidental details of existing things.'
But he continues:
'It must be pointed out that this condition of fear is in no sense a necessary presupposition of the tendency to abstraction. The necessary presupposition is the idea of disharmony or separation between man and nature. In people like the Indian or the Byzantine this feeling of separation takes quite another form.' ('Modern art and its philosophy' in Speculations, pp.86-7)
The crucial thing, then, is not fear but 'the idea of disharmony or separation between man and nature'. Gąsiorek argues (p.59) though that this was not what was motivating Lewis:
'Lewis departed from Worringer and Hulme when he suggested that artists should not reject this seemingly inhospitable environment because "most wise men ... have remained where they found themselves, their appetite for life sufficient to reconcile them, and allow them to create significant things." He made substantially the same argument in Blast when he declared that "art must be organic with its Time" (Blast, p.34) and proclaimed that the "enormous, jangling, journalistic, fairy desert of modern life serves [the modern artist] as Nature did more technically primitive man.'
We have already seen him in Blast boasting that this 'fairy desert of modern life' is the creation of the 'Anglo-Saxon genius' which should therefore be best qualified to know how to deal with it. Also in Blast - in a passage not quoted by Gąsiorek - he says, with obvious reference to Worringer:
'The African we have referred to cannot allow his personality to venture forth or amplify itself, for it would dissolve in vagueness of space.
'It has to be swaddled up in a bullet-like lump.
'But the modern town dweller of our civilization sees everywhere fraternal moulds for his spirit and interstices of a human world.
'He also sees multitude, and infinite variety of means of life, a world and elements he controls.'
It is however dangerous to jump to conclusions too quickly when quoting Lewis. This passage in 'The New Egos' continues:
'Impersonality becomes a disease with him ...
'Life is really no more secure, or his egotism less acute, but the frontiers interpenetrate, individual demarcations are confused and interests dispersed ...
'We all today (possibly with a coldness reminiscent of the insect world) are in each other's vitals - overlap, intersect and are Siamese to any extent [sic - PB].
'Promiscuity is normal; such separating things as love, hatred, friendship are superseded by a more realistic and logical passion ...
'Love, hatred, etc., imply conventional limitations.
'All clean, clear cut emotions depend on the element of strangeness, and surprise and primitive detachment,
'Dehumanization is the chief diagnostic of the modern world.' (p.141)
From this we would conclude that though modern man is indeed entering into a sort of pantheistic harmony with the outer world, Lewis sees his task as an artist as a matter of reasserting the separation, the 'clean, clear cut emotions', the 'strangeness.'
But in any case it was no part of Hulme's argument to suggest that the artist should not use the characteristics of the world about him. After all one could argue that the nineteenth century Pre-Raphaelite or Gothic architect was out of harmony with the industrial world that was developing around him and escaping from it into the past. Hulme is as emphatic as Lewis in rejecting this approach. He is as insistent as Lewis that his 'new modern geometrical art' would be related to the 'bareness and hardness' which Lewis took as characteristic of the world created by the 'Anglo Saxon genius':
'Expressed generally there seems to be a desire for austerity and bareness, a striving towards structure and away from the messiness and confusion of nature and natural things. Take a concrete thing like the use of line and surface. In all art since the Renaissance, the lines used are what may be called vital lines. In any curve there is a certain empirical variation which makes the curve not mechanical. The lines are obviously drawn by a hand and not by a machine. You get Ruskin saying that no artist could draw a straight line. As far as sensibility goes you get a kind of shrinking from anything that has the appearance of being mechanical. An artist, suppose, has to draw a part of a piece of machinery where a certain curve is produced by the intersection of a plane and a cylinder. It lies in the purpose of the engine and it is obviously the intention of the engineer that the line shall be a perfect and mechanical curve. The artists in drawing the two surfaces and their intersection would shrink from reproducing this mechanical accuracy, would instinctively pick out all the accidental scratches which make the curve empirical and destroy its geometrical and mechanical character. In the new art on the contrary there is no shrinking of that kind whatsoever. There is rather a desire to avoid those lines and surfaces which look pleasing and organic and to use lines which are clean, clear-cut and mechanical. You will find artists expressing admiration for engineer's drawings, where the lines are clean, the curves all geometrical, and the colour, laid on to show the shape of a cylinder for example, gradated absolutely mechanically. You will find a sculptor disliking the pleasing kind of patina that comes in time on an old bronze and expressing admiration for the hard clean surface of a piston rod ...' ('Modern Art and its Philosophy' in Speculations, pp.96-7)
This passage is actually prophetic. In a very short time - Dutch De Stijl, French Purists, German Bauhaus - it would be a commonplace but at the beginning of 1914 it could not be said of Italian Futurists, French Cubists or German Expressionists. It could begin to be said of Lewis himself and we may indeed see this as a characteristic in which the English (as yet to be named) Vorticists were 'ahead of the curve'. This may help to explain something that otherwise puzzles me and that is Hulme's enthusiasm for Epstein and in particular for The Rock Drill, and his view that this represents a new stage that goes beyond what he calls 'analytical Cubism'. The Rock Drill seems to me very far from being 'abstract' in the sense we have been discussing. It is however mechanical.
But to return to Wyndham Lewis. The author of the 'play' The Enemy of the Stars and the novels Tarr, The Childermass and The Apes of God could hardly be said to be a man at ease with his environment. There is nothing about him that suggests pantheism - the view that God, or the gods, are manifest in the world as we experience it - either natural or man-made. One of the keys to understanding Lewis as an artist I think lies in the reference in one of the essays in Blast ('Life is the important thing') to Honoré Daumier:
'Who would not rather walk ten miles across country (yes, ten miles my friend), and use his eyes, nose and muscles, than possess ten thousand Impressionist oil-paintings of that country side?
'There is only one thing better than "Life" - than using your eyes, nose, ears and muscles - and that is something very abstruse and splendid,in no way directly dependent on "Life". It is no EQUIVALENT for Life, but ANOTHER Life, as NECESSARY to existence as the former.
'Daumier, whose work was saturated with reference to Life, has been, for instance, used to support imitation of Nature, on grounds of a common realism. This man would have been no more capable of squatting down and imitating the forms of life day after day than he would have been able to copy one of his crowds.
'It was Life that MOVED MUCH TOO QUICKLY FOR ANYTHING BUT THE IMAGINATION that he lived for. He combined in his art great plastic gifts with great literary gifts, and was no doubt an impure painter, according to actual standards. But it was great literature, along with great art. And as far as "Life" is concerned, the Impressionists produced nothing that was in any sense a progress from this great realist, though much that was a decadence.' (pp.130-131)
Daumier was a caricaturist and his caricatures were deliberately grotesque. Lewis too was a caricaturist, both before Vorticism and after Vorticism. Lewis praises Daumier for his 'literature'. Lewis of course is as well known as a writer as he is as a painter, and the characters in his writing are as grotesque as the characters in his painting. He admired Hogarth, Rowlandson and Swift. How do we account for his brief but so convincing foray into abstract painting? What made him a Vorticist?
I do not wish to suggest that Lewis was won over by the arguments advanced by Hulme. Lewis was such a stubborn 'mauvaise tête' that it would be hardy to suggest any such simple relation of cause and effect. Nonetheless, Lewis's transformation from caricature to abstraction occurred in late 1913, early 1914, which was also the time when Hulme was developing the ideas given in his lecture of January 1914, and Lewis's art over the next two years seems to fit Hulme's argument almost like a glove.
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Rahm Warrants Invite to JP Morgan Board Meeting
President Obama's Chief of Staff received an invitation to speak at JP Morgan's board meeting. The company moved it to Washington, D.C., reducing Rahm Emanuel's travel time to the elite gathering. What might they talk about? Future financial regulation, buying/auctioning TARP stock warrants, the next Fed Chair, and/or donations to Rahm's blue camp.
Warrants are likely high on the list from Jamie Dimon's perspective. Reuters reported:
The 10-year warrants were meant to allow taxpayers to share the upside as banks recover.
Did "share the upside" shift?
A Treasury representative said the government wants to dispose of warrants "in a manner that protects taxpayers."
That sounds like two different aims. The government sold warrants back to smaller banks at 66% of their value. On whose behalf will Rahm Emanuel work?
Given the state of financial products, might the cabal meet next time in Las Vegas? Rahm says it's OK. What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. I expect the same outcome from Rahm's JP Morgan talk.
(Note: Rahm Emanuel declined the invitation per advice from White House lawyers)
Carlyle Group Lobbies Against Stricter EU Regulation
Buyout king Robert Easton of The Carlyle Group argued against European Union financial reforms. The Independent reported:
One of the major concerns is over disclosure of company investments. Any private-equity or hedge fund that has €500m (£430m) in funds under management must report detailed information on any of their portfolio companies that turn over at least €50m.
Mr Easton, the Carlyle Group managing director who sits on the disclosure working group, warned that the directive could end up being challenged by member states. He said: "Our starting point is that the disclosure requirements of the draft directive shouldn't even apply, given that each jurisdiction already has its own laws. Indeed, you might find that the required EU disclosures breach rules at local country level."
Mr Easton added that providing detailed information would be costly. "If you were to apply the €50m rule it would significantly increase the cost burden on many, many companies, and that's quite apart from the pressure on the FSA, which would have to recruit an army of people to oversee it," he said.
Easton's excuse is humorous in that a Carlyle sub has software helping hedge funds comply with any new reporting requirements. It's produced by Brussels based FRSGlobal. Can't they update it for private equity underwriters (PEU's)?
Carlyle has the rumored Obama nominee for America's EU ambassadorship in William Kennard. They have two co-chairs of key groups weighing in on financial regulatory reform David Rubenstein led a global study effort, while Arthur Levitt chaired a domestic industry group.
If it were American reform, Carlyle would be a shoe in for a free pass. Europeans may have more intestinal fortitude than PEU dominated Washington, D.C. Where will Brussels land?
Goldman Sachs PR Department to Earn Their Millions
Who knew the whole political range would pick on Goldman Sachs within a day's time? Consider the media personalities with GS in their sights, Paul Krugman, Jon Stewart and Glenn Beck. Add The Telegraph and Rolling Stone to the list. Even Forbes took a shot. The hardest punch came from across the pond.
Did Goldman executives issue a crisis call for media savvy consultants? Did they barricade top management in the bunker housing their proprietary computer trading software? Or did they enter the firm's vault, wading hip deep in gold coins, diamonds and bearer bonds (their 2009 bonus prizes)?
How will they handle their PR problem? Likely, Goldman will slough it off on their lackeys, the United States Congress and the Executive Department. It pays to fund appropriately connected talent, especially talent capable of making inconvenient things (like record profits in the middle of a deep recession) go away. Does it all seem a bit cartoonish?
(HT-EPJ)
CIT Talking with PEU Boys
Financially distressed lender CIT is in talks with private equity underwriters (PEU's) to save the firm. The federal government passed on further aid to CIT. It has over $2 billion in TARP funds.
Will CIT enter bankruptcy before a PEU deal? That could cram down taxpayers, just as the FDIC zeroed out shareholders in the Carlyle Group et al Bank United deal.
CIT's credit default swaps soared today. Should a PEU strike a deal with CIT, they could compound those returns with timely CDS deals. Likewise, the big money boys could sink CIT.
Which private equity firms are at the CIT table? Did CIT board member Christopher Shayes call any Republican buddies at Cerberus? Did he dial the bipartisan stable on Pennsylvania Avenue, also know as The Carlyle Group? PEU's are known for employing the bondholder Trojan Horse. Which way might the barbarians win? Stay tuned...
U.S. Foreign Aid Goes PEU?
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton indicated change in her foreign policy speech. The U.S. will:
"seek to deliver results by reaching out beyond governments to private groups and individuals."
Private groups and individuals. If campaign donors get an Ambassadorship, can they get State Department money? Now, who has a foundation or are big donors? Pete Peterson, Bill Clinton, Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, Mike Bloomberg, George Soros and Oprah Winfrey. Funny, The richest people in America recently conferenced on philanthropy. (Pete Peterson told FT he would soon meet with George Soros on philanthropy.)
Rumor has it the big money boys will be able to name their project and get matching taxpayer dollars. How much will go to former or current private equity underwriters (PEU's)? How might they steer public funds to affiliates? Who knew the Government-Industrial Monstrosity, Eisenhower's MIC on steroids, had a philanthropic side.
Hillary Clinton plans to continue America's pattern of bribing cooperation and punishing non compliance. That might open the door for American branded global corporations in various world markets. She said:
"...facts demand a different global architecture -- one in which states have clear incentives to cooperate and live up to their responsibilities, as well as strong disincentives to sit on the sidelines or sow discord and division."
It sounds remarkably like "you're either with us or against us." U.S. foreign aid could soon have a public-private partnership (PPP) component. I smell PPP's partnering with PEU's.
(Note: Foreign governments will get assistance in buying U.S. military equipment via a $67 million contract with The Carlyle Group's Booz, Allen, Hamilton. Carlyle's ARINC purchased military helicopters at premium prices for Iraq)
Update 4-23-15: Foreign aid 's PEU face can be seen in foreign donations to The Clinton Foundation, which seemed to ensure positive action by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
CIT to Join Lehman Brothers & Bear Stearns?
Reuters reported as breaking news:
CIT says discussions with government agencies have ceased; advised there is no appreciable likelihood of additional government support being provided over the near term.
It seems the Obama suggestion that TARP be expanded to small businesses was offered to fill the gap from a CIT implosion. Watch for who makes big money in CIT's fall. Will it be Goldman Sachs? Will they do it straight up or on the taxpayers' back, courtesy of AIG's credit derivatives? The big money boys have been making bets. How will the wagers fall & when will they cash in?
New board member Christopher Shays' CIT stock may soon be worthless. Who will make it up?
(Note: for more on AIG's credit derivative exposure click here)
PEU's Say They Pose No Systemic Risk
A spokesman for the Private Equity Council stated:
Private equity contains none of these systemic risk factors and thus should pose little concern for policy makers seeking to develop a new regime to guard against catastrophic, cascading financial shocks.
None of the systemic risk factors? What about capital calls? Bloomberg reported:
Washington, D.C.-based Carlyle Group, the world’s second-largest private-equity firm, made $681.3 million of capital calls on the pension fund (CalPERS) in 2008.
What if CalPERS said no and asked for their funds back? It could spark a privte equity underwriter (PEU) run.
Are there other risky practices, other than paying premium prices in highly leveraging deals? Tulsa World reported:
Carlyle Group affiliate SemGroup lost $2.4 billion in margin calls on oil futures trades and had its credit line pulled by Bank of America.
Margin calls on energy futures trades? Who knew? Very few according to SEC documents.
Don't forget their ability to lose Michael Huffington's $20 million investment in Carlyle Capital Corporation in a year. Carlyle affiliate Hawaiian Telecom's bonds went from 102.75 to 0.5 cents on the dollar when it declared bankruptcy. Did another fund buy credit default swaps on HT bonds to soften the blow? Is that trading on insider information?
What might spark a PEU run? It would be non-systemic risk factors, according to the Private Equity Council.
Goldman Sachs will take discounted private equity stakes off investor's hands. Goldman started a $5.5 billion fund to acquire PEU investments on the cheap.
With all the political capital amassed by Carlyle, Goldman and company, I smell a regulatory free pass.
Update 2-11-12: Carlyle's Boston Private Financial Holdings received $154 million in TARP funds, which they used to provide credit to "high net worth" individuals. .
Update 4-1-12: Regulators warned banks about "covenant lite" junk bonds, heavily used by PEU's. They're back and contributing to PEU systemic risk..
Carlyle Group's Bad News Day
It's getting harder to keep The Carlyle Group's pristine reputation. First, Michael Huffington sued David Rubenstein and Carlyle Capital Corporation for frittering away his $20 million investment in a year's time. SemGroup, another bankrupt Carlyle affiliate made Tulsa World:
The 9-year-old Tulsa company filed for bankruptcy protection on July 22, 2008, after losing $2.4 billion in margin calls on oil futures trades and having its credit line pulled by Bank of America, according to reports.
SemGroup's SEC filings made no mention of oil futures trading. The politically connected private equity underwriter (PEU) has Louis Freeh as Bankruptcy Examiner. Freeh serves on many corporate boards, including Fannie Mae, Bristol Myers Squibb, L-1 Identity Solutions, and MBNA.
Will other bad news hit the wires? Maybe Vought’s internal liquidity crisis that repeatedly hampered Boeing 787 production or LifeCare’s 24 patient deaths after Hurricane Katrina, the best kept secret in the Bush Katrina Lessons Learned report.
Carlyle will bring their cumulative expertise to distressed banks and public infrastructure.
Goldman Sachs Profit & Bonus Bonanza!
Goldman Sachs reported net income of $2.7 billion and net earnings of $3.44 billion. They set aside $6.65 billion in compensation for the second quarter. Bonus pay isn't a fraction of profits, it's a multiple. Quarterly bonuses are 2.46 times net income and nearly double net earnings.
Greed is back on Wall Street. It has some people worried. Higher risk means higher reward, at least until one makes the wrong bets. Isn't that what happened last September?
Michael Huffington Sues Carlyle Group for Imploded CCC
Michael Huffington, a wealthy investor, is suing David Rubenstein and the Carlyle Group for misrepresentations and deceptions in the marketing of Carlyle Capital Corporation (CCC), the Channel Islands investment vehicle that imploded in March 2008. Forbes reported:
Carlyle "offered to sell shares of stock in the fund by knowingly or negligently representing that, among other things, the fund was 'conservative,' 'low risk' and that the 'downside [was] very limited,'" according to the suit.
Huffington lost the full value of his $20 million investment in CCC when the fund blew up.
Huffington alleges the losses were a "direct result of the extremely risky 32:1 leverage ratio." Carlyle Capital was hit with margin calls when its assets lost value, and in March 2008 Rubenstein personally called Huffington to tell him the fund was in default on its debt and that Carlyle Capital's lenders were selling the collateral.
But that was during dark days. CCC used about $670 million of equity to amass a $22 billion portfolio of mortgage debt. For every dollar of equity, the pool borrowed $32. Mr. Huffington supplied nearly 3% of the initial equity. Arthur Levitt, Carlyle Group Senior Adviser, attributed the failure to "excessive leverage."
In May 2008, Rubenstein went to Boston to personally apologize for the losses and explain how they happened, according to the lawsuit. Rubenstein, however, said that his Carlyle partners would not let him cover Huffington's losses. Instead, Rubenstein said Huffington would have the opportunity to invest with Carlyle in the future without paying fees. They shook hands on it. "I guarantee you that you will get your money back," the suit quotes Rubenstein telling Huffington the next day over the phone.
Fortunately, the Obama administration brought back the light, counting on private equity to save banks, build infrastructure, reform healthcare, and improve education. Yes, they'll make it back in droves. The Government Industrial Monstrosity assures it.
Arthur Levitt and David Rubenstein led efforts to reform the world's financial system. Might private equity underwriters (PEU's) come out on top? They're shopping for distressed banks. Think what the PEU boys can do with captive lending institutions. Next time you pull up to a PEU owned bank, recall it took CCC a year to lose Mr. Huffington's $20 million.
Obama Rules Grease Skids for PEU Capitve Banks
Private equity underwriters (PEU's) are the salve for America's sick banking system. The FDIC proposed rules governing private equity purchases of distressed banks. They started tough, but look for powder puff final rules.
Presidents Bush and Obama relaxed rules governing PEU purchase of banks, without having to become bank holding companies. Obama wants to loosen more rules to favor bank buyers. His plan calls for:
"Permitting banks to expand across state lines improves their geographical diversification and, consequently, their resilience in the face of local economic shocks," the Obama Financial Regulatory Reform Plan states. "Competition through interstate branching also makes the banking system more efficient." To make it palatable to states, however, the plan removes federal preemption of state regulatory power.
So private equity controlled banks could add services in states where they have a concentration of affiliates? A captive bank could cater to PEU owned firms. The Carlyle Group has hundreds of affiliates. They could steer lots of corporate business to BankUnited. Funny, that's BankUnited's new market strategy. To think they can chose a state regulator over federal to boot! Let the Obama good times roll....
Obama Taps Carlyle Group for EU Ambassador?
Bloomberg reported on President Obama's likely nominee for U.S. Ambassador to the European Union. It's another private equity underwriter (PEU), William Kennard of the politically connected Carlyle Group. Obama's health care czar, Nancy-Ann DeParle worked for CCMP Capital Partners. The story stated:
William E. Kennard, a Carlyle Group executive and former Federal Communications Commission chairman, is President Barack Obama’s pick for U.S. ambassador to the European Union, according to people familiar with the matter.
Kennard plans to resign from the Washington-based private- equity firm once the nomination is announced, probably in several weeks, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the appointment isn’t public. His selection requires Senate confirmation.
The U.S. ambassador to the EU, an economic and political union with 27 member nations, is often the country’s advocate to the European institutions in Brussels on issues involving financial regulation, antitrust and trade, though most lobbying is done by U.S. envoys in state capitals across the continent.
Carlyle has a huge European presence between its funds and joint venture Riverstone Holdings. They might love an insider advocating on their behalf. President Obama loves PEU's. It all has a rather Bush-like feel. More corporafornication?
(In the picture, William Kennard is on the far left)
Carlyle Group Looks to Great White North
Carlyle Group co-founder David Rubenstein spoke from Quebec City. Globe & Mail reported:
Rubenstein said yesterday that the next boom for venture capital investments may well be in the "clean tech" sector, with environmental companies attracting major investments from venture capital entrepreneurs.
"There's no doubt that the world is yearning for more technological innovations that will make our lives better, clean tech being a very good example," Mr. Rubenstein said in an interview in Quebec City, where he is attending the North American Venture Capital Summit.
"You will see enormous amounts of money pouring into this area.
Most of the investments will probably not yield a good rate of return but there will be a Google or a Microsoft equivalent in that area. And we don't know today what it will be."
Carlyle has it's eye on the globe. It recently raised $500 million for a Middle East/North Africa fund and $1 billion for an Asian fund, heavily weighted toward China and India. What makes Canada so attractive?
After some difficult years, Canada is poised to attract investments from U.S. venture capital groups that now view their northern neighbour as a much more attractive place to invest, he said.
"United States venture capital companies are spending more time looking at companies in Canada," Mr. Rubenstein said. "The Canadian economy is booming, it has a strong currency, Canada has enormous energy self-sufficiency... and in many ways people are beginning to look north."
What does Mr. Rubenstein want, clean tech or Canada's enormous energy resources? Maybe a bit of both? Carlyle has enormous funds at their disposal for the right investment.
CIT Next for Implosion?
Bloomberg reported:
The bid-ask spread on credit-default swaps in the Markit CDX North American Investment-Grade Index widened to 9.73 basis points yesterday, about 60 percent higher than the week before Lehman filed for bankruptcy and about 169 percent more than two years ago, according to CMA DataVision. The spread soared to a high of 22 basis points on Oct. 13.
The index is a benchmark for the cost of protecting bonds against default linked to 125 companies in the U.S. and Canada.
Funny, Larry Summers suggested the worst may be yet to come. What else happened? Another Bloomberg story stated:
CIT Group Inc., the century-old lender to 950,000 businesses, is trading in the bond market as if it may fail.
Its credit default swaps soared according to the WSJ:
The cost of insuring CIT bonds through credit-default swaps rose Friday, with CIT five-year CDS quoted at 38 points upfront, up from a Thursday close of 35.6, according to Markit. That means investors looking to protect their $10 million in debt for five years would have to pay $3.8 million up front in addition to an annual $500,000 premium per year.
Is Goldman Sachs up to their usual bets? Does AIG have any insurance on CIT Group debt? Larry Summers is worried about the financial tea leaves.
Is this why the Obama team floated expanding TARP for small businesses, CIT's served market? What's brewing courtesy of the big money boys and their political lackeys?
Obama Shakes Hands with Col. Gaddafi
For the first time a U.S. President shook hands with Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi. The event was greased by Libya's paying restitution for the 1998 Lockerbie, Scotland bombing. It also promised not to pursue nuclear weapons.
The Carlyle Group has its eyes on Libya, even before it announced its $500 million Middle East/North Africa fund. It sponsored a Washington, D.C. dinner for Col. Gaddafi's son. James A. Baker, III helped host the younger Gaddafi. He added legal muscle in the region to do any deals.
Libyan leaders proved a quick study, hiring a lobbying firm to foster business exchange. It paid off with a public handshake. Who knows what else?
TARP to Expand Further?
The Troubled Assets Relief Program began with the goal of buying toxic assets from banks. It morphed from there. Consider the meandering:
Life Insurers
Small Businesses?
The Economic Stimulus Package targeted small businesses. How much stimulation can a firm handle? How much engorgement can one program offer? Corporafornication continues. Blue does as good as Red.
If banks lent their TARP proceeds, why would auto manufacturers, life insurers and small businesses need TARP funds? Who's next?
Is this intended to contain outrage from small employers on health care reform? Maybe the first step of a quid pro quo?
(New information shows it's more likely a response to CIT's financial troubles and possible implossion)
Carlyle Group's Chinese Affiliate Sues Board Member
The Carlyle Group announced a new $1.04 billion Asian fund, 80% targeted to China and India. Forbes reported a Chinese joint venture is suing a board member.
They assert the board member provided “false and misleading data” and “violated his responsibilities and duty of loyalty as a director of the joint venture and as a party to the transaction with Carlyle.”
Carlyle has a creative history of lawyer use. How might that impact future Chinese acquisitions? If it's negative, look for more funds to go to Russia. Obama's recent visit had a clear business bent.
A Big Day for America's Sovereign Debt Fund
America's investing government had a banner twenty four hours, investing in PPIP and a relaunched GM. The U.S. Sovereign Debt Fund (USSDF)started PPIP (public private investment partnership) with the goal of buying $40 billion in financial instruments. The number sounds large until one considers the existence of over $3 trillion in toxic commercial and mortgage backed securities.
GM's Fritz Henderson announced a streamlined exit from bankruptcy. He sounded almost schitzophrenic in his remarks. He said GM's people are the company's greatest asset, but he had to let large numbers go. Those that remain have to change fast.
He said they eliminated their matrix management structure. Then shared that management with functional responsibilities also needed to be responsible for U.S. operations. Is that the shadow matrix?
America's Sovereign Debt Fund has a very short term investment horizon. It's ready to give back warrants to TARP recipients. Fritz wants to pay off GM's greatly reduced debt by taking to company public within a year. Heaven forbid the taxpayer participate on the upside.
"Socialize the losses, privatize the profits."
Meanwhile AIG, placed in conservatorship by the government last fall, considers bonus payments for top executives. With estimates of negative equity, it will be interesting to see how much the USSDF funnels to management and derivatives traders who imploded the firm. Obama loves pay for performance, despite being bad leadership theory and repeated failures in federal execution. Federal employees under P4P find it unfair and a source of suspicion and mistrust. Contractors paid under P4P guidelines were paid regardless of performance.
"Ignorance is as ignorance does."-Forrest Gump
"Subsititute leadership!"-Dr. Wl Edwards Deming
Esquire Missed Jeb Bush's Health Care Conflict of Interest
Tucker Carlson interviewed Jeb Bush in Esquire Magazine. When the topic turned to health care, Jeb noted:
Have you ever gone to HHS, the Department of Health and Human Services? Have you gone to CMS, the Centers for Medicare/Medicaid? It's scary. That's going to be the marketplace for health care if Democrats have their way. Senator McCain had a fantastic health-care proposal that he had a hard time explaining, that said that basically you should empower people, individuals, to make choices, and they should be rewarded when they make choices that improve health-care outcomes.
Under Obama, we're going to create a system that's not focused on quality; it's focused on access to care.
You end up insuring fewer people the more government expands its insurance. People drop out of the private market. For every person the government takes on the rolls, there's an equal number of people leaving the private sector. We're like gerbils running in place. We're not expanding health-care access per se.
There are all sorts of technologies now that exist that allow us to improve health-care outcomes if we organize our system differently.
Here's what Jeb didn't say, but could've:
As a Board member for Tenet Health, I control nearly 70,000 shares of the for-profit hospital chain. While Governor of Florida, I settled with Tenet for improper billing under Medicare and Medicaid. They're part of CMS. Of course, Tenet admitted no guilt and paid the state millions to make the investigation disappear. Did I mention Uncle Bucky sits on the board of WellPoint, the huge health insurer?
We Bush's love boards, and I'm not talking water boarding. As a board member for Lehman Brothers Inc., a subsidiary of Lehman Brothers Holdings, I watched the parent company implode last fall. While my brother, the President of the United States, said he had no power to bail out Lehman. George W. put AIG in conservatorship outside of bankruptcy. He let Lehman crater.
Did I mention Lehman got $138 billion in loans from the Feds after declaring bankruptcy? Get this, Paulson told the public his hands were tied!
With crisis comes opportunity. Cousin George Herbert Walker made out like a bandit, buying Neuberger Investment Management for half price in a fire bankruptcy sale of Lehman assets. A buddy purchased the Lehman Private Equity unit, where I work part time. Remember, Bush's stand ready to pounce in a crisis.
I'm also on the board of other companies, Rayonier and CNL Bankshares. We're looking to cut our health insurance benefits for employees. Who can afford insurance these days? Plus, CEO incentive pay needs a boost. Shifting health insurance costs to the employee or government should save 10% of payroll costs. A 10% bonus might buy a CEO that new yatch!
That's my prediction of Jeb's backs stage statement. John Ellis Bush is a free market, compassionate conservative. Just like his brother, Jeb relies on private health care to correct the ills of health care. The record shows the ininsured grew massively, as much as 10 million people, under George W. Bush. Tucker Carlson and Esquire missed it.
Stimulating Infrastructure
The New York Times reported "the 100 largest metropolitan areas are getting less than half the money from the biggest pot of transportation stimulus money." Those 100 cities provide 75% of America's economic activity.
Private equity underwriters have billions in infrastructure funds available. They want to invest in projects capable of generating 15-20% low risk returns.
Socialize the losses (rural infrastructure development), privatize the profits (urban infrastructure projects).
The Obama stimulus plan was infrastructure light, compared to China's. The President has a $10 billion infrastructure bank aimed at financing public-private infrastructure projects. Under investing in cities is part of the plan, a back door franchise for the big money boys. Obama corporafornicates as well as Bush.
Boeing Buys Out Second Problem 787 Supplier Affiliated with Carlyle Group
Despite paying $2 million in annual management fees to the Carlyle Group, affiliate Vought Aircraft Industries and a joint venture partner clogged the 787 Dreamliner production line. Boeing purchased Vought's interest in the JV in June 2008. It took until May 2009 (nearly a year) for Boeing to clear up the bottleneck in the former JV's operations.
Did Boeing turn their attention to the next kink in the supply chain? Bloomberg reported Boeing purchased Vought's North Charleston operations for $580 million and will forgive $422 million in advance payments. Consider the words of Vought CEO Elmer Doty in Vought's press release:
“The financial demands of this program are clearly growing beyond what a company our size can support.”
Odd, the Carlyle Group has billions on the sidelines for infrastructure and failing financial institutions. This isn't the first time Doty complained of "financial demands."
Last October, Doty acknowledged that Vought was the highest-risk supplier on the 787 industry team. At the time, Doty attributed Vought's struggles to an internal liquidity crisis in 2006 that prevented the company from ramping up investment in the 787 programme at a sufficient rate.
Vought added to their difficulties with a $1.5 million settlement in an employment discrimination lawsuit.
Bloomberg noted Vought invested $540 million including capital and inventory in its South Carolina operations. The State of South Carolina provided $66.7 million in incentives for Vought to locate Dreamliner operations in the Palmetto State. That was nearly double Texas' $35 million job incentive. The point is Carlyle/Vought didn't pony up all $540 million in capital and inventory. They had public assistance.
What about other help? Carlyle had one insider on the Boeing board, the CEO of The Nielsen Company. The Carlyle Group purchased Nielsen in June 2006. Mr. Calhoun was appointed Nielsen's Chairman of the Executive Board and Chief Executive Officer that same year.
Vought booked a $47 million gain on the sale of the joint venture, according to SEC filings. How big a gain will they claim on the sale of Vought's North Charleston operations? It could range from $40 million to $529 million. I bet it lands toward the top of the scale. Stay tuned...
What Happens on Wall Street, Stays on Wall Street
At least in Las Vegas, gamblers know odds are in the house's favor. Investors got several clues that Wall Street is akin to Sin City. The Assistant U.S. Attorney prosecuting the theft of Goldman Sachs programming code said:
“The bank has raised the possibility that there is a danger that somebody who knew how to use this program could use it to manipulate markets in unfair ways.”
Goldman Sachs clearly knows how to use the program. Are they doing so to manipulate markets?
About 28 percent of the shares traded in the U.S. during the fourth quarter were handled by automated brokerages using algorithms to generate rapid-fire trading strategies, according to estimates from NYSE Euronext, the world’s largest operator of stock exchanges. That’s up from 17 percent a year earlier, and almost three times larger than the portion of volume generated by individual investor.
The individual could abandon investing. They'd have every right to thumb their nose at firms packaging securitized pigs with a triple A lipstick. I choose not to gamble in Vegas.
NYSE Euronext left Goldman off their most active program trading list for June 22-26. The number one firm was not listed? Dow Jones called it a snafu. It coincided with the criminal case on theft of Goldman Sachs' program trading code and a report on record setting, program trading volume on the NYSE. Batten down the hatches in the mother ship! The hull has been breached...
The NYSE will no longer provide reports on the program trading volumes outside their exchanges. This is an effort to steer program trading to NYSE Euronext. What was systemic program trading information will revert to subunit data. Who's keeping their eye on the big ball? Systemic risk, anyone?
I don't trust Wall Street, Goldman Sachs or their purchased politicians. If the big money boys can't manage their millions, why should they handle my pittance?
(HT- Economic Policy Journal & Zero Hedge)
FDIC May Ease Bank Buying Rules for PEU's
It took a week for insiders to suggest the FDIC will relax its published "tough rules" for private equity underwriters buying banks. Bloomberg reported:
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. may relax proposed rules for buying failed banks after some investors said they would block private-equity firms from participating, according to people briefed on the talks.
The Private Equity Council, a trade group, warned last week that the rules would discourage buyout firms, which have about $400 billion to invest. Industry representatives also outlined their concerns in closed-door meetings, including an invitation- only roundtable this week in Washington with FDIC Chairman Sheila Bair. On July 2, Bair said such investors need guidelines to ensure a “transparent, long-term” approach.
Closed door, invitation only meetings? Since when is that part of public comment? It wouldn't be the first time the Obama team talked tough, before catering to the big money boys. Carlyle Group & company got $4.9 billion in FDIC subsidy for taking over BankUnited. Existing shareholders were zeroed out. The $4.9 billion came with no TARP strings attached.
To date President Obama is populist talk and corporafornication implementation. Watch the final rules.
Carlyle's Wiggle Room in $1.04 Billion Asia Fund
President Barack Obama, the occupant of America's corporate sponsored White House, will pressure his Russian counterpart to clean up corruption. American branded mulit-national CEO's will join Obama and Medvedev for a business oriented session. Who stands to benefit?
1. America's Government-Industrial Monstrosity sent James A. Baker III and a coterie of red/blue ex-Secretaries of State/Defense to Russia in March.
2. The Carlyle Group's new $1 billion Asia fund is 80% slated for China and India. That leaves 20% for other Asia investments. Carlyle co-founder David Rubenstein recently visited Khazakstan.
Will Obama pave the way for Western financial barbarians? The Government-Industrial Monstrosity, Eisenhower's Military-Industrial Complex on steroids, is going global. I believe it's known as change. A handful will garner billions. The rest will be left with chump change.
Baker Botts Aggressively Grows Middle East Presence
The law firm of James A. Baker III significantly expanded its Middle East operations according to a company press release. It stated:
Client demand for legal services in the Middle East continues to fuel expansion for Baker Botts L.L.P., prompting the firm to increase its commitment to the region by opening an office in Abu Dhabi — its third in the Middle East — and upgrading and expanding the firm’s current offices in Dubai and Riyadh.
Abu Dhabi is a natural fit for Baker Botts given the firm’s extensive background in energy-related matters. The growth of office space corresponds with the increase of Baker Botts lawyers in the region. During the past five years, the firm has more than tripled the number of lawyers based in the Middle East.
James Baker has longtime connections to The Carlyle Group, a private equity underwriter (PEU). Baker and Carlyle hosted the son of Libyan leader Muammar al-Ghadafi in Washington, D.C. Carlyle started a $500 million Middle East/North Africa fund. Surely they need lawyers to do the deals. It helps to have attorneys who understand the PEU business, those with close ties to their shadowy financial world. Here's how the boys at Baker Botts stand ready to help Carlyle & company.
During the past year, Baker Botts lawyers have worked on significant representations from Middle East offices as the firm builds a strong footprint in the region. These representations include a major independent power project program, a number of key merger and acquisition matters, projects relating to the development of Iraq’s oil and gas fields, and the financing of expansion plans for a number of chemical plants.
Seeding the Middle East with attorneys? It's a necessary first step for Western economic expansion. Recall President Obama's promise to develop the Middle Eastern economy? I bet Baker Botts isn't doing any volunteer work. Baker Botts' newest partner recently visited the Middle East. What did Frances Fragos Townsend sell in her meeting with kings? Soldiers are out, financial barbarians and their army of lawyers are in.
Carlyle Group's Repco Home Finance Gets More Government Money
SiliconIndia reported:
The Overseas Private Investment (Opic), a U.S. agency, which mainly helps American companies invest abroad and promotes the development of emerging markets, has decided to lend $80 million (Rs.382.4 crore) to a Chennai based finance company Repco Home Finance (RHFL) in 2009.
In December'07, the Carlyle Group, one of the world's largest private equity firms acquired 14 percent stake in RHFL and increased it to 46 percent in April 2009, by converting preference shares into equity. RHFL did not disclose the conversion price.
OPIC made another $50 million commitment for Repco's microfinance arm. That means U.S. government support of $130 million for Indian mortgages.
"Under the terms of the agreement with Opic, all mortgages arising from its loan will be assigned to Opic."
How lovely! Add $153 million in TARP funds for Carlyle's Boston Private Financial Holdings and a $4.9 billion FDIC subsidy for BankUnited and the private equity underwriter garners serious taxpayer funds. How much government financing did Carlyle get for auto supplier Metaldyne?
It's "the mother" of financial rescue and stimulus packages, just as Carlyle's David Rubenstein predicted. Don't forget the $25 billion in tax breaks for PEU's buying back affiliate debt. I smell Bush quality Corporafornication. The Obama team is a quick study.
Boeing in Talks to Buy Carlyle Group's Vought Aircraft (South Carolina Operations Only)
Boeing recently announced another delay in 787 Dreamliner production. Again? Oddly, it's also in talks with Vought Aircraft Industries, a key link in the delay chain. Boeing may purchase the Charleston, South Carolina facility doing fuselage assembly. The WSJ reported:
Boeing Co. is in negotiations to purchase operations from one its main suppliers, as part of an effort to gain more control over the supply chain of its troubled 787 Dreamliner program, according to a person familiar with the matter. Boeing is close to announcing that it will buy a facility from Vought Aircraft Industries that makes sections of the 787 fuselage.
Last year, Boeing bought a joint venture near the same facility, one partially owned by Carlyle's Vought.
Last year, Boeing also moved to roll up another supplier operation owned by Vought. In March 2008, it announced it was acquiring Vought's share of Global Aeronautica LLC, also in South Carolina, which does fuselage sub-assembly.
Vought's CEO blamed the Global Aeronautica start up delay on an "internal liquidity" crisis. Isn't access to capital Carlyle's speciality? Didn't Carlyle earn their $2 million annual management fee?
Regardless of poor performance, SEC filings show Vought earned $47.1 million on the sale of their interest in the joint venture.
The Carlyle Group's reputation as an operator could take another hit, but they're quite skilled at keeping their good name out of the news. There are many unshared stories: LifeCare Hospitals, SemGroup, Hawaiian Telecom, Edscha, Carlyle Capital Corporation, BlueWave Partners, IMO Carwash, ManorCare, Landmark Aviation, Standard Aero, and Booz, Allen, Hamilton. There's more than one Vought story, as the firm paid $1.5 million to settle a discrimination lawsuit.
Don't forget about Carlyle's buying their way out of a New York pension "pay to play" investigation. It cost $50 million to release Carlyle and their joint venture energy holding, Riverstone. Anybody see a U.S. Mint green pattern?
Watch for some Texas Hold 'Em slight of hand over Vought's $35 million promise to add 3,000 jobs in Grand Prarie by 2009. These greased PEU's are hard to nail down. (PEU stands for private equity underwriter.)
(Update: The Seattle Post Intelligencer says it is a done deal)
Oligarchs Train Democratic Governments
Two government bids for highly attractive investment areas, oil field service and toll road infrastructure, met with little response from huge oligarchs. How will the government react to their failure to bid? Will they conduct a "make or buy" assessment, considering not contracting out the service? Hardly, not with the religion that "government can't do anything competently."
The projects will be rebid, making things more attractive for the infallible private sector, literally a handful of energy and private equity oligarchs. CBS News reported:
Chevron Corp., the second-largest U.S. oil company behind Exxon Mobil Corp., said it decided not to submit a bid in the opening round, but didn't rule out doing so in future auctions.
It said it opted out after a "careful evaluation of the opportunities against Chevron's standard investment criteria and our inventory of investment projects worldwide."
It's the big money boys way of training the government. Sit and beg...
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Former Carlyle affiliate Vitamin World declared bankruptcy according to CTPost
In a filing with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware, Holbrook, N.Y.-based Vitamin World blamed underperforming stores, above-market rents and unspecified disruptions in its base of suppliers.
Centre Lane Partner bought Vitamin World in February 2016 from Carlyle Group affiliate NBTY, also known as Nature's Bounty. At the time of the sale the Carlyle team stated:
"With the shift of NBTY's focus in our US business to investing in and building our core brands, this sale of Vitamin World to Centre Lane Partners will ensure Vitamin World has the right investment and focus on its future as a stand-alone retail business."
Centre Lane paid $25 million for Vitamin World
Vitamin World lists as its largest unsecured creditor The Nature’s Bounty Co., owed $21.5 million.
It's not clear how much of the amount owed is from the sale or from store inventory. The bankruptcy filing shows the $21.5 million owed is debt from the sale plus trade. The current obligation is 86% of the $25 million purchase price.
In the Petition, Vitamin World reports $50 million to $100 million in assets and $10 million to $50 million in liabilities. This statement does not fit with the filing document which shows a $125 million unsecured claim by 10th Lane Partners, LLC. 10th Lane is part of Centre Lane Partners. Quinn Morgan heads both Centre Lane and 10th Lane.
Reuters reported last week the likelihood of a bankruptcy as a way to get out of leases on unprofitable stores.
I'll bet Vitamin World meets its $125 million financial commitment to its owners, Centre Lane and 10th Lane.
Update 9-13-17: Store closures and renegotiating lower rent is the aim of the filing.
S&P Pushes Back Against PEU Unitholder Structure
Carlyle Group LPs Treated to Yet Another U.S. Pres...
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Petraeus' "Biggest Gig Yet" is Peanuts for PEU Par...
Decade Long Canard: Taxing PEU Carried Interest a...
Carlyle Wins CCC Lawsuit Brought by Liquidators
PEU Carried Interest Thank You Letter
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Methodology for Delimitation of the Regeneration Areas in the Process of Preparation Revitalization Programs in Małopolska
Aleksandra Jadach-Sepioło Katarzyna Spadło
Studia KPZK | 2018 | tom 192 Urbanistyczne aspekty transformacji miast | 83-106
Keywords delimitation Małopolska regeneration area Municipal Revitalization Program The Revitalization Law
Art. 52 sec. 1 of the Regeneration Act of 9 October 2015 allowed municipalities which, at the time of its entry into force, did not have a valid revitalization program, to carry out revitalization activities on the basis of a revitalization program other than the municipal revitalization program. The choice of procedure was left by the legislature of the municipality, assuming that at the initial stage of the implementation of the law, only the municipality should test its instrument, referring to the nature and scale of its needs. The ROP Managing Authority in Małopolska as the only one in the country introduced the requirement of developing municipal revitalization programs for all municipalities that did not have a current revitalization program at the time of the entry into force of the Act. Therefore, these municipalities, in order to benefi t from EU funding under ROP WM 2014-2020 for revitalization activities planned in the programs, were not able to rely on the derogation contained in art. 52 sec. 1 of the Act. Regardless of the size of the municipality and the nature of revitalization needs, they were compelled to develop a document complying with the statutory procedure, the fi rst stage being the delimitation of the degraded area and the revitalization area and confi rmation by the resolution of the municipality council. As a result Małopolskie Voivodeship has become Poland’s largest laboratory of methodology of delimitation of these areas and development of revitalization programs. The aim of the article is to present the diversity of applied methodological approaches to the delimitation of revitalization areas in Małopolskie Voivodeship and to describe the most noteworthy, as well as to indicate the most common errors in the designation of these areas.
Safety as a function of public maritime law
Dorota Pyć
Prawo Morskie | 2019 | No XXXVI | 119-131 | DOI: 10.24425/pm.2019.131058
Keywords maritime safety public maritime law Flag State Safety Management System
The meaning and scope of the concept of security in extenso, as well as its special type, i.e. maritime safety and security, has been the subject of many considerations and discussions for decades, and perhaps for centuries. Security is most often understood as one of the basic functions of the State implying counteracting all threats. In axiological terms, as a risk-free state, maritime safety is a value, and in functional terms, as a desirable state, it is expressed in the protective function of law. The law must be structured in such a way as to constantly realize this function. Achieving maritime safety can therefore be seen as the capacity of law and institutions, for example, to protect a ship against loss, protect health and life of people employed on a ship, and protect the environment from pollution.
UNCITRAL model law on electronic transferable records and its importance in the carriage of goods by sea
Maria Dragun-Gertner
Prawo Morskie | 2019 | No XXXVII | 17-31 | DOI: 10.24425/pm.2019.131319
Keywords UNCITRAL Model Law on Electronic Transferable Records (MLETR) Electronic Bill of Lading
The concept of control over electronic transferable records is the central premise of the UNCITRAL Model Law on Transferable Electronic Records. It indicates the method of determining the party who has the rights embodied in the negotiable electronic record. The purpose of this article is to present the most important issues related to documents and instruments that have a circular function in international maritime trade, and the intention to create a legal framework for them when they take the form of electronic records.
General average – new approach in a project of the new Maritime Code
Cezary Łuczywek
Prawo Morskie | 2019 | No XXXVII | 79-104 | DOI: 10.24425/pm.2019.131323
Keywords general average Laws of Oleron common maritime adventure adjuster YAR Rules
The concept of a general average is the oldest institution of maritime law. Its usefulness in modern shipping relations has long been criticized. Nevertheless, the general average, despite the fact that it is not the subject of any international agreement, occupies a prominent place in the internal legal systems of maritime states, and the international community continues to show great interest in it, regularly changing the principles of accounting established in the second half of the 19th century in York and Antwerp. During the work on the draft of the new Polish Maritime Code, the Maritime Law Codification Commission made some changes in the regulations concerning the general average, adapting the provisions of Polish law to new solutions proposed by participants of international maritime trade and non-governmental organizations, including Comité Maritime International.
Argumentacja ekonomiczna w międzynarodowych sporach morskich. = Economic Arguments in the Settlement of International Maritime Disputes
Cezary Mik
Prawo Morskie | 2018 | No XXXIV | 41-97 | DOI: 10.24425/pm.2018.125829
Keywords international disputes settlement of international maritime disputes maritime delimitation territorial sovereignty prompt release economic arguments in the law of the sea UNCLOS international economic law
The aim of the study is to examine the importance of economic argumentation in international maritime disputes. The paper first explains what the international maritime disputes, their sources and types are, what principles they are subjected to. It also established what should be understood by economic arguments, emphasizing their relative nature, as well as showing the potential of the Convention on the Law of the Sea of 1982 as a basis for formulating economic argumentation. The importance of economic argumentation was considered in relation to international disputes regarding the legal status of maritime territories, delimitation of maritime zones, power over the sea and use of the sea. Research, carried out, leads to the following conclusions: 1) economic arguments are present in the reasoning of the parties as well as dispute settlement bodies. However, their probative value is limited; 2) in disputes related to the status of maritime features economic reasoning appears in the context of necessity to demonstrate that they can be a basis for delimitation; 3) in delimitation disputes, addressing economic arguments is more complex and contradictory. Economic arguments may be useful in the second phase of delimitation when relevant circumstances are considered. However, the existing practice shows that the range of economic arguments is limited (they cannot serve as a reason for correction of natural inequalities). International jurisprudence denies taking into account arguments based on level of economic development or economic or financial difficulties of a state (except for the catastrophic repercussions for the livelihood and economic wellbeing of the population), the needs of economic development or performance of economic activities (mining, fishing, shipping). An argument associated with assurance of deposit unity is of some importance (when resources are known or readily ascertainable); 4) in disputes concerning the power over the sea some weight is held by an argument associated with the establishment of economic authority, in particular, of a regulatory and control nature; 5) in disputes related to the use of the sea, the importance of economic reasoning is varied. In disputes concerning the prompt release, the role of the economic argument is limited. On the contrary, it is relevant in disputes related to the violation of rights and economic interests of States and people, if they are protected by international law.
General Principles of Law: The Gentle Guardians of Systemic Integration of International Law
Roman Kwiecień
Polish Yearbook of International Law | 2017 | No XXXVII | 235-242
Keywords coherence of the legal order completeness of the legal order general principles of law international legal reasoning sources of international law systemic integration of international law
There are different meanings and functions of what is called a “general principle of law.” This article seeks to address their importance as the basis for the systemic integration of the international legal order. When international law is considered as a legal system, its normative unity and completeness seems essential. This article argues that general principles of law are a necessary, although less visible, element of international legal practice and reasoning, which secure the systemic integration and long-lasting underpinnings of international law. In this sense they may be seen as the gentle guardians of international law as a legal system.
The Problem of Piracy in the Relationship Between the Christians and Arabs from Northern Africa Between the 11th and 15th Centuries
Iwona Wierzchowiecka-Rudnik
Studia Maritima | 2014 | vol. XXVII/1
Keywords piracy the Mediterranean culture the law of nations Islam
Throughout the period between the 11th and 15th centuries, Christian and Arabic countries as well as territorial dominions, although faced with feudal political chaos, managed to take joint action against pirates. Piracy was unanimously treated as a major risk both to inshore safety and safety at sea, as well as to trade and economic growth. Attempts were made to establish institutional framework for prosecuting the pirates and setting terms under which respective counties would remain legally liable. International treaties had laid foundations for the aforementioned framework and imposed certain liabilities on the countries. A number of treaties concluded during the period under discussion and published by an archivist in the 19th century enables modern researchers to get to know the Law of Nations created somewhere in between the Islamic and European legal cultures.
International Law and Ageism
Barbara Mikołajczyk
Polish Yearbook of International Law | No XXXV | DOI: 10.7420/pyil2015c
Keywords ageism dignity human rights international law older persons
In the 21st century ageism is becoming the most widely spread phenomenon. It has become so extensive that presently many more seniors in Europe are exposed to ageism than other people to sexism or racism. Contrary to other vulnerable groups, the elderly do not enjoy any binding instrument that could protect them and their dignity against ageism in the same way that women and racial groups are protected against sexism and racism. Unfortunately, the UN General Assembly resolution, supposed to be a first step to drawing up such a convention, was adopted with a significant number of abstentions, leaving the fate of a potential treaty on the rights of the elderly uncertain. On the other hand, in 2014 the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe adopted a new recommendation, and in June 2015 members of the Organisation of American States adopted a treaty protecting the elder’s rights. Taking into account these new circumstances, the idea underlying this article is to investigate the ability of international instruments to limit ageism and protect older persons’ dignity, as well as to indicate existing gaps.
Scrutiny over the Rule of Law in the European Union
Petra Bárd
Polish Yearbook of International Law | 2016 | No XXXVI | DOI: 10.7420/pyil2016i
Keywords democracy European Union fundamental rights Hungary Poland rule of law
The European Union is founded on a set of common principles of democracy, the rule of law, and fundamental rights, as enshrined in Article 2 of the Treaty on the European Union. Whereas future Member States are vetted for their compliance with these values before they accede to the Union, no similar method exists to supervise respect of these foundational principles after accession. This gap needs to be filled, since history proved that EU Member State governments’ adherence to foundational EU values cannot be taken for granted. Against this background this article assesses the need and possibilities for the establishment of an EU Scoreboard on EU values; viable strategies and procedures to regularly monitor all Member States’ compliance with the rule of law on an equal and objective basis; and the nature of effective and dissuasive sanction mechanisms foreseen for rule of law violators.
Axi-symmetric ice sheet flow with evolving anisotropic fabric
R. Staroszczyk
Bulletin of the Polish Academy of Sciences: Technical Sciences | 2006 | vol. 54 | No 4 | 419-428
Keywords polar ice viscosity evolving anisotropy orthotropy constitutive law
An axially symmetric, gravity driven, steady flow of a grounded polar ice sheet with a prescribed temperature field is considered. The ice is treated as an incompressible, non-linearly viscous, anisotropic fluid, the internal structure (fabric) of which evolves as ice descends from the free surface to depth in an ice sheet. The evolution of the ice fabric is described by an orthotropic constitutive law which relates the deviatoric stress to the strain-rate, strain, and three structure tensors based on the current (rotating) principal stretch axes. The solution of the problem is constructed as a leading-order approximation derived from asymptotic expansions in a small parameter that reflects the small ratio of stress and velocity gradients in the lateral direction of the ice sheet to those in the thickness direction. Numerical simulations of the flow problem have been carried out for various sets of rheological parameters defining the limit strength of the anisotropic fabric in ice. The results of calculations illustrate the influence of the ice anisotropy, basal melt conditions and temperature field in ice on the glacier thickness and lateral span, and on the depth profiles of the flow velocity.
Magnetic field of complex helical conductors
Krzysztof Budnik Wojciech Machczyński
Archives of Electrical Engineering | 2013 | vol. 62 | No 4 December | 533-540 | DOI: 10.2478/aee-2013-0043
Keywords Biot-Savart law magnetic flux density helical line
Transmission of the electric power is accompanied with generation of low –frequency electromagnetic fields. Electromagnetic compatibility studies require that the fields from sources of electric power be well known. Unfortunately, many of these sources are not defined to the desired degree of accuracy. This applies e.g. to the case of the twisted-wire pair used in telephone communication; already practiced is twisting of insulated high-voltage three phase power cables and single-phase distribution cables as well. The paper presents a theoretical study of the calculation of magnetic fields in vicinity of conductors having helical structure. For the helical conductor with finite length the method is based on the Biot-Savart law. Since the lay-out of the cables is much more similar to a broken line than to strait line, in the paper the magnetic flux densities produced by helical conductor of complex geometry are also derived. The analytical formulas for calculating the 3D magnetic field can be used by a software tool to model the magnetic fields generated by e.g. twisted wires, helical coils, etc.
Application of optimal current driver for the torque control of BLDC motor
Jakub Bernat Sławomir Stępień
Archives of Electrical Engineering | 2011 | vol. 60 | No 2 June | 149-158 | DOI: 10.2478/v10171-011-0014-7
Keywords current driver BLDC motor control law linear quadratic problem identification
This research presents the novel control strategy of the brushless DC motor. The optimal current driver is designed using Linear Quadratic Regulator and feedback linearization. Additionally, the current reshaping strategy is applied to control the motor torque. Thus, the torque controller is built based on the optimal current driver. The motor is simulated using the FEM analysis.
Adjustment Processes Resulting in Equilibrium in the Private Ownership Economy
Agnieszka Lipieta
Central European Journal of Economic Modelling and Econometrics | 2018 | No 4 | 305-332 | DOI: 10.24425/cejeme.2018.125874
Keywords private ownership economy equilibrium Walras Law adjustment processes
The paper considers a private ownership economy in which economic agents could realize their aims at given prices, Walras Law is satisfied but agents’ optimal plans of action do not lead to an equilibrium in the economy. It means that the market clearing condition is not satisfied for agents’ optimal plans of action. In this context, the paper puts forward three specific adjustment processes resulting in equilibrium in a transformation of the initial economy. Specifically, it is shown, by the use of strict mathematical reasoning, that if there is no equilibrium in a private ownership economy at given prices, then, under some natural economic assumptions, after a mild evolution of the production sector, equilibrium at unchanged prices can be achieved.
Numerical study on the effects of multiple internal diathermal obstructions on natural convection in a fluid-saturated porous enclosure
Jayesh Subhash Chordiya Ram Vinoy Sharma
Archive of Mechanical Engineering | 2018 | vol. 65 | No 4 | 553-578 | DOI: 10.24425/ame.2018.125442
Keywords natural convection internal obstructions porous enclosure Darcy law
The present work aims at studying the effects of orientation, size, position, and the combination of multiple internal diathermal obstructions in a fluid-saturated square porous enclosure, generally encountered in thermal insulations. The overall objective is to suppress the natural convection fluid flow and heat transfer across a differentially heated porous enclosure. To serve this purpose, multiple diathermal obstructions are employed to mechanically protrude into a porous medium. It is sought to estimate the effect of various types of orientation, clustering and alternate positioning of obstructions by considering number of obstructions (Np), length of obstructions (λ), modified Rayleigh number (Ra*) on local and average Nusselt number (Nu). The Darcy model for porous media is solved using Finite difference method along with Successive Accelerated Replacement scheme. One of the findings is that the value of the Nusselt number decreases by increasing both, the number of obstructions as well as the length of obstructions irrespective of its orientation and positioning. The reduction in Nusselt number is significant with obstructions attached on lower half of the hot wall and/or on upper half of cold wall. In addition, the overall reduction in Nusselt number is slightly greater with obstructions attached explicitly to the cold wall.
Is the Court of Justice Afraid of International Jurisdictions?
Maciej Szpunar
Keywords Achmea Article 344 TFEU autonomy of EU law dispute settlement EUlaw and international law opinion 1/09 opinion 2/13
This article analyses the relationship between the Court of Justice and other international jurisdictions. In particular, it addresses the following question: To what extent is the Court of Justice ready to accept that some aspects of EU law are subject to the jurisdiction of an international body? The answer to this question requires analysis of the precise scope of the principle of autonomy of EU law as this principle could potentially constitute grounds on the basis of which the Court of Justice excludes the transfer of judicial competences to external bodies. For this reason, the article refers to the most important decisions in the field: Opinions 1/91 and 1/92, Opinion 1/09, Opinion 2/13, judgment in C-146/13 Spain v. Parliament and Council and judgment in C-284/14 Achmea. It also discusses the consequences of the application of Article 344 TFEU.
Amendments of January 2018 to the Act on the Institute of National Remembrance – Commission for the Prosecution of Crimes against the Polish Nation in Light of International Law
Patrycja Grzebyk
Keywords denial crime double criminality freedom of expression freedom of speech Institute of National Remembrance memory law rule of law
This article analyses the amendments of January 2018 to the Act on the Institute of National Remembrance (INR) of 1998, which has raised doubts in light of in ternational law and provoked diplomatic tensions between Poland on one side and Germany, Ukraine, United States of America and Israel on the other. The INR is a national in stitution whose role is, among others, to prosecute perpetrators of in ternational crimes committed between 1917-1990. The article proves that the wording of the amendments is in consistent with in ternational law, as it ignores the principles of in ternational responsibility, definitions of in ternational crimes, and disproportionately limits freedom of expression. In consequence, it cannot be expected that third states will cooperate with Poland in the execution of responsibility for violation of the newly adopted norms.
Potential consequences for mining resulting from the entry into force of the Act on the Facilitation of the Preparation and Implementation of Housing Investments
Marek Wiland
Zeszyty Naukowe Instytutu Gospodarki Surowcami Mineralnymi Polskiej Akademii Nauk | 2018 | Nr 106 | 225-238 | DOI: 10.24425/124389
Keywords housing investments mining mineral deposits protection spatial planning and development housing law
The article presents probable consequences for the protection of deposits and other mining needs, related to the entry into force of the Act of July 5, 2018 on the Facilitation of the Preparation and Implementation of Housing Investments and Accompanying Investments. This act introduces facilities for the preparation and implementation of housing as well as related projects, including the possibility of introducing investments incompatible with the existing local plans. In addition, it does so in a situation where land reserves for housing development, both in local plans and in studies of conditions and directions of spatial development, many times exceed the future needs of our country. The article presents the fundamental changes introduced by the Act to the existing planning and spatial planning system, as well as the risks associated with the mining industry. Among the latter, the following can be mentioned: lower stability of local law regulations, the possibility of resolving changes in spatial development at a very fast pace, without providing an effective way to inform subjects that may be threatened by these changes and increase the probability of the appearance of investments in the area of mining, the neighborhood of which may lead to limit or even liquidate these installations, due to even their disadvantages to housing. Some remedies have been proposed to mitigate some of the threats in the article. The Act in question was prepared and passed at an express pace, with a large opposition from many environments. At the same time, a number of legal solutions were applied in it, which were not applied in the Polish law. As a result, there are many doubts about the effects of its introduction.
Theology on the Christian existence
Jerzy Sojka
Studia Nauk Teologicznych | 2018 | Tom 13 | 11-25 | DOI: 10.24425/119657
Keywords Martin Luther Christian existence freedom justification baptism Church oratio–meditatio–tentatio Law and Gospel
The article discusses the concentration of Martin Luther’s theology on the Christian existence. There are three main areas pointing to this key idea. Firstly, the description of justification of the people in the categories of freedom gained through the experience of faith, which leads to a thankful service towards one’s neighbour. Secondly, sacramental understanding of the working of God’s Word as a performative that changes the world. It defines not only the understanding of the sacraments, with the key role of Baptism as a foundation for everyday actualisation of Christian life in penance, which strives for fighting off the sinfulness of an old, sinful man, and leads to building the man’s own justice based on the alien justice of Christ, but it is also the basis for the communion of believers – the church, as well as for the orders of creation, which structure the current reality. Thirdly, the remarks on theological knowledge closed in the triad prayer–meditation–temptation and theological weight of the experience of differentiating between the Law and the Gospel.
Current and proposed regulations concerning the raw materials policy and the national security of raw materials – legal and cognitive aspects
Jan A. Stefanowicz
Zeszyty Naukowe Instytutu Gospodarki Surowcami Mineralnymi Polskiej Akademii Nauk | 2017 | Nr 100 | 235–256
Keywords mineral policy mineral strategy critical elements key minerals geological and mining law
The article provides the external indications (both international and domestic) showing how important creating an appropriate mineral policy of the country is, especially in the context of mineral security. The current mandatory legal regulations referring to mineral policy and mineral security of the country were presented and discussed against this background, starting with provisions of the Constitution of the Republic of Poland, through the Strategy for Sustainable Development, Spatial Management Concept of the Country 2030 together with Action Plan, Strategy for Energy Security and Environment – 2020 perspective, Geological and Mining Law and other legal acts and implementing provisions, Action Plan “Raw Materials for the Industry” announced by the Minister of Development, the Concept for Mineral Policy presented by the Government Plenipotentiary for the Mineral Policy, and finally – project of the Urban and Building Code in the area of spatial development. In the case of documents being in the course of the proceedings, the current state of working on them is presented, also in the context of particular projected legal solutions for future regulations. The author indicates and justifies the need of accelerating the work and taking actions to prevent the currently appearing phenomena that may impede the execution of the raw materials policy and the protection of key raw materials in the future.
The first battle of Karl Marx (Comments on the Latest Prussian Censorship Instruction)
Marta Baranowska
Przegląd Filozoficzny. Nowa Seria | 2018 | No 4 | 171-183 | DOI: 10.24425/pfns.2018.125500
Keywords K. Marx freedom of speech freedom of the press censorship law authority morality religion
The subject of this article is an analysis of the earliest of Karl Marx’s articles, Comments on the Latest Prussian Censorship Instruction. The essence of his views presented in that article was to protest against the restriction of the right to free expression of opinions by journalists. Marx pointed out that the new Prussian Censorship Instruction only seemed to liberalize censorship, but in fact in many aspects tightened the rules, for example, reinforced those that pertained to religious criticism. He thought that the Prussian Censorship Instruction was not an enactment of law, because by limiting freedom, lawmakers acted against the essence of the press, law and state. Marx thought that a press law was needed to guarantee freedom of the press and that censorship should be abolished entirely.
PhD “implementation”. Critical remarks on the margin of statutory solutions adopted in 2017
Dominik Szulc
Nauka | 2018 | No 2 | 61-75
Keywords PhD “implementation” industrial property law invention patent Ministry of Science and Higher Education entrepreneur
The article is a part of materials regarding current problems of Polish science and higher education. It provides an in-depth analysis of the Act on degrees and academic titles as well as several other laws which introduce the so-called Ph.D. implementation in Poland. These laws were adopted by the Sejm of the Republic of Poland in April 2017. The author focuses on several problems, discussing them in separate chapters. The article also tries to predict the far-reaching results of the new rules. At the same time, the author proposes specific solutions that should be included in the future in the Act on degrees and academic titles, or in the Act of industrial property. They should eliminate the negative effects of conflicts between the provisions of various legal acts.
March in February? The study of Poles’ attitudes toward Jews and the Holocaust history in the context of the Holocaust law debate in Poland
Michał Bilewicz Dominika Bulska Maria Babińska Agnieszka Haska Mikołaj Winiewski
Nauka | 2018 | No 2 | 7-41
Keywords secondary antisemitism Act on the Institute of National Rememberance Holocaust law Polish-Jewish relations collective narcissism
2018 amendment of the act on the Polish Institute of National Remembrance that was passed by the Polish Sejm in January 2018 raised a vibrant public debate about Polish-Jewish relations. In this article, we try to trace the dynamics of this debate and assess its consequences for contemporary Polish-Jewish relations and present-day representations of the relations between Poles and Jews during the German occupation in 1939–1945. To this end, we present the analysis of social media content, data from search engines, as well as the results of two nationwide polls conducted at the beginning of 2018. These studies indicate that the debate on amendment of the Act on the Institute of National Remembrance has increased the expression of antisemitic prejudice in the media and on the internet, increased the presence of defective codes of memory, and at the same time polarized the Polish debate about the behavior of Poles during the Holocaust. The results of these analyzes are discussed in the context of earlier debates on the Polish-Jewish relations during Nazi occupation, referring to the category of “secondary antisemitism” that receives growing support in current social sciences.
Court trials of the editors of "Gazeta Gdańska" in 1891–1914
Grażyna Gzella
Rocznik Historii Prasy Polskiej | 2019 | t.22 | No 1 | 23-35 | DOI: 10.24425/rhpp.2019.126646
Keywords Polish press in Gdańsk (Danzig) German press law of 1874 lawsuits against Polish journalists in Gdańsk 1891–1914
Until 1914 editors of Gazeta Gdańska were taken to court on thirty occasions and were sentenced to a total of RM 2,430 in fines and eight months and three weeks of imprisonment. Of the fifteen editors taken to court, Józef Konstanty Palędzki i Stanisław Wentowski came out with most convictions.
Review of the provisions of the European Parliament and of the Council Directive 2013/30/UE on safety of offshore oil and gas operations
Alicja Mrozowska
Polityka Energetyczna - Energy Policy Journal | 2018 | vol. 21 | No 4 | 103–124 | DOI: 10.24425/124503
Keywords Directive 2013/30/EU safety of exploitation of offshore oil and gas geological and mining law
The events that took place on April 10,2010 on the Gulf of Mexico began an international debate on minimizing and materializing the risk of dangerous occurrences and accidents during the exploitation of offshore energy resources. In the aftermath of this event to ensure safe operation in European maritime areas, the European Union decided to introduce regulations throughout the entire EU. On June 12, 2013, Directive 2013/30/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council on safety of offshore oil and gas operations and amending Directive 2004/35/EC was issued. The main aim of the Directive is to reduce the occurrence of major accidents relating to offshore oil and gas operations and limits their consequences. The article is a review of provision of Directive 2013/30/UE with particular regard to requirements at the national level. What is more, the paper indicates solutions which must be introduced by July 19, 2018 in offshore companies. The incorporated solutions must include the protection of the marine environment against pollutions (especially oil spills), establish minimum conditions for safe offshore exploration and the production of oil and gas and improve the response mechanism in the eventof an accident. The paper also presents accidents which take place in oil and gas fields which are a background of necessary improvements of safety during offshore operations.
Kodeks Polarny po wejściu w życie. = The Polar Code in force
Maja Głuchowska-Wójcicka
Prawo Morskie | 2017 | No XXXIII | 25-36 | DOI: 10.24425/118625
Keywords Polar Code IMO Northwest Passage Northern Sea Route Arctic Shipping Arctic council Law of the Sea Canada Russia
There is a growing interest in new transportation routes that combine benefits of shorter distances, cost-effective transits and routes not troubled by maritime security concerns. The Northwest Passage offers a package of routes through the Canadian maritime zone; it is 9,000 km shorter than the Panama Canal route and 17,000 km shorter than the Cape Horn route. The Northern Sea Route shortens a Hamburg-Yokohama voyage by 4,800 miles, in comparison with the Suez Canal route. The transpolar route, if it materializes with an ice-free Central Arctic Ocean route, would shorten distances even further. Given the increase in regional and international navigation and shipping in the region, it is therefore not surprising that in recent years Arctic States and international bodies focused on the needs of enhanced safety and environmental standards for polar shipping. In addition to the dedicated domestic polar shipping regulation, primarily in Canada and the Russian Federation, the Arctic Council and International Maritime Organization (IMO) have launched important initiatives. The most important is establishing of international rules for ships operating in polar waters – The Polar Code.
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Habitat Preferences of Breeding Amphibians in Eastern Spain
24 - Ciències de la Vida
View (901.1Kb)
Gálvez, Ángel; McKnight, Donald T.; Monrós González, Juan S.
This document is a artículoDate2018
The aim of this research was to determine the reproductive habitat preferences of several species of amphibians in eastern Spain. We recorded amphibia presence/absence and measured biotic and abiotic variables at 67 ponds in a 43.5 km2 area representing a wide variety of aquatic ecosystems, such as temporary and semipermanent cisterns, drinking troughs, and natural and artificial ponds, all of various sizes and depths. We used this information to predict occupancy using Generalized Linear Models. We built models for the Iberian Ribbed Newt (Pleurodeles waltl), Iberian Green Frog (Pelophylax perezi), Common Midwife Toad (Alytes obstetricans), Natterjack Toad (Epidalea calamita), and Mediterranean Parsley Frog (Pelodytes hespericus). We also found Common Toad (Bufo spinosus) and Spadefoot Toad (Pelobates cultripes) but did not build models for them. The variables that explained occupancy ... [Leer más...]
The aim of this research was to determine the reproductive habitat preferences of several species of amphibians in eastern Spain. We recorded amphibia presence/absence and measured biotic and abiotic variables at 67 ponds in a 43.5 km2 area representing a wide variety of aquatic ecosystems, such as temporary and semipermanent cisterns, drinking troughs, and natural and artificial ponds, all of various sizes and depths. We used this information to predict occupancy using Generalized Linear Models. We built models for the Iberian Ribbed Newt (Pleurodeles waltl), Iberian Green Frog (Pelophylax perezi), Common Midwife Toad (Alytes obstetricans), Natterjack Toad (Epidalea calamita), and Mediterranean Parsley Frog (Pelodytes hespericus). We also found Common Toad (Bufo spinosus) and Spadefoot Toad (Pelobates cultripes) but did not build models for them. The variables that explained occupancy were species specific, with depth and, especially, the type of substratum playing key roles in most of them. Type of substratum reflected pond age and was represented by hard substratum (associated with new artificial ponds and structures), hard substratum covered by soft sediment (associated with old artificial ponds and structures), and soft substratum (associated with old natural ponds). The differences among the species in occupancy models indicate that species-specific management actions may be necessary to preserve the amphibian community in the long term.
Gálvez, Ángel McKnight, Donald T. Monrós, Juan S. 2018 Habitat Preferences of Breeding Amphibians in Eastern Spain Herpetological Conservation And Biology 13 2 453 463
24 - Ciències de la Vida [1144]
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SEAN'S INTERVIEW IN "TV GUIDE" APRIL 08
(Internet interview - photos and text)
When the team goes to raid a house, "We are greeted at the crime scene by a vicious blood-covered dog that attacks McGee and takes him down," says Sean Murray.
"I wasn't nervous at all," says Murray, who worked with two trained dogs named Rock and Rowdy. "I'm an animal person, and the dogs were pros. We could all learn from the dogs about professionalism on a set!"
Murray's left arm was carefully swathed to protect from accidental bites. "You've got 700 lbs. of pressure there," he says, "and you don't want them puncturing the skin."
Murray himself tussled with either of the two trained dogs for the sequence, save for "one wide shot where a stunt guy took the initial tackle."
During the course of the day, Murray got up close and personal with the dogs, even as they took him out.
After McGee's melee with the ferocious pooch, he receives a ribbing from Michael Weatherly's DiNozzo.
McGee uses his gun to maim the dog, "and his [sometime-girlfriend] Abby (far right) isn't too happy about that," Murray shares. "I'm in the doghouse."
Also coming up on NCIS.... "Actors tell you, 'There are going to be surprises, blah blah blah,'" says Murray. "But there is some pretty different stuff going on that will shock people, especially longtime fans."
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Every Writer Needs an Editor with a Sharp Eye and a Nasty Attitude
About Mary Ann
Currently Browsing: guest posts
May 29, 2018 Posted by Mary Ann on May 29, 2018 in guest posts, writing | 0 comments
Crescendo of Darkness — Coming Soon!
Skewed Notions is pleased to host HorrorAddicts.net today and a new audio book for your horror enjoyment.
Music has the power to soothe the soul, drive people to obsession, and soundtrack evil plots. Is music the instigator of madness, or the key that unhinges the psychosis within? From guitar lessons in a graveyard and a baby allergic to music, to an infectious homicidal demo and melancholy tunes in a haunted lighthouse, Crescendo of Darkness will quench your thirst for horrifying audio fiction.
HorrorAddicts.net is proud to present fourteen tales of murderous music, demonic performers, and cursed audiophiles.
Please enjoy an excerpt below from Crescendo of Darkness.
“Six String Bullets” by Cara Fox
The pull of a busker’s song becomes too much for a young woman to resist.
Ashley Dunn had walked the same way to work for the last two years, but she never noticed the busker before. He was already as much a part of the bustling commuter street as the cars speeding past or the tattered street lamps shining brightly to pierce the early morning gloom, their beams throwing sharp relief on the rain. The busker blended in seamlessly, seated cross-legged, his back to the stone wall of the Victorian bank building, and his beaten-up guitar across his lap as he played. No one else spared him a glance, but she saw him.
Their eyes met through the crowd and Ashley’s heart missed a beat.
Something about him seemed familiar. She stepped out of the steady flow of people walking with their heads down and their minds lost to the working day ahead, breaking free of the crowd as the busker’s song grew louder and clearer with every step she took. It wasn’t his song that caught her attention, but the man himself. His crooked glasses and expensive looking suit weren’t a part of the usual busker uniform seen all over town.
The sounds of the crowd faded away as Ashley came to a hesitant halt in front of him, and the enigmatic busker’s song swelled in an instant to fill the void. It had no words, but he didn’t need words to express himself. The music alone was more than capable of that. She could swear she hadn’t heard the song before, but something about it was as familiar and natural as breathing. It spoke to her heart, stripping away everything until the busker and his song were all she knew. Her eyes closed as the music sped through her veins, dazing and rooting her in place. It was such a simple melody.
It shouldn’t be able to do that to me.
However many times she told herself, it made no difference. Her heart raced and her legs shook so wildly, she thought they might give way.
Ashley drew a deep breath, but the moment her eyes opened, the busker’s own eyes locked onto hers and a fierce shudder rippled down her spine. Her breath caught in her throat. As she fought to steady herself against the unexpected burst of emotion, the music soared and intensified, each note a six string bullet cutting straight to her soul.
Tears filled her eyes. All she could see was the busker, and all she could hear was his song. She didn’t know how so many other people casually passed by without even glancing at him, but she found it impossible to look away.
The busker paid no heed to his captive audience. It was as if all he knew was the music, too. His guitar case was empty, but even when she impulsively emptied her pockets into it, he didn’t miss a beat.
The gentle clinking of the coins against each other jolted Ashley back to her senses, realising she was soaked to the bone. Strange. The rain wasn’t heavy. No one was even carrying an umbrella. It would’ve taken hours for her to be so drenched.
Hours… She glanced down at her wristwatch.
The spell broken, she turned on her heel and sped down the street, flinging apologies in all directions as she pushed past the morning commuters and dashed toward her office.
To read the rest of this story and thirteen
other horror music shorts, check out:
Crescendo of Darkness
Direct link: https://www.amazon.com/Crescendo-Darkness-Jeremiah-Donaldson/dp/1987708156
Edited by Jeremiah Donaldson
Cover by Carmen Masloski
HorrorAddicts.net Press
Let music unlock your fear within.
Feb 20, 2014 Posted by Mary Ann on Feb 20, 2014 in guest posts, promotion | 0 comments
Guest Post by T.J. Alexian
Today I’m turning my little blog over to T.J. Alexian and his terrific YA novel, “Pictures of You.” I asked him what inspired this novel, and this is what he has to say. Here’s the link, by the way, to purchase this excellent novel. Pictures of You
Now I’ll let T.J. talk.
How I learned to love the voices in my head
By TJ Alexian
I mean, you never know where inspiration for a story is going to come from, right?
Take my novel Pictures of You, which was just released on Kindle (it will available in paperback shortly, too). I know the exact place and time that the idea for the story came to me. It felt like a revelation, so much so I actually had to sit down.
I had just given my daughter her first driving lesson. It was a beautiful spring day. For some reason thought it would be funny to tape the experience and post it to YouTube. And that got me to thinking: what if one day you woke up and found videos of your life posted on YouTube for everyone to see that you never wanted anyone to see?
Break-up scenes with an old flame, or the day you went to school with your fly down. What if the scenes became progressively worse, and couldn’t possibly have been taped, and you had no idea who was sending them or how they had gotten hold of them? How powerless and out of control—not to mention scared—would you feel?
I was off and running. Mapping out the first few chapters, imagining scenarios. Constructing it as a Young Adult novel, because for some reason, that’s the creative medium I work best in…and always, as a 16-year old girl, for some reason. Probably better not to ask.
That’s when the really scary things started happening. Like my own personal unwanted YouTube video, my main character started to speak to me. Made herself known. And I realized this girl wasn’t who had I initially envisioned at all.
You see, I originally intended to write the story as a strict YA thriller, with your stereotypical girly girl young pretty teen-ager who all these awful things happen to, but who wins out in the end. But as I progressed with the story…about six or eight chapters in…the true Ashes16 increasingly started to assert herself. She wanted to become so much more than that. And one morning, as I was lying in bed dreaming about her life and her world, I realized, “Oh, wait. This is a girl with gender issues. This is a girl who really wants to be a boy. And not just any boy…she wants to be her dead brother.”
After that, to me, the book really came into focus. I had always viewed it as a ghost story, but in seeing who Ashes was, it became clear to me that the story was as much about being haunted by the memories of your past as it was about an actual haunting. When that fell into place, I realized the real point behind Pictures of You was about giving voice to those hiding in the shadows—and not just voices of the non-corporeal variety. It’s about those who are unable to talk, or too scared to speak their own personal truth—for even if Ashes is a self-described YouTube addict with a very public social face, she still wears a mask. She still feels different, every day of her life. She’s still hiding a past she desperately needs to come to terms with and a sadness that she dares not reveal to anyone, especially herself.
There’s a lot to be said for giving in to the voices inside your head. At least in the case of Pictures of You, I think the book was made stronger for the experience. So let this be a lesson for you, sinners: creative schizophrenia can sometimes be a beautiful thing. Would you mind taking a look at the story and letting me know if you agree?
A story of a haunting. Of a memory that lingers. Of voices that hide in the shadows.
Living your life on video is fine, as long as you’ve got complete control. But what if one day you wake up and discover videos you didn’t know existed have gone public? That’s what happens to self-professed video geek, Ashes16, whose real-world past begins to haunt her when a strange video pops up on her YouTube account. Others soon follow, bringing back vivid memories of her older brother’s grisly death and forcing Ashes to relive over and over again a nightmare scene she witnessed first-hand.
And worse yet, the videos seem to be coming from him.
Are these truly messages from her dead brother, asking her to uncover dark family secrets some people want to keep hidden? And what happens when Ashes finally starts to understand the meaning behind the messages? That’s the chilling secret behind Pictures of You.
T.J. Alexian is the author of four novels and twelve plays, and is an award-winning communications specialist. He lives in Attleboro, Massachusetts in a renovated green Victorian, along with seven ghosts and his long-time (and long-suffering) partner. He also has three kids and one spiritual kid, and their stories and their spirit form the heart and soul of Pictures of You.
Alexian has been writing since the first grade, ever since his father tucked him to bed with stories about Nancy Drew’s younger brother and the Lone Ranger and Tonto. And T.J. first thought: “I don’t want these stories to ever end.” As a result, the stories kept going.
A profiled author in Writer’s Digest book Writer with a Day Job, Pictures of You is Alexian’s first self-published work, although he has two more novels being prepared for distribution: The Late Night Show and Confessions of a Diva Rotundo, which is an outrageous mystery penned by an egotistical thespian that is based on Alexian’s experiences as an actor and director of regional theater.
Pictures of You, in contrast, is a young adult thriller that combines Alexian’s love for social media with the macabre. A ghost story for the dispossessed, the novel tells the story of a young girl haunted by events in her past that never seem to die. But more than that, the novel is about being heard, about giving voice to voices that don’t fit the norm: some that lack the courage…and some, that hide in the shadows.
I sit at my computer and type in my YouTube username.
Ashes16
I scroll through my list of videos.
Still there. This memory I have no memory of. This memory, with that laugh at the end. This memory of him.
I scroll down farther. And stop, the cut on my knee completely forgotten. This isn’t possible.
All at once, it’s like I’m still running through the woods, as if I still hear that sound of footsteps moving softly behind me. A crackle of twigs. Once again I feel the whisper of someone’s presence in the air. I stare at the screen, in complete disbelief.
YOU2.
I can’t believe it’s there, but also, I can’t wait to see it. And so, I click on the video, to bring it to life.
There I am, sitting in front of my pink dressing table, the one that was in my bedroom at the old house, and is probably still there since we didn’t have room for it in the condo. I’m sitting with my back to the camera, brushing my long, straight hair.
I’m talking to myself, into the mirror on top of the dresser. I can’t hear a word of what she/I’m saying, so I turn up the volume.
“But of course, I can’t get my hair cut,” I’m saying, and I hate my voice even more, because I sound like such a little girl. “Mommy won’t let that happen. Your hair’s so beautiful, so straight and long…”
In the present day, I reach my hand up to touch the back of my head. So much shorter now, practically like a boy. No, no. Like a boy.
Back in the past, on the video, I keep brushing. “I’m so sick of straight and long! I’m sick of snarls in the morning. I’m—”
The person I was pauses, stops brushing. “I see you,” she says, but doesn’t turn around.
See? Oh, yes. In the mirror.
There’s a laugh, muffled and indistinct. His laugh, once again.
The person I was turns around, looks right into the camera. “Come on,” she says. “Why are you doing this?”
And I hear his voice again. The way I remember, kind of deep, but with that smile in it, that lightness. That teasing quality he always has. Had.
“To bug you,” he says.
I shake my head, and my bangs go in different directions. “You’re not, you know.” I sounded pouty, and I could almost hear him saying, at least in my head, that I always was a bad liar.
There’s movement, in the mirror that she/me is staring into. It happens in an instant, and then I see myself stand. “Daniel!”
Just like that, the video’s over.
That movement. It goes by so fast, but…
I use my mouse to move back in time, to the point where I turn around.
“You’re not, you know,” I say again, still sounding pouty.
The movement starts. Quickly, I hit pause.
Yes, right there.
He’s there. Daniel comes into view, a reflection in the mirror.
Daniel, with his skinny body and his pitch black hair, with bangs cut straight as mine are now. And his dark eyes, which always seemed to twinkle just a little when he was up to no good.
Daniel. I want to touch the screen. I push my fingers forward, and feel a bit of static from the
monitor. But more than that, there’s a chill in the air, over my shoulder. I break from the video, turn around.
No one’s there.
I’ve never been terribly fond of talking (or writing, which amounts to the same thing, doesn’t it?) about myself. But I suppose I need to put something explanatory here.
I’m a writer. I write slightly snarky, humourous vampire stories, mostly set in the US South. I also write flat-out horror, often featuring my own version of zombies, and still often set in the US South. Then there are non-horror, non-vampire stories that come out of nowhere.
Alexandria Publishing Group
Indie Author Group
Fright Mare: Women Write Horror Edited by Billie Sue Mosiman
Alexandria Publishing Group anthology books commas cover reveal covers e-books ebooks editing editors Fantasy fiction Finishing Fairies giveaway grammar guest post horror indie writers life links Mary Ann Peden-Coviello novellas novel structure Point of View promotion publishing punctuation rants reviewers reviews sentence structure social media Steampunk Stephen King story structure Suzanne Lazear The Coming Storm V.J. Devereaux Valerie Douglas wihm women in horror month writers writing writing craft Young Adult
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Dim Sum at Yummy House on the North Trail.
Copyright © 2013, Skip Lombardi
A great day in Sarasota need not include a trip to the beach. It could simply be a trip to see the great new exhibit at the Ringling Museum, Fifty Years of Modern Art: Georgia O’Keefe to Norman Rockwell, followed by Dim Sum at Yummy House on the North Trail.
In fact, the more I think about it, a great day in Sarasota may not necessarily include a trip to the Ringling Museum either*.
Mon-Sun 11 am – 9:00 pm
* But seriously…any day that includes a trip to the Ringling Museum is a great day in Sarasota…with Dim Sum or without. We feel that the Ringling is one of the great cultural resources in Florida
And by all means, we encourage you to take advantage of the free admission on Mondays for Sarasota residents and go see American Moderns.
Posted by Skip Filed in Food & Wine
Our favorite winter breakfast has long been avocado on toast. Years ago, each December, our Floridian grandparents would send us (via Railroad Express!) avocados from their back yard. It became a family tradition to enjoy some on Christmas morning.
This year the Florida avocado crop is especially bountiful, so we’ve been playing around with variations on guacamole.
So far, this is our favorite. But because we have a lot more prep work to do for tonight’s Italian feasting, we’ll spare you our usual lessons in botany and Mediterranean mythology and just give you our very quick and simple recipe for holiday guacamole. We think one picture is worth a thousand words.
Avocado & Pomegranate Seeds on Toast
Our recipe may be scaled up, but keeps its color best when made in quantities that will be consumed within 48 hours. The measures below are for one large Florida avocado.Choose one that weighs (with pit and peel)anywhere from 12 to 18 ounces.
NOTE: We really prefer the taste and texture of the Florida fruits over the smaller California Hass variety.
1 large, ripe Florida avocado
For EACH Avocado…
1 teaspoon freshly grated orange rind
Juice from 1/2 a small tart orange
1 Tablespoon ordinary white vinegar
1 very small FRESH garlic clove, minced (@ 1/4 teaspoon)
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger-root
A little minced fresh green chili (@ 1/4 teaspoon)
A few sprigs of snipped FRESH dill (@ 1 teaspoon)
Dill sprigs and fresh pomegranate seeds, for garnish
Grate the orange rind, then juice the orange half into a non-reactive 1-quart bowl. Add the grated rind.
Add the vinegar and all the seasonings except the salt, pepper, and garnishes.
Peel the avocado and add all the pulp to the bowl. Mash it with a fork, leaving a few chunks. Stir to combine with the seasonings. Add a little salt & pepper to taste. The flavors will continue to develop so it’s better to under-salt and taste again just before serving.
It’s ready to enjoy now, but will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for 4 days. We like to serve ours on lightly toasted semolina-sesame bread from the Bavarian Bakery, but the avocado mixture is delicious on crackers,tortillas, or chips.
Garnish with fresh dill and pomegranate seeds, whose slight acidity is a lovely complement to the unctuous avocado.
As we prepare the manuscript and ebook formats of our culinary history and cookbook, Almost Italian, we are rephotographing some of our creations. While we’ve spent three years looking into the rear-view mirror of our 1956 De Soto as we blogged about the evolution of Italian food in America, photography has raced ahead. Digital photography has enjoyed advances that would dazzle those paisani disembarking in New Orleans, New York, Providence and Boston to pose stiffly for their first black-and-white photos on American shores.
Photo Copyright © 2010, Skip Lombardi
One dish that merited a retake was Chicken Scarpariello, Chicken Shoemaker-style; and so we made it again last night. But because it was so hot last evening, still in the high 80’s, we grilled the chicken rather than giving it the traditional stove-top braise. The palmetto-smoke infused both chicken and sausage, adding one more dimension to an already zippy dish.
For this new photo, we served our chicken and sausages on a bed of capellini, rapidly cooked just short of al dente, before we swirled it into the pan-sauce.
Since Memorial Day Weekend is the official start of the outdoor grilling season, we encourage you to try this variation of the Italian-American classic.
Follow the Chicken Scarpariello recipe on AlmostItalian.com with these small changes:
• If possible, build your fire with hardwood charcoal and/or dry palmetto trimmings. Grill the chicken and sausages outdoors until done (about 9 minutes per side for the chicken thighs).
• In a large frying pan on the stove, sauté the onions, garlic and red pepper flakes. Cut the cooked sausage into rounds and slide them and the grilled chicken into the pan. Add the wine and proceed with the rest of the recipe.
You can make the dish ahead and cook the pasta just before serving.
Any Knights of Columbus marching this Memorial Day will toss of their capes, doff their plumed hats to you, and be very happy to find this on the picnic table after the parade!
Posted by Holly and Skip Filed in Food & Wine
Veni. Vidi. Veggie…
Note: Today, the 15th, is the Ides of March, signifying that the Vernal Equinox and March Madness will kick in next week and that your IRS returns are due a month from today.
We prefer to look backwards, to Shakespeare and his immortalization of Julius Caesar, the Emperor who chose the wrong neighborhood for what turned out to be his final stroll back in 44 BC (BC, btw stands for BEFORE CHICKEN, as in blackened chicken atop the salad most people suppose to have been named for the dude who said “I came, I saw, I ordered an antipasto…”
We first published this recipe in our other blog, Almost Italian, on October 12, 2007.
This was a favorite among the supper club crowd during the 1950’s, when tableside preparations were the rage from coast-to-coast. Head waiters in tuxedos relished the opportunity to make this salad as theatrical as anything the French had ever flambéed.
Lettuce Vendor
Technically, Caesar Salad would never have gotten a Green Card, let alone qualification as Italian-American, had its creator not been a bona fide Italian. Emigrating from Baveno, in the lake district of northern Italy, Cesare Cardini arrived in America in 1913. Within a few years, he had opened a restaurant just south of the California border in Tijuana, Mexico. It was there that he invented the salad that bears the revised spelling of his name, not that of the Roman emperor who dallied with Cleopatra.
Initially, the Hollywood patrons of Caesar’s Palace, Cardini’s first restaurant in Tijuana, came to take a break from Prohibition; but they were soon coming back for Caesar Salad. And it wasn’t too long before Caesar Salad began to appear on the menus of neighborhood Italian restaurants all over North America.
While Mr. Cardini’s salad contained several ingredients unusual for the period, like Worcestershire sauce and Parmesan cheese, the most unusual were the toasted croutons. One tale of the salad’s origin suggests that on the Fourth of July, 1924, Ceasar’s kitchen was running low on vegetables. Mr. Cardini is said to have gathered armloads of whatever was available, putting everything on a cart which he wheeled into the dining room. There, he began making this salad in full view of diners. Among his hastily gathered ingredients, were garlic-flavored croutons that had probably been destined to garnish soup.
The original salad didn’t include anchovies, but we have a clue as to how they eventually found their way into the standard Caesar Salad: Worcestershire sauce may contain many exotic flavor enhancers, like tamarind, asafoetida, cloves and—guess what—anchovies. I happen to love anchovies, so I have included them in my recipe.
Anchovies turned out to be among the more subtle subversions of Caesar Salad. Over the course of the 1980’s and 90’s, Italian-American chefs have pushed, prodded, and shoved additional ingredients into and around the salad. Blackened Chicken Caesar Salad, Grilled Tuna Caesar, Shrimp Caesar, Tofu-topped Ceasar, Caesar Burgers, and even Caesar burritos no longer raise eyebrows when they appear on upscale and fast-food menus.
During the 1990s, the California Department of Health banned the sale of Caesar Salad made with eggs. That regulation was suspended in 1998 when food scientists presented convincing evidence that coddling eggs, or dipping them into boiling water for 40 – 45 seconds, killed any lurking bacteria. If you do use eggs when making the dressing, please don’t omit this step.
For the Croutons:
2 Cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
2 cups French baguette slices cut into 1-inch cubes.
Combine the garlic, a few grindings from the pepper mill, and bread cubes in a bowl. Mix until seasonings cling evenly to cubes. Drizzle the olive oil over the cubes, stirring gently with a spatula. Spread the seasoned bread cubes on a sheet pan and bake until the croutons are golden, approximately10 minutes.
1 Clove garlic, peeled and cut in half horizontally
4 oil-packed anchovies, minced
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
Juice of ½ Lemon
1 Large egg, coddled (submerged in boiling water for 45 seconds)
4 – 5 Tbs. Extra-virgin olive oil
2 Heads of Romaine lettuce (outer leaves removed and reserved for another use)
Rub the inside of a wooden salad bowl* with the garlic halves, covering the bowl as evenly as possible. Discard the remaining garlic. Add the optional anchovies, and mash them with the back of a fork, while stirring to coat inside of the bowl as well.
Add the Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and mustard. Stir well. Crack the coddled egg into the bowl and beat vigorously with the back of a fork until all ingredients are well mixed.
Slowly add the oil in a steady stream, stirring constantly, until the mixture is smooth and the dressing begins to emulsify.
Tear the Romaine lettuce into 2-inch pieces. Add them to the salad bowl and toss to coat them with the dressing. Add the Parmesan and croutons and toss the salad again. Serve immediately on chilled plates.
Serves six.
* For an erudite and extremely funny treatise on the mystique of wooden salad bowls, visit the Los Angeles Times online archives to read:
COOL FOOD When Salad Bowls Stalked the Earth by Charles Perry
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Las Vegas Holiday Hoops Day 1: Career highs and overtimes!
Furman 77, Fairfield 70 OT
The first game of the day was an overtime battle that saw Furman (7-4) overcome an early ten-point deficit to beat Fairfield 77-70.
At the outset, Fairfield (2-8) appeared to have the upper hand, amassing a 17-7 lead at 2:01 in the first quarter. The Stags entered the second quarter leading the Paladins 17-12.
The tables turned in the second ten minutes as Furman fought back to outscore Fairfield 16-13 to narrow their deficit to two. The Stags led the Paladins 30-28 at the break. Senior guard Casey Foley had 11 points for Fairfield after the second period while Le'Jzae Davidson also had 11 at the half.
The third quarter saw Furman continue their offensive onslaught, outscoring Fairfield 20-13 in the third ten minutes. However, the Paladins were not ready to fold as they didn't let Furman's 48-43 lead at the end of the third period keep them from fighting.
Senior forward Khadidiatou Diouf's eight points in the fourth quarter helped Fairfield catch up while redshirt freshman guard Milica Manojlovic converted a scoop layup at the buzzer to tie the game at 62-62, sending the contest in overtime.
Manojlovic, Davidson and sophomore forward Celena Taborn helped seal the deal for Furman in the overtime period scoring nearly all the team's points in the extra period.
Davidson led all scorers with a career-high 35 points. Taborn had 19 plus nine rebounds.
Diouf paced Fairfield with a career-high 23 points plus 10 rebounds. Her performance marked her first double-double of the season. Foley and junior guard/forward Katie Armstrong had 13 points each. Foley pulled down five rebounds while Armstrong collected eight.
Overall, neither team shot particularly well. Furman shot 35.1 percent from the floor (20-57) while Fairfield was a little better at 40.0 percent (26-65). However, Furman had 27 points off the bench compared to 12 by Fairfield.
Fairfield faces the University of Illinois at Chicago in the first contest of the day on Saturday at noon. Furman takes on Western Illinois in the following game.
UTEP 84, Western Illinois 72
The second game of the days was also a pretty evenly matched affair for the majority of the game. However, UTEP (3-8) pulled out an 84-72 win over Western Illinois (3-9).
UTEP junior guard/forward Katarina Zec got the action going with a three-point jump shot for the Miners. Western Illinois, known as a team that is prolific beyond the arc, countered with a three-pointer of their own from junior guard Annabel Graettinger. WIU launched nine treys in the first period, making foru. UTEP was 2-of-5 from three-point land in the first period. The teams went into the second quarter tied at 19 after UTEP senior forward Jordan Alexander buried a triple at the buzzer.
The teams traded the lead a few times in the second quarter. UTEP managed to outscore WIU 20-17 in the second period. At the half, UTEP led 39-36.
The third quarter determined the outcome of the game as UTEP dominated by outpacing WIU 28-19. While the teams scored 17 points each in the last quarter, it was not enough for WIU to trade baskets and overcome the hole they fell into in the third quarter.
UTEP junior forward Zuzanna Puc earned double-double with a season-best 24 points plus 11 rebounds.
"It was great to watch our team play well," UTEP head coach Kevin Baker said. "We really put a lot of work into that game so I was glad to see it pay off. We got that big lead and they made a run back at us. We could have said 'here we go again' but we didn't do that. We responded with some big baskets inside from Zuza (Zuzanna Puc). I'm just really proud of our team today."
WIU had three players in double figures. Senior guard Taylor Higginbotham finished with 24 points and six points. Junior guard Olivia Kaufman added 13 points and freshman guard Elizabeth Lutz contributed 10 points.
UTEP plays Akron on Saturday after the WIU vs. Furman game.
Akron 74, Jackson State 57
The third game was the most lopsided contest of the day as Akron (7-2) defeated Jackson State 74-57. But, the outcome of the matchup was not clear-cut at the outset as Jackson State (3-6) outscored Akron 12-9 to begin the game. The slow start by both teams continued somewhat into the second quarter. However, it was Akron who led, using a 17-9 second quarter run to go into halftime with a 26-21 advantage.
Like the game before, the third quarter proved to be the deciding period as Akron was 9-of-15 from the field and 6-of-9 from the free throw line. Junior forward Haliegh Reinoehl led Akron with eight points in third quarter. The Zips went into the fourth quarter with a 52-36 lead and did not look back.
Reinoehl and senior guard Megan Sefcik had 13 points each. Sefcik also pulled down five rebounds. Junior guard Shayna Harmon was also in double figures with 12 points along with six rebounds.
Sophomore guard D’Asia Mitchell paced Jackson State with 19 points. Junior guard Kaisah Lucky added 12 points and seven rounds. Marneisha Hamer contributed 10 points.
Jackson State has a day of rest before playing UIC on Saturday at 11 a.m. PT.
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Agnotological war DIE HARD III Herman Tiu Laurel 03/21/2011
Agnotological war
Agnotology is a neologism on the study of culturally-induced ignorance or doubt, particularly as this relates to the publication of inaccurate or misleading scientific data. And since the press and media shape 70 percent of what’s known to be culture and knowledge today, it would be more accurate to also include media-induced ignorance through their selective information and news.
In the three literally burning issues of the day, many problems in people’s understanding of the truth are symptomatic of the agnotological conditions perpetrated by news media and the dominant information system hegemonies of the world. From the Fukushima crisis in Japan, to the Libyan struggle in North Africa, to the pro- and anti-nuclear as well as the pro- and anti-Merci impeachment debates in our own setting, the deliberate inducement of ignorance have all led to adverse consequences for people everywhere.
In the nuclear fall-out crisis stemming from the Fukushima reactors’ failures and radiation emissions, we find a culturally-induced ignorance of the Japanese people toward complacency with regard to their authorities’ abuses and unreliability. Japanese power plant officials, for one, kept everyone ignorant of very vital information.
In the first few days, no one was given an inkling as to the enormity of the problem. It was only when one nuclear reactor after another gave way that a clear admission that at least four of them were in really serious trouble came out. Despite this, the Japanese continued to be very trusting of their nuclear authorities, even after threatening radiation levels reached beyond the 20 to 30-mile radius.
What we’re witnessing here is a case of “structured ignorance.” It took criticism from cultures less trusting of authorities against Japan’s niggardly crisis updates to alert everyone of the mortal dangers in this unfolding crisis. Still, this hasn’t been the worst of the lot.
In the case of Libya , where media-induced ignorance through blatant misinformation and disinformation are being used to justify a foreign-backed coup d’etat and eventual Nato oil and land grab, so-called “Allied” fighter jets are now pounding on Tripoli as of posting time.
Al Jazeera was at the forefront of this disinformation and misinformation campaign, starting with its unsubstantiated reports (and later proven false by Russian satellite monitoring) of Gaddafi forces and war planes mowing down unarmed civilian demonstrators. In all video docus from Libya I have seen, the anti-Gaddafi forces were always heavily armed. While there are those who see Al Jazeera as an alternative to CNN and BBC, it actually plays a complementary role through its more subtle information subversion as it appears to be less pro-West than it actually is.
Al Jazeera, for instance, pumped up demonstration casualties to “thousands,” even when these later turned out to be only over a hundred. Such exaggeration was especially blatant considering the fact that even as the turmoil in Libya entered its third week, with a full scale battle in the city of Misrata, the real casualty figure there numbered only 25.
By and large, Al Jazeera’s interviews and panel discussions hardly ever feature the side of Gaddafi or the voices of pro-Gaddafi people on the ground. And as the Gaddafi counter-offensive gained ground, it became clear, too, that the alleged “total loss of popular support” for the Libyan strongman was completely false.
Yet, Al Jazeera’s on-site reporters kept on annotating their news with a blatant anti-Gaddafi virulence.
One of the most obvious lies Western media and the anti-Gaddafi forces tried to foist on the world in the first week of the conflict was that the Libyan opposition movement abhors foreign intervention even to support its cause. But not long after Gaddafi’s counter-offensive successes and before the UN “No Fly Zone” resolution, the anti-Gaddafis in Benghazi were literally begging for it and jubilated when Nato promised to start arming them and bombing pro-Gaddafi Libyans for a grand bloodbath of Arab blood.
With Nato and monarchist anti-Gaddafi forces collaborating, an oil and land grab that will “Balkanize” Libya isn’t too far in the horizon. But more devastation will follow, just as what invading forces did to Iraq.
As the world continues to be kept ignorant of the systematic destruction of the cultural heritage and infrastructure of Iraq by its occupying forces, this is the crux of what Felicity Arbuthnot wrote in a recent article about Libya: The bombing of Libya will begin on or nearly to the day of the 18th anniversary of the beginning of the destruction of Iraq, 19th March (in Europe). Libya, too, will be destroyed — its schools, education system, water, infrastructure, hospitals, and municipal buildings. There will be numerous “tragic mistakes” and “collateral damage,” involving mothers, fathers, children, babies, grandparents, the blind and the deaf, and so on. And like the wonders of past empire’s remains, as with these nations’ rich histories (Iraq and Afghanistan), Libya’s, too, will be gone… forever.
Finally, let’s apply this agnotology to the Philippine setting: The debates between pro- and anti-nuclear power advocates, same with pro- and anti-Merci Gutierrez impeachment proponents simply reveal that both sides are wrong. In the former instance, all of them are all deliberately leaving out geothermal power in their discussions. This, despite a 2010 report by the World Geothermal Congress that total potential of the world for geothermal energy “…is equivalent to 40,000 GW while the total world energy demand (today) is equivalent to 15,000 GW.”
Both the pro- and anti-nuclear power lobbies are definitely creating ignorance of the only true alternative — geothermal energy, of which the Philippine has limitless potential.
Meantime, in the Merci impeachment moro-moro, the nation is being kept ignorant of the fact that both sides are similarly corrupted and will never work to sustain the “Rule of Law” when they all threw this away and resorted to the “Rule of Force” in the case of President Joseph Estrada.
Truly, the facts are there for all to see; and only an agnotological media will continue to befuddle the issues to the people’s detriment.
(Tune in to Sulo ng Pilipino, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 6 to 7 p.m. on 1098AM dwAD; TNT with HTL, Tuesday, 8 to 9 p.m., with replay at 11 p.m., on GNN, Destiny Cable Channel 8, on “Energy Futures;” visit http://newkatipunero.blogspot.com for our articles plus select radio and GNN shows)
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Aquino-Cojuangcos using military to harass Luisita farmworkers
The victory achieved by the farm workers in the decision of the Supreme Court ordering the distribution of the land under Hacienda Luisita did not make their life easier as the military continues to harass them.
HACIENDA LUISITA, Tarlac City – Out of fear, Michelle Mandigma, 30, left their home in barangay Balete in October last year. Along with her husband and seven children, Mandigma sought shelter at the office of the Alyansa ng Manggagawang Bukid sa Asyenda Luisita (Ambala).
Mandigma said soldiers had frequented their house located in the middle of the farm since Ambala, of which her husband is an active member, set up the picketline within the disputed land being claimed by the Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) in July last year.
“For months, they occupied the hut in front of our house, staying there for long periods of time,” Mandigma told members of a fact-finding mission, March 10. Mandigma said that the men wore civilian clothes but admitted to being soldiers. “They would ask us who are the NPAs [New People’s Army] here in the hacienda and who visits the picketline,” Mandigma said. The NPA is the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).
The fact-finding mission organized by the Alyansa ng Magbubukid sa Gitnang Luson (AMGL), Unyon ng Manggagawa sa Agrikultura (Uma), Karapatan and other groups revealed that military presence is notable in ten barangays (villages) inside the hacienda owned by the family of President Benigno S. Aquino III. Several units of the military under the 7th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army used barangay halls as their detachments, and occupied even the office of the United Luisita Workers’ Union (Ulwu) in barangay (village) Mapalacsiao.
According to international humanitarian law, soldiers are prohibited from using public places for their operations..... MORE
URL: http://bulatlat.com/main/2012/03/12/aquino-cojuangco-clan-using-military-to-harass-luisita-farmworkers/
Public lynching not allowed EDITORIAL 03/13/2012
Public lynching not allowed
Without saying it, impeachment court presiding justice Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile bared his heart the other day on the doubts he holds on the ability of some of the senator-judges in the Senate trial to render an impartial judgment on impeached Chief Justice Renato Corona.
Noynoy’s Senate partymates and some other senators who have been won over to the oust-Corona movement have been and continue to be perceived as aiding the prosecution panel by jumping in whenever the accusers of Corona encounter a dead end either through sheer incompetence or as a result of the rules of the Senate court, which rules, not surprisingly, are being claimed by the same Noynoy senator allies not to apply strictly — to the point of even introducing hearsay as evidence beneficial to Noynoy and his senator-judges, and also polluted and illegally obtained evidence as proof..... MORE
Concrete message: Iran ‘supershield’ to thwart US ‘superbomb’
Pentagon’s joy at getting tons of money for a bigger, badder bomb was, apparently, premature. Iran claims to have invented “super concrete” – of a type that will stop the Massive Ordnance Penetrator from penetrating… well, anything.
Iran is known for being one of the most earthquake-prone countries in the world. As a result, their scientists have gotten really good at creating ultra-high performance concrete, or UHPC, which is one of the toughest and most rigid building materials in the world. And like any dual-use technology, it can have military applications as well – something the Iranians are keen to utilize.What they’ve done is the exact opposite of that age-old adage: “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”..... MORE
URL: http://rt.com/news/super-concrete-super-bomb-409/
Bradley Manning treatment cruel, inhuman - UN special rapporteur
The United Nations official investigating the American military’s treatment of Bradley Manning has ruled that the US government imposed cruel, inhuman, degrading and borderline torturous treatment on the alleged WikiLeaks contributor.
The UN’s special rapporteur on torture, Juan Mendez, has completed his 14-month investigation into the detainment of Private First Class Bradley Manning, a 24-year old US soldier. Following allegations that he aided Julian Assange’s WikiLeaks site, Manning was arrested in May 2010 for disclosing classified material and has been in governmental custody for the nearly two years since. Despite a lengthy stint in military prison, Manning was formally arraigned only recently with a series of crimes that could put him away for the rest of life. In that period where Manning was held without charge, the UN now reports that the alleged whistleblower was subjected to reprehensible treatment at the hands of the United States..... MORE
URL: http://rt.com/usa/news/manning-cruel-treatment-un-torture-383/
'Get out!' Students demand US go after Kandahar bloodbath (PHOTOS)
Hundreds of Afghan university students have taken to the streets to protest a shooting spree in Kandahar that left 16 dead. The protesters demanded justice for the victims and a full withdrawal US forces.
About 400 students rallied in Afghanistan’s eastern city of Jalalabad on Tuesday. The mob, which blocked a highway leading to the country’s capital of Kabul, chanted anti-American slogans and demanded a public trial for the shooter. .... MORE
URL: http://rt.com/news/afghanistan-massacre-shooter-protest-431/
A development manifesto? AN OUTSIDERS VIEW Ken Fuller 03/13/2012
A development manifesto?
Some weeks ago, a reader e-mailed me what amounted to a manifesto for national development. Interestingly, the author is not Filipino but a UK businessman-scientist who’s been resident here for over 20 years. See what you think.
For the agricultural sector, the manifesto proposes that 10 million Merino sheep should be introduced on the land above 700 meters in Luzon, Mindoro and Panay. Each year, these would produce 80 million kilos of fine wool worth $640 million. Including the downstream processing and spinning plants and the fine garment factories, it’s estimated that two million jobs would be created.
On currently idle land throughout the Philippines, it’s proposed that between a million and 1.5 million Red Devon cattle, which do not need to be fed on grain, be introduced for the purpose of beef production, providing $75 million in annual revenue and creating 100,000 jobs in farming, transportation and processing. There are further proposals for fruit tree cultivation, the banning of tobacco production and the development of trout fishing and pine plantations — all generating considerable revenue and jobs..... MORE
Fruit of the poisonous tree VIEWPOINTS Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz 03/13/2012
Fruit of the poisonous tree
On the occasion of the impeachment trial ready for resumption, it is both fortunate and important that some kind of a thumb rule adopted by American jurisprudence was invoked for the occasion by an able senator-judge.
This is motivated by the mysterious appearance of a “small lady” alleged to have handed certain bank accounts to a member of prosecution for evidentiary use against the subject-object of the impeachment. This already perplexing production of evidence against the accused was even reinforced by another unseen and unknown individual said to have covertly delivered copies of the same bank accounts to the garage of another member of the prosecution..... MORE
Assault on Tribune reporter triggers wide media condemnation By Pat C. Santos 03/13/2012
Assault on Tribune reporter triggers wide media condemnation
Different media groups condemned the brutal attack on The Daily Tribune Malacaang beat reporter Fernan Angeles who was mauled and shot seven times in different parts of the body by still unidentified assailants with the National Press Club (NPC) putting up a P100,000 reward for the identification of the suspects.
The Tribune issued a statement calling on the government to act decisively in solving the crime and to put up measures to protect journalists from the various risks they encounter in the exercise of their jobs.
We expect the government and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to act with expediency in capturing those responsible for this reprehensible crime, the Tribune statement read.
It also issued a call on the media community to act and seek an end to the culture of impunity that prevails in the country that allows the unabated targeting of journalists that made the Philippines one of the most dangerous places for members of the media in the world..... MORE
Tiangco bares Palace links in House impeach express By Benjamin B. Pulta and Angie M. Rosales 03/13/2012
PORK BARREL USED TO COERCE SIGNATURES
Tiangco bares Palace links in House impeach express
By Benjamin B. Pulta and Angie M. Rosales 03/13/2012
The first witness of Chief Justice Renato Corona in the impeachment trial painted yesterday a vivid picture of how members of the House of Representatives were threatened with their pork barrel being withheld by Malacanang if they questioned the railroading of the impeachment complaint against Corona.
Navotas Rep. Tobias Tiangco took the witness stand for the defense despite vigorous objections from the prosecution panel on his testimony over what happened in last December’s focus which approved the impeachment complaint.
Under direct examination by defense counsel Dennis Manalo, Tiangco said Speaker Feliciano Belmonte told congressmen that the impeachment was ‘non-debatable’..... MORE
9 DENR officials probed for faking Boracay land titles 03/13/2012
9 DENR officials probed for faking Boracay land titles
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Central Office is investigating nine regional and field officials from their branch office in the Western Visayas Region who allegedly issued thirty-one fake land titles in Boracay.
The erring officials, who were not named yet, are the subject of an administrative complaint for grave misconduct.
The respondents were cross-examined by a probe team chaired by DENR Undersecretary for Field Operations lawyer Ernesto Adobo Jr. in a hearing in the pool side of West Town Hotel, Iloilo City from Feb. 29 to March 2, 2012..... MORE
OFWs need police clearance to exit Saudi by Michaela P. del Callar 03/13/2012
OFWs need police clearance to exit Saudi
Filipinos moving from Saudi Arabia to other countries for work or migration were advised by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to obtain a police clearance or they would be barred from entering their new destinations.
A clearance prior to departure is needed if they are moving to Australia, Canada, Europe or the United States, the DFA said, adding it is an entry or residency requirement in these countries for all Filipinos coming from Saudi Arabia.
Those seeking to obtain a police clearance while still in the Kingdom should have a letter of endorsement addressed to the police obtained from the Philippine embassy in Riyadh. The document costs 100 Saudi Riyals..... MORE
QC subsidizes graduation fees of elementary, HS studes By Arlie O. Calalo 03/13/2012
QC subsidizes graduation fees of elementary, HS studes
By Arlie O. Calalo 03/13/2012
The Quezon City government has subsidized the graduation expenses of students graduating this week from public schools in the city, Mayor Herbert Bautista revealed.
He said some P1.4 million has been set aside by the city government to cover the grant of the subsidy, which would entitle each of the city’s 142 schools to P10,000 financial aid.
With the Department of Education’s no-collection policy still in effect, the mayor said, the grant of the subsidy will enable parents to focus more on other immediate needs of the family..... MORE
Oil price hike protests set on Thursday 03/13/2012
Oil price hike protests set on Thursday
Student councils, campus alliances and national youth organizations are calling for campus walk-outs and mass actions against oil price hikes on Thursday, March 15.
In a unity statement, more than a hundred groups under “Kilos na Kontra Kartel at Overpricing sa Langis” or KKK urged the youth and private citizens to join big nationwide protests.
“We are alarmed by the successive price hikes in oil products. The masses can no longer afford the overprice in oil products imposed by the greedy cartel,” said the unity statement..... MORE
Aquino-Cojuangcos using military to harass Luisita...
Concrete message: Iran ‘supershield’ to thwart US ...
Bradley Manning treatment cruel, inhuman - UN spec...
'Get out!' Students demand US go after Kandahar bl...
A development manifesto? AN OUTSIDERS VIEW Ken Ful...
Fruit of the poisonous tree VIEWPOINTS Archbishop ...
Assault on Tribune reporter triggers wide media co...
Tiangco bares Palace links in House impeach expres...
9 DENR officials probed for faking Boracay land ti...
OFWs need police clearance to exit Saudi by Michae...
QC subsidizes graduation fees of elementary, HS st...
Oil price hike protests set on Thursday 03/13/201...
UK's Heathrow Airport to create separate arrival areas for coronavirus - Britain's Heathrow Airport will introduce separate areas for passengers traveling from regions that have been affected by the new flu-like coronavirus in C...
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Talisman Gallery
Talisman Gallery is a leading British jewellery retailer based in London.
Talisman Gallery showcases the very best in contemporary jewellery from around the world. Find out how it all started …
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Atelier Zobel spectrolite cuff and ring just in at Talisman Gallery Harvey Nichols
Magnificent one of a kind pieces from the talented Peter Schmidt have arrived in store. Silver, gold diamond and spectrolite cuff
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Category: In the loupe
Gorgeous new Monies collection available instore now at Talisman Gallery Harvey Nichols
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Atelier Zobel one-of-a-kind ring new in at Talisman Gallery Harvey Nichols
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Audio Director
Lionhunt!
'Lionhunt!' was a commission from ENO Baylis, written with composer John Webb, who is a specialist in Early Years music education. The brief was to write a piece for Key Stage 1 children - Years 1 & 2 - which would introduce them to the concept of an opera house, to the vocabulary associated with it, and to the jobs that people might do inside.
Children from several different primary schools in Southwark were brought to the London Coliseum to look round the building and then do a workshop in which they interviewed puppet animals about working in the theatre. Drawing on the children's discoveries and suggestions about what animal might do which job, Tamsin wrote the libretto for Lionhunt! and John set it to music. The children learned the songs and dances in their school classrooms, taught by their own teachers with occasional visits from ENO practitioners. They then returned to the Coliseum to perform the piece in a designated performance space, complete with specially-designed set and costumes.
Brian the Lion is missing at the curtain call after an opera performance of Androcles and the Lion in which he is starring. So, once the audience has gone home, Signor Macaroni asks the Conductor, the Director, the Big Fat Bass and the Glamorous Soprano to help him hunt for his missing star. As they comb the building, they meet various animals, doing different jobs in the theatre, who offer to come and help in the search for Brian.
We're looking high, we're looking low
Where did Brian the Lion go?
With a flick of his tail and a click of his claws
He's vanished away behind one of these doors.
Let's knock and take a peek inside
And see if the Lion came here to hide...
This versatile piece can be done by any primary school class, ideally, but not exclusively, in conjunction with their local theatre.
Contact Tamsin or John Webb for further details.
Picture credit: Talula Sheppard
"If I could wave my magic wand I would have this in every single school in the country as it does the children so much good. Just seeing them bond together, teamwork, looking after each other – they’ve put so much into it and they are now so proud."
(Teaching Assistant, Tower Bridge Primary School, Southwark)
"Children should absolutely be given these opportunities for their development, self-esteem and confidence – they should all have these opportunities"
(Teaching Assistant, St. Joseph's Primary School, Southwark)
"There is one child who is really withdrawn sometimes, she doesn’t have a great background, and to me she’s been the star – her singing and her enthusiasm. It’s really brought her out. The boys have really loved it. I thought at first they wouldn’t like it – as there was singing and dancing etc., but they’ve been brilliant. I think the animal theme; the writing and the jazzy nature of the music have meant that it has been accessible for the boys. The boys love the dog song and the jazzy style of the snake song. It’s been just right."
(Teacher, Tower Bridge Primary School, Southwark)
"One little girl came into school and said 'Oh miss, my Grandma has told me to be quiet because I keep practising dog song. She said, I sing it all the time and I sing it on the way to school in the morning.' This shows that they’re taking it home – it’s not just a school thing."
"We’ve done a display of the all the new words and we made a big banner across one of the classroom walls of the all the words they were finding particularly difficult. They would never come to places like the Coliseum so it’s been really enriching for them."
"It was amazing. I'd like to come back here."
(Pupil, Tower Bridge Primary School, Southwark)
Alligator Train
Cat-Astrophe
Dart's Love
ENO Mini Operas
For The Public Good
Love Bytes
Mr. Purcell: His Ground
New Highbury Opera Theatre Commission
Open Port
Pierrot Pieces
Professional Suicide
Songs of the Marsh
Tales & Fables
The Ballad of Slippery Jack
Copyright © Tamsin Collison 2020. All Rights Reserved. Website design by H:L:D
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Contribution to the knowledge of hand-rearing and rehabilitation of swift species
INAPPROPIATE DIETS FOR INSECTIVORES
NON-INSECT BASED DIETS ARE CONSIDERED INAPPROPIATE AND HARMFUL
It is essential to be aware of the poor results and risks on the survival of chicks hand-reared using wrong diets (Meat, pet food, grain, lactic formulas, fly maggots, …)
It can be establish that poor growth observed on insectivore chicks hand-reared with non-insect diets is clearly a husbandry matter related specifically to the diet.
Almost all show a stunted appearance when compared to their conspecifics hand-reared with insects.
Low body weight or poor growth may be caused by any factor that interferes with the homeostasis of the nestling; improper feeding (insufficient energy, unbalanced nutrition or inappropriate diet).
Nestling nutrition is the most obvious mechanism that influences growth and body size and it is a major factor in the husbandry management for any species, particularly nestlings as growth is the period in which most nutrients are necessary at their maximum levels.
In young altricial nestlings, the energetic cost of growth is often more than 50 per cent of the daily metabolizable energy requirements.
Birds are very sensitive to acute deficiencies of some nutrients. Insectivore chicks under non-insect diets show poor growing rates, clearly fed with a diet that differs significantly from its natural food.
Nutritional status of a growing bird is based on its ability to assimilate and metabolize the supplied food.
Insectivores, as other faunivores birds rely on a very competent digestive enzymatic capacity. Animal food prey is high in protein with a balance in essential amino acids, similar to the bird’s requirements.
In terms of nutritional components, insects are high in proteins and lipids, with the amino acid balance almost as good as vertebrate prey, with good sources of phosphorus, vitamins, and trace minerals but low in calcium.
Looking at a non-insect diet (e.g.: cat food), we can establish that could be complete in terms of macro-nutrients, with proteins and lipids contents similar to those observed in insect diets.
Despite these similarities, nutritional strategies determine the types of food that may be consumed without digestive or metabolic complications, hence species are adapted to foods that are attainable and can be metabolized appropriately by an adapted digestive tract.
Insectivore birds have a moderate rate of passage, with an efficiency of digestion that approaches 100 per cent of the non-chitin components of insects.
On the other hand, carnivore birds have a slow rate of passage, an adaptation to complete efficiently the digestion of vertebrate prey.
A Common swift or another insectivore bird fed with a carnivore diet may have less opportunity to assimilate and metabolize the food completely.
A theoretically balanced diet may appear to have all required nutrients, but in fact it is nutritionally inadequate due to the interaction of specific nutrients.
This imbalance may be caused by excessive nutrient impairing the metabolism of another functionally similar nutrient, causing a decrease in its absorption or increasing its catabolism or excretion.
When observing the feather quality; non-insect diets produce a poor plumage and usually cause dirtiness on feathers. Flight performance at release, done in subjective terms by observation, is questionable (hardly they manage to fly high).
Numerous birds on non-insect diet show retained feather sheaths along the hand-rearing process and needed manual preening. Even doing so, fault-bars at the spot where the sheath constrict the feather leave a weakened structure.
Birds rely on two major sources of energy, lipids from fat stores and proteins. If they do not have enough lipids, they may start protein catabolism in a stage when proteins are fundamental for the development of vital organs and muscles.
Adipose tissue is not observed in chicks on non-insect diet, conversely to the birds in insect diets. The fat deposit is important to avoid formation of fault-bars, defective barbule formation which may be points of breakage in the feathers.
If fat stores are depleted, birds start a compensatory use of protein catabolising muscle tissue. This effect can cause the release of endogenous corticosterone, detrimental while feather is developing. Other researchers observed on passerines how endogenous corticosterone released under physical stressors (e.g.: food restriction) resulted in greater inter-barb distances in primaries, secondaries and rectrices, fewer barbules and weaker feathers when compared to control birds.
Body weight and plumage condition are essential indicators of individual chances of survival to release. Low fledgling body weight can lead to low fitness, thus decreased chances of survival. Common swifts need an exceptional body condition at fledgling.
They need considerable flying abilities and therefore a large pectoral mass.
Apparently young spend the first night after fledging on the wing and may start on the migration shortly after leaving the nest, a long journey crossing the Sahara to the wintering fields in Africa, migrating at high altitudes, often above 2000 m.
Common swifts require adaptation to execute fast movements in low atmospheric levels and restless flight usually at high altitudes with low oxygen pressure, which represents great energy expenditure.
Dull plumage, which may consist of severely malformed feathers, cannot supply flight performance, necessary insulation or waterproofing.
NEITHER OF THESE INHIBITED GROWTH RESULTS CAUSED BY WRONG DIETS, LOW BODY WEIGHT AND POOR FEATHER CONDITION, SEEM COMPATIBLE WITH SURVIVAL IN THE WILD
Probably only a small percentage of even wild-raised nestlings survive to reproduce. We can not provide for need of orphaned Common swifts as their parents do, but we must emulate them as close as possible if we want to give them any chance at all of survival, initially its long migration journey, and then successfully to reproductive age.
BSc (Hons) MSc Enric Fusté MRSB
JZAR PAPER SWIFT DIETS [724 Kb]
CAMPAIGN TO PURGE WEBSITES RECOMMENDING INAPPROPRIATE DIETS
From the International Swifts Seminars we are doing a campaign to purge internet sources recommending inappropriate diets for hand-rearing chicks.
Report to info@swift-help.org if you think one site provides such wrong information, and we will contact and provide them the correct information, please see below.
We are contacting you with our concern regarding some information you are providing in your website.
We represent a group of professional rehabilitators, researchers and institutions that are particularly interested in the Common Swift; protection of nesting sites, promotion of new sites, rehabilitation of adult casualties and promotion of best practice when hand-rearing chicks fallen from the nest.
Common Swift orphans represent a significant number of admissions in wildlife rehabilitation centres in Europe. We are aware that these centres may encounter difficulties in the hand-rearing of large numbers of insectivorous chicks using the limited and expensive commercially available insects as food. These constraints have resulted in alternative and clearly inappropriate diets being used, such as formulas with different types of meat, cat and dog food or even dairy products.
The Internet is full of sources recommending inappropriate diets for the hand-rearing of chicks, including advice from well known institutions or apparently trustworthy sources. This incorrect information has also reached the many individuals who privately hand-rear chicks found on the street and who may, therefore, be following incorrect husbandry guidelines.
The use of these unsuitable non-insect based diets could be from a lack of awareness of the harmful impact on the birds.
From the years of research and personal experience of all the rehabilitators that sign this pledge, we can surely affirm that the diet you are advising in your website is completely inappropriate and will jeopardise not only the survival during the hand-rearing process, but also survival once the bird is introduced back into the wild in a poor body and feather condition due to the diet. It is essential to be aware of the poor results and risks on the survival of young obligate insectivores hand-reared using incorrect diets.
We therefore strongly recommend you changing this information to a proved optimal diet. The use of a diet based on insects highlight the fact that all birds have a high possibility of survival even when admitted in poor clinical condition.
We are including with this letter relevant information on best practice and appropriate diet that we ask you to place on your website instead of the inappropriate one you are currently providing. Our principal concern is to ensure the wellbeing of our precious swifts.
International Swift Seminars Rehabilitation Group
SUGGESTED PROPOSALS TO BE INCLUDED IN A WEBSITE
The importance of a correct diet for Insectivores such as swifts
The most important factor is to provide an adequate hand-feeding diet for the successful rehabilitation of swifts.
Swifts are insectivorous birds that in their natural habitat feed in the air by catching flying insects in their open mouths. It should be obvious that these birds need to be fed with insects; however, some alternative diets based on pet food, meat or other products have incorrectly been widely used by people and organisations caring for young birds, mainly due to:
Insufficient knowledge of swifts and their biology, thus inappropriate extrapolation of practises used for other birds
Insects are more expensive to buy than pet food or meat
Feeding birds with insects requires protocols for correct maintenance and administration, thereby necessitating appropriate training
Some people are reluctant to make changes, even when change is clearly for the better
Wildlife rehabilitation centres and professional rehabilitators, including Christiane Haupt at the Swift Clinic (Mauersegler Klinik: www.apusapus.net) in Frankfurt, which is the main reference point for the rehabilitation of Common Swifts in Europe, have long advised about the risks and health problems related to non-insect diets. For the last few years, Enric Fusté’s research and publications have supported these findings (www.falciotnegre.com, www.jzar.org/jzar/article/view/33).
The main problems in swift chicks related to the use of non-insect diets are:
Low weight, problems with feathers and malformations
Lack of begging behaviour resulting in difficulties feeding properly
High mortality
Abnormal droppings
Dirtiness affecting plumage condition
Altered behaviour and state of chicks when compared with wild swifts or swifts reared with insect-based diets
Research and experience have widely shown how badly swifts perform when they are not fed with insects. Thus,
NON-INSECT BASED DIETS ARE CONSIDERED TO BE INAPPROPIATE AND EVEN HARMFUL
Insect-based diets use different insects in different proportions. Mainly, three different insect-based diets have been proposed and used with optimal results:
1. Cricket-based diet
Predominantly crickets
With lower proportion of wax worm larvae
Enriched with vitamins and minerals (chicks should also receive extra B complex vitamin administered subcutaneously)
2. Mealworms-based diet
Predominantly mealworms
With lower proportions of other different insects (when available): crickets, wax worm, silk worm, cockroaches, and wild insects
Enriched with vitamins and minerals (chicks should also receive extra B complex vitamin orally or subcutaneously)
3. Diets composed of a variety of insect species
A variety of different insects: crickets, mealworms, flies, wax worms, drones and other insects captured in the wild (free of insecticides)
Enriched with vitamins and minerals
Different kind of insects used in these three diets and it is important to consider how to maintain and handle them correctly: tropical and house crickets, (Acheta domestica), (Gryllodes sigillatus), (Gryllus assimilis), mealworms (Tenebrio molitor), flies (Calliphra sp.), wax worms (Galleria mellonella), cocroaches (e.g.: Blaptica dubia), silk worms (Bombix mori), drone larvae (Apis mellifera) and wild insects free of pesticide.
Some of these species can be brought frozen, NEVER DRIED.
Do not use fly larvae, proved harmful by its indigestibility and parasitic charge. Although adult flies can be provided as part of the swift diet, produced from larvae with some level of expertice.
Crickets: the best way to maintain it is to keep frozen crickets and it is important to purchase from a trusted provider. Crickets, if bought alive, should be frozen as received (first removing any dead or necrotic insects). Before defrosting, put the frozen crickets in a box and simply shake the box to remove the spike legs to make feeding easier. Crickets are defrosted in water and given to swifts with tweezers. Once a day, the defrosted crickets should be lightly powdered with vitamins and minerals.
Mealworms are maintained alive and supplied with food (hen food, vegetables, bread). The larvae are drowned in water and given to swifts with tweezers. Once a day, the drowned mealworms should be lightly powdered with vitamins and minerals.
You can download a hand-rearing swift protocol with the basic specifications, proved as optimal in many rehabilitation centres.
Hand-rearing Protocol English [652 Kb]
COMMON SWIFT
The common swift (Apus apus) is a member of the Apodidae family, with 92 species that are distributed throughout the world, though most are tropical. They spend nine month in Africa, arriving for the breeding season to the south of Europe in April. Common swifts reach more northern latitudes in the first and second week of May. There are other three species that breed in Europe, although in the southern Mediterranean area; pallid swift (Apus pallidus), alpine swift (Tachymarptis melba) and white-rumped swift (Apus caffer).
Common swifts are long-lived birds that spend almost their entire life on the air, gathering their food and material for nesting in flight. They drink by skimming over the surface of still water. They do not show evident sexually dimorphic characters, they mate both in flight and on the nest, and may even pass the nights without roosting. Swifts are altricial birds, which do not exhibit post-fledging care and breed once per season.
They have long wings, with a body shape adapted to rapid and efficient flight. Swifts with a wing span of 40 cm need the ability to brake suddenly and fold their wings before entering nest holes of less than 8 cm. Swifts never foot on the ground except by accident, this aerial life limit their choice of nesting sites to places above the ground with a clear drop to allow a fast take off. Even though their long wings and short legs, they can take off from flat surfaces. They have characteristic sticky saliva used for building nest. They salivary glands are greatly enlarged in the breeding season. Swift saliva have an essential function in shaping and lubricating the food balls that they give to the young, also transferring beneficial flora to the chicks and establishing their immune competence in the first days.
Swifts are dependent on food captured in the air, being abundance or scarcity of insects important in the breeding success. Warm temperature, sunny and little rain conditions (fine weather), increases insect abundance and it is favourable to this success. Cold, rainy or windy weather conditions (poor weather) are detrimental as they encounter great difficulties in finding enough food as insects are scarce.
Breeding biology
Normally swifts pairs previous years’ mate, although they arrive in different days. Even the two members do not arrive together, they rejoin because return to the same nest of previous years. This may suggests that pairs are separated out of the breeding season. It has been recorded from on data from a colony controlled for longer than 20 years, pairs being together longer than 10 years.
Some authors denoted that swifts breed in their second year; however others observed that pairs did not breed successfully before third or four years of age.
Eggs are white, like those of other hole-nesting birds. Swifts usually lay two or three eggs, with remarkably differences depending of the latitudes related to the average number of young that parents can rise. The most frequent incubation period is 20 days, laid with some degree of asynchrony, from two to three days.
Both parents share incubation. It has been observed that eggs and hatched naked chicks can be left unattended in cold conditions for long periods meanwhile both parents are out collecting food. Swifts are the only birds that nest in cool regions which can leave eggs unincubated and young unattended for long periods without harm. Although the cold temperature, it has been denoted that eggs hatch normally. The ability of the developing embryo to cool for some hours have an important advantage for an species breeding in areas of unpredictable summers, although this ability is unusual among birds.
Swifts as altricial species are blind, naked and helpless at hatching. Parents care for the chicks until they fledge.By the second week after hatching, both parents are much of the time on hunting, leaving the nestlings unattended. Nestlings have a particular thermoregulation and usually from four days old they may not be warmed by their parents even during the night, despite the temperature, assuming also certain effect of mutual warming between siblings.
In almost all latitudes it is described an average nestling period of 42.5 days, being 37 days in fine weather and the longest 56 days in poor weather, suggesting that poor weather may considerably prolong the nestling period.
Many authors sustain that swifts have particular adaptations related to the scarcity of food, the so-called facultative lethargy. Swift nestlings have evolved to revert their metabolism to a cold-blooded condition, using their fat stores for vital functions. Other birds are known to have these facultative hypothermic responses, for example the common poorwill (Phalaenoptilus nuttallii) during hibernation and many hummingbirds’ species during cold nights. One researcher, Koskimies, conducted physiological studies related to this adaptation to the poor weather and concluded with several affirmations: a swift chick is able to survive up to 12 days without being fed, being same capacity in adults much lower; the fat accumulated along nesting period is used for vital functions being able to use more than 50% of its body weight along the fasting period; the feathers continue growing along this fasting period and finally that the chick can enter a torpor status with its metabolism decreased to environment temperature and its fluctuations. It has been recorded that nestling temperature may drop to 21ºC at night (41ºC normal adult temperature), and recover it during the day even without food. ALso recorded in extremely unfavourable years, adult swifts in hypothermia state during the night, which seems to reduce the energy loss and increase survival in years of extreme food scarcity.
Young are fed by both parents. Whereas most of passerine insectivorous birds bring one or few insects to their nestlings every few minutes, the feeding intervals in swifts are much longer. In fine weather each parent returns to the nest every 45 minutes, but in poor weather they may return once every three hours or still longer. Feeding frequency is higher in broods of larger size; however it does not increase proportionally. Thus, nestlings in large broods receive fewer feeds than in small broods.
A single ball food may contain from 90 small to as many as 1500 very small insects and spiders, ranging from 0.7-1.8g and very occasionally up to 2.5g. Some researchers has recorded 42 meals brought to a brood of two, meaning about 50g of insects in a single day. This large number of insects are kept in the back of the parent throat, alive and entangled in saliva. Although it is an obvious part of the insect ball, swift saliva composition has not been determined.
It has benn observed the adults passing the food to very small nestlings in several successive portions, fed that may last three or four minutes. When the nestlings were older, the ball was passed quickly and swallowed by just one nestling.
NESTLING GROWTH
Some reserachers suggested that chick mortality and growth rates were influenced by temperature, rainfall, wind speed and sunshine. However, Also stated that only the temperatures during the period of hatching and early days were found to have any significant influence in the number of chick surviving, and that brood reduction soon after hatching was the reason of breeding success. Brood reduction is a strategy where parents may induce a selective removal of most weak offspring in a way to assure breeding success when food is scarce.The effects of weather, apart of the brood reduction, include plasticity in laying dates, the period of incubation and nestling growth rates.
The growth curve shows a typical sigmoid pattern of rapid growth to a peak, followed by a period of weight recessio. A description on a nestling growth registered example was as follows: the young swift weights 2.7–3.1g at hatching. The daily increment weight from broods of two was 1.8g from the 1st and 25th day of age, and 2.3g in broods of one young, with a maximum increment of 4.8g in one single day. Until the 34th day of age it was in both a daily increment of 0.5g, with peaks of 53-63g, exceeding remarkably those of adults. From the 34th day to departure body weight decreased an average of 0.7g every day, with a maximum loss of 3.4g in only one day. The maximum gain between one day and the next recorded was 10g, being the maximum loss 7g in a fast day.
Whereas young swifts have evolved to withstand starvation, other altricial nestlings such as passerines (e.g. songbirds) increase gradually in weight as they grow and a fast period of even 1-2 days leads to death. The growing rates of swifts may be interrupted by sharp drops in weight, particularly in northern latitudes, with periods of poor weather. In these periods, nestlings use their stored fat for its vital functions. However, variations in food availability, unless are severe enough to cause starvation, do not influence nestling growth rates,
Many authors describe the growth of the wing. The young is 22 days old on average when the wing reaches 100 mm, growing an average of 4 mm per day and fledging with a wing around 167 mm. Exceptionally some birds may had short wing-length (e.g. 146 mm), suggesting a permanent stunting. Average wing-length on adults is 174 mm; hence the wing may continue growing along the post-fledging period. The wing may increases in length at the first moult.
The average age at fledging is 42 days, with remarkably ranges from 36.5 to 56.5 days. Researchers did not find difference in duration of parental care on relation to clutch size, even observed young that hatched the earliest stayed in the nest the longest. Also described some young with same weight and wing length than other birds already fledged, remained in the nest for not particular reason for several days longer.
Young body weights at fledgling are normally slightly over the adult averages weights, being the parents usually somehow underweighted due to the breeding effort.
Researchers suggested the parent-offspring relation, when parents influence young to leave then nest whereas nestlings try to stay longer to maximize its survival chances. One way could be the parents reducing the provisioning, thus reducing parental investment. It was observed as the nestlings reached the weight peak how the parents reduced significantly the number of offered feedings. Also, it has been denoted that nestlings, after reaching peak weights, ceased and refused for a while to take food from the parents. It has been observed that fledge was preceded for a short period where young were not fed by the parents, losing the excess of weight and completing feather growth before fledging.
Swifts may be classified as species as a long-lived bird with a low annual reproductive output.Being described an average 1.63 fledglings per breeding attempt, suggesting that long reproductive success appeared more influenced by the breeding lifespan than the reproductive performance.
Reearchers described the growing development of aerial insectivores and pelagic seabirds, in a form of sigmoidal curve where initially weight increase gradually, reaches a maximum much above the average adult weight and then decreases before fledging, with fledgling weights that tend to exceed those on adults. In other species, weight reaches adult averages before fledging (e.g. starlings), weight growths substantially below the adult weight at fledgling (e.g. pigeons); or in others, young fledge completing their growth outside the nest (e.g. warblers).
It is of great importance the food supply related to the growth pattern. When food levels fluctuate along nestling period, young nestlings are at risk of dying. An adaptive modification of the growth pattern is to store fat to use them as reserves in shortfalls in food supply. This strategy has been termed as the resource storage strategy, which also includes other adaptive characteristics: a labile growth to compensate poor weather spells during the fine weather spells; fat deposition progressing in step with metabolic rates to assure survival prospects at any stage of development if an interruption in food availability occurs; thermoregulation achieved at early development stages and finally ability to brood size reduction at any period of sustained food shortage.
A researcher developed a model predicting that altricial species do best if they grow at the maximum physiologically possible rate rather that at some limits due to availability or scarcity of food. This author stated the two types of limitations that growth rates may encounter: The first is based on the rates at which energy and nutrients are distributed, assuming no limits to this distribution about the body. Since the young is responsible for their own thermoregulation, the energy ingested for this function may limit the energy available for growth. Nutrition acts a whole in this constrain. The second is supported by the idea of the cell function and physiological design, which may limit functionality and continue proliferation and growth.
Amongst aerial insectivores, it was premised that excess nestling weight was due to high water content of growing tissues, being lost as the tissues matured. An author analysed weight recession in barn swallows (Hirundo rustica), doing also an extensive literature research related to weight recession and concluding that this phenomenon was restricted only to some avian groups (Hydrobatidae, Procellariidae, Hirundinidae and Apodidae). Ricklefs, concurring with O’Connor, concluded based in body constituents of the barn swallows, that weight recession was accounted entirely by a decrease in water content, mainly from the integument but also important from the body and liver.
It has been emphasised that species showing weight recession exhibit well develop flight capacities and aerial foraging habits when fledging. Also suggested that the reduction in body weight and the increase in wing length in swift would influence the flight efficiency by increasing the lift: drag ratio, in other words, a reduction in the cost of flight and improvement in manoeuvrability. Some researchers found by experimental variation in nestlings’ body weights and wing length that prior to fledging young always achieved similar and appropriate wing loadings, concluding that young were able to make facultative adjustments in their weight loss. In addition suggested that exercise could be an important tool used by fledglings to asses their optimal wing loading before fledgling.
(A mixed diet with mealworm, cricket and wax worm)
DO NEVER USE DRIED INSECTS!
The optimal way to keep the mealworms would be on substrate, as is the food that nurtures de larvae and may provide extra intake of nutrients. Once we have large size larvae it may be advisable to keep them in the refrigerator (5 Cº). The low temperature reduces the metabolism of the insect, maintaining the larval stage for a longer period of time.
Mealworm is a species of beetle of the family Tenebrionidae which follows a cycle of four different stages in their life: egg, larva, pupa and adult. It is best known for its larval form. We use mainly larvae, however pupa and adult is also used in less quantity on the diet.
We use frozen crickets. To remove the frozen crickets' legs they are placed in a closed container, then we shake it so the legs fall apart. This process is not to reduce the amount of quitina but to obtain a capsule shaped cricket which is easier to feed swifts with. Cricket is easier to provide on age condition or stages when the swift refuses or is more reluctant to be fed, as the cricket have a capsule shape and can be placed deep down.
The important fact is the insect complementation with minerals and vitamins. ONLY ONE FEEDING A DAY we dust the insects with vitamin and minerals.
Mealworm and crickets are deficient in some nutrients, a negative point shared by all the insects that are produced commercially. The nutritional composition of commercially insects has been studied by some authors, showing that it can be incomplete without adequate supplementation. This means that any of these commercial insects should always be supplemented before its use as food, especially when used as a species unique to the diet.
For example it is necessary for calcium and phosphorus are balanced in a 1.5:1 to 2:1 to prevent the development of bone diseases and contribute to good health and proper growth.
Many of the insects produced commercially, like mealworms and crickets show inverse ratios of phosphorous and calcium. In addition, the insects are also deficient in vitamins such as A and D, essential for good growth of the chick. On the other hand adding extra complementation in excess can cause serious health problems in the chicks, including an excessive intake of calcium may cause kidney damage or excessive vitamin A may interfere with the growth of bones.
It is essential to strictly monitor the diet preparation and know they can be as bad as too much complementation as a lack of complementation
VITAMIN AND MINERAL SUPPLEMENTATION
Make a daily sprinkle of vitamin over the insect mixture on one feeding a day. The sprinkle must be light and coating the insects. We should consider the risk of excessive supplementation (It is the best do the complementation at same feeding time, so we won’t forget it).
We use two brands of vitamin and mineral supplementation, on alternative days.
An additional contribution of vitamin B is really important. It is recommended to administer because its deficiency can cause serious problems for the chicks, mainly neurological.
The complex can be administered orally (less intrusive and recommended) or subcutaneously (more intrusive).
Our protocol suggests oral administration, less intrusive. The dose is very low: an insect wet with complex vitamin (liquid) once a week.
FEEDINGS AND AMOUNTS
The rehabilitator must define strict timetables for the feedings, recommending for feathered chicks, a feeding maximum every 3 hours and if possible every 2 hours.
In young chicks (naked) and poor conditions the intervals should be extended to 1:30, with less quantity.
The amount of food can vary depending on many factors such as age or physical condition. A chick of Common Swift could eat about 20 grams of insects a day. In nature it has been observed a nest with two chicks where parents provided 50 grams of insects.
TREATING WILDLIFE CASUALTIES
Initial location
Wildlife casualties are usually found by public. Their welfare depends on general awareness of the correct action to be taken when we find a wild animal in need of assistance. The correct action and where to seek further information and assistance is essential.
Wild casualties require specialized treatment and really specific diets to help them recover from injuries or to be hand-reared to develop into healthy adults. If we are indeed in recover those wild casualties, the success depends on a professional knowledge on rehabilitation as on the biology of the species.
A casualty may present a challenging range of clinical problems, from handling, housing or feeding to those of diagnose and treatment. Rehabilitation should be left on professionals hands, so do not attempt to care for or hand-rear wildlife yourself. In addition wildlife is often protected by special laws that make it illegal to possess a wild animal.
Up to the country where we live or we found a wildlife casualty, professional wildlife rehabilitation may be on hands of rehabilitation centres run by the government, by NGOs, by charities, by licenced privates or by all of them.
Said so, when talking specifically on swifts and other insectivores, I am fully aware that many centres still use wrong diets when feeding them. We know that swifts are aerial feeders and consume a huge diversity of invertebrate species. There are various reasons, usually hard to understand, why these wildlife rehabilitation centres are using non-insect based diets. It is proved that these inappropriate diets may jeopardise not only the survival during the hand-rearing process or rehabilitation, but also survival once the bird is introduced back into the wild. It does not make any sense that still many of those involved professionally in wildlife rehabilitation continue to use these wrong diets when the harm outcome is known, even published.
When a swift is found on the ground, almost always there is a cause related that requires professional intervention.
Even though, some adults or fledglings may land on the ground accidentally because a bad manoeuvre due to a complex situation of the nest, a strong gust of wind, etc. A healthy swift may take off from ground if enough leeway.
NEVER launch a swift into the air to help it fly! A fall could cause irreparable damage to the bird.
Even though we may presume that the bird is perfectly fine because is an active adult or a grown up fledgling. In that case it worth trying placing the bird on the palm of our hand and if the bird is fine it will take off without hesitation. Please asure you do so in an open, secure and ground level area. If you have the minimum concern, let the professionals decide.
The time until the swift reaches a rehabilitation centre or a carer may be critical and it is a matter of importance to keep the bird controlled and if possible provide the first aids.
BOX: Place the bird in small dark box (shoes type) with air holes and non-slip floor. Absorbent kitchen paper or a towel make the place more comfortable and avoid feather dirtiness with excrements. NEVER in a bird-cage as the bars may damage the feathers.
Controlled HEAT: KEEP THE BIRD WARM. The bird can be hypothermic (cold body) thus the box should be kept near a heat focus, like a reptile heat mat below the box, leaving a temperature gradient. Do not place the box on the sun.
Controlled HIDRATION: Most cases birds show some level of dehydration which could be mild or extreme. Provide some drops of water (sugar water or isotonic drink) round its beak with your finger frequently until the bird is transported to the carer. Do NOT provide any liquid or food if the bird is shocked or convulsive. Be careful when providing the water (always drops round its beak) as a wrong administration reaching the respiratory tract could cause pneumonia and even death.
Procure FOOD: If the bird will be transported shortly do not provide any food, water or sugary water will maintain the bird for some hours. On the opposite, providing adequate food could be convenient. Even though, do not provide any food even the chick is begging until is not over the hypodermic condition (having a warm body). In most pet-shops insects for reptiles can be found or catching them on the field (Crickets, mealworms, flies, spiders, grasshoppers, silk warms). Before feeding, kill the insect by soaking them on water. DO NOT DO ANY EXPERIMENT WITH ANY OTHER TYPE OF FOOD.
Africa is waiting for you
Common vs. Pallid
Voracious Alpine Swifts
Starved emaciated birds
Adoptive siblings
Preparing the food
FLUID THERAPY......a life-saving treatment
Feeding a Swift
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Poetry as Socio-proctology
Samlee's daughter- a novel
Ghalib, Gandhi & the Gita.
Gorakh dhanda
Expelled from Divinity School coz God ate my Homework
Again, in the Tavern, I re-tool to fight that Shirazi Turk
Whose dagger yet disdains
The cow in my veins.
1) Gorakh refers to Gorakshanath (Cow protecting Lord) or Saint Gorakhnath.
Gorakh dhanda can mean a puzzle or a murky or tricky piece of business. The great Qawwal singers, like Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Aziz Mian, have recorded a poem of this name by the late Pakistani poet Naz Khialvi.
2) Hindus studying Divinity gather kusha grass as part of their 'homework'. Lord Buddha attained Enlightenment while seated meditating on a mat of this grass.
Cows- which are an embodiment of the Divine Vatsalya or maternal nurturance- can eat this grass.
3) The great Persian poet, Hafiz has a famous poem which includes the line 'If that Shirazi Turk but takes my heart in her hand/ For her Hindu mole I'd give up Bukhara and Samarkand'.
It ends with an esoteric reference to a hierosgamos or sacred marriage to the Pleiades in the Milky Way.
Posted by windwheel at 16:51 No comments:
Labels: new quatrains
Talal Asad & Christ as a suicide bomber
Talal Asad, an American Anthropologist has written a book about suicide bombing not because he condones it or because he had nothing better to do but because something impressed him. What precisely? Was it something that would impress anybody else? Let us find out.
Talal says-
'I am simply impressed by the fact that modern states are able to destroy and disrupt life more easily and on a much grander scale than ever before and that terrorists cannot reach this capability.
All states that currently exist are modern. Some are destroying and disrupting life more easily and on a grander scale than ever before. Why? Because they were too backward or lacked sovereignty in the past and thus their ability to work mischief was curtailed. There is no advanced country, previously sovereign, which is 'destroying and disrupting life' on a larger scale than it did in the past. Is America nuking any more Nagasakis? Are the Germans carrying out more Holocausts? Does Russia still boast Gulags? Do the Chinese still have manufactured famines? No, no, no and no.
Syria and Libya and Yemen and so on- no doubt- are witnessing the destruction and disruption of life on a grander scale than ever before. But actual terrorists are on the ground in these countries helping to bring this about. These terrorists have shown that they have the capability to destroy and disrupt life as ruthlessly as minions of the state apparatus. ISIS is a terrorist outfit. It created a far more repressive and ruthless state apparatus than anything seen previously. It has destroyed and disrupted life more easily and on a grander scale than established nation states which is why, uniquely, it is now being attacked by many of them who are otherwise mutually antagonistic.
Why is Talal impressed that advanced countries are killing less than they did in the past despite possessing better technology to do so? Does he not understand that advanced countries have sophisticated economies which can dispense with coercion? Oh. I see. He's an Anthropologist. He really does not understand Economics. Well, there's nothing we can do about that.
What about the next thing that strikes Talal?
'I am also struck by the ingenuity with which so many politicians, public intellectuals, and journalists provide moral justifications for killing and demeaning other human beings.
Everybody knows that politicians, public intellectuals and journalists are sociopaths. That's what they do for a living. They talk shite. Why is Talal struck by their ingenuity? They don't make ingenuous arguments. They write and talk worthless shit. Did Talal's Dad not talk worthless shit? Was no worthless shit talked in Pakistan or Saudi Arabia or New York or anywhere else he grew up?
What seems to matter is not the killing and dehumanization as such but how one kills and with what motive. People at all times have, of course, justified the killing of so-called enemies and others they deem not deserving to live. The only difference is that today liberals who engage in this justification think they are different because morally advanced.
Urm... It is part of the Islamic Credo for Muslims to think they are morally advanced with respect to 'Jahil' pagans. Muslim politicians, public intellectuals and journalists have always justified the killing of 'so-called enemies and others they deem not deserving to live'- including Jews like Talal's father's people.
What's so special if people calling themselves 'Liberals' rather than 'Muslims' but who follow disreputable professions, such as that of the politician, public intellectual or journalist, talk equally worthless shite?
Why does Talal find this striking?
That very thought has social implications, and it is therefore that thought that makes a real difference. There are people living in ISIS territory who have the thought 'we, who don't kill and extort and enslave, are morally advanced compared to this bunch of terrorist nut-jobs ruling over us'. What 'real difference' does having this thought make? Does it provide these people with a countervailing power against the Caliphate? Does it make them bullet-proof? Everybody has the thought, 'I am morally superior to the guy who is cutting my throat so as to rob me or enslave my family'. Such thoughts don't make 'a real difference'. What does make a difference, is the ability to organise and fight back. Liberal thought begins from the notion that everyone has the absolute right to defend himself but this right has no remedy unless there is a vinculum juris, a bond of law, such that a Social Contract obtains. in the full knowledge that the idea of defense is subject to considerable interpretation of a legal nature, in line with Contractarian jurisprudence so that (for example) liberation from the oppressor in Iraq becomes part of defense for both the American occupier and the insurgency.
The American occupier in Iraq? Oh. Talal wrote this in 2007. But when the Iraqis asked the Americans to leave, in a legal fashion, the Americans left. In any case, Congress had been pushing for withdrawal in 2007 itself and withdrawal began at the end of that year and was completed by 2011.
Many liberals also believe that people have a moral obligation to attack evil, either in order to redeem themselves or to redeem others who cannot do so for themselves.
Liberals don't believe a moral obligation trumps the rule of law when it comes to a collective action of an offensive kind. No Liberal says, 'we must defy our own laws in order to attack and kill such and such group of people.' A Liberal may say that morality prevents one complying with an unjust law. A Liberal might even grant that a group of people have the right to defend themselves against being suborned for a military purpose under a legal regime that is in conflict with natural law or some deontic code. What a Liberal can't do is find a justification for an illegal war without ceasing to be a Liberal.
The notion of evil is not conceived of as a principle essential to the world—as in Manichaean and Zoroastrian teaching—but as a dynamic principle that opposes divine will and is therefore eliminable.
Zorastrian teaching is not 'resist not evil'. It is 'combat it with all your might'.
Consequently, it is resistance to that will that defines evil, and all virtuous men are urged to overcome it at any cost. (According to Christian belief, Christ triumphed over evil, God reconciled the world to himself, by the crucifixion.)
Yet Christ said 'Resist not Evil'. He did not say go blow yourself up so as to kill a bunch of infidels. Neither did John Stuart Mill.
Fighting evil is, of course, an old justification, but it often finds new formulations today. I do not mean by this that today’s modern world is, as many hold, simply an unfolding of Christianity. In my view there are continuities and also crucial ruptures between secular modernity and its past.
Oh dear. First Talal focuses on the Liberals. Then, he thinks Liberals are actually Christians and that Christianity arises out of the moral equivalent of a suicide bombing.
..in Christian civilization, the gift of life for humanity is possible only through a suicidal death; redemption is dependent on cruelty or at least on the sin of disregarding human life
In other words, Christ causes Satan to enter Judas so as to arrange his own Crucifixion and, though he himself rises in 3 days, some stigma of guilt is supposed to attach to all humanity. Thus, Christ is a suicide bomber who, though killing only himself, stains all in the vicinity with gore.
Talal is the son of an Austrian Jewish convert to Islam. His father's people were accused by the Catholics of being 'Deicides'- though Jesus rose in 3 days and did so much in the next 40 that if all his doings were written down in books the world would not be big enough to contain them all.
Talal is quite justified in getting in this dig at Catholic imbecility. However, it is an imbecility the Catholics have repented of. Christianity has changed. It is genuinely less shite than it once was. So is Liberalism. So is Capitalism. So are most things in countries which 'destroy and disrupt life' a lot less now than was their wont. Why? Well, one reason is that Economics- Game Theory- has advanced while Asad's subject, Anthropology, has succumbed to senile dementia.
Suicide bombings represented a 'small, cheap, out of control' aysmmetric warfare strategy. Game Theory explains how the thing can be countered. It is no longer a mysterium fascinosum but a case of silly buggers being silly buggers. Not horror but the demand for better targeted surveillance and border controls is our reaction to this nuisance. We have a 'bourgeois strategy' and it will prevail in this 'Hawk Dove game' because it is incentive compatible. Thus, no Hegelian struggle for recognition can arise. Talk of ipseity and alterity can go fuck itself. Of course, the silly buggers are welcome to blow each other up back where they came from and sure, we'll get in on the action with drone strikes coz drones are cool and once that technology is perfected it's going to improve our E-commerce experience.
What of the Anthropologists? Is there anything we need to be doing about them? Nope. They can go on returning to whatever worthless question got them gassing on in the first place. Pay no attention. Their subject is as exploded as Alchemy.
Witness Talal-
This returns me to the question with which I began: Why do Westerners express horror at suicide terrorism—what is so special about it? In trying to answer it, I offered several reasons, each of which points to identity being destroyed, a process felt more acutely by Europeans when they learn that Europeans have been killed by non-Europeans—because that is where they have learned to invest an aspect of their identity as humans.
Cool! Talal gets that Europeans don't want non-Europeans to come along and kill them. That's pretty high level thinking for an Anthropologist.
Let me spell these reasons out briefly. First, an unexpected suicide is always shocking, especially so when it also occurs in public and when it involves the shattering of other human bodies and their belongings, a sudden disruption of the patterns of everyday life, a violence in which death is unregulated by the nation-state.
Right! Coz if the nation-state regulated suicide-bombing- for e.g. if those nutters had to queue up at the DMV for a license before they blew themselves up- then we wouldn't feel any horror at all when they get up to their ghastly monkey tricks.
Warfare, of course, is an even greater violation of civilian “innocence,” but representations have sedimented in us so as to see that in principle war is legitimate even when civilians are killed—that in principle deaths in war (however horrible) are necessary for the defense of our form of life.
Germany thought defence of its 'form of life' involved invading Poland and France. It discovered this was a stupid thing to do. It doesn't do it now. Instead, advanced countries trade with each other and make complex economic deals so as to raise their living standards. Economics, not Anthropology, has been found useful in this regard. That is why an Economics degree is worth something. An Anthropology degree means you have shit for brains.
Here, the language of “civilization” and “barbarism” comes readily to hand rather than the more superficial “clash of civilizations.”
Wrong! The only meaningful language that comes readily to hand in such circumstances is 'Fuck them motherfucking fuckers!'
The second reason is that since crime and punishment, loss and restitution, are impossible to separate and since that separation is essential to the functioning of modern law on which liberal identities—and freedoms—depend, deaths in suicide operations are especially intolerable.
Rubbish! Remember Lockerbie? Gaddaffi had to shell out plenty of moolah for that. Last year Congress overrode Obama's veto on 9/11 victims' right to sue the Saudis. They launched a case 4 days ago. Expect more such suits under the JASTA act. The Law- and Liberalism is based on the Law- has no difficulty at all in separating 'crime and punishment, loss and restitution' in such cases. Anthropology may have a difficulty but then Anthropology is a shit subject.
Third, there are the tensions that hold modern subjectivity together: between individual self-assertion and collective obedience to the law, between reverence for human life and its legitimate destruction, between the promise of immortality through political community and the inexorability of decay and death in individual life.
No such tensions exist. If they did, Economics would know about it. 'Immortality through political community' is an availability cascade only in exploded Academic disciplines- like Anthropology. Alchemy too spoke of immortality gained by some equally imaginary means. Talal Asad proves his subject is just as worthless.
These tensions are necessary to the liberal democratic state, the sovereign representative of a social body, but they threaten to break down completely when a sudden suicide operation takes place publicly and when its politics is seen not to spell redemption but mutual disaster.
Which is why the US collapsed after 9/11 and the UK after 7/7 and India after the Mumbai attacks. What? They didn't collapse at all? Oh. In that case Talal is just talking shite.
Finally, I suggest the possibility that a highly emotional thought imposes itself on secular witnesses belonging to the Judeo-Christian tradition: the thought that the meaning of life is, as Kafka put it, death and only death. That catastrophic and brutal death can be, as the Crucifixion taught believing Christians, an occasion of love for all the dead.
WTF? The Crucifixion teaches Christians that they too will be resurrected as Christ was resurrected. It is not the case that the dead stay dead. No reparative love or act of placatory homage is required from Christians to the great horde of the dead lurking in another realm. There may be some pre-Christian traditions which have been interpreted in this way by Anthropologists- but then Anthropology is now known to be utter shite.
This is impossible on the occasion of a suicide bombing because there is no redemption there—none for the perpetrator, none for the victims, and none for those who witness or contemplate the event.
The same could be said for any terrible accident- a plane that crashes, a ferry that sinks, a lorry whose brakes fail and which ploughs through a crowd. What is different about an intentional act- like a suicide bombing- is that we can punish those who facilitated or had knowledge of the crime. Failure to retaliate is known, for Game Theoretic reasons, to be a dominated strategy.
In the suicide bomber’s act, perhaps what horrifies is not just dying and killing (or killing by dying) but the violent appearance of something that is normally disregarded in secular modernity: the limitless pursuit of freedom, the illusion of an uncoerced interiority that can withstand the force of institutional disciplines.
'Uncoerced interiority' is not an illusion. It is the bedrock of the Folk Theorem of Repeated Games. It is the reason Economics is respected- it shows it can solve problems- while Anthropology is considered a worthless pile of shite.
Liberalism, of course, disapproves of the violent exercise of freedom outside the frame of law.
D'uh!
But the law itself is founded by and continuously depends on coercive violence.
The rule of Law demands a monopoly of Legitimate coercion. But the legitimating process does not involve any violence at all. Trial by combat is not a feature of Liberal jurisprudence.
If modern war seeks to found or to defend a free political community with its own law, can one say that suicide terrorism (like a suicidal nuclear strike) belongs in this sense to liberalism?
War can't have its own law. Potential adversaries can agree to rules of War and Game Theory can help ensure these agreements are incentive compatible. So the answer to Talal's question is 'No. You are talking shite. Please stop.'
The question may, I think, be more significant than our comforting attempts at distinguishing the good conscience of just warriors from the evil acts of terrorists.
A question may be significant if it is framed in an alethic discipline- like Econ. When Anthropologists like Talal ask the same question, it can have no significance coz their discipline is shite.
Labels: Political Islam, post colonial theory
Derrett's Blemmya in India
Maudgalyayana was a leading disciple of the Buddha who used his supernatural powers to visit various tormented souls in the after-life to explain to them how they came to suffer such terrible afflictions. Gaining this knowledge, these souls were put on the path to Liberation.
In the East, this sage is the exemplar of filial piety. He offered up the fruit of his own good deeds to save his mother
In ancient India, there was a story about a creature without a head, whose eyes were in its breast, which had long arms which it used to grab people and stuff them into its mouth which was also its belly. The demon Kabandha in the Ramayana and the Mahabharata is a creature of this type. The name derives from 'kavanda' meaning trunk of the body.
The Sage Maudgalyayana meets a horrific creature of this description in the Hell dimension. Its name is Haarika (the grabber). The Sage puts it on the path to salvation by explaining that it is being punished for having been a heartless killer in Rajgir.
No doubt, there is more to this story than may appear. Perhaps it condemns capital punishment. Maybe it illustrates some subtle aspect of esoteric psychology or soteriology. What this story does not do, however, is support the notion that Buddhist texts derive from a Western source and, moreover, that mention of this kabandha demon is proof that 'African Blemmya' existed in India and had some connection with Buddhism.
Yet this is precisely the assertion of one J.D.M Derett- an emeritus professor of Oriental Law- in a 2002 article archived here.
What is going on here? Does the learned Professor not get that kabandha monsters don't exist? They can't come from Africa to India because Africa never had them in the first place.
It does make sense to picture the Executioner- or indeed the sort of Society which thinks Executioners are necessary- as a sort of kabandha monster ceaselessly grabbing victims for its belly which is also its mouth.
It does not make sense to say that the Buddha was wrong to castigate a bunch of headless pirates from Africa as being equivalent to Indian public executioners because no extant Greek or Latin source mentions this acephalous race as having discharged any such function.
There were no headless pirates in Africa. Those Greek or Latin sources which suggest otherwise are not alethic. They are fanciful. Blemmyae don't exist. They never did.
It might appear that I am needlessly holding up to ridicule an elderly scholar's one folly. Indeed, Wikipedia describes this final article of the Professor's as his 'Waterloo'. The truth, however, is American Indologists have gone much further down this particular Bedlam path than our British savant. Their entire methodology has been to take fantasy for fact in order to construct a historicist hermeneutic with current political implications. By contrast, is there not a touch of wry humour, but also Swedenborgian pathos, in the manner in which our learned barrister ends his essay?
Scholarship is not a safe vessel for crossing the ocean of Samsara.
Derrett could see this as he slipped towards the antarabhava.
But then, he was a law-minded man.
Pollock and Doniger and Witzel will be vouchsafed no such saving vision.
Labels: Indology, kabandha
Lukacs & Atilla
If we compare Lukacs with a 'proletarian' poet like Attila Jozsef, we have to acknowledge that a statue of the former expresses nothing save the manner in which books diminish men, whereas the sitting statue of the latter kindles a quite different and comradely feeling in us.
There will always be pompous hacks and spiteful jobbiks. The poet from the streets- now matter how wretched his life- is safe from them and makes us safe from them because his work is ambrosial. The critic, waxing philosophical, but trades in municipal hemlock.
Bohm's Krishna
(attribution- By Krzysztof Mizera, changed by Chagler and MathKnight - Based on File:Rozeta Paryż notre-dame chalger.jpg, GFDL, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7908267)
Saqi, I complain not because my every wine is thus now corked
But because you & the grape must so have talked
That Kurukshetra's pilot wave is its own colloidal suspension
Karma's pigéage à pied but Kamakshi's complexion.
Labels: kamakshi, new quatrains
Zero-knowledge proofs and the Gita's Indecision theory
This post is a response to a paper by H.J Wiese entitled 'A Decision Theorist's Bhagvad Gita' which seeks to show that the 'Rational Shortlist method' is consistent with the 'svadharmic' (deontic) message of the Gita.
There is some literature (e.g. here) seeking to apply a rational-choice hermeneutic to ancient or medieval texts. In general, these attempts fail. They show rational choice theory to be foolish and its practitioners to be philistines.
Wiese says ' Árjuna asks Krishna for help in his decision of whether to fight or not. Broadly speaking, Árjuna prefers consequentialist arguments while Krishna stresses the warrior’s svadharma.' In other words, Arjuna does not want to fight because the outcome will cause him grief. Krishna replies that he will suffer grief through loss of reputation as a warrior if he does not fight and the woeful outcome will happen anyway. Thus, since Arjuna can't get his preferred option- viz. no big slaughter- he should content himself with maintaining his martial reputation and developing equanimity regarding the inevitable bloodbath and the intense guilt and psychic distress it will cause him.
If Wiese is right, Hinduism is an evil religion. Its teaching is- you may as well pretend to believe you have a duty to do bad things because God exists and the bad things will happen anyway because God wants bad things to happen. By pretending to believe you had to do those bad things you will get a good reputation of a certain sort and moreover be considered a God fearing man. This rule applies even if, or indeed applies more strongly if, God does not exist.
Compare this to Pascal's wager- 'You may as well believe (not pretend to believe) in God, absent any direct proof, because if you do so you may attain Heaven whereas if you don't believe in God you may be condemned to Hell.'
This is a cynical argument but at least it involves a genuine belief, the struggle to maintain which may nurture the seed of Faith which, in turn, by itself may change your inward ethos. In other words the struggle to believe may have some positive 'spiritual' value.
Another approach which arrives at the same conclusion is that of Evidential as opposed to Causal Decision Theory. Suppose we have evidence that only supports the conclusion that there is a gene which both causes people to smoke and which also causes cancer. Causal Decision Theory says you may as well smoke, if that is what you want to do, since whether you get cancer or not has already been decided. Evidential Decision Theory says you should stop smoking because then you will believe you won't get cancer- a better outcome. Now it may be that there really is a link between smoking and cancer which we are not able to establish. In this case, Evidential Decision Theory is better. The problem is that it could turn into a program of 'managing the news'- i.e. being selective in what new information we incorporate into Decision making. We may end up evaluating new information on the basis of 'auspiciousness' -i.e. the feeling there is a higher power able to assure us we are on the right track- rather than on the basis of 'agency' - i.e. increasing our own power to change things in the world by understanding causal processes. Individually, it may be rational to 'manage the news' and seek only for 'auspicious' signals rather than research causal connections. Collectively, it is irrational to do so. Society would be governed by the utterances of Oracles and Prophets rather than by the causal connections posited by Scientists and established by Statisticians.
One way round this problem is to limit the scope of any oracular utterance or other auspicious or supernatural event to some specific aspect of an individual's dilemma. In other words, it would be a purely private matter and have no wider implications. Interestingly, the Just King, Yuddhishtra, has to learn Statistical Game Theory to overcome his 'vishada' whereas Arjuna, who is an agent, not a principal, gains a 'zero knowledge proof' that he is on the regret minimizing path.
In economic interactions we often trust the other party if our loss will be small and this is socially helpful. However, if the loss could be large, we may equally desist from trusting the other. Suppose the other genuinely means to stick to the terms of the agreement but can't afford to prove this without incurring risk of substantial loss. Then a 'zero knowledge proof'- i.e. one such that neither side gets any strategic information but is able to verify that the transaction is likely to be completed satisfactorily- is useful.
It is sufficient to know that there is some mechanism which can elicit the truth from all agents such that the coordination problem common to them has an optimal solution, for Economics to go ahead on a scientific and rational basis in a manner which increases Trust and Cooperation and therefore Peace and Prosperity. This, at any rate, is why the 'Revelation Principle' is fundamental to the theory of Mechanism Design.
In Theology, too, we may wish to stipulate that there is a sort of Divine knowledge beyond mortal ken whose existence can nevertheless be verified without humans gaining any access to 'forbidden knowledge' or god-like powers. Theism, as opposed to a Soteriology based on Theosis, requires this. In general this is a good thing because Religion does offer some benefits to Society provided random nutjobs don't get to claim Divine or Prophetic powers.
A Political Science which is based on the notion of Checks and Balances, too, might wish to stipulate that Judicial deliberative processes follow a different logic and observe different protocols from those used by the Legislative or Executive branch such that though results are verifiable, they can't be systematically predicted, reverse engineered or otherwise gamed.
Hermeneutics itself, as Blaise Pascal pointed out, requires some similar informationally parsimonious verification protocols because 'Languages are ciphers in which letters are not changed into letters, but words into words, so that an unknown language can be deciphered.'
In all these cases, it is sufficient to affirm the findings of Computational Complexity theory and to use things like zero-knowledge proofs so as to, on the one hand affirm the univocity of information, while, on the other, guarding the integrity of plural autopoietic systems which nevertheless can interact in a regret minimizing way.
One alternative, for deontology, is to consider the meaning of an imperative statement as arising out of its conceptual tie to action. Alan Gibbard may be cited as an example of this sort of 'semantic normativity'. But this approach soon slides into Dialethia or ontological mystagogy.
For Christianity, sincere belief in a Credo is necessary and perhaps this makes 'semantic normativity' salient. For Hinduism, however, whereas Faith (shradda or eusebia) may matter, Belief (as opposed to legal or ritualistic knowledge) does not. Why? Perhaps it is because Hinduism has no historical origin and was not seen as something one needed to convert to.
Purva Mimamsa ritualism made no requirement re. the beliefs of the officiants because to do so would be detrimental to public confidence in Vedic rituals. Similarly, the Christian Church has a complex metaphysical reason why an ordained Priest who has lost his faith can still discharge ritual functions in a proper manner. However, the faithless Priest's soul would still be in danger. In Hinduism, by contrast, though improper Belief might have indirect karmic consequence, only intentional actions had salience.
Thus, apropos of Wiese's analysis of the Gita, Arjuna would have attained the same final state had he only pretended to believe that God had given him a particular, unpleasant, duty. Indeed, since God's activities are themselves described as 'lila' - i.e. a play- pretence could be a mark of superior ontological status.
True, Krishna gives Arjuna a direct proof of the existence of God so there is no need for any pretence. Yet, Arjuna could have chosen to witness a 'virtual' theophany indistinguishable from the real thing. Why does he not do so? The answer is that he loves Krishna as his Lord and Saviour but loves him in a humble way. He wants only what Krishna wants for him.
This is not H.J. Wiese's view. For him, the Gita is about a 'hard-choice' situation- one where, even if one has complete preferences, it is difficult to decide how to act. It is because preferences are inadequate to motivate actions that Krishna produces 'reasons' to persuade Arjuna to fulfil his supposed Warrior 'svadharma'.
Isaac Levi, who introduced this notion of 'hard choice' moral dilemmas, had previously attempted to recast scientific enquiry itself in terms of a certain sort of axiomatic decision theory. However, he had not considered that formally determinate Bayesian probability functions can be defined in terms of complexity classes such that Newcombe type problems or one's involving Turing type Oracles become ubiquitous. In other words, the practical problem we face is that there is a big gap- even in mathematics- between things we can prove and things we have good reason to believe are true but which can't yet be proved because we are not advanced enough. Thus it is not irrational if, at least individually, we are guided by purely subjective intuitionist, aesthetic, or 'auspicious' considerations.
Still, it is worthwhile to observe that Levi, in line with the Pragmatic tradition, sees categorical reason as informing ampliative induction such that actions undertaken under conditions of moral uncertainty escape suspicion of akrasia. After all, as Krishna points out, not acting too is an action.
The problem with this view is that it assumes categorical reasons can have low Kolmogorov complexity while consistently verifying specific actions as correct in a noisy, uncertain, or impredicative environment. Such a view is naive. Now it may be that P really equals NP or that some Quantum computer oracle has an easily implementable inference engine analogue. But we don't know this will ever be the case and certainly it would be foolish it to assume any such thing now.
Yet this is what Harald Wiese is doing in his paper. The conclusion he comes to is that 'Action non contextuality' is defeated by Krishna's theory that actions with the same consequences differ based on the deontic rule applicable to the agent. Since, in Hinduism, no svadharma deontic prescription carries a confessional entailment, the message of the Gita is- it does not matter whether you believe your Sociologically determined 'duty' is ordained by God or not. All that matters is that you act as if you do have this belief because what matters is your reputation, or chance of gaining Heaven, not your inward ethos. In other words, according to this view, the Gita, and Hinduism by extension, affirm ethical heteronomy.
It seems this German economist- not a philologist- has found a novel way to carry forward his country's grand tradition of distorting and rendering hateful even the most sublime of Hindu texts!
However, Wiese is merely following in the footsteps of Amartya Sen- so it is not German Indology but an ignorant or obsolete type of Choice theory, linked to Sen, which is to blame.
In what follows, I will argue that Wiese is making the following, explicit or implicit, assumptions which are unwarranted by the text and this vitiates his argument. However, in the process, a new hermeneutic horizon is opened.
I believe Wiese, for the purpose of his paper, implicitly assumes
1) Uncertainty. Minimally it must be the case that at least one future state of the world becomes uncertain because of Arjuna's 'vishada' (mental anguish or abulia which may cause indecision or inaction)
Otherwise, decision theory has no purchase. We are in a pure occassionalist universe and Arjuna and Krishna are like clockwork mechanisms. This is certainly one way the Gita can be interpreted.
Is such an interpretation well founded? Firstly we must recognise that both Arjuna and Krishna have some unusual informational endowments- the latter not just being omniscient but also the final, and perhaps the efficient, cause of all things.
Thanks to a Gandharva's gift of chaksuchi vidya, Arjuna possesses the boon that whatever he wishes to see will be shown to him in the manner he would choose. However, he never formally accepted the gift, nor ever consciously relied upon it. However, the Gandharva did not take the gift back either. Thus the boon exists as svatva property of an asvamika (lit. without a lord) kind. When Arjuna develops 'vishada', his mind becomes deranged and his volition is weakened. He is not in possession of himself- i.e. he is asvamika. Thus the Gandharva's boon which continued to exist as asvamika svatva (unvested property) now vests in him by reason of this 'vishada'. It therefore follows that his vision of the devastation caused by the War is alethic. If it wasn't, Krishna could persuade him to fight by pointing out the extreme improbability of the Pandavas prevailing over the Kauravas- two of whose leading warriors could only die by their own wish.
Interestingly, the Gandharva's boon gave Arjuna, while in the grip of vishada and thus not the master of himself, a vision which, despite all appearances to the contrary, is precisely the one he would have, with hindsight, chosen for himself because, in a non deterministic manner, it enables him to gain the beatific vision which however he wished to experience as a pure gift of the Lord.
Notice, if Arjuna wishes to have a dispassionate view of how all things are connected, he can gain this thanks to his supernatural boon. However, in that case, he would know that Karna is his true eldest brother, in which case there would be no occasion for War. However, Karna does not want this outcome and since Arjuna is an obedient younger brother and wishes to remain so, his boon excludes his envisioning this truth.
Normally, when a supernatural boon is given to a hero or a ascetic, there is a karmic price to be paid because of some subsequent act of hubris or hamartia. Even Frodo and Bilbo Baggins, in Tolkein's masterpiece, feel the urge to put on the Ring of Power. However, in the Mahabharata, Arjuna feels no similar temptation to accept or use the Gandharva's gift. This did not mean it disappeared. Rather it remained asvamika svatva- a property not conveyanced for karmic purposes- till Arjuna himself became asvamika and, purely by Grace, gained the beatific vision of his true Swami- Lord Krishna, which, indeed, is the salutary goal of svadharma because all egotistic karma, all will-to-power, is burnt up.
Thus, the story of the Gita begins with 'Vishada Yoga'- the Yoga of mental illness, in which Arjuna sees a horrific vision of the outcome of the battle. This causes him to lose heart. Lord Krishna counsels him till Arjuna recognises that his friend is in reality the one true and eternal Lord. Arjuna then asks Lord Krishna to disclose his cosmic form.
Chapter 11, Verse 1
Arjuna said-' I have heard Your instruction on confidential spiritual matters which You have so kindly delivered unto me, and my illusion is now dispelled.
'O lotus-eyed one, I have heard from You in detail about the appearance and disappearance of every living entity, as realized through Your inexhaustible glories.
'O greatest of all personalities, O supreme form, though I see here before me Your actual position, I yet wish to see how You have entered into this cosmic manifestation. I want to see that form of Yours.
'If You think that I am able to behold Your cosmic form, O my Lord, O master of all mystic power, then kindly show me that universal self.
The Lord does fulfil his devotees request- clearly Arjuna's boon means he can physically witness the cosmic vision without suffering any ill effect.
The Blessed Lord said: 'My dear Arjuna, O son of Prtha, behold now My opulences, hundreds of thousands of varied divine forms, multicolored like the sea.O best of the Bharatas, see here the different manifestations of Adityas, Rudras, and all the demigods. Behold the many things which no one has ever seen or heard before.Whatever you wish to see can be seen all at once in this body. This universal form can show you all that you now desire, as well as whatever you may desire in the future. Everything is here completely.'
Then the Lord realises that Arjuna isn't seeing anything at all because, in accordance with the Gandharva's boon, he can only see what he wishes to see. As a true Bhakti Yogi, Arjuna seeks the vision of Yogishvaram- the God of Yoga- only if it purely the Lord's gift and not the result of any sort of merit or endowment natural or acquired.
Thus Lord Krishna says-'But you cannot see Me with your present eyes. Therefore I give to you divine eyes by which you can behold My mystic opulence. (yogam aishvaram) '
The outcome of this theophany was that Arjuna accepted his part in the Divine plan without knowing that it involved his own slaying of his true eldest brother. The actual content of that vision did not give him any knowledge he didn't already have. It merely confirmed that Krishna had offered a coherent and alethic argument such that Arjuna's doubts were removed and he decided to fight.
I think it is worthwhile to reiterate the importance of the Gandharva's boon from the Game Theoretic point of view. Thanks to the 'asvamika svatva' nature of the Gandharva's boon, Arjuna's preferences constrain his information set in two different ways. Firstly (I believe) he can't see that Karna is his eldest brother because Karna doesn't want him to know this and he himself wishes to obey his eldest brother (even if it is Karna).
Secondly, he does not want a theophany he is otherwise physically fitted to receive- like the Sage Utanka who gains this vision without Krishna having to give him 'divine eyes' because he already possesses sufficient 'ascetic merit' or supernatural power- because, as a pure Theist, he only wants it as a pure, unqualified, act of Grace on the part of the Lord.
Clearly Arjuna's information set depends on his preferences- not as they actually exist- but from the perspective of backward induction. In other words, with hindsight, these are the preferences he'd have wanted to constrain his information set.
Suppose this were not the case. Suppose the Hindus believed Arjuna had no special supernatural gift which could operate when his volition was weakened by 'vishada'. In that case, the Gita only provides evidence that no argument based on Spiritual Science or Revelation can overcome indecision. Only Theophany- i.e. something miraculous- can counter the 'Agrippa's trilemma' Pyrhho learned in Punjab. If Hindus held this view, why would they consider the Gita an orthodox text?
I believe, in accordance with the terms of the Gandharva's boon, Arjuna, if he chose, could 'see' every single episode of the Gita even if it did not actually come to pass. He could gain the vision of Krishna's theophany ('vishvarupa') by his wish alone. However, since he is a sincere devotee of the Lord, his wish is that Krishna should only reveal himself by his own uncoerced or otherwise solicited wish & volition. This type of impredicativity requires increased indeterminacy in its I-Thou dialogic. It is also a feature of highly wrought romantic poetry of a baroque or 'riti' type. The intensely passionate devotional love poetry which is feature of Vaishnavite Bhakti Religion owes its sublimity to a self-abnegation in Love which never ceases to act in accordance with the wishes of the occluded Deity. Since this is also a feature of the higher, self sacrificing, types of Love which enrich our personal lives and our most significant nurturing relationships, the message of the Gita is, in fact, univocal. It does not matter if we are seeking to do the best thing for a child or a parent or a friend without imposing upon them in any way, or if we are seeking to serve the Lord of Creation for no higher reward than that of performing that service in a selfless manner.
The dramatic tension in the Gita arises from the cognitive dissonance we experience when seeking to picture Krishna as impassable or dispassionate in himself and thus unswayed by the desire to satisfy even his most beloved devotee's desire. Yet, when we act out of self-less love to another, some similar impassability or dispassion is required of us. Thus a mother may have to send her child away from herself to save its life and, afterwards, may have to dissimulate her true feelings for the child, appearing to perform some other sort of duty, in order to continue to protect it.
In the Gita, Krishna has taken on a particular duty- viz. that of the 'Suta' (charioteer or bard), which incidentally is the caste duty of Karna (because he has not admitted his true Kshatriya birth as the eldest of the Pandavas)- and is bound to do this duty to the best of his ability. Since part of the Suta's job is to keep up the fighting spirit of the warrior mounted upon the battle car, Krishna- it seems- is obliged to do his best- using hilariously self-defeating arguments (which, however, like Socrates's arguments for immortality in the Phaedo, may be viewed as an Ariadne's thread supplied by a Divine intelligence) - to overcome Arjuna's vishada, till finally, in desperation, he has to disclose his 'Cosmic form' so as to achieve his aim by 'shock & awe'.
A common trope in folk tales is that of the supernatural being who has taken on the appearance of a mortal. The hero may be able to trick such a being into revealing its true form with beneficial results or, conversely, may do so by some inadvertent action with tragic consequences. In this case, Arjuna's true 'svadharma' is that of the devotee of the Lord. He wishes for what the Lord wishes and, because Philosophy turns out to be worthless- at least to those with a supernatural boon who can gain substantive knowledge of all things- the Lord voluntarily vouchsafes that highest good- viz. the beatific vision- which the devotee could not ask for himself by reason of wishing to be nothing more than a devotee.
What I want to draw attention to is the scandal that arises where a superior being is tricked, or accidentally 'hacked', into disclosing secret information. For Brahmanism, there was the nightmare that an improper disposal of all the materials of the sacred Yagnya sacrifice, or else the unsuspected existence of some crevice or hole into which sacred information could escape or be concealed, would result in the rebirth of officiants as 'Brahmarakshasas' (Brahmin demons). Such Brahmins- from whom, as if to disprove Lamarck's theory, I am descended, required a 'zero knowledge proof' that they had escaped this fate. The Gita supplies this proof. God himself states that, by means beyond mortal ken, He has taken on the karmic burden of any inadvertent sin in any intentional action. Thus a priest can continue to perform his ancestral duties. He is not required to attain omniscience- for example, by following one of the heterodox sects- in order to be sure that no inadvertent damage occurred when he officiated at a ceremony.
It is not the case that the Gita reveals an algorithmic, or even non deterministic method by which God can be tricked, or 'brute force hacked', into revealing what is beyond mortal ken. This is because, under the appearance of natural language 'dialogue' what is actually happening is an internal 'dialogic' between Krishna and the Veda. This 'dialogic' is very subtle- for dharma is subtle- and, fortunately, since my own svadharma is that of a drunken helot, I need only concern myself with it for the purpose of exciting ridicule and contempt on the part of savants & the unco guid.
In order to baffle predators and parasites, all autopoeitic systems, Biological or Economic, have a tropism towards 'zero knowledge' protocols which impose a cost but are regret minimizing. This relates the subject to problems in Decision theory involving
2) Action noncontexuality (i.e. if two actions produce the same outcome, they should be treated as identical) and Outcome Separability (viz. the notion that the contribution that an outcome in one state of the world makes towards the overall value of an option is independent of what other outcomes the option might result in).
Here 'regret minimizing' behaviour is clearly 'rational' yet yields paradoxes. Theologically, the door is opened to either Stoic ataraxia and belief in 'natural law' which undermines social cohesion and collective thymos- more particularly for military or chrematistic civic purposes- or else we may have fatalistic occasionalism and mystagogy of the 'Oriental' sort.
Hiese's account of the Gita implicitly assumes that problems like Uncertainty, Action Noncontexuality and Outcome Separability obtain- which is why a suitably constrained Decision Theory has purchase. However, in that case, the message of the Gita is that some decisions should not be made- more particularly ones involving violence- absent a miraculous event or directive of a supernatural sort. This however is at variance with how the Gita has been understood and interpreted for thousands of years.
Indeed, if informational asymmetry between Human and the Divine had not been abolished by a specific supernatural boon given only for this very dramatic purpose, the Gita could not 'mean what it says'. If the Hindus had a Church which declared itself 'the bride of Krishna' and declared its pontiff the sole arbiter on what Krishna desired his devotees to do, then- yes- the Gita could have a certain sort of prescriptive force, in resolving doubts as to one's true duty, but only for votaries of that particular Church. Yet, in modern times we find great Scientists and Mathematicians- like Andrei Weil who took a life-endangering decision under its influence- displaying a fascination with the Gita.
The Gita is a Theistic text. Yet, it has a Universal character and has prompted ethical reflection of a sublime nature amongst people with no reason to like or admire the Hindus.
Taken at face value, it is a 'self-defeating' philosophy propping up some essentially evil elite cultus which flourished at a remote time in a currently very backward part of the world. This, certainly, is Amartya Sen's view and it would be a reasonable one but for the fact that it ignores an important plot twist- one which endows the Gita with dramatic, not dogmatic, content.
Arjuna's 'chakshuchi vidya' had begun to operate due to his volitional deficit of 'vishada', abulia, such that no Uncertainty obtained and only his own preferences and intentions had salience. If he can foresee the outcome of the War, what else can he not envision? Why should he not choose to learn the hidden connection between all things so as to make and implement a Plan which is optimal for himself? The answer is that he genuinely wants to obey his eldest brother. He just does not know that it is Karna and that Karna wants to meet him in battle. Krishna has a Plan based on his omniscience but it is one we humans find terrible. Which Hindu has not wept at the death of the valiant Ghatotkacha- grandsire of Barbarik? If this is Cosmic Justice let the Gods keep it for themselves. If such is the ultimate Reality- let us confess, we humans can't bear too much of it.
Since Krishna's 'vishvarupa'- his theophany- being a revelation of his true greatness, is also an act of 'Social suicide' as the Mahabharata later discloses- i.e. Arjuna's theistic Newcomb problem turns out to be Divinity's Kavka toxin!- it follows that it is a 'costly signal' establishing a separating equilibrium. Notice that Arjuna, if he wishes, could get the vishvarupa without Krishna having to disclose it- i.e. there was a potential pooling equilibrium, but Arjuna's own preferences or autonomously determined 'nature' (this is the true meaning of 'svadharma') prevented its fruition.
However, a co-operative game should be parsimonious of costly signals which is why Screening mechanisms have salience. But this raises the puzzle as to why more rather than less indeterminacy can be a good Decision theoretic outcome. Surely, some sort of constrained optimisation, or even a 'satisficing' heuristic is better? One reason that occurs to me is that induced indeterminacy rules out a rational choice militating for arbitrage between coordination and discoordination games - i.e. 'moral entrepreneurs' or other privileged 'market makers' are known to be a priori pathological.
No doubt, the Gita contains plenty of 'cheap talk', which is fine if there is an alethic Aumann signaller and a Muth rational, Hannan consistent, correlated equilibrium- e.g if there is a 'Smriti' text which is common knowledge and which prescribes duties and defines entitlements in a robust and incentive compatible way. However, the Gita itself undermines any such notion through high comedy. Thus a hopelessly miscegenated Pandav is lectured about 'purity of the race'! Moreover, the family tradition of the entire clan was for the legitimate heir to cede the crown to one with a lower claim to it. One can multiply such instances endlessly - indeed the sublimity of the Gita arises only out of the fractal ironies and corresponding hermeneutic 'apoorva' ever renewed novelties and enchantments embedded in its every shloka.
There certainly is Decision theory in the Mahabharata- the Just King has to learn Statistical Game Theory to overcome his 'vishada' because he is a Principal (though, only by delegation) not an Agent- but the Gita, being concerned with Agents not Principals, has an 'indecision' theory- a bracketing or epoche- such that an indeterminate costly signal is elicited and a separating equilibrium is established on the basis of a 'zero knowledge proof'.
If restated Decision Theoretically, the Gita would yield only impossibility results which are themselves meaningful only in terms of the theory of Computational Complexity.
Because of the implicit assumptions, unwarranted by the text, which I have listed above, Wiese is obliged to end his paper by endorsing Sen's view of the Gita's message, viz. “one must take responsibility for the consequences of one’s actions and choices, and that this responsibility cannot be obliterated by any pointer to a consequence-independent duty or obligation.”
The problem here is that we may have good reasons to impose a 'zero knowledge proof' on a separating equilibrium. Thus if 'responsibility' continues to exist (i.e. it describes a relation than can be subject to Szpilrajn extension) even after we have cut ourselves off from anything more than bare verification, deliberation is vitiated. On one horn of the dilemma, in order to make 'responsibility' effable and deliberative, we have to adopt dialethia- e.g. by adopting P=NP as an axiom- or else 'responsibility' is ineffable and inaccessible to deliberative processes.
The Gita shows that if zero-knowledge proofs are desirable or necessary, then 'indecision' widens the space, till it is larger than the world, between the two horns of this dilemma.
What does this mean in practice? Well, in my view, this means tolerance of separate 'Dialogics'- more particularly those with the appearance of a Red Queen race- as opposed to the demand for a transparent univocity so as to stride quickly to 'optimal' substantive solutions.
To take an example, let us suppose we have an independent Judiciary which follows its own 'artificial reason' based on stare decisis. At the same time, let us suppose we have a free Market system continually adapting to new Technology, new Social configurations, new trading opportunities etc. It would be natural for entrepreneurs to fear that the Law is not adapting quickly enough. The people could be mobilised against the Judges- because legal language and Jurisprudential considerations are difficult to understand- and so the independence of the Judiciary could be endangered. One solution is 'transparency' and more 'oversight' etc. However, there is a risk that if the Judiciary lays bare every detail of its working- it would make it more easy for it to be 'gamed'. In other words, opacity too has an advantage.
In practice, Judges have found a way to signal an understanding of rapidly evolving market conditions but have done so couched in their own specialised terminology. This means that Economists are no longer crude Benthamites. They are respectful of the separate 'artificial reason' or 'dialogic' of the Judiciary. This, of course, involves no 'zero knowledge proofs' at all and perhaps I would be well advised to drop the comparison. Still, it seems to me, that Indian Economists have repented their Benthamite, or Marxist, demand for a 'committed Judiciary' because 'indecision' in this respect has proved to have advantages. The Judge should do his duty and the Legislator his duty. It is not the case that we are required to impose an immediate univocity between them. There is an advantage in being aware of a problem but not acting decisively.
Currently, there is some Institutional panic about zero-knowledge proofs in digital communications, E commerce etc. I personally, by reason of my advanced age and declining mental powers, may be inclined to endorse this panic. After all, when I was young, the assumption we made in Economics was that all relevant information could be aggregated in a substantive manner. Every Enterprise had books which we could seize and examine. How can we be sure our fundamental theorems in Welfare Economics will still have salience where an increasing amount of relevant information is completely private? There is a result from Chichilnisky & Heard which induces optimism in this regard. However, it is the Gita which can give us the moral courage to resist panicked reactions on the part of political leaders who want to appear 'decisive.'
Posted by windwheel at 08:47 4 comments:
Labels: bhagvad gita, ethics and economics
Nouriel Roubini- discovers a 'temporary but persistent' effect. Wow!
Amartya Sen is no longer the stupidest Econ Professor in the World. That title belongs to Nourinal Roubini who has discovered that a thing can be 'temporary but persistent'. This deserves a Nobel prize.
Nourinal, a modest man, buried his discovery in the following article for Project Syndicate. (My remarks are in bold)
America’s Bad Border Tax-
The United States may be about to implement a border adjustment tax. Or it may not. The Republican Party, now in control of the legislative and executive branches, views a BAT – which would effectively subsidize US exporters, by giving them tax breaks, while penalizing US companies that import goods – as an important element of corporate-tax reform. Really? Is the Republican party a monolithic party with an univocal view on BAT? Brady & Ryan- and most House Republicans may be on side, but there are a lot of skeptics. They claim that it would improve the US trade balance, while boosting domestic production, investment, and employment. They are wrong. The claim is a positive one. We can have a discussion about its truth-makers. We can't say the claim is wrong for any a priori reason unless, of course, we believe that something can be 'temporary but persistent' in which case we can believe anything at all by the logical principle ex falso quodlibet- from a false premise anything at all can be deduced.
The truth is that the Republicans’ plan is highly problematic. Along with other proposed reforms, the BAT would turn the US corporate income tax into a tax on corporate cash flow (with border adjustment), implying far-reaching consequences for US companies’ competitiveness and profitability. A BAT is like an exogenous shock. There is a one-off shakeout and then improved competitiveness all round- provided drivers for autonomous growth continue to operate. Since the US is technologically advanced and has such localised drivers, a shakeout is a good thing. Profitability is a separate matter. The alternative to BAT is not the status quo (otherwise Trump wouldn't be in the White House) but 'voluntary quotas' and other non Tariff barriers which create rents and harm competitiveness and, long term, profitability, output, and employment as well.
Some sectors or firms – especially those that rely heavily on imports, such as US retailers – would face sharp increases in their tax liabilities; in some cases, these increases would be even greater than their pre-tax profits. Yes. There will be a shakeout of firms that are poorly managed and can't climb the value chain. That's a good thing. It frees up resources. Meanwhile, sectors or firms that export, like those in manufacturing, would enjoy significant reductions in their tax burden. Only if there is no equal and opposite dollar appreciation. Is that what you are assuming Nourinal? Or are you just taking the piss? This divergence seems both unwarranted and unfair. Urm... the warrant is provided by a Democratic process. We may feel the outcome of a Democratic process is unfair but there is a Democratic way in which we can reverse that outcome.
The BAT would have other distributional implications, too. Studies indicate that it may hit consumers among the bottom 10% of income earners hardest. Any change in economic policy, or exogenous shock, can be shown to affect the bottom tenth the worst according to some metric because that is where elasticities are lowest. But the bottom tenth changes in composition all the time. If the effect of BAT & subsequent retaliation is to decrease Capital mobility and Technology offshoring then some people in the bottom tenth will be better able to climb out of poverty. Of course, they will be replaced by others less elastic in their behaviour by reason of some vulnerability we can and should separately address. There is no knockdown distributional or a priori normative argument here. Yet it has been promoted as a way to offset the corporate-tax cuts that Republicans are also pushing – cuts that would ultimately benefit those at the top of the income distribution. Once again Nourinal is fallaciously assuming that the composition of the top percentile won't change. It will. Those whose wealth is generated by US workers gain at the expense of those who are off-shoring jobs. The point about BAT is that it can reduce Corporate rent-seeking. That's why Trump was sceptical about it.
Alan Auerbach- educated at Yale and Harvard and now a Prof at Berkeley (that's right, he's a pinko pointyhead who advised Kerry in 2004)- is the big brain behind BAT. This is his policy paper for the Centre for American Progress. Not exactly a shil for the Koch Bros, right? But Nourinal isn't gonna acknowledge this. He writes as though this whole thing has been cooked up by them nasty One percenters.
Making matters worse, the BAT would not actually protect US firms from foreign competition. So it won't reduce competitiveness? Good to know. Economic theory suggests that, in principle, a BAT could push up the value of the dollar by as much as the tax, thereby nullifying its effects on the relative competitiveness of imports and exports. Cool! In that case, Nourinal, you were wrong to say that exporters would gain an 'unwarranted and unfair' advantage over importers.
Moreover, the balance-sheet effects of dollar appreciation would be large. Because most foreign assets held by US investors are denominated in a foreign currency, the value of those assets could be reduced by several trillion dollars, in total. Cool! Since US investments abroad are more productive than foreign investments in the US, the net wealth effect boosts US aggregate demand while incentivizing better global portfolio choice by US investors. Win Win! Meanwhile, the highly indebted emerging economies would face ballooning dollar liabilities, which could cause financial distress and even crises. Highly indebted emerging economies have structural problems which should be treated with a separate package of policy instruments. Tinbergen's rule applies. This isn't an argument against BAT, it is one for effective Overseas Aid policies.
Even if the US dollar appreciated less than the BAT, the pass-through from the tax on imports to domestic prices would imply a temporary but persistent rise in the inflation rate. Wow! Economists didn't know something could be both temporary and persistent! This discovery deserves a Nobel Prize! Perhaps what Nourinal means is 'There will be a one off price shock and then later on, as a result of retaliation, a secular cost push trend which persists.' But that's not what he said. Why? Nourinal is just taking the piss. Some studies suggest that, in the BAT’s first year, the new tax could push up US inflation by 1%, or even more. So nobody will notice. The US Federal Reserve may respond to such an increase by hiking its policy rate, a move that would ultimately lead to a rise in long-term interest rates and place further upward pressure on the dollar’s exchange rate. Long term interest rates should be higher. A sharp shakeout, due to dollar overshooting, is a good thing. Nourinal is aware that this talk of a one off one percent price shock aint scaring nobody. It really does not matter and the dynamic benefits are considerable.
Yet another problem with the BAT is that it would create massive disruptions in the global supply chains that the US corporate sector has built over the last few decades. Again, a good thing. Supply chains need to be disrupted so new Technology take-up is incentivized. The alternative is rent-seeking non-tariff barriers which have dynamic costs. By undermining companies’ capacity to maximize the efficiency of labor and capital allocation – the driving motivation behind offshoring – the BAT would produce large welfare costs for the US and the global economy. Exogenous shocks build, not undermine, capacity to efficiently allocate resources. No shocks- or shocks fully compensated by rent-seeking- undermine the entrepreneurial skill-set involved in 'creative destruction. That's not a good thing. Why have a market if we deny ourselves the 'autonomous growth' type dynamic benefits associated with entrepreneurial culture?
Rent-seeking behaviour results in 'dead-weight' welfare losses. Auerbach designed BAT so as to eliminate that type of 'excess burden'.
The final major problem with the BAT is that it violates World Trade Organization rules, which allow border adjustment only on indirect taxation, such as value-added tax, not on direct taxes, like those levied on corporate income. Given this, the WTO would probably rule the BAT illegal. In that case, the US could face retaliatory measures worth up to $400 billion per year if it didn’t repeal the tax. That would deal a serious blow to US and global GDP growth. Retaliation is a given. But, the world has changed. Europe will sooner or later realise that it can't do fiscal harmonization based monetary union- BAT based subsidiarity is the way to go. Smaller countries have to go in for Industrial policy- they have to shield 'autonomous growth' type niche industries from exchange rate overshooting.
China will see that claw-back on Intellectual Property helps it with its own capital flight and corruption problem. There is a different path out of US 'exorbitant privilege' and China appears cohesive enough to commit to it over the course of this year. Mexico and Canada, too, may find that they retain gravity model absolute advantage while gaining 'autonomous growth' type benefits for dynamic socio-political elements within their polities.
Kishan's earrings in Kamakshi's eyes.
'My Dolphin, you only guide me by surprise'
Robert Lowell.
Love made Lyric my business tho' in but Bigger Business is there now Romance
& if their hearts get attacked Golfing, caddied are Brokers by Bagger Vance.
While who thread Kaalratri's labyrinth- thy Dharma Karna!- as charioteer or as bard
Die beached like Arion's Dolphin, tho' dismount be not hard.
Envoi-
Prince! Kunti quakes till Kurukshetra's ear-born Sun dims to surmise
Which be Kishan's earrings, which Kamakshi's eyes
Labels: bhagvad gita, kamakshi, new quatrains
Wittgenstein & Socrates' absurd question.
There is a view that Philosophical problems arise only because Language has been misapplied. Some error of syntax or semantics has misled us. But what happens when the confusion is clarified?
As Wittgenstein puts it-
But what is that discovery and why is it valuable?
Let us take a much analysed example- 'Socrates' absurd question' which is at the heart of Plato's Symposium. Here is one scholarly translation- '... is Love such as to be the love of something/someone or nothing/no-one? I am asking not if it is of a [or a particular] mother or father—for absurd would be the question if Love is love of a mother or father—but as if I were asking about the term father, “Is a father the father of someone or not?” You would have told me, I suppose, if you wanted to answer properly, that it is of a son or a daughter that a father is the father, wouldn’t you?'
Young Greek intellectuals relished this sort of argument because, like the gorgeous paradoxes of the nihilist Gorgias, it turned on a fine point of Grammar- a source of ambiguity which a suave interlocutor could exploit so as to, in a charming manner, steer his audience towards a predetermined goal. This ambiguity has to do with the subjective and objective genitive case and has no salience in English. Indeed, English speaking readers might well think Socrates was a fool and his interlocutors idiots on the basis of passages like this.
By contrast, for the Semitic languages, not just the genitive case but also the notion of Fatherhood- as in God, the Father's, consubstantiality with his Son- or Motherhood- as in 'the mother of the Book'- or daughter-hood- as in 'bat kol' the 'daughter of the voice' from Heaven- had a quite different semantic force and range of associations precisely because all genealogy led back to the univocal Godhead.
Socrates' question, as posed by Shelley- a young aristocrat at odds with his wealthy father- is indeed absurd for an English speaker because we feel very strongly that family ties don't define us. By contrast, in the Middle East, it is common to refer to a man as 'Abu' (father of) or a woman as 'Umm' (mother of) their eldest son or daughter.
For the last few centuries, Plato's trajectory in the East has been in the direction of a populist univocity and subaltern illuminationism. In the technocratic West, however, Platonism retains salience only in the Philosophy of Mathematics.
Wittgenstein, however, believed that it was a mistake to think Mathematics could have Philosophical problems. Rather Philosophy's task was to get clear of any difficulty Mathematics was making for itself so as to get a bird's eye view of what was involved without any contradiction actually being resolved.
In the case of Socrates' absurd question- a particular Language game was being played in which, by a verbal trick, or ambiguity of language, something inherently 'multi-dimensional'- viz. Love- was made to substitute for something essentially relational or scalar- e.g. who is the father of who.
A Mathematical treatment of what happens when a 'democratic' Social Choice mechanism treats of a multi dimensional 'policy space' is given by the McKelvey Chaos theorem. Simply put, we can show by purely mathematical means that adding dimensions to a problem means that controlling the agenda- i.e. deciding in what order to pose yes/no questions- can yield any possible outcome.
Another way of arriving at the same insight is to see Semantics as a 'Co-ordination problem'. Clearly we are all better off if we have a means to co-ordinate our actions through Language. Thomas Schelling put forward a notion of 'focal points' which 'naturally' solved the co-ordination problem under conditions of decentralized decision making. David Lewis based his theory of 'Conventions' on Schelling's insight.
Does this means there's some democratic way of getting rid of semantic problems from public discourse? No. One 'focal solution' may be more efficient or computationally less costly than another. Even without any strategic behavior, there would be some uncertainty and debate and confusion because information is costly to process and change takes time.
Factor in, strategic behavior- e.g. 'agenda control'- and there's going to be, not just frictional 'noise' creating a 'signal extraction problem' but also all sorts of 'hysteresis effects' and collectively irrational 'bubbles'- just like in the global financial system when it became 'incentive incompatible'- i.e. when politicians and money managers had perverse incentives.
Fans of Wittgenstein- or a broader philosophical 'linguistic turn', not to mention paranoid 'epistemologies of suspicion' or uncritical 'critical theory'- could pretend that by clarifying language they would be ineluctably led to some liberative insight. 'The civil status of a contradiction' might turn out to refer to some Marxian Crisis or Marcusian Lysis.
Meanwhile, on the Right, some 'neo-conservatives' allegedly believed that the elite could hang on to a clear sighted view of how things really work, and how they must be allowed to work, while writing high falutin' nonsense so as to add noise to signal as part of some soi disant 'Noble Lie'.
Both views were shallow and self serving. A little honest mathematical work- like that of John Muth- supplemented by proper empirical research could easily put paid to the notion that ordinary human beings are prisoners of Language or Culture or Gramscian 'Hegemony' or Butlerian 'Perfomativity' or Bhabha's 'hybridity' or any other such fatuous academic 'availability cascade'.
But why should this be? How can ordinary people be smarter than apple polishing PhD candidates> Well, the fact is we have evolved over tens of thousands of years to use Language strategically- i.e. lie and be lied to- and to be sensitive to the appearance of focal points as solutions to co-ordination games. In the short run, we can be fooled- but within a surprisingly short number of iterations we quickly gravitate to the focal point which would be predicted by the correct theory. 'The dead hand of the past'- or 'hysteresis'- does not dictate or render increasingly chaotic our actions in the Social sphere- provided there is a genuine collective benefit from a 'channelization' of behavior.
In practice, because we have evolved under Knightian Uncertainty, dis-coordination games and the damming up of 'capacitance diversity' also features in the relevant Evolutionary Stable 'regret minimizing' strategy.
Socrates, of course, was not a 'Social Scientist'. Even on his way to the Court Hearing where he would be condemned to death, he wished to practice the intellectual 'midwifery', or method of maieutics, which has immortalized his name.
Thus, in the Theaetetus, he puzzles over how Knowledge might have a canonical definition as 'true judgment with an account'.
The answer is that we know that the underlying co-ordination problem for agents is solvable by agreeing to be bound by 'artificial reason'- i.e. a system of endogenous protocols which may evolve on a fitness landscape but which is not itself revocable by some fact of what appears to be 'natural law' nor by a 'bat kol' or 'voice from Heaven'.
Socrates, on the brink of a fatal judgment, is, however, concerned with ultimate things. He recounts a dream which suggests that there might be an underlying 'alphabet' or (what Descartes, Leibniz et al would call a mathesis universalis or characteristica universalis) corresponding to the elementary particles or principles (stoichea) from which all Reality is built up. The trouble is these stoicheia may not be knowable, or the work of a Gnostic demiurge, so it is either futile or foolish to hope, at this early stage, that 'true judgement' can render a proper 'account' in terms of the 'alphabet of Being' or 'Theory of Everything'.
Still, one can have as many disparate ' artificial reason Dialogics' as one likes solving different types of problems. When abstract Mathematics advances enough, it can re-unite such Dialogics on the basis of greater generality. Interestingly, when this is done, Platonism (as opposed to Socratic or Stoic doubt) does not disappear, rather it re-emerges in a useful way but only because a genuine Mathematical advance hangs in the balance. By contrast, Wittgenstein's own attempt at founding his project on 'atomic propositions' came a cropper. It is not clear that his later notion of 'forms of life' is any real advance.
Perhaps the answer is that Wittgenstein, unlike Brouwer, made no contribution to Mathematics. He spoke of Language Games, but unlike Von Neumann or Turing, made no contribution to the very useful mathematical theory of Games, or that of Computational complexity.
Godel's Platonism has an instrumental value for Mathematics and Mathematics, not Wittgenstein, actually clarifies genuinely open problems for the study or use of Language.
Still, Wittgenstein, like Plato, will retain salience for credentialised, as opposed to creative, literary culture by reason of some indefinable charm or appeal to the eternal entitled adolescent we all nurse within ourselves.
For a very different view of Wittgenstein's relationship to Plato there is an excellent article here by a young Professor from New Mexico which may motivate deeper discussion.
Labels: ethics and economics, ontological dysphoria, Wittgenstein
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Difference between revisions of "Jamming phase diagram for attractive particles"
Chisholm (Talk | contribs)
m (→Summary)
[[Image:S.png|thumb|300px| Figure 1, taken from [1].]]
[[Image:PhaseD.png|thumb|300px| Figure 1, taken from [1].]]
==Reference==
[1] V. Trappe, V. Prasad, Luca Cipelletti, P.N. Segre, and D. A. Weitz, "Jamming phase diagram for attractive particles," Nature '''411''' 772-775 (2001).
Original Entry: Nick Chisholm, AP 225, Fall 2009
4 Soft Matter Discussion
Authors: V. Trappe, V. Prasad, Luca Cipelletti, P.N. Segre, and D. A. Weitz
Publication: Nature 411 772-775 (2001)
Colloid, Elastic Modulus, Jamming Transition, Stress, Viscosity
In this article, the authors present experimental evidence supporting theoretical proposals suggesting that a jamming phase diagram could be used in order to describe attractive particle systems, where the attractive interactions play a role similar to that of confining pressure. The fluid-to-solid transition of weakly attractive colloid particles is studied in detail, and the results conclude that they undergo a similar gelation behavior (when compared to granular media, colloidal suspensions, and molecular systems which are described by jamming phase diagrams) with increasing concentration and decreasing thermalization or stress. The authors thus claim that their results support the idea of a jamming phase diagram for attractive colloid particles, providing a unifying link between the glass transition, gelation, and aggregation.
Please see the definition of Jamming Transition before continuing to read this article review.
Soft Matter Discussion
Figure 1, taken from [1].
[1] V. Trappe, V. Prasad, Luca Cipelletti, P.N. Segre, and D. A. Weitz, "Jamming phase diagram for attractive particles," Nature 411 772-775 (2001).
Retrieved from "http://soft-matter.seas.harvard.edu/index.php?title=Jamming_phase_diagram_for_attractive_particles&oldid=12256"
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In a Deluge of New Media, Autocrats Swim and Democracies Sink
By Tyler Roylance
by World Affairs
At the beginning of the century, the spread of the internet, satellite television, and other media technologies was expected to break down old monopolies and political boundaries, making it nearly impossible for those in power to control what people read, watch, and hear.
Digital media have indeed expanded around the world at lightning speed in the years since, reaching populations that previously received news only from state broadcasters.
Nevertheless, press freedom worldwide deteriorated to its lowest point in 13 years in 2016, according to Freedom House’s latest annual report. Just 13 percent of the world’s population lives in countries whose media environments are ranked as fully “free.”
What the optimists failed to take into account was that forces interested in maintaining control over news and political discourse would not simply accept the inevitability of their own demise, but would fight back and look for new opportunities to increase their dominance.
Over the past decade or more, autocratic regimes—and illiberal elected governments with authoritarian ambitions—have deterred independent reporting and online criticism through familiar tools like physical intimidation, censorship on moral or religious grounds, and prosecution under draconian laws on defamation or national security.
They have harassed critical media with arbitrary tax inspections, regulatory fines, and licensing disputes. They have used corrupt, politicized control over state contracts and advertising to influence private media owners, subsidize friendly outlets, or engineer changes of ownership.
And they have taken advantage of the new ease with which media outlets can be created, conjuring up satellite networks, online news agencies, and innumerable social media accounts to amplify their preferred narratives.
Some autocrats and populist leaders—such as Vladimir Putin, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and the late Hugo Chávez—have gone a step further, building what amounts to a new form of personality cult.
In most modern media environments, it is no longer possible to maintain personality cults through ubiquitous statues, propaganda posters, or florid praise on state television. But energetic leaders with the necessary skills and supporting infrastructure have found ways to dominate the news with their own personalities and images, constantly taking actions or making remarks that pervade the national media.
Even independent or critical outlets operating on the margins have little choice but to discuss and react to the leader’s activities. Social media users may lampoon their president or prime minister, and may face prosecution as a result, but the conversation, in one way or another, always seems to be about the leader.
In a sense, the personality cult counteracts digital media’s tendency to fragment society into discreet audiences and political communities: The leader’s name and image become the country’s new lingua franca.
Populist leaders often claim to speak for “the people,” a unified mass that supposedly represents the authentic core of the nation. They pose as champions of the people’s interests, but gradually conflate their personal interests with those of the people. Citizens who oppose the leader are depicted as somehow alien to the nation, traitorous agents of foreign powers or converts to degenerate foreign values. It is the media, willingly or not, that ultimately cement this conceptual bond between leader and public.
Of course, the proliferation of digital media also provides an enticing way out. In an earlier era, malcontents had to make dangerous escapes through barbed wire or over walls to avoid totalitarian conformity. Today, they can simply remove themselves from the leader-obsessed news media and seek psychological refuge in distraction and entertainment, even in countries where online censorship of political content is pronounced. So long as they keep contributing to the economy, authoritarian rulers are probably happy to see dissatisfied citizens withdraw from the public sphere.
The world’s antidemocratic forces have clearly adapted well to the new media ecosystem. Democracies, meanwhile, continue to struggle.
In fact, the “monopolies” that have suffered the most from the digital revolution are the incumbent broadcasters and periodicals that once dominated the news industry in democratic states. In their heyday, facing only limited competition, they aimed their news products at the general public, and consequently adopted policies of moderation, objectivity, and fairness that would appeal to the broadest possible audience.
Today, however, their audiences and business models have been shattered by the mushroom growth of new outlets, which increasingly speak to specific demographics with a particular partisan slant. This raises the question of whether a democracy can remain healthy if its electorate is broken into distinct and sometimes hostile political cultures, isolated by the divergent media they consume.
If anything motivates democracies to find a solution, perhaps it will be the fact that they are now under digital assault—by means of propaganda, disinformation, and cyberespionage—from authoritarian powers like Putin’s Russia. Democratic citizens may have increasingly polarized political views, but they have a common interest in protecting their hard-won freedoms from genuine foreign threats.
Tyler Roylance is a senior staff editor at Freedom House and a contributor to its new report, Freedom of the Press 2017.
For more information on issues and events that shape our world, please visit our CSS Security Watch Series or browse our Publications.
Tags: Media freedom, Freedom of speech, Authoritari
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"What If Whiteness Vanished?" (The Professor @ Professor, What if . . . ?)
What if, as the movie A Day without a Mexican ponders in regards to the Latino population of California, we woke up one morning and whiteness had vanished?
Well, there would be an uproar of course. It would be unfair to have all those non-white faces representing everything from government to toothpaste. Can you imagine the loud outcry from most whites? Yet, somehow, the near invisibility of other-than-whiteness in our world is a-ok, no problem there. It’s enough to make you scream.
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[W]henever I hear a leftist with privilege talking about that one time they tried to give someone a loaf of bread, I always detect a note of satisfaction in their voice. If this were truly a problem for people - if people with homes truly cared about the homeless and wanted to help them - we would scramble for other ways to accomplish that. We would engage with them, let them tell us what they need. We would give our money to shelters and programs. We would work harder to create safety nets. But we don’t. The people who moan about the futility of giving don’t really want to give. Instead, they go through the motions so they can get to that punch line: “There’s no point in trying, because they’re lazy and weak and thus belong where they are.”
"Obama Effigy Found Hanging from Ore. Campus Tree" (Mary Hudetz [AP] @ seattlepi.com)
Officials of a small Christian university say a life-size cardboard reproduction of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama was hung from a tree on the campus, an act that outraged students and school leaders alike.
George Fox University President Robin Baker said a custodian discovered the effigy early Tuesday and removed it. University spokesman Rob Felton said Wednesday that the commercially produced reproduction had been suspended from the branch of a tree with fishing line around the neck.
Taped to the cardboard cutout of the black senator from Illinois was a message targeting participants in Act Six, a scholarship program geared toward increasing the number of minority and low-income students at several Christian colleges, mostly in the Northwest.
The message read, "Act Six reject."
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White flight, city planning, disinvestment, highway building, tax laws and encouraging the movement of businesses to the suburbs, and housing loans and equity historically given only to whites creates non-white neighborhoods. But such neighborhoods have flourished against all odds, creating artistic treasures and special traditions. To black Harlem in particular we owe the Harlem Renaissance, the development of jazz and swing, countless theatre groups, the Harlem Boys Choir, the Apollo Theatre, the Cotton Club, and the Savoy Ballroom. It was white power and non-white disenfranchisement that created non-white neighborhoods and it is white power that allows whites to return, drawn by low rents or pleasing aesthetics without concern for those they displace or the consequences of rising rents and loss of non-white havens. But white might doesn't make white right.
"I Found My Gut Reason for Voting for Obama" (David Sirota @ Open Left, via Stop Dog Whistle Racism)
I found my gut reason - the reason why I'm going to go into that voting booth and slam my vote through that ballot box with real umph: I'm voting for Barack Obama to reject the people and the views I met head on earlier this week in a debate with fringe-conservative radio host Dennis Prager. . . .
I've felt sick to my stomach since the debate. I can't really get it out of my head, not because I think I did poorly (on the contrary, most of the objective observers who were there said I held my own), but because I'm nauseated by the number of selfish, hateful and ignorant people that - even in the face of an intensifying war on the middle class - don't care about anyone other than themselves, adamantly refuse to verify their beliefs with empirical facts on the principle that they don't need facts to know "what's right," and cannot see the world from any one else's perspective.
You cannot even meet them on the supposedly "conservative" issues like civil liberties that we should all agree on - many conservatives today are blind authoritarian partisans, people who truly think it is outrageous to say America was misled into the Iraq War, and that that war has something to do with oil. They can only see the world from the gilded gates of their own wealthy white suburbia, and they self-righteously believe that privileged existence is the way every American lives - and if they don't, it's their fault for not trying harder.
"Eulogy for Mammy" (Renee @ Womanist Musings)
White people love Mammy, that fact cannot be denied. As long as she existed in their imagination, black women could indeed be understood to embrace our status at the bottom of the race and class hierarchy. As long as Mammy's booming laugh could be heard in the wind, black women could be said to love their precious white folk. Love is the most wonderful of human emotions, but in this case, it amounts to nothing but a perversion, a symbol of internalized racism, because it allows white people to signify all that is good and pure in this world. Mammy's love of whiteness necessitated a complete denial, and hatred of all things black.
Also, Dave Chappelle and John Mayer prove that white people, when properly stimulated, just can't resist the urge to dance.
Posted by macon d at 5:26 AM
I just saw that Chappelle skit on TV last night!
Great post. Thanks for the links.
Please see the "commenting guidelines" before submitting a comment.
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Quartzite Stone Countertops Are The Best Natural Stone Countertops For A Number Of Reasons
26 April 2017 by Zack Gilbert
There is something remarkably appealing about white kitchen granite countertops, which enhance the other all-white features of your kitchen. It's a sleek, clean, and inviting look, and it's basically being used in modern homes not only in the kitchen but also in bathrooms and other areas of your home that require granite countertops. The best of all natural stone countertops is the exotic look of quartzite stone.
To Know Quartzite Is To Understand Its Origins
Quartzite is a metamorphic rock that is essentially made of the mineral quartz. From a geological life point of view, quartzite originated as sand grains in riverbeds, beaches, and desert dunes. As time passed, these sand grains went through a compression process and thus stuck together and formed sandstone. Additional compression took place later when the sandstones ended up being buried deep under many layers of rocks.
Sandstones had the ability to get more hot and compressed when buried under the rocks. So the heating and continued rock pressure caused sand grains to lose their initial shape. They fused to what's referred to as their neighbors and formed a durable and highly dense rock known as quartzite. This durable stone also boasts additional minerals that are carried downstream by groundwater. Groundwater flow of water ejected hues of blue, green, or ion-red colors that mix in with quartzite sandstone. This mix adds a vivid beauty to quartzite.
Hardness Properties Of Quartzite
Quartzite stone is so unique that you don't have to be an expert geologist to recognize the durability and hardness of this natural stone. When measured on the venerable Mohs hardness scale, it rates a 7 score. That hardness score tells you that it's harder than glass or the sharp blade of a knife. Quartzite stone will not etch if lemon juice, vinegar, or other kitchen acids spill onto its surface. The product has an array of porosities. White Macaubas and Calacatta Macaubas are more porous and will benefit from added sealing. Taj Mahal or Sea Pearl are highly metamorphosed, and the minerals are already bonded tightly together.
Purchasing Tip About Quartzite Countertops
Here's a tip that you can use, which prevents you from purchasing a quartzite product that's labeled as soft quartzite. Soft quartzite is a misleading and mislabeled product. In fact, there is no known quartzite that is soft. That label might be intended for a marble product, but marble doesn't even come close to the hardness of quartzite countertop products as reflected on the Mohs measurement scale.
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Media Contact: Lance Skelly 18 August 2004
lance.skelly@emory.edu
(404) 686-8538 ((40) 4) -686-8538 [ Print | Email ]
Emory Hospitals' Alice Vautier Named 2004 GHA Workforce Leadership Award Winner
The Georgia Hospital Association has named Emory Hospitals Alice Vautier, RN, Ed.D, as the 2004 Workforce Leadership Award Winner in recognition for her commitment to working collaboratively with her community, colleagues and state to improve the status of the health care workforce.
While the healthcare industry in the U.S. is battling a critical nursing shortage, Vautier and her staff have proactively created innovative programs to effectively fight the shortage and attract and retain talented nurses.
These include a nurse residency program for new or inexperienced nurses in eight specialty areas, a RN re-entry program, a preceptor and mentoring program, and a nurse extern program for nursing students. She has also supported nursing faculty by supporting faculty research and by developing a partnership with Georgia Perimeter College to provide faculty salary support. A continuing education program and skills fair for clinical faculty is in its third year. Vautier is also committed to providing tuition support to 42 BSN students at Emorys Nell Hodgsen Woodruff School of Nursing and 50 students at Perimeter College to increase the number of Nurses in Atlanta.
Vautier, Emory Hospitals chief nursing officer and associate administrator for patient services, began her career at Emory Hospitals in 1990. Alice is passionate in her belief that nurses are a driving force in patient care outcomes, says Robert Bachman, chief operating officer for Emory University Hospital.
Emory Crawford Long Hospitals COO Albert Blackwelder agrees. It is through her leadership that nursing has achieved a renewed sense of purpose and power throughout the organization. Alice has encouraged education, financed scholarships and assisted in creating a therapeutic healing environment for our patients.
I believe nursing is a wonderful profession, and everyday I see staff that love nursing. I see excitement and determination to being the best nurse in both our seasoned nurses and those going through our scholarship and residency programs, Vautier says. Its a true honor to be recognized for my part in introducing, and in some cases re-introducing, talented and dedicated people to this profession.
Emory Healthcare chief executive officer John Fox believes Vautiers efforts are an integral part of making Emory Healthcare a destination for talented nurses. Her leadership and commitment have contributed to improvements in the healthcare workforce. It is through her vision that nurses within Emory Healthcare are empowered to practice the profession of nursing to the best of their abilities, Fox says.
Vautier graduated from the Cooper Hospital School of Nursing in Camden, New Jersey, received her BSN from the University of Pennsylvania, her MSN in nursing administration from Villanova University and her Ed.D in nursing administration from Teachers College, Columbia University.
In 2001, the Georgia Hospital Association established an annual award to recognize an individual, hospital, or other institution that has made outstanding contributions to addressing Georgias health care personnel needs. Nominations are requested for the person, organization or institution that exemplifies the following criteria:
" Leadership and Commitment - not just by being a leader in his or her hospital, health system, or other institution, but in the entire community. The Award recipient is committed to working collaboratively with his or her community, colleagues and state to improve the status of the health care workforce.
" Innovation - has developed an innovative approach(es) to resolve health care workforce issues that exceed(s) the traditional methods of recruitment and retention.
" Results - as a result of this persons or institutions efforts, there is concrete progress related to bringing about a balance between supply and demand for nursing and/or allied health professionals.
lskelly@emory.edu
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Links 5/3/2019: EasyOS Reviewed, Debian ‘Cloud’ Team
Red Hat Satellite 5 customers: Important updates on RHN and ISOs
As Red Hat phases out its Red Hat Network (RHN), customers on Red Hat Satellite 5.6 and 5.7 will need to upgrade now to continue receiving content and updates. Read on for details and steps to move to the Red Hat Content Delivery Network (CDN).
Red Hat has been notifying customers since early 2017 that Red Hat Satellite 5.7 and Satellite 5.6 would be at end of life on January 31, 2019. We encourage customers on those releases to move to Satellite 5.8 as soon as possible, then start planning your migration to Satellite 6. As a reminder, Satellite 5.8 is planned to be at end of life May 31, 2020.
The end of life of earlier Satellite versions was just one of the reasons to move to Satellite 5.8. Another reason is that Satellite 5.8 is the only Satellite 5 version that uses Red Hat CDN instead of RHN.
Open Outlook: Management + Automation
As organizations accelerate their digital transformation efforts they are embracing new hybrid IT models that include a mix of traditional, private and public cloud technologies. Workload strategies in these new models must consider cost, availability, security and reliability, as well as compliance and regulatory requirements. Many enterprises have evolved from use of on-premises virtualization and private clouds to hybrid and, frequently, multicloud environments.
While management and automation technologies have always been instrumental to enterprise IT governance, their importance grows as organizations grapple with the resulting increased speed, scale and complexity. Traditional solutions have been unable to adapt to the needs of these rapidly changing hybrid cloud environments and many organizations plan to acquire new tools to address these challenges.
How and Why We’re Changing Deployment Topology in OpenShift 4.0
Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform is changing the way that clusters are installed, and the way those resulting clusters are structured. When the Kubernetes project began, there were no extension mechanisms. Over the last four-plus years, we have devoted significant effort to producing extension mechanisms, and they are now mature enough for us build systems upon. This post is about what that new deployment topology looks like, how it is different from what came before, and why we’re making such a significant change.
Rusty Rubies | Coder Radio 347
Mike breaks down what it takes to build a proper iOS build server, and leaves the familiar shallows of Debian for the open waters of openSUSE.
Plus Wes’ reluctant ruby adventures and our pick to ease your javascript packaging woes.
Kernel Space
Linux 5 is now out
Nothing special Torvalds just ran out of fingers and toes
Linux 5.0, the first major milestone release of the open-source Linux kernel in 2019, has been launched.
Linux 5.0 is the first version of the kernel since April 2015, when Linux 4.0 was released, with a significant latest version number.
Linux creator Linus Torvalds doesn’t appear to be particularly excited and does not see a specific significance in reaching the big 5.0.
IT’s “Mr Sweary” said the numbering change was not indicative of anything special.
Linux 5.0 Is Here
Linus Torvalds, the creator of Linux kernel has announced the release of Linux 5.0. Despite any excitement around the major release number, the fact is these numbers really don’t mean much. Torvalds has often said that he chooses a new number when the version number becomes too long. He simply doesn’t want “the numbers are big enough that you can’t really distinguish them.”
Announcing 5.0, Torvalds wrote, “I’d like to point out (yet again) that we don’t do feature-based releases, and that “5.0″ doesn’t mean anything more than that the 4.x numbers started getting big enough that I ran out of fingers and toes.”
That said there are many new features in this release, including support for GPUs. Linux 5.0 comes with improvement for AMD FreeSync, NVIDIA RTX Turing, and Raspberry Pi Touch Display support. It also comes with Google’s Adiantum storage encryption system.
Linux 5.0: A major milestone with minor improvements
In an earlier Linux Kernel Mailing List (LKML) message, Torvalds had written “About 50 percent [of Linux 5.0] is drivers, 20 percent is architecture updates, 10 percent is tooling, and the remaining 20 percent is all over (documentation, networking, filesystems, header file updates, core kernel code..). Nothing particular stands out, although I do like seeing how some ancient drivers are getting put out to pasture (*cough*isdn*cough*).”
That said, it does contain some worthwhile improvements.
The new Linux comes with Google’s Adiantum storage encryption system. Adiantum works on low-powered devices such as Android smartphones. It’s a big step forward in securing these devices. It’s faster than previous encryption systems. Paul Crowley and Eric Biggers, of Google’s Android Security & Privacy Team, blogged, “Storage encryption protects your data if your phone falls into someone else’s hands Adiantum is an innovation in cryptography designed to make storage encryption more efficient for devices without cryptographic acceleration, to ensure that all devices can be encrypted.”
Linux 5.0-ad1 Patch Lets You Build The Kernel With “-march=native”
While the upstream Linux kernel developers may not be interested in adding all of the CPU compiler tuning optimizations carried by Gentoo for their kernel builds, if you are after just “-march=native” compiler tuning to optimize your kernel build for the CPU being used, an updated patch is now available.
Developer Alexey Dobriyan has published his “Linux 5.0-ad1″ patch where the focus of his patch is on carrying Gentoo’s “-march=native” kernel option for this newest Linux kernel release.
Linux 5.0 “Shy Crocodile” Arrives With Google’s Adiantum Encryption
Linus Torvalds just released version 5.0 of the Linux kernel, codenamed “Shy Crocodile”. Linux 5.0 includes Google’s new encryption tech as well as support for AMD FreeSync, Raspberry Pi touch screens, and more goodies.
Linux 5.0 arrived on March 3, 2019. As Linus explained back in January on the Linux Kernel Mailing List (LKML,) this isn’t really a huge release:
Linux Lite Users Are the First to Try Linux Kernel 5.0, Here’s How to Install It
Released last weekend, Linux kernel 5.0 is a major milestone with minor improvements. Linux Lite developer and founder Jerry Bezencon is usually among the first to offer a new major kernel series to his users, and you can now install the Linux 5.0 kernel series on Linux Lite 4.x and 3.x series.
Highlights of Linux kernel 5.0 include FreeSync support in for AMD GPUs for a stutter-free viewing experience on LCDs with dynamic refresh rates, a new energy-aware scheduling feature for ARM big.LITTLE CPUs, support for swap files in the Btrfs file system, and support for the Adiantum file system encryption for low power devices.
Linux 5.0 is out except it’s really 4.21 because Linus ‘ran out of fingers and toes’ to count on
Linus Torvalds has squeezed out version 5.0 of the Linux kernel and flung open the merge window for its follow-up, 5.1.
In the post announcing the arrival, Torvalds was at pains to point out that feature-based releases really aren’t a thing and the 5.0 “doesn’t mean anything more than that the 4.x numbers started getting big enough that I ran out of fingers and toes”.
However, there is actually much to delight Linux lovers in the release, which had been known as “4.21″ before Torvalds’ fingers and toes moment.
Linux 5.1 Continues The Years-Long Effort Preparing For Year 2038
Linux 5.1 continues the massive undertaking in preparing the kernel for the Year 2038 problem.
The Linux kernel has been seeing “Y2038″ work for years and the effort is far from over. Thomas Gleixner sent in the latest Y2038 work for the Linux 5.1 kernel, which after a lot of ground work in previous kernels has introduced the first set of syscalls that are Year 2038 safe.
LF Edge Welcomes Aricent as Premier Member to Help Unify Open Edge Computing
LF Edge, an umbrella organization within the Linux Foundation that aims to establish an open, interoperable framework for edge computing independent of hardware, silicon, cloud, or operating system, today announced Aricent, a global design and engineering company, has joined LF Edge as a Premier member.
“We are pleased to welcome Aricent as the newest Premier member of LF Edge,” said Arpit Joshipura, general manager, the Linux Foundation. “Their expertise in delivering robust edge frameworks for leading mobile operators, combined with their commitment to collaborative development of open, innovative networks, will help the community establish a common platform for edge computing.”
Graphics Stack
Intel ANV Vulkan Driver Adds VK_EXT_inline_uniform_block, VK_EXT_ycbcr_image_arrays
The open-source Intel “ANV” Vulkan Linux driver has picked up support for some of the newer extensions.
First up, the ANV driver now implements support for VK_EXT_inline_uniform_block, the extension that has been around since September’s Vulkan 1.1.84 release. VK_EXT_inline_uniform_block allows for uniform blocks to be backed directly with descriptor sets by storing the inline uniform data within descriptor pool storage.
Intel’s i965 Mesa Driver Now Supports Threaded OpenGL
While Intel may be developing the Iris Gallium3D driver as their future OpenGL driver, they haven’t given up all work on their existing “i965″ classic Mesa driver. Hitting Mesa 19.1′s development code this morning is support for threaded OpenGL with this existing and widely-used driver on Linux systems.
For ages now the Mesa Gallium3D drivers have supported “mesa_glthread=true” mode for turning on threaded OpenGL where more work can be punted off to separate CPU threads. This same treatment is now available to Intel’s current (non-Gallium) OpenGL driver. We’ve done many tests on this mesa_glthread functionality since it came about two to three years back.
AMD Posts Patches Implementing RAS Support For AMDGPU Linux Driver
AMD developers today posted a set of twenty patches implementing RAS support for the AMDGPU Linux kernel diver.
The AMDGPU driver is seeing support for RAS — Reliability, Availability, Serviceability — for supported hardware that at least for now appears to be focused on Vega 20 — likely just the Radeon Instinct products and not Radeon VII. The AMDGPU RAS support includes SRAM/VRAM ECC, bad page tracking, and error containment.
Intel Iris Pro 6200 Graphics – i965 vs. Iris Gallium3D OpenGL Performance
With the initial Iris Gallium3D driver that was merged into Mesa at the end of February from our tests on UHD Graphics the performance is quite promising considering the early stage of this new open-source OpenGL driver and it not yet being fully tuned/optimized. The Iris Gallium3D driver support goes back to Broadwell CPUs so I decided to run some benchmarks with the legendary Core i7 5775C that features the Iris Pro Graphics 6200 with 128MB of eDRAM.
How to install htop on Alpine Linux using apk
How to configure a static IP address on Linux
remove comments (even those starting with spaces), empty lines (even those containing spaces) in one grep command
RHEL 8 install Python 3 or Python 2 using yum
Fedora: Install Third-Party Software And Codecs With Fedy
How to Change the Keyboard Layout in Linux
Ping Command in Linux with Examples
Running the ‘Real Debian’ on Raspberry Pi 3+ [For DIY Enthusiasts]
Cleaning up DigitalOcean Kubernetes Resources
Using Docker to test Qt for WebAssembly
There has been lots of excitement around WebAssembly and more specifically Qt for WebAssembly recently. Unfortunately, there are no snapshots available yet. Even if there are, you need to install a couple of requirements locally to set up your development environment.
I wanted to try it out and the purpose of this post is to create a developer environment to test a project against the current state of this port. This is where docker comes in.
Historically, docker has been used to create web apps in the cloud, allowing to scale easily, provide implicit sand-boxing and being lightweight. Well, at least more lightweight than a whole virtual machine.
Useradd vs Adduser: What’s the Difference
New Feature Announcement: CloudLinux Installation Wizard
How to Install October CMS on Ubuntu 18.04 LTS
Installing Kivy and Buildozer and building Android apps with Python 3.7 on Fedora 29
Shows space used by each directory of the root filesystem excluding mountpoints/external filesystems (and sort the output)
The Humble Indie Bundle 20 is now officially live!
Wow, ask and you shall receive? I only sent Humble a message in the last few weeks asking about a new Humble Indie Bundle and they delivered! The Humble Indie Bundle 20 is officially live.
ATOM RPG to get a much improved English translation, modding support and tons of new features
ATOM RPG, the impressive classic Fallout-like experience is set for a massive update on March 20th and it sounds exciting.
Firstly, their English translation is set to be overhauled. It was okay but it could certainly do with improvements. They’re aware of this and so they’ve pulled in Scott Hamm who worked on Age of Decadence and Battle Brothers.
The puzzle game ‘Robo Instructus’ will have you control a robot with simple programming
For those who love their puzzles and their programming, Robo Instructus from developer Big AB Games was just announced.
Gameplay involves using a simple programming language to manoeuvre a robot around. The puzzles themselves have multiple ways to solve them, so those who can master the scripting can probably find some interesting solutions. As you progress through it, you will unlock more functions to help solve new puzzles.
Mari0 (Mario + Portal) Available to Install via Snap in Ubuntu
Although there’s already a 2D jump and run game SuperTux available in Ubuntu Software, Mari0 is available as a complete from scratch recreation of Super Mario Bros, with puzzle game mechanics from Portal. It also features play 4-player coop, with everyone having their own Portal gun!
The second DLC for Two Point Hospital is out this month with Pebberley Island
Pebberley Island, the second DLC for Two Point Hospital will be expanding the amusing hospital sim later this month.
For those who just can’t get enough, get ready to scrub up as it will feature three entirely new scenarios across three different hospitals. Plenty of different scenery this time around too! There’s also 34 new illnesses to tackle, although only 10 of them are a “full new visual illnesses”.
Railway Empire has another DLC out featuring Germany and a free content patch
Railway Empire continues to grow with the fifth expansion now available, this time Germany takes centre stage.
Gaming Minds Studios and publisher Kalypso Media Digital also released another free update to go along with the DLC. It’s quite an interesting update too adding in new railway buildings, more advanced settings for the “Free Mode”, new hotkeys and bug fixes.
Fast-paced space grand-strategy game ‘Eons of War’ to now release in September
For those itching to play another grand-strategy game, you will need to wait a little longer as Eons of War has moved to a September release.
Originally due for May, the developer confirmed to us on Twitter it will now be in September, although a specific date hasn’t yet been set.
Undead Horde from 10tons to arrive on Linux after the initial Early Access launch
10tons latest game, Undead Horde, will not have Linux support at the initial Early Access release.
Humble Store has a Square Enix sale with some top Linux games going cheap
Always on the look out for a good deal, Humble Store recently announced their Square Enix sale and there’s some good choices for cash-strapped Linux gamers.
ScourgeBringer, a fast-paced free-moving roguelite platformer is heading to Linux
Only just announced today, ScourgeBringer from Flying Oak Games, E-Studio and Dear Villagers who’ve all joined together to make it is a fast-paced action platformer that does look very slick.
Another look at what games are coming to Linux throughout 2019
As a companion to our article in January, here’s another look at even more games coming to Linux across 2019. In that article, I noted around 31 varied games and as expected plenty more have been announced since then. Do check out the previous list if you missed it, as I won’t be repeating any entries in this list!
Many items on this list might be familiar to regular readers, however for those who don’t get the chance to read us constantly (fair enough, news moves quickly) this condensed look will hopefully be another helpful insight.
In no particular order, here’s another bunch of titles coming to Linux throughout 2019. Clicking the title of each game will take you to where you can see a whole lot more about each one.
Desktop Environments/WMs
Screenshot Galore!
The QNX desktop has seen some significant improvements over the last few months. While it is still mostly a one-person spare-time project, it is becoming more and more usable.
First, I owe a debt from my original post. I was reprimanded by commentators for the window decoration’s lack of visual appeal. To address this I added a simple theme plug-in API to the window manager, which facilitates the creation of new themes. These are built into shared objects that are loaded when the window manager starts. With the help of the Cairo library I was able to write two new themes: one original, the other less so (see if you can spot it…).
K Desktop Environment/KDE SC/Qt
KDE Plasma 5.12.8 LTS Desktop Environment Released with over 70 Improvements
KDE Plasma 5.12.8 LTS is now available as a point release to the KDE Plasma 5.12 LTS desktop environment, bringing more than 70 chnages that include breeze_cursors as default cursor theme, improved weather notifications, better contrast of crosshair cursors, keyboard navigation support for the KonsoleProfiles applet, as well as Qt 5.12 compatibility for the PulseAudio sound server.
Other notable changes include a fix for the autologin session loading in SDDM KCM, a fix for the group popup dialog, improved selection of default web browser in Componentchooser KCM, focus handling fixes, improved drop between shared views, and numerous improvements to the weather data engine. A detailed changelog is available here.
KaOS Linux Gets First ISO Snapshot in 2019 with KDE Plasma 5.15, LibreOffice 6.2
The KaOS project released the first ISO snapshot for 2019 as KaOS 2019.02, an up-to-date live and installation media that contains all the latest software updates, bug fixes, and security issues.
KaOS 2019.02 is a major release that will replace about 70 to 80 percent of your install base with updated packages. It ships with the latest KDE Plasma 5.15 desktop environment accompanied by the KDE Frameworks 5.55.0 and KDE Applications 18.12.2 software suites, and the Qt 5.12.1 application framework.
Under the hood, the KaOS 2019.02 snapshot is powered by the Linux 4.20.13 kernel and Mesa 18.3.4 graphics stack, and ships with updated components that include LibreOffice 6.2.0, NetworkManager 1.14.6, GNU Nano 3.2, Rust 1.32.0, ICU 62.1, Bison 3.2.4, Python 3.7.2, PHP 7.2, Glib2 2.58.3, and Libvpx 1.8.0.
GNOME Desktop/GTK
User account fallback images in GNOME 3.32
Your face might resemble this one in the left (avatar-default) as much as it could be pretty much everyone else using the same computer as you. With this in mind, we introduced a small feature in GNOME 3.32 that intends to make it easier for users to identify themselves in a list of system users, such as in the login screen or in Settings.
From now on, GNOME won’t set the “avatar-default” icon for users created in the Initial Setup or in Setting. It will create a colourful image with the user’s initials on it.
GNOME Shell + Mutter 3.31.92 Bring Fractional Scaling, Updated Screen-Casting API
One week ahead of the official debut of GNOME 3.32, the release candidate will be out this week and GNOME Shell along with the Mutter compositor have outed their 3.31.92 release.
The GNOME Shell / Mutter 3.31.92 releases are very exciting in that it delivers the long-awaited fractional scaling support! No more is the HiDPI/retina display scaling limited to integer values for scaling the UI elements but now supports fractional values.
This update is also exciting for last minute performance improvements. There already was a lot of GNOME performance work during the 3.31 cycle while in time for the release candidate are the final bits.
Outreachy GNOME usability testing wrap-up
The December-March cycle of Outreachy has finished, and I wanted to do a quick recap of the work from our intern, Clarissa.
As I mentioned when we started week 1 GNOME usability testing, most of our work in the internship was testing designs that haven’t gone “live” yet (this is called “prototype usability testing”). Allan and Jakub created mock-ups of new designs, and Clarissa did usability testing on them.
That means a lot of the applications were still being worked on, and were often delivered in Flatpak format since these “in development” versions were not part of a systemwide release (which would have likely been included natively in a Linux distribution somewhere).
As a result, we ran this cycle of usability testing in a more “loose” fashion that we have in previous cycles. We didn’t have a long run-up to usability testing, where we could take our time learning about usability testing and carefully constructing new scenario tasks. Rather, Allan provided an overview of what he was hoping to get out of each usability test (how do users respond to this new feature, do they interact with the user interface differently, etc?) and Clarissa had to quickly assemble scenario tasks based on that. I helped with focus and wording on the scenario tasks.
EasyOS Teaches an Old Dog New Tricks
Do not let the fact that EasyOS is an experimental Linux distro deter you from trying it out. It is far from being dumbed down. The developer provides numerous help files and simple directions linked to the EasyOS website on how to download, create the installation media, and use the distro.
Whether you are familiar with Puppy Linux variants or other Linux distros, EasyOS has much to offer. If you are new to Linux, be assured that the detailed instructions and ample illustrations will make trying out EasyOS a less-frustrating experience.
OpenSUSE/SUSE
SUSECON 2019: Family and innovative partnerships to support customer needs
SUSECON provides a forum for building a passionate community of technically knowledgeable participants who use open source technology from SUSE in their enterprise IT environments and share their passion for this open source technology with their peers. At our annual conference, we announce and demonstrate SUSE’s vision and latest technical advances to customers, partners, press and analysts. We also share insights and share best practices on the practical usage of these technologies.
TC decision on “Merged /usr” – #914897
The Debian Technical Committee was asked in #914897 to overrule the debootstrap maintainers regarding the “merged `/usr`” default.
Debian Sticking With Merged /usr Plan
For years Debian developers have been planning for a merged /usr concept where the /{bin,sbin,lib}/ directories becoming symbolic links to /usr/{bin,sbin,lib}/. With the upcoming Debian 10 Buster is the initial step of their plan after it was postponed from Debian Stretch.
News from Debian Cloud Team
The Debian project has started the freezing process to prepare to release Debian 10 (codename Buster) in the coming months. During the development-cycle time of this release the Debian Cloud team has made progress in many fronts: formalizing the team inside the project, improving our tooling, investing in QA, optimizing the generated images and increasing the number of supported architectures.
Last October, the Debian Project Leader (DPL) officially announced the creation of the Debian Cloud Team and appointed some Debian Developers as Delegates: Lucas Filipozzi (lfilipoz), Steve McIntyre (93sam) and Tomasz Rybak (serpent). The delegates are responsible for the policies, procedures, and services that are necessary for the production and maintenance of the official Debian images for use on cloud providers. The team chose those developers as Delegates because they have no direct involvement with cloud providers (many people in the team provide consultancy or work for cloud providers), avoiding any bias in the decisions made by the team. Moreover, the delegates with the support of Software in the Public Interest (SPI) have been working with some cloud providers (Microsoft Azure, Amazon AWS and Google Cloud) to create official Debian accounts in each of them, which will allow us to perform tests and publish Debian community images to their users.
SolydXK 201902 overview | Stable and Secure
In this video, I am going to show an overview of SolydXK 201902 and some of the applications pre-installed. #
Ubuntu 14.04.6 LTS (Trusty Tahr) Emergency Point Release Arriving March 7th
Following on last week’s Ubuntu 16.04.6 LTS (Xenial Xerus) emergency point release to patch a critical security vulnerability affecting the APT package manager, which could allow attackers to execute code as root and possibly crash the system by installing malicious apps, Canonical is now working on Ubuntu 14.04.6 LTS.
The Ubuntu 14.04.6 LTS point release will be similar to the Ubuntu 16.04.6 LTS point release, but for those who want to deploy the Ubuntu 14.04 LTS (Trusty Tahr) operating system series on new computers without taking any security risks caused by the said APT vulnerability.
Meet the Official Ubuntu 19.04 ‘Disco Dingo’ Mascot
Sat above this line is the official mascot design for the upcoming release of Ubuntu 19.04 (due mid April).
With Ubuntu 19.04 named Disco Dingo the companion artwork is (naturally) designed accordingly.
The line-art logo depicts a dingo (a wild Australian dog) staring upwards while wearing over-ear headphones (because, presumably, he’s a DJ?).
Google launches i.MX8M dev board with Edge TPU AI chip
Google has launched a sandwich-style, $150 “Coral Dev Board” with an RPi-like 40-pin header that runs Linux on an i.MX8M with an Edge TPU chip for accelerating TensorFlow Lite. The USB stick version sells for $75.
Google unveiled its embedded oriented Edge TPU version of its Tensor Processing Unit AI chip in July. More details quickly followed on its Linux-driven Edge TPU dev kit and USB stick version of the Edge TPU chip called the Edge TPU Accelerator. Now Mouser has opened pre-orders for both devices selling for $150 and $75, respectively, with shipments expected soon.
Linux-driven STM32MP1 module measures less than one square inch
Kontron unveiled a 25.4 x 25.4mm “SOM-STM32MP157” module that runs Linux on ST’s new dual-core -A7 SoC plus a new baseboard equipped with 2x LAN, 2x USB, serial, DIO, and DSI.
Kontron announced a tiny computer-on-module that extends STMicroelectronics’ new STM32MP1 SoC.
The solderable, 25.4 x 25.4mm SOM-STM32MP157 is one of the smallest compute modules we’ve seen. There’s also a new baseboard for prototyping and a preloaded Yocto Project based Linux stack with communications and LCD/touch drivers. The products are aimed at industrial automation, IoT, medical, and POS/POI applications.
Mopria Print Service gets updated with Android for Work support, collation, output tray selection, and more
Best Stylus for Android Phones and Tablets
Urbanears Plattan 2 Bluetooth Headphones review: Almost perfect
Nokia 7.1 vs. Moto G7: Which should you buy?
7 Android accessibility features that’ll enhance any phone
Android: 5 new games you have to play this week
Samsung Galaxy S10 Review: The New Best Android Phone
Alleged Honor 20 render and specs show a phone worthy of being a 2019 flagship
Ten Reasons to Believe Android App Development is Transforming Our Life and Business
Essential Phone getting March 2019 Android security patches and Digital Wellbeing
LG X4 (2019) key specs revealed via Android Enterprise listing
Xiaomi Mi 9 tops Antutu’s Android Smartphone Performance Chart for February 2019
LINE: Free Calls & Messages 9.2.2 For Android Is Available With New Camera Features And More
Lava Z40 With Dual 4G VoLTE, Android 8.1 Oreo (Go Edition) Launched in India: Price, Specifications
9 Open Source/Commercial Software for Data Center Infrastructure Management
When a company grows its demand in computing resources grows as well. It works as for regular companies as for providers, including those renting out dedicated servers. When the total number of racks exceed 10 you’ll start facing issues.
How to inventory servers and spares? How to maintain a data center in a good health, locating and fixing potential threats on time. How to find the rack with broken equipment? How to prepare physical machines to work? Carrying out these tasks manually will take too much time otherwise will require having a huge team of administrators in your IT-department.
Why I chose Brave as my Chrome browser replacement
This year, I’m pretty sure I’ve found the ideal Chrome alternative in the Brave browser. If your reasons for sticking with Chrome have been (a) extensions, (b) compatibility, (c) syncing across devices, or (d, unlikely) speed, Brave checks all of those boxes. What’s more, it’s just one of a growing number of really good options that aren’t made by Google.
Firefox Nightly: These Weeks in Firefox: Issue 54
Firefox Account is experimenting with putting an avatar next to the hamburger menu. It will give users visibility on their account, sync status as well as links to manage the account. Targeting landing & beta uplift this week!
QMO: DevEdition 66 Beta 14 Friday, March 8th
We are happy to let you know that Friday, March 8th, we are organizing DevEdition 66 Beta 14 Testday. We’ll be focusing our testing on: Firefox Screenshots, Search, Build installation & uninstallation.
Check out the detailed instructions via this etherpad.
Mozilla Open Policy & Advocacy Blog: Indian government allows expanded private sector use of Aadhaar through ordinance (but still no movement on data protection law)
The Court had placed fundamental limits to the otherwise ubiquitous use of Aadhaar, India’s biometric ID system, including the requirement of an authorizing law for any private sector use. While the ordinance purports to provide this legal backing, its broad scope could dilute both the letter and intent of the judgment. As per the ordinance, companies will now be able to authenticate using Aadhaar as long as the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) is satisfied that “certain standards of privacy and security” are met. These standards remain undefined, and especially in the absence of a data protection law, this raises serious concerns.
The swift movement to foster expanded use of Aadhaar is in stark contrast to the lack of progress on advancing a data protection bill that would safeguard the rights of Indians whose data is implicated in this system. Aadhaar continues to be effectively mandatory for a vast majority of Indian residents, given its requirement for the payment of income tax and various government welfare schemes. Mozilla has repeatedly warned of the dangers of a centralized database of biometric information and authentication logs.
Licensing/Legal
State of the copyleft union
The license-importance divide seems almost generational: the older generation cares about licenses, and the younger generation does not. Yet, the historical focus on licensing in FLOSS, while occasionally prone to pedantry to a degree only developers can love, stemmed from serious governance considerations regarding how community members interact.
Copyleft was invented to solve the many problems of project governance, assuring the rights of users and creating equal footing for all contributors. The licensing infrastructure today also has increased in complexity, with proprietary relicensing business models, excessive use of CLAs, and tricky clauses on top of existing licenses.
Openness/Sharing/Collaboration
Open Hardware/Modding
RISC-V opens up processor design
Today, if you want to build a high-performance computing device, you can almost certainly find all the software you need in a free and open form. The same is not true for the processor chips that run that free software — whatever you choose, a chunk of what you pay will go on proprietary hardware licences to Intel, ARM, or their friends.
RISC-V, pronounced ‘Risk-Five’, is a new architecture that’s available under open, free and non-restrictive licences. It has widespread industry support from chip and device makers, and is designed to be freely extensible and customisable to fit any market niche. To be a success, however, it has to perform technically as well as be economic to design for, verify and program. It has enthusiastic supporters, but it also has enormous competition that has been dug into the very heartland of IT for decades.
Programming/Development
Testing Discourse for GTK
For the past 20 years or so, GTK used IRC and mailing lists for discussions related to the project. Over the years, use of email for communication has declined, and the overhead of maintaining the infrastructure has increased; sending email to hundreds or thousands of people has become increasingly indistinguishable from spam, in the eyes of service providers, and GNOME had to try and ask for exceptions—which are not easy to get, and are quite easy to be revoked. On top of that, the infrastructure in use for managing mailing lists is quite old and crumbly, and it’s unnecessarily split into various sub-categories that make following discussions harder than necessary.
After discussions among the GTK team, with the GNOME infrastructure maintainers, and with the GTK community at large, we decided to start a trial run of Discourse as a replacement for mailing lists, first and foremost, and as a way to provide an official location for the GTK community to discuss the development of, and with, GTK—as well as the rest of the core GNOME platform: GLib, Pango, GdkPixbuf, etc.
Programming Text Windows with ncurses
In my article series about programming for the text console using the ncurses library, I showed you how to draw text on the screen and use basic text attributes. My examples of Sierpinski’s Triangle (see “Getting Started with ncurses”) and a simple Quest adventure game (see “Creating an Adventure Game in the Terminal with ncurses”) used the entire screen at once.
Introduction to Python Decorators
In Python, a decorator is a design pattern that we can use to add new functionality to an already existing object without the need to modify its structure. A decorator should be called directly before the function that is to be extended. With decorators, you can modify the functionality of a method, a function, or a class dynamically without directly using subclasses. This is a good idea when you want to extend the functionality of a function that you don’t want to directly modify. Decorator patterns can be implemented everywhere, but Python provides more expressive syntax and features for that.
Avoid Django’s GenericForeignKey
PyBites Twitter Digest – Issue 03, 2019
Building a Python Tips API with Django REST Framework and Deploying it to Digital Ocean
Parallel Programming: March 2018 deferred-processing query
Do you know of additional publicly visible production uses of sequnce locking, hazard pointers, or RCU not already called out in the remainder of this blog post?
I am updating the deferred-processing chapter of “Is Parallel Programming Hard, And, If So, What Can You Do About It?” and would like to include a list of publicly visible production uses of sequence locking, hazard pointers, and RCU. I suppose I could also include reference counting, but given that it was well known before I was born, I expect that its list would be way too long to be useful!
PyCon 2019 Talks, Charlas, Posters, and Education Summit Schedules
Python hacks: opening a compressed mailbox
Python Bytes: #120 AWS, MongoDB, and the Economic Realities of Open Source and more
PyCoder’s Weekly: Issue #358 (March 5, 2019)
The periodic table is 150 years old this week
Lavoisier’s list of elements, published in 1789, five years before his execution, had 33 entries. Of those, 23—a fifth of the total now recognised—have stood the test of time. Some, like gold, iron and sulphur, had been known since ancient days. Others, like manganese, molybdenum and tungsten, were recent discoveries. What the list did not have was a structure. It was, avant la lettre, a stamp collection. But the album was missing.
Turning 30: World Wide Web, SC and security grow up together
Time flies when you’re making history. Hard to believe so much time has passed, but 30 years ago in 1989, at the same time SC made its debut, Sir Tim Berners-Lee was inventing the World Wide Web while at CERN, the European Particle Physics Laboratory. Berners-Lee wrote the first web client and server a year later in 1990, and the URI and HTTP specifications he developed at CERN along with HTML coding were refined as web technology was more ubiquitously deployed.
For those in the industry and the press that covered it, the late 1980s into the 1990s were some heady, exciting times. SC Magazine launched at the tail end of the ‘80s and throughout the internet boom of the 1990s, it was common for multiple print technology magazines to publish well more than 200 pages a week, although security looked much different than it does today.
New Study Ties Spike in Hospitalizations for Genital, Skin, and Urinary Ailments to Fracking in Pennsylvania
New research has tied high rates of hospitalizations for genital, skin, and urinary conditions to fracking in Pennsylvania, underscoring mounting concerns about the public health implications of the controversial process of extracting natural gas.
Alina Denham, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Rochester, led a research team that analyzed county-level hospital data for the state from 2003 to 2014. Their findings indicated that “long-term exposure to unconventional drilling may be harmful to population health.”
The conclusion bolstered previous findings about the dangers of fracking—a process also called hydraulic fracturing that involves injecting a mix of water and chemicals into the ground to access gas.
Enjoy Your High, But Not at the Expense of Palestinian Human Rights
The Israeli medical cannabis industry, as it is currently set up, whitewashes Israeli war crimes, provides legitimacy and profits for people responsible for past massacres in Gaza, and supports Israel’s illegal settlement, a direct cause of Palestinian suffering.
On December 28, the Israeli Knesset approved legislation for the legal export of medical cannabis. While the law still needs to be finalized — it needs the prime minister’s signature — exports are expected to begin by the end of 2019, and the Israeli cannabis industry is celebrating. Saul Kaye, CEO of iCAN, an Israeli venture fund and medical cannabis technology incubator, boasted, “Israel, already the most advanced nation in cannabis R&D, will now be able to produce and market cannabis and cannabis-based products that will help millions of people.”
The global medical cannabis market is expected to reach $28 billion by 2024 and Israel is already a big part of it. Thanks to a merger with Canada’s Aurora, the Israeli medical cannabis company Tikun Olam holds a value of $400 million. Another company called Together Pharma, which has products for sale in Delaware and Washington State, and will soon sell medical marijuana in California and Florida, was valued at 300 million shekels (around $83 million) as of October 2018. InterCure, an Israeli holding company for small medical cannabis firms, is valued at around $180 million. InterCure aims to produce 100 tons of medical cannabis by 2020.
Will US Drug Pricing Politics Change Intimidation Practices Globally?
The global health world, particularly as concerns skyrocketing drug prices and patent abuse, is in a unique space in time. Recently, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) has been carrying on as per usual. It has threatened the Malaysian and Colombian governments at numerous junctures to prevent them from issuing compulsory licences – a completely legal mechanism which the US uses regularly – to access generic hepatitis C drugs. The Trump Administration has sent delegations to global health agencies in Geneva to intimidate them into reducing, or hiding, work on TRIPS flexibilities and fairer drug pricing.
A number of 2020 Democratic Presidential Candidates including Sanders, Warren, Klobuchar, and Harris have made statements on the exorbitant prices set by the pharmaceutical industry. Trump HHS Secretary Alex Azar acknowledged drug pricing issues and in May 2018 released a blueprint to address high prices, but was criticised as ‘foregoing the most effective and obvious reforms that are needed to make a real difference’. Regardless of this, it is clear that drug pricing is high on the US political agenda.
For decades, translating domestic US intellectual property into global norms has been high on the political agenda. Access to US markets was made contingent upon countries adopting US standards on intellectual property. Countries around the world are sorted into the USTR’s Special 301 ‘naughty list’ for countries that contravene its own standards on intellectual property, and this includes if they don’t provide the monopolies that the United States does for its own pharmaceuticals. US intellectual property standards have proliferated through numerous bilateral trade agreements around the globe. The proliferation of US standards worldwide is not restricted to intellectual property – the Obama presidency, for example, saw US diplomatic missions increase efforts to tackle regressive LGBT policies in the developing world.
This Political Family Has Been Fighting for Social Security and Medicare for All Since the 1930s
Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) is a leader in the fight to improve Medicare and expand it to cover everyone in America. With Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), she is one of the two lead sponsors of the Medicare for All Act of 2019, which was just introduced with more than 100 cosponsors. Dingell and Jayapal co-chair the Medicare for All caucus. She is also leading the fight to increase Social Security benefits, as co-chair of the Expand Social Security Caucus and as an original cosponsor of the Social Security 2100 Act.
At the introduction of the Medicare for All Act, Dingell gave an impassioned speech about why we need to make health care a right for everyone in America. She spoke about how when Social Security was first proposed, right-wingers attacked it with the same cynical arguments they’re now using against Medicare for All. But now, we can’t imagine a world without Social Security. Rep. Dingell is particularly familiar with this history because her family has been fighting for Social Security and universal guaranteed health insurance since the New Deal.
Representative Dingell’s father-in-law, John Dingell Sr., was first elected to Congress in 1932. He was part of the Democratic wave that swept into Congress alongside President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and his promise of a New Deal for the American people. Dingell fought tirelessly for FDR’s agenda. He was so instrumental in the enactment of the Social Security Act of 1935 that he was invited to attend the signing ceremony and watch FDR sign the legislation into law.
Linux 5.1 Landing Feature For Reducing Scope Of Spectre V4 Speculation Protection
The x86/pti updates for Linux 5.1 is bringing a new PR_SPEC_DISABLE_NOEXEC option where speculation protection for SSBD doesn’t end up being passed to new processes started by exec in such use-cases where it’s safe to do so. Utilizing this option will thus eliminate the overhead associated with this Spectre Variant 4 “Speculative Store Bypass” behavior.
Back in January when the work around PR_SPEC_DISABLE_NOEXEC was initially queued up in the x86/pti working tree, I wrote about it in more detail. See Linux Kernel Getting New Option So SSBD Isn’t Over-Protective – Helping Performance. Now that the Linux 5.1 merge window is open, this pull request has been submitted for landing in the mainline kernel.
LibreSignage Looking for Beta Testers, OpenNebula v. 5.8 “Edge” Now Available, New SPOILER Attack Affecting Intel CPUs Discovered, Bug Found in Android TV OS and GNU Linux-libre 5.0-gnu Released
New “SPOILER” attack discovered affecting Intel’s CPUs. Phoronix reports that researchers from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and University of Lubeck discovered the speculative attack and that “Intel was notified of this issue a few months ago but no software/hardware fix appears ready yet, while the researchers claim there might not be an effective software solution available at least anytime soon—and any mitigation would likely come at a performance cost, as we’ve seen with Spectre and Meltdown over the past year. AMD and ARM CPUs aren’t believed to be impacted by SPOILER.” See also “SPOILER: Speculative Load Hazards Boost Rowhammer and Cache Attacks”.
Intel CPUs Reportedly Vulnerable To New “SPOILER” Speculative Attack
SPOILER is the newest speculative attack affecting Intel’s micro-architecture.
Researchers out of the Worcester Polytechnic Institute and University of Lubeck discovered this new speculative attack dubbed SPOILER, Speculative Load Hazards Boost Rowhammer and Cache Attacks.
All Intel chips open to new Spoiler non-Spectre attack: Don’t expect a quick fix [Ed: All Intel chips have intentional back doors anyway. Stop buying Intel (or things with Intel)]
Is Open Source Becoming More Insecure?
The survey quoted Jonas Manalansan, a cybersecurity engineer of Northrup Grumman, “Successful DevSecOps projects are able to bring security into the DevOps processes without slowing them down. All in all, DevSecOps delivers reduced cost, reduced development churn, and reduced application attack surface, which delivers higher ‘security and higher confidence to the organization’.”
So, in a nutshell, there is no increase in breaches related to open source, there is an increase in the adoption of open source and these users must embrace best practices.
Reproducible Builds: Weekly report #201
Security updates for Tuesday
Defence/Aggression
Russian poet is off the hook for saying Hitler would have won over more in the USSR if he’d dropped the Antisemitism
Anti-extremism police have determined that poet and writer Dmitry Bykov was within his civic rights last December, when he gave a lecture in St. Petersburg claiming that Adolf Hitler would have won over more Soviet anti-Communists, if the Nazi leader hadn’t sought the extermination of Jews and Roma.
Experts hired by the Interior Ministry say Bykov’s remarks do not constitute “obvious disrespect for society” or “profanity against Russia’s military glory.” Bykov is also off the hook for “rehabilitating Nazism,” disappointing critics who were convinced that the public intellectual had finally crossed a line.
In bizarre twist, Huawei’s CFO is suing the Canadian Mounties
The daughter of Huawei Founder Ren Wanzhou (yes, we can hear you, Ren Fandango) is undergoing extradition to the US to face charges of breaching sanctions against Iran in order to strike a trade deal.
At the same time, Ms Meng launched a civil suit against their friends in the North, for breach of her civil rights.
Why Has Haiti Risen Up Once Again?
The Haitian masses have mobilized a new wave of protest against the corrupt government of President Jovenel Moïse.
It began with demonstrations last summer in July and August, re-emerged in November and December, and exploded again in the first two weeks of February when hundreds of thousands marched in all the major cities of the country, from the capital of Port-au-Prince to the northern city of Cap-Haïtien.
The demonstrators demanded an investigation into what happened to billions of dollars of funds from Venezuela, an end to austerity measures and price increases for basic goods, and the resignation of Moïse and his prime minister, Jean-Henry Céant.
The government predictably responded with a combination of concessions and repression. It rescinded the price increases and promised investigations into corruption, but neither Moïse nor Céant agreed to step down.
Venezuela-Baiting: How Media Keep Anti-Imperialist Dissent in Check
Corporate media have always attacked leftists for their positions on Venezuela, a country consistently demonized and misrepresented in the US press (FAIR.org, 6/1/02, 11/1/05, 4/1/13, 2/22/19). But with President Donald Trump’s latest tightening of sanctions, and signs of a build-up to a long-rumored invasion (Fox News, 2/27/19), the media’s Venezuela-baiting has been turned up to 11.
The political right is uniting with establishment Democrats in denouncing presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders for his supposedly pro-dictatorship stance on Venezuela. And the media are piling on.
Inside the Secretive U.S. Air War in Somalia: How Many Civilians Have Died as Strikes Escalate?
The Trump administration is rapidly escalating a secretive air war in Somalia. According to the think tank New America, at least 252 people have been killed in around two dozen U.S. airstrikes in Somalia so far this year. The U.S. has already carried out more strikes in Somalia in 2019 than in any single year under President Obama. In addition to the air war, the Pentagon reportedly has about 500 U.S. troops on the ground in Somalia, including many special operations forces. For years, the U.S. has attempted to aid the Somali government by targeting members of al-Shabab, but the effort has increased dramatically under Trump, and it has come with little congressional oversight or media attention. We speak with Amanda Sperber, a freelance journalist who reports from Nairobi, Kenya, and Mogadishu, Somalia. Her new article for The Nation is titled “Inside the Secretive US Air Campaign in Somalia.”
“How to Hide an Empire”: Daniel Immerwahr on the History of the Greater United States
“How to Hide an Empire: A History of the Greater United States.” That’s the title of a new book examining a part of the U.S. that is often overlooked: the nation’s overseas territories from Puerto Rico to Guam, former territories like the Philippines, and its hundreds of military bases scattered across the globe. We speak with the book’s author, Daniel Immerwahr, who writes, “At various times, the inhabitants of the U.S. Empire have been shot, shelled, starved, interned, dispossessed, tortured and experimented on. What they haven’t been, by and large, is seen.” Immerwahr is an associate professor of history at Northwestern University.
An Open Letter to the Washington Office on Latin America About Its Stance on US Effort to Overthrow Venezuelan Government
We write out of concern for the direction that WOLA has taken with regard to a matter of life and death, and possibly war and peace, in Latin America. This letter is an attempt to engage with WOLA about your support for various components of the Trump administration’s efforts to topple the government of Venezuela.
We believe that the Trump administration’s regime change effort in Venezuela is wrong in every way: morally, legally, and politically. Since war has been openly threatened repeatedly by Trump himself and his top officials, this effort also runs a high risk in terms of the loss of human life and limb, and other unforeseen consequences of war and political violence.
For these reasons and more, WOLA should oppose this regime change effort unequivocally, just as progressives throughout the world opposed the Iraq War of 2003. But it has not done so. Rather, it has endorsed much of it. People may have differing personal opinions regarding the internal politics of Venezuela or how Venezuelans might best resolve their differences. But there is no doubt that the Trump administration’s illegal regime change operation is greatly worsening the situation and should be opposed by all who care about human life and international law.
Will the U.S. End Up Putting Sanctions on Every Country That Doesn’t Bend to Its Will?
The phrase is used over and over again by the government of the United States. “Strongest sanctions in history”—now against Iran, then against Venezuela. U.S. government officials revel in the timbre of exaggeration, their phrases shaking countries and overturning civilizations. It is hard to keep track of how many countries the United States currently sanctions. There are the obvious ones: China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia and Venezuela.
But, in fact, the U.S. Treasury Department sanctions list begins with “Balkans-Related Sanctions” and ends with “Zimbabwe Sanctions.” This is not the total list. There are sanctions for counterterrorism and for counternarcotics, for the rough diamond trade and for non-proliferation. These are not always the “strongest sanctions.” Those are reserved for a handful of countries, the ones that are at the center of the international news cycle.
Transparency/Investigative Reporting
Fed Prosecutors Who Screwed Up Big Time over Possible Assange Case Get Judge’s OK on Chelsea Manning Subpoena
Remember when the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia (EDVA) had to respond to his office mistakenly naming WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange as a target of yet-to-be unsealed criminal charges? That same U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) has subpoenaed Chelsea Manning, the former U.S. Army intelligence analyst who was infamously convicted of violating the Espionage Act by disclosing thousands of “classified (and unclassified but ‘sensitive’) documents” to WikiLeaks.
Environment/Energy/Wildlife/Nature
Marine Heatwaves Destroy Ocean Ecosystems Like Wildfires Destroy Forests, Study Finds
The paper, published in Nature Climate Change Monday, found that the number of heat wave days per year had increased by more than 50 percent during the last 29 years (1987 to 2016) when compared to the years between 1925 and 1954. This is bad news for important ocean ecosystems from kelp forests to coral reefs.
Thousands Flee as 19 Wildfires Burn in Southeast Australia
One of the residents to suffer the impact of the fire was Andrew Clarke, owner of the Jinks Creek Winery, who lost the vineyard he had first started planting in 1979, Network 10 reported.
“My vineyard is basically melted. I was meant to be picking my grapes yesterday, the first lot. That’s about it, we’ve just lost everything,” Clarke said, according to CNN.
Firefighters are working to control the blazes before “gusty and erratic” winds are predicted to reach the area Wednesday. Cooler temperatures are also expected. However, accompanying thunderstorms could actually spark more fires, and the rain and snow predicted will not be enough to douse the fires, Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) senior forecaster Michael Efron told The Guardian.
“Really these fires will be burning for some time until we get significant rainfall,” he said.
The big problem with climate ‘realism’
Climate change has vaulted to the top of the political discourse, with the rollout of the Green New Deal policy framework and the subsequent discussion of what policies it should contain. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (D), for instance, recently announced he is running for president with a platform laser-focused on climate change.
All this has political moderates rolling their eyes. “The green dream or whatever they call it, nobody knows what it is, but they’re for it right?” scoffed Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) scolded a bunch of children who came to her office begging her to support the Green New Deal, saying “I know what I’m doing … it’s not a good resolution.” New York Times columnist Bret Stephens concludes that if famed lefty Pelosi doesn’t support it, the GND must be basically silly: “[I]t’s time to move climate policy beyond impractical radicalism and feckless virtue-signaling to something that can achieve a plausible, positive, and bipartisan result.”
All this reveals the bankruptcy of so-called “realism” on climate change.
The remarkable thing about Stephens’ column is that he perceives the problem with the Democratic moderate climate stance with perfect accuracy. Unlike Stephens in his Wall Street Journal incarnation, Feinstein and Pelosi do not deny the science of climate change. But if the scientists are right, “isn’t Pelosi’s incrementalist approach to climate absurdly inadequate?” he writes. “Isn’t it, in fact, like trying to put out a forest fire with a plant mister?”
Who Is Gov. Tim Walz and Why Is He So Important for the Climate?
We’ve only got 10 years to work on the climate. But, thankfully the Green New Deal is pushing and shoving its way through Congress — putting elected leaders and presidential candidates to the test to show us whether they’re actually serious about climate action.
And while climate champions like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are advocating for widespread and far-reaching federal climate policy, we need to do everything in our power (which is pretty mighty) to make sure state officials like Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan keep fossil fuels in the ground right now by stopping projects like Enbridge’s dangerous Line 3 tar sands pipeline.
Trashing the Planet: 15 New Books About Garbage, Climate Change and Endangered Species
There’s nothing disposable about the ideas presented in this month’s new environmental books.
New Warnings on Plastic’s Health Risks as Fracking Industry Promotes New ‘Plastics Belt’ Build-Out
A new report traces the life cycle of plastic from the moment an oil and gas well is drilled to the time plastic trash breaks down in the environment, finding “distinct risks to human health” at every stage.
Virtually all plastic — 99 percent of it, according to the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) report — comes from fossil fuels. And a growing slice comes from fracked oil and gas wells and the natural gas liquids (NGLs) they produce.
Could Mardi Gras’ Most Iconic Accessory Get a Sustainable Makeover?
Today is the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, which means it marks the culmination of Mardi Gras festivities in New Orleans. But once the party is over, someone will have to clean up the mess.
Last year, nearly 1,200 tons of trash were collected after the parade, most of which ended up in landfills. But one Louisiana State University (LSU) biologist is working to make sure the holiday’s iconic beads won’t be part of future collections, The Huffington Post reported.
LSU Biological Sciences Professor Naohiro Kato has developed a process for making biodegradable beads and doubloons from algae. Kato harvests a kind of microscopic algae called diatoms and turns it into a powder used to cast beads that will break down in soil after one to two years, LSU explained.
Acme Equities Hedge Fund Wants to Add Expensive Carbon Capture to Distressed New Mexico Coal Plant
The hedge fund trying to buy a New Mexico coal plant slated for closure has pitched legislators on its plan: it wants to install expensive technology to capture the plant’s carbon pollution, despite the fact that the plant is closing because it cannot compete economically with renewable energy.
The City of Farmington, which is in talks to sell the plant to Acme, asked New Mexico legislators on Saturday to amend a bill currently under debate, the Energy Transition Act, to allow Acme the time it says it needs to install the carbon capture technology. Legislators planned to consider the amendment on Monday. The bill aims to transition the state’s economy to 50 percent renewable energy by 2030, and 80 percent by 2050.
“Carbon capture and sequestration” technology, or CCS, has failed to reach commercial adoption in the United States, despite decades of support from many utilities, the coal industry, and some environmental groups. That’s because so far, no one has been able to implement CCS without making power plants much more expensive to build and operate.
Report Exposes ‘Devastating’ Economic, Public Health, and Environmental Impacts of Trump’s Industry Giveaways
Climate & Health Showdown in the Courts: State Attorneys General Prepare to Fight (pdf) was published by the State Energy & Environmental Impact Center at the NYU School of Law, which provides support to state attorneys general working to defend and promote clean energy, climate, and environmental policies.
“This special report unmasks the Trump administration’s plan to give a climate pollution pass to industries that represent almost half of all greenhouse gas emissions in the United States,” David J. Hayes, the center’s executive director, said in a statement.
“State attorneys general will not let the administration get away with its brazen attempt to turn major industries’ legal obligations to reduce damaging pollution into an invitation to continue to pollute—climate effects and adverse health impacts be damned,” he added.
Google claims it has no market power in online search or advertising
Google has rejected the preliminary findings of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s digital platforms inquiry, saying there is no need for any regulatory body to oversee its functioning and claiming that it does not have any market power in search and advertising online.
What’s Worse Than Ticket Scalpers? Stock Scalpers.
Internet bots immediately snapped up Beyonce’s presale tickets last year. And when the resale price rose above $1,000, the Beyhive was mighty peeved.
Ticket scalpers are indeed frustrating. But their Wall Street cousins — what UMass-Amherst professor Douglas Cliggott calls the “stock scalpers” — are far more dangerous.
Like online ticket scalpers, these financial predators use advanced technology to cheat the rest of us. For huge sums, they buy the privilege of locating their computer servers as close as possible to market exchanges. This allows them to get trading information a split-second faster than traditional investors.
So when a mutual or pension fund makes a trade, the stock scalpers see that trade on its way to the market. “They hop in front of it, buy it, and bid up what we want to buy and sell it back to us at a higher price,” explains Cliggott, a former JPMorgan Chase managing director.
The scalpers do this thousands of times a day, using computers programmed with algorithms that have no connection to the real economy. This “high frequency” trading makes up the majority of today’s market activity.
Why Did Jeremy Corbyn Support a Second Brexit Referendum?
Prof. Leo Panitch says Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn held out as long as he could and made a tactical decision to support a second referendum on Brexit.
Progressive Tax Takes Aim at Wall Street Transactions, Financial Crashes
Democrats on Tuesday proposed a tax on Wall Street transactions which could stop another financial crash and bring in $777 billion over the next decade.
“The Wall Street Tax Act would tax the sale of stocks, bonds, and derivatives at 0.1 percent,” said Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hi.), who introduced the bill (pdf) with U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) as lead co-sponsor.
“A stock trade of $1,000 would incur a tax of just one dollar,” Schatz added.
The bill was also cosponsored in the Senate by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), who is seeking the Democratic nomination for president, and Sen. Jeff Merkeley (D-Ore.), who is not.
The House version of the bill was introduced by U.S. Representative Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) with the support of Representatives Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), Grace Napolitano (D-Calif.), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), Mark Pocan (D-Wis.), Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), and Peter Welch (D-Vt.).
What John Oliver Gets Wrong About Robots and Jobs
In the most recent episode of “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver,” the eponymous host ventured into the complex, dizzying, and occasionally dystopian realm of how technological change will affect jobs and work. While it’s welcome that a well-nuanced discussion of automation is reaching Oliver’s mainstream millions, the limited narratives are obsolete and in need of a major reboot.
Oliver begins the segment with children answering the familiar question “What do you want to be when you grow up?” This idea evolves over the next 20 minutes to “What five things do you want to be when you grow up?” because careers will increasingly lack permanence and long-term reliability. Finally, Oliver amusingly cajoles children into reciting the bleak vision frequently laid out by mainstream economic futurists: “I want to do a series of non-routine tasks that require social intelligence, complex critical thinking, and creative problem-solving.”
It may be darkly entertaining to see the wild-eyed ambition drained out of children as they recite neoliberal jargon, but that doesn’t actually get at the sources of the problem: workers will have little if any say in how their lives will be forced to change by automation and that automation in the service of unchecked demand and growth will have severe environmental consequences.
Fundamentally, the claim that a jobless future is looming over workers relies on an often implicit passive voice, in the vein of “robots will take our jobs.” However, machines–for the time being, anyway–have no agency. Robots aren’t filling out applications for your job. They’re not going to escort you out of the building and take your place.
On Monday, OCCRP published its latest investigation into Russia’s offshore money schemes. Here’s what happened next.
On March 4, Meduza published an investigative report by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) about an offshore empire that belongs to Ruben Vardianian, the former director of the investment bank Troika Dialog. Based on the same research, other major news outlets including The Guardian and Suddeutsche Zeitung published similar reports on Monday. The next day, across Europe, figures and institutions named in OCCRP’s materials found themselves under scrutiny. Meduza summarizes the immediate fallout from the “Troika Laundromat” investigation.
AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics
Trump to staff on AT&T/Time Warner merger: “I want that deal blocked!”
The Making of the Fox News White House
Nothing has formalized the partnership between Fox and Trump more than the appointment, in July, 2018, of Bill Shine, the former co-president of Fox News, as director of communications and deputy chief of staff at the White House. Kristol says of Shine, “When I first met him, he was producing Hannity’s show at Fox, and the two were incredibly close.” Both come from white working-class families on Long Island, and they are godfathers to each other’s children, who refer to them as “Uncle Bill” and “Uncle Sean.” Another former colleague says, “They spend their vacations together.” A third recalls, “I was rarely in Shine’s office when Sean didn’t call. And I was in Shine’s office a lot. They talked all the time—many times a day.”
Trump’s Unhinged CPAC Speech Should Concern Us All
The president of the United States gave a rambling and incoherent two-hour speech in which he raved like a lunatic and told crazy, self-serving lies from start to finish. If that no longer qualifies as alarming, we’re in serious trouble.
I realize the speed-of-light news cycle has moved on. I realize anything that happened last week has all but faded into the mists of time. But President Trump’s unhinged performance Saturday at the Conservative Political Action Conference is surely worth more than a passing shrug. If you had an uncle or a grandpa who sounded so divorced from reality, you’d be urgently concerned.
“You know I’m totally off script right now,” he said. “And this is how I got elected, by being off-script. True. And if we don’t go off-script, our country is in big trouble, folks. Because we have to get it back.”
There was nothing, anything, like a script.
He tried to talk about the Democratic Party’s proposed Green New Deal: “When the wind stops blowing, that’s the end of your electric. Let’s hurry up. ‘Darling — Darling, is the wind blowing today? I’d like to watch television, darling.’ No, but it’s true.”
Not even remotely true, but he was just getting started.
He raged about the special counsel’s investigation: “Now, Robert Mueller never received a vote, and neither did the person that appointed him. And as you know, the attorney general says, ‘I’m going to recuse myself. I’m going to recuse.’ And I said, why the hell didn’t he tell me that before I put him in? How do you recuse yourself?”
Um, by following the rules. Then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself because he was a potential witness in the investigation, or even a potential subject. He had no choice.
Green member of House of Lords seeks to ‘abolish’ herself
Jenny Jones, Green member of the House of Lords, will today (March 5) continue her fight to transform the unelected chamber, as she resubmits her House of Lords Reform Bill.
This comes after the government has rejected the incremental reforms put forward by the Burns committee, who recommended that the government slowly reduce the number of peers and only appoint new peers in a way that is proportional with the vote in the last general election and the number of MPs each party has.
Baroness Jones hopes to gather support from within the Lords for her plans to replace the House of Lords with a democratic and effective second chamber. This would use proportional representation to elect a new house, but keep many existing peers as non-voting experts.
Universities on the Foreign Payroll
After the Central Intelligence Agency found that the crown prince of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia likely ordered the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) announced it would be reviewing its “Institute-level engagements” with the Kingdom. The fallout from the murder of Khashoggi has put a spotlight on Saudi Arabia’s extensive financial connections to universities across the United States.
Donald Trump, Pornographer-in-Chief
He descended that Trump Tower escalator on June 16, 2015, to announce his presidential candidacy already bragging about the “great, great wall” he was going to build on the U.S.-Mexico border (“and nobody builds walls better than me… And I will have Mexico pay for that wall”). “When Mexico sends its people,” he insisted that day, “they’re not sending their best… They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.”
And his tune has never really changed. Almost three years later, in April 2018, he was still focused on those Mexican rapists, still insisting “they’re not sending their best.” In his final presidential debate with Hillary Clinton in October 2016, he denounced all the “bad hombres” who have made it to this country and how “we’re going to get them out.” A week into his presidency, he was already threatening to send the U.S. military into Mexico to get rid of the “tough hombres” from the Mexican drug cartels preparing to invade this country. And just a week ago at a breakfast with U.S. governors, he was at it again, this time denouncing “rough hombres”: “And I told Guatemala and I told Honduras, and I told El Salvador — three places where they send us tremendous numbers of people… They’re not sending us their finest… They’re sending us some very — as I would sometimes say — rough hombres. These are rough, rough, tough people.”
In fact, many of those “hombres” — and they are always hombres — turned out to be rough, tough, bad children (even breast-feeding babies of the roughest, toughest sort) and rough, tough, desperate mothers, a crew so malign that they had to be eternally separated and incarcerated, which meant creating a children’s Gitmo on the southern border.
In his new book, The End of the Myth, From the Frontier to the Border Wall in the Mind of America, TomDispatch regular Greg Grandin focuses on what it means for our country to live beyond the end of its own mythology. He sees that great wall, the one long ago constructed in the president’s mind (if nowhere else), as a forerunner of a grim new American mythology, “a monument to the final closing of the frontier.” Whether it’s ever built, that wall is already a symbol of a country whose inhabitants once believed they could escape history and now are in the process of walling themselves in, psychologically speaking, and becoming what Grandin calls “prisoners of the past.” Oh, and speaking of prisoners, today he points out the one circumstance in which the president tosses those hombres out the window and focuses instead on mujeres. And it’s undoubtedly no mistake that, when he brings them up, they always have duct tape across their mouths.
‘North Star for Democracy Reform’: 70+ Public Advocacy Groups Demand Passage of HR 1
More than 70 pro-democracy groups are backing a sweeping anti-corruption, pro-voting rights bill as the legislation receives its first committee hearing in the Democratic-controlled House on Tuesday.
The House Rules Committee was scheduled to meet Tuesday afternoon to discuss the For the People Act (H.R. 1), the Democratic Party’s first legislative proposal in the new Congress, which is aimed at expanding voting rights and limiting the influence lobbyists and corporations have over lawmakers.
H.R. 1 “represents a transformative vision for American democracy,” said the Leadership Conference on Civil & Human Rights in a letter it sent to representatives. “It would create a democracy that welcomes every eligible voter’s chance to participate in civic life, and a democracy that demands integrity, fairness, and transparency in our nation’s elections.”
The For the People Act “provides a North Star for the democracy reform agenda,” the group added. “It is a bold, comprehensive reform package that offers solutions to a broken democracy.”
The Brennan Center for Justice, National Black Justice Coalition, and the NAACP were among the dozens of advocacy groups that joined the Leadership Conference in pledging support for the bill. Progressive organization Indivisible urged Americans to call their representatives in Congress to demand passage of H.R. 1.
“Moderate” Democrats Are Really Conservatives — and They Are Dangerous
If I hear the word “moderate” used one more time to describe Blue Dog House Democrats who keep voting with Republicans, or any other non-Republican who actively supports today’s Republican Party, it is entirely possible I will eat my teeth. The term “Blue Dog” is a metaphor for a dog straining so hard on its leash that it has turned blue from lack of oxygen; the dog is a right-leaning Democrat, and the leash represents its tenuous party affiliation. These people are conservatives — period, end of file — who hide behind the “moderate” label even as they undermine policies Democrats have hewed to for half a century.
They are able to do this, thanks in no small part to the committed care and feeding of big-paper/big-network reporters, editorialists and producers, many of whom haven’t entertained a new idea since Windows 3.1 was the hot new thing. A recent spirited meeting of House Democrats gave these media types yet another chance to strut their fogbound stuff even as they gave cover to their “moderate” friends who, if you believe the mainstream stenographers out there, have it all figured out.
Their fallback tactic is ease: Inaccurate labeling stands in substitution for analysis because it is easier, tropes outmatch facts because they are easier, and lies from “important people” are not simply allowed to stand, but to flourish. Why? Because it is easier.
“House Democrats exploded in recriminations Thursday over moderates bucking the party, with liberal Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez threatening to put those voting with Republicans ‘on a list’ for a primary challenge,” reads the opening line of last week’s febrific Washington Post article on the Democrats’ meeting, only the most recent example of the practice.
There are 137 words in the first four paragraphs of that thoroughly frantic report, a bunch of which clearly strive to become lit sticks of dynamite in the next life. Exploded! Moderates bucking the party! Threatening! On a list! Primary challenge! Frustrated! Lashed out! Pressured! Unquestioned media superstar! Upped the ante! Admonishing! Liberal activists! Unseat! On a list, again! Would that I had pearls to clutch.
Selma, the birthplace of modern democracy in America
This past weekend, political leaders from across the country gathered in Selma, Alabama, to commemorate “Bloody Sunday,” the 1965 march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge where peaceful demonstrators, attempting to cross the bridge, were violently driven back by Alabama State Troopers, Dallas County Sheriff’s deputies and a horse-mounted posse wielding billy clubs and water hoses to savage the crowd.
The horrors played on TV sets across the country generated a national outrage that provided the final impetus for passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act.
Former Trump White House lawyer Ty Cobb calls Mueller ‘American hero’
Cobb told ABC News that he does not believe the Mueller investigation to be a witch hunt but said he doubts anything else to come from it will damage Trump.
Attorney General William Barr won’t recuse himself from overseeing Robert Mueller’s Russia probe
Attorney General William Barr will not recuse himself from overseeing special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into allegations of collusion between President Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and the Russian government, a Justice Department spokeswoman said Monday.
Barr’s confirmation for a second stint as the nation’s top law enforcement officer came under scrutiny given his previous statements about the special counsel’s investigation. Barr reportedly sent an “unsolicited memo” to the Justice Department last year, in which he expressed skepticism about parts of Mueller’s investigation. He said that Mueller’s inquiry into potential obstruction of justice by Trump was based on a “fatally misconceived” theory that would threaten the presidency and the executive branch.
During his Senate confirmation hearings last month, Barr refused to say whether he would recuse himself from any role in Mueller’s probe but noted he would allow Mueller to complete his investigation and make as many of its findings public as possible. Barr was confirmed by a vote of 54 to 45 in the Senate. Mueller is widely expected to wrap up his investigation in the comings weeks.
‘Call It the Oppression of the Supermajority’: Americans Eager for Bold Change, So Why Can’t They Get It?
Most Americans support Medicare for All, higher taxes on the rich, a Green New Deal, and other major items on the progressive agenda—so why has Congress failed to enact them?
The reason, Columbia University Law School professor Tim Wu argued in an op-ed for the New York Times on Tuesday, is that the influence of corporations and the donor class on the American political system has drowned out the policy desires of the public.
Bernie In Chicago: From Civil Rights Era Activism To Present-Day Struggles Against Racism
Appearing on “The Breakfast Club” radio show in New York, Senator Bernie Sanders said his 2016 presidential campaign was “criticized for being too male. That was a correct criticism. Too white. That was a correct criticism.”
He promised his 2020 campaign will be different. “We’ll have a much more diverse campaign.”
It was a direct response to how poorly his previous campaign performed with African Americans, particularly those older than 35 years-old.
On March 3, the Sanders campaign came to Navy Pier in Chicago to hold one of two kickoff rallies organized during the weekend. The other was held in Brooklyn.
Sanders delivered a speech confronting systemic racism, as well as racial aspects of economic inequality. He explicitly pledged to fight mass incarceration, the war on drugs, and gentrification, and advocated for criminal justice reform, affordable housing, and an end to cash bail.
In the Age of Trump, Bipartisanship Is Losing Its Allure
President Obama first gained national acclaim with a 2004 speech that encouraged Americans to focus on what united them. In an often-repeated quote, he said we must remember that “There’s not a liberal America and a conservative America. There’s the United States of America.” Obama may have won two elections with a message of unity and bipartisanship, but as Gideon Resnick and Sam Stein report in The Daily Beast, some of Obama’s most devoted advisers, as well as the Democratic party’s base, have a message for candidates hoping to do the same: “Don’t.”
“There’s this sort of older way of thinking about politics where it’s all about personal relationships. … That’s not how politics works,” Dan Pfeiffer, a former senior adviser to Obama told Resnick and Stein. He added, “Barack Obama and Mitch McConnell had shared a bottle of whiskey once and McConnell went out and stole a Supreme Court seat from him.”
Ben LaBolt, a former national press secretary for Obama’s re-election campaign, concurred regarding the prospects for a harmonious relationship between the two parties. He told The Daily Beast that “I think all of the pixie dust in the world couldn’t make that happen. Believe me, we tried it. We said it. We prayed for it. It wasn’t going to happen. It’s not going happen now and it’s not going to happen ever.”
Censorship/Free Speech
Woman Locked Out of YouTube, Gmail, and Twitter for Having Same Name as Pop Star
Meghan Trainor, 45, has been an exhibiting artist and performer for more than 15 years. She’s worked in 3D printing, brain-computer interface, robotics, and medieval technology. Drone metal outfit Earth is her favorite band and, this week, she was locked out of her social media accounts for “impersonating” Meghan Trainor—that is, herself.
Google and Twitter lock accounts of artist for having same name as Meghan Trainor
Trainor the artist has been practicing her craft for 15 years, creating her YouTube Channel in December 2013 and her Twitter account in September 2012. Trainor the pop star shot to fame with the release of her hit single “All About That Bass” in June of 2014. Today, Trainor the artist has a much smaller online following than Trainor the pop star, with roughly one thousand Twitter followers compared to the 2.1 million of her namesake. Trainor told Gizmodo that the singer originally tried to buy the artist’s domain, meghantrainor.com, when she was first starting out.
Twitter Will Let Users Hide Replies to Fight Toxic Comments
A year later, little has changed. Twitter is still a largely toxic place riddled with extremists, sock-puppet armies, and fake accounts; and the company’s top brass is still talking about conversational health. Its most recent attempt to improve discourse on the platform was confirmed last week: a feature that would allow users to selectively hide replies to their tweets from public view, so that other users can’t see the offending reply when interacting with the initial tweet.
Informal Internet Censorship: The Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit (CTIRU)
The CTIRU consider its scheme to be voluntary, but detailed notification under the e-Commerce Directive has legal effect, as it may strip the platform of liability protection. Platforms may have “actual knowledge” of potentially criminal material, if they receive a well-formed notification, with the result that they would be regarded in law as the publisher from this point on.[1]
At volume, any agency will make mistakes. The CTIRU is said to be reasonably accurate: platforms say they decline only 20 or 30% of material. That shows considerable scope for errors. Errors could unduly restrict the speech of individuals, meaning journalists, academics, commentators and others who hold normal, legitimate opinions.
Privacy/Surveillance
VPNs Are No Privacy Panacea, And Finding An Ethical Operator Is A Comical Shitshow
The terribleness of the VPN sector is decidedly ironic, given that giant broadband providers, who routinely hoover up your data in an ocean of creative and non-transparent ways, have long tried to claim that the United States doesn’t need meaningful privacy guidelines because users can always use a VPN. That was one of the cornerstones of the telecom lobby logic as the successfully convinced Congress to eliminate modest FCC privacy rules in 2017 that could have prevented many of the location data scandals currently plaguing the sector.
But if it’s not clear yet, a VPN is not a magic bullet to the problems that are plaguing the modern internet. Users are running from one platform to the next, dribbling their private data in a long trail behind them thanks to shoddy and nonexistent standards. Meanwhile a lack of competition leaves them stuck on the network of giant ISPs that not only refuse to respect their privacy, but routinely lobby against any and every legislative solution, no matter how well crafted. Several ISPs have then tried to charge users a surcharge to opt out of data collection and monetization, effectively making privacy a luxury option.
NSA Has Halted Mass Domestic Spying Program First Exposed by Snowden in 2013: GOP Aide
The U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) has reportedly halted a widely criticized domestic mass surveillance program involving Americans’ phone records first exposed by whistleblower Edward Snowden.
The revelation came from Luke Murry, the national security adviser to the House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), on The Lawfare Podcast. His remarks were picked up the the New York Times and quickly spark national attention.
The now-shuttered program that analyzed metadata from phone records—which shows who called or texted whom, and when, but not what is said—replaced a once-secret operation established under Section 215 of the Patriot Act, which Snowden, an ex-intelligence contractor, exposed in 2013.
Murry said that under the Trump administration, the agency “actually hasn’t been using it for the past six months because of problems with way in which that information was collected.” He added, “I’m not actually certain that the administration will want to start that back up given where they’ve been six months.”
Technical problems with data collection, acknowledged by NSA last summer, forced the agency to purge hundreds of millions of phone and text metadata records collected from American telecommunications companies over three years after realizing that its database included files the NSA was not authorized to receive.
Big Brother Steps Closer as Parents Shackle Teens to Ankle Monitors
A perfect example of George Orwell’s terrifying view of a society under government surveillance has arrived in the form of ankle monitors for your teens.
For parents who “need to keep track of [their] teenager at all times,” Tampa Bay Monitoring in Clearwater, Florida, is selling GPS tracking — similar to the shackles used to track those on parole — billed as a way for parents to have “peace of mind” and for so-called troubled teens to have “protection.” Never mind that these monitors function as a form of private surveillance, enabling parents and anyone else with access to shadow a teen’s every move. Besides, these devices can be uncomfortable and can cause problems at airports, hospitals and schools, and many people have concerns about where all the tracking information goes and who has access to it.
Who has access is crucial in an age where, per TechCrunch, an online zine, Facebook has been paying teenage users $20 a month since 2016 to install an app which monitors their phone and web activity. This is precisely so Facebook can gain usage information. Meanwhile, police in the U.K. have been secretly downloading data from smartphones, which Harmit Kambo, Campaigns Director for the London-based charity, Privacy International, calls a “digital stop and search.” In a paper entitled “’Better than Human’? Smartphones, Artificial Intelligence and Ultra-Punitive Electronic Monitoring,” Mike Nellis, a global export in electronic monitoring, wrote that the prime beneficiaries are always “the data-hungry tech industry.”
Over 300 million Chinese private messages were left exposed online
Each record, drawn from apps like WeChat and QQ, also contained personally identifying Chinese citizen ID numbers, photos, addresses, GPS location data, and info on the type of device being used. Worse, the main database also sent the data back to 17 other remote servers, according to Gevers.
Juniper inks agreement to acquire Mist Systems
Network vendor Juniper Networks has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Mist Systems, a cloud-managed wireless networks provider, in a deal valued at US$405 million.
Civil Rights/Policing
Moscow police detain man who interrupts Stalin memorial by shouting ‘Burn in hell!’ at his monument outside the Kremlin
Police in Moscow detained a man at a memorial event honoring Joseph Stalin on March 5, when as many as 500 Communist Party activists came to lay flowers at the late Soviet dictator’s monument outside the Kremlin’s walls. Today marks the 66th anniversary of Stalin’s death.
One of the men in the crowd on Tuesday didn’t come to pay his respects, however, flinging his carnations at the monument and shouting, “Burn in hell, Executioner of the People and Murderer of Women and Children!”
State pollster asks Russians about new opposition labor union, but keeps the results a secret
Last month, government pollsters surveyed Russians about a labor union project recently announced by opposition politician Alexey Navalny, but the data was never published, two sources told Vedomosti. According to the newspaper, the state-owned Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VTsIOM) conducted a poll based on three question groups: public sector wages and President Putin’s promises to raise them, labor unions generally, and Navalny’s activism and new labor union project. VTsIOM published its results on March 1, withholding all data about Navalny.
Trump’s Wall Is a Symbol With a Long and Toxic History
Although we appear to have been spared another Trump shutdown, we have now been handed an executive power grab in the guise of a “national emergency.” This entire Trump-instigated crisis will remain directly connected in our memories to Trump’s obsession with the “Wall,” i.e., the toy that he has insisted he must have in order to allegedly guarantee the safety of the people of the United States.
Walls have a long history of symbolic importance, signifying not only lines of demarcation but frequently the distinction between zones of alleged civilization vs. zones of alleged barbarism. The phrase “beyond the Pale” — which has come to mean beyond a boundary, over the top, unacceptable or outside of reasonable standards — is just one example. The term originates in Ireland and refers to a piece of the island captured by England, within which the current city of Dublin emerged. The English did what they could to enclose this area, essentially setting up a set of fortifications and a ditch. For the English colonizers, “the Pale” was the center of civilization on an island that was viewed as nothing short of barbaric.
What is important here is that the ditch or Pale was not simply demarcating territory or even a hostile border. With the Pale, much like the Great Wall of China, there was an ideological notion that beyond that barrier lay a barbarian mystery. In the 1790s, Catherine the Great instituted a Russian “Pale,” which was an area for Jews, outside of which they would be subject to overt acts of repression.
The European invasion of the Western Hemisphere, and subsequent colonization, brought with it many walls. The Dutch colonization of New York, for instance, brought with it “Wall Street,” i.e., the fortified point of demarcation between the Dutch colonists and the First Nations. Throughout the U.S., cities after cities were formed on the basis of walled fortifications.
Thus, deep in the subconscious of much of the world exists the notion of the ‘Wall’ as the means to preserve civilization. Yet what always remains of interest is that walls are not created in each case between different populations. Take the border between the U.S. and Canada. Both countries like to pride themselves on having the longest non-militarized border on Earth. What is at stake is not only who is perceived as a threat, but also what populations are perceived as representing an existential challenge to the state in question.
‘They used the kids to get to parents like me’: How ICE’s human smuggling initiative targeted parents and children
A review of the operation by Reveal casts doubt on the official narrative.
When children become caregivers
When a parent contracts a serious physical or mental illness, the responsibility of caring for that parent can fall to a teenager or even a young child. Such cases are especially common when children are raised by one parent or another older relative. In the United States, there are more than one million child caregivers. In Russia, their number is unknown: no organization or government agency collects statistics on the issue, and families with child caregivers receive aid from just a few charities and nonprofits. The government tends to approach these cases by pulling families apart: adults are institutionalized or hospitalized while children are sent to an orphanage. But that isn’t always the case. Meduza special correspondent Irina Kravtsova reached out to children in Russia and Kazakhstan who were forced to grow up before their time when their relatives needed them.
‘People Power Beats Corporate Greed’: After Years of Pressure, JPMorgan Agrees to Divest from Private Prisons
Civil and immigrant rights groups celebrated a victory Tuesday after JPMorgan Chase announced it was finally heeding their calls to end its financing of private for-profit prisons.
Make the Road NY, the Center for Popular Democracy, and New York Communities for Change were among the organizations credited with pressuring the bank to stop bankrolling CoreCivic and GEO Group, the nation’s largest private prison operators.
“Once again, people power beats corporate greed,” Make the Road tweeted.
Under pressure, Wells Fargo announced it was “reducing its relationship” with the companies earlier this year.
Activists challenged JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon at the bank’s last two annual meetings, and have demonstrated outside his home in New York—holding signs reading, “Jamie Dimon: Stop Bankrolling Oppression!” and denouncing the bank as a “backer of hate” in the rain last summer, and demanding that Dimon “break up with prisons” this past Valentine’s Day.
Former New York gubernatorial candidate Cynthia Nixon praised Make the Road NY and others for their campaigning, saying Dimon’s decision offered “more evidence that organizing works” and calling on all banks to follow in JPMorgan’s footsteps.
‘A Very Scary Case’: Placing Rights of Woman Last, Alabama Judge Allows Boyfriend to Sue Abortion Clinic With Fetus as Co-Plaintiff
An Alabama county court recognized an aborted fetus as a plaintiff in a lawsuit Tuesday, opening a new chapter in the fight for reproductive rights in the United States.
Madison County probate court Judge Frank Barger allowed Ryan Magers to name the fetus his girlfriend had aborted as a co-plaintiff in his case against Alabama Women’s Center.
The judge’s decision to establish an estate for the fetus, allowing the suit to move forward, came four months after the passage of Amendment 2 by voters in a state referendum last November. The law, which passed by 18 percentage points, gives fetuses the same legal rights held by a person under the state constitution.
Women’s rights advocates on social media slammed the decision, noting that it was perhaps the first time in U.S. history a fetus was named as a co-plaintiff in a case.
Internet Policy/Net Neutrality
‘We Need to Push Lawmakers Extra Hard’: Campaign Aims to Flood Congress With Calls to Support Net Neutrality Bill
Members of Congress will soon have another opportunity to restore net neutrality, and advocates for the open internet are holding their feet to the fire.
With House Democrats expected to introduce the “Save the Internet Act” on Wednesday in an effort to restore net neutrality protections, a coalition of grassroots advocacy groups is urging Americans to flood their representatives with calls and emails in support of the legislation.
“This is huge,” Josh Tabish of Fight for the Future, one of the organizations leading the pressure campaign, said in an email. “But with the news in the headlines, the telecom lobbyists are gearing up to swarm Capitol Hill. Now we need to push lawmakers extra hard to support the new legislation before the lobbyists get to them.”
‘Keep Making Noise’: Grassroots Pressure Working as Democrats Announce Bill to Restore Net Neutrality
While the text of the bill—formally titled the “Save the Internet Act”—has not yet been released, net neutrality campaigners and policy experts expressed hope that the bill will aim to fully restore the strong open internet protections killed by the FCC, which is currently chaired by former Verizon lawyer Ajit Pai.
“The bill isn’t out yet, but we hope it will give a congressional stamp of approval to the FCC’s 2015 net neutrality rules and the whole Open Internet Order,” Tim Karr, senior director of strategy and communications at Free Press, told Common Dreams. “That’s crucial, because the legal framework already in Title II is the baseline for guaranteeing the full range protections demanded by internet users, including overwhelming majorities of Democratic and Republican voters.”
The renewed congressional effort to restore net neutrality comes after the House failed to pass a resolution to overturn the FCC’s repeal before the deadline last December. The Senate passed the resolution last May by a 52-47 vote.
#NetNeutrality: Pelosi teases ‘Save The Internet Act,’ and Senate Democrats will introduce bill to restore Net Neutrality
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) today said that on Wednesday, House Democrats will announce Net Neutrality legislation on Capitol Hill.
Democrats to push to reinstate repealed ‘net neutrality’ rules
Pelosi told lawmakers in a letter that House Democrats, who won control of the chamber in the November 2018 elections, would work with their colleagues in the U.S. Senate to pass the “Save The Internet Act.”
The text of the proposed legislation has not been released.
AT&T Begins Trying To Screw Up HBO In Earnest
If you haven’t noticed by now, big telecom companies aren’t particularly good at wandering outside of their core competencies. They’ve been government-pampered monopolies so long, innovation, creativity, and competition are concepts that are utterly foreign to their underlying genetics.
Nowhere has that been more apparent than big telecom’s attempt to pivot to streaming and online advertising. Verizon’s first foray into media, you’ll recall, was a short-lived “tech news” website called Sugarstring, which was quickly shuttered after the telco banned its reporters from discussing subjects like net neutrality or government surveillance. That was followed by a botched joint venture with RedBox. And Verizon’s failed Go90 and Oath efforts, which involved mashing together two failed nineties brands (AOL & Yahoo), then pretending that would be enough to do serious battle in the space.
I’ve studied AT&T for twenty years of my adult life. This is a company whose leadership is really very good at a long list of things. They’re good at running networks (usually), lobbying the government to hamstring competition, and finding creative ways to rip off its own customers, taxpayers, and even the disabled. What they’re not so good at is creativity, innovation, and actual competition, since their near-total domination over state and federal regulators–and the lack of competition in their broadband businesses–means those particular attributes have rarely been exercised.
USB4 Specification Announced: Adopting Thunderbolt 3 Protocol for 40 Gbps USB
The USB4 specification will be based on the Thunderbolt protocol that Intel has contributed to the USB Promoter Group. The new interface will use USB Type-C connectors and will maintain backwards compatibility with USB 2.0, USB 3.2, and Thunderbolt 3 interfaces. The maximum data transfer rate supported by the new USB4 interface is 40 Gbps over 40 Gbps-certified cables. Also, USB4 will support various display protocols, and power delivery.
The USB4 standard will be officially ratified in the middle of 2019. At present over 50 companies are actively participating in the final stages of development of the draft USB4 specification.
Cory Doctorow: Terra Nullius
The labor theory of property always begins with an act of erasure: “All the people who created, used, and improved this thing before me were doing something banal and unimportant – but my contribution is the step that moved this thing from a useless, unregarded commons to a special, proprietary, finished good.”
Terra Nullius: Grifters, settler colonialism and “intellectual property”
I gave a keynote based on this essay in January at the “Grand Re-Opening of the Public Domain” event at the Internet Archive in San Francisco.
Supreme Court Grants Certiorari in Iancu v. NantKwest, Inc.
On the same day that the Supreme Court decided what the term “full costs” means under the Copyright Act,[1] it granted certiorari to consider what “all the expenses of [a district court review] proceeding” means under the Patent Act in Iancu v. NantKwest, Inc. Specifically, according to the question presented by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the Supreme Court agreed to resolve “[w]hether the phrase ‘[a]ll the expenses of the proceedings’ in 35 U.S.C. 145 encompasses the personnel expenses the USPTO incurs when its employees, including attorneys, defend the agency in Section 145 litigation.”
In addition to these substantive arguments for review, the USPTO raised three other points as to why the Court should review this case. First, the decision below was decided by the Federal Circuit en banc. As a result, it would be binding on any subsequent trial court or Federal Circuit panel without further close consideration of the issue. Thus, this case presented a unique final opportunity to consider a carefully reasoned decision on the particular point at issue. Second, the NantKwest decision created a circuit split over two nearly identical statutory provisions in light of the Fourth Circuit’s Shammas decision. Third, the decision would have “significant practical consequences” for the USPTO in § 145 proceedings. The greatest expense for the Office in such proceedings is often the salaries of the personnel (especially attorneys) working on the matter. While the cost of those salaries may not be overwhelming in the face of the entire budget of the USPTO, they are significant — in this case, over $78,000 — and it would arguably be more consistent with the statutory intent to have the § 145 appellant bear them than pass them on to other patent applicants.
NantKwest responded to the petition and argued that the case below, rather than the Shammas case, was correctly decided.[6] The strong presumption in U.S. courts, unlike for example British courts, is that every party will bear its own attorney’s fees regardless of the outcome of the case — a presumption known as the American Rule. The Supreme Court has repeatedly held that a statute must specifically and explicitly provide for the allowance of attorneys’ fees if it is intended to deviate from the American Rule. NantKwest argued that the Federal Circuit was correct in finding that § 145 did not reflect a specific and explicit exception to the Rule, and therefore did not intend to hold an applicant liable for the USPTO’s attorneys’ fees.
NantKwest relied on a case decided between Shammas and the decision below, Baker Botts L.L.P. v. ASARCO LLC, 135 S. Ct. 2158 (2015). According to NantKwest, not only did Baker Botts reflect the Supreme Court’s rejection of the Shammas case’s decision to ignore the American Rule in considering the Lanham Act analogue to § 145′s expenses provision, it alleviated any risk of a circuit split — because Shammas was pre-Baker Botts and allegedly wrongly decided under the Supreme Court case, it should simply be ignored as having been incorrectly decided. NantKwest also argued that cases involving statutes that allow non-prevailing parties to recover attorneys’ fees start with the presumption of the American Rule and work from there; only by ignoring rather than expressly overcoming the American Rule, however, had Shammas and the panel below reached the decision that “expenses” should include attorneys’ fees.
Synchview Lobs DVR Patent Suits at Cox, Charter, Altice USA, Hulu
As if the pay-TV market isn’t challenging enough, here’s another nuisance for service providers to wrestle with — Synchview has lobbed lawsuits at a handful of US cable operators and a top OTT-TV provider over allegations that they are infringing on an old DVR-related patent.
H-E-B sued over patent infringement
H-E-B is facing legal trouble after a Canadian technology startup claims the grocer is infringing on its patents related to the mobile checkout application that it debuted last year.
According to the San Antonio Business Journal, Toronto-based Digital Retail Apps Inc., founded in 2012, sells software and hardware used for self-checkout in retail stores under the brand SelfPay. It also had Silicon Valley offices at one time.
Medicare For All will drastically lower prescription drug prices by taking on Pharma’s greed
Rep. Pramila Jayapal’s (D-WA) recently introduced Medicare for All Act of 2019 is a powerful and comprehensive plan to make health care a right for every American. Drastically lowering the prices of prescription drugs, while ensuring that patients are always able to get the medications they need, is an essential part of that plan.
The Medicare for All Act includes a key provision, modeled after the Medicare Negotiation and Competitive Licensing Act, which would lower drug prices for all Americans by allowing the government to negotiate lower drug prices with corporations.
And if a corporation refused to lower the price and threatened patients’ access to the medication, generic competition would be allowed using a competitive license.
Sleepy decision by the PTAB [Ed: see comment: "Mental process plain and simple. The steps that are recited as being performed by the computer, are not steps different from steps already being performed by doctors via mental processes. Automating a human mental process. IF the claim recited steps that are different than what a human would have naturally done then maybe there is a more grey distinction."]
In Ex parte Adler (Appeal No. 2017-4809) (PTAB 2019), the PTAB recently found the claimed “snoring detection device” ineligble as directed to the abstract idea of “detecting snoring.”
Rather, the decision follows the usual approach of drawing analogy to the various appellate and Supreme Court cases to find the closest thread.
Measuring law firm success at PTAB
The Institutional Success Index, or “ISIX,” rating was developed by Unified to measure law firms’ success in inter partes reviews. The index permits anyone to easily measure how successful a law firm has historically been at being instituted and successfully invalidating at least 1 claim of a challenged patent. The tutorial demonstrates how users can access the ISIX score for any law firm using the Portal.
Coca-Cola faces NPE patent suit
Coca-Cola is at the centre of a patent infringement suit filed by Texas-based company Virtual Immersion Technologies (VIT).
The complaint, filed Friday, March 1 at the US District Court for the District of Delaware, alleged that Coca-Cola’s virtual reality systems infringe a patent owned by VIT (US number 6,409,599).
The ‘599 patent relates to a system in which participants interact with a computerised environment in addition to live and/or pre-recorded performers using a variety of immersion and input devices.
Defining Patent Holdup
There are few patent law topics that are so heatedly debated as patent holdup. Those who believe in it, really believe in it. Those who don’t, well, don’t. I was at a conference once where a professor on one side of this divide just..couldn’t…even, and walked out of a presentation taking the opposite viewpoint.
The debate is simply the following. The patent holdup story is that patent holders can extract more than they otherwise would by asserting patents after the targeted infringer has invested in development and manufacturing. The “classic” holdup story in the economics literature relates to incomplete contracts or other partial relationships that allow one party to take advantage of an investment by the other to extract rents.
You can see the overlap, but the “classic” folks think that patent holdup story doesn’t count, because there’s no prior negotiation – the party investing has the opportunity to research patents, negotiate beforehand, plan their affairs, etc.
Demystifying Patent Holdup
Patent holdup can arise when circumstances enable a patent owner to extract a larger royalty ex post than it could have obtained in an arm’s length transaction ex ante. While the concept of patent holdup is familiar to scholars and practitioners—particularly in the context of standard-essential patent (SEP) disputes—the economic details are frequently misunderstood. For example, the popular assumption that switching costs (those required to switch from the infringing technology to an alternative) necessarily contribute to holdup is false in general, and will tend to overstate the potential for extracting excessive royalties. On the other hand, some commentaries mistakenly presume that large fixed costs are an essential ingredient of patent holdup, which understates the scope of the problem.
In this article, we clarify and distinguish the most basic economic factors that contribute to patent holdup. This casts light on various points of confusion arising in many commentaries on the subject. Path dependence—which can act to inflate the value of a technology simply because it was adopted first—is a useful concept for understanding the problem. In particular, patent holdup can be viewed as opportunistic exploitation of path dependence effects serving to inflate the value of a patented technology (relative to the alternatives) after it is adopted. This clarifies that factors contributing to holdup are not static, but rather consist in changes in economic circumstances over time. By breaking down the problem into its most basic parts, our analysis provides a useful blueprint for applying patent holdup theory in complex cases.
Facebook sues Chinese companies for selling fake accounts
The lawsuit names three people and four companies based in the cities of Longyan and Shenzhen: 9 Xiu Network (Shenzhen) Science and Technology Company, 9 Xiu Feishu Science and Technology Company, 9 Xiufei Book Technology Co., and Home Network (Fujian) Technology Co.
A Big Copyright Mess: Miel Bredouw, Barstool Sports, Slob On My Carol Of The Bells And The DMCA
Fast forward to the end of last year, when Barstool Sports enters the picture. We’ve written about Barstool Sports twice — and both times involve them being (1) total assholes and (2) totally ignorant or abusive about intellectual property law. If you’re not familiar with Barstool Sports, let’s just say that it’s the kind of work environment where it wouldn’t just be okay to watch a video like the one above while at work, but it would likely be encouraged.
Anyway, in December, Barstool Sports took Bredouw’s now two-year-old video and reposted it to their own Twitter account, without any credit (and certainly suggesting it was a Barstool Sports production). Bredouw tweeted at them that this was uncool. Yesterday, Bredouw then tweeted out a thread about what happened in the intervening two months, and it is quite a story.
After Barstool ignored Bredouw’s request for credit, she filed a DMCA notice with Twitter, who took the video down.
Russian YouTube channel creates homemade copies of iconic Hollywood and TV trailers
For the past six months, a little-known YouTube channel called Studio 188 has been publishing homemade, low-budget versions of major Hollywood trailers and television intros. Relying on household items like socks, sausages, and cellophane, and sometimes an application of face paint that would get them fired from American network TV, the small team of Russian creators has reimagined some of the most famous teasers to grace the Internet. Despite Studio 188’s makeshift production and costume design, its source material is always crystal clear.
Why Does MEP Axel Voss Keep Lying About Article 13?
It’s been really quite incredible to see MEP Axel Voss — the main EU Parliament cheerleader for Articles 11 and 13 — making the rounds over the past few weeks to insist that all the complaints about the EU Copyright Directive are wrong. Just last week we saw him make incredibly misleading statements about which platforms were impacted by the law, leaving out that the minor exemption only applied to companies less than three years old. And now, his political group in the Parliament, EPP, has put out an astoundingly misleading interview with Voss, which makes claims that make me wonder if he even knows what’s in Article 13.
Article 13 Supporters Find Smoking Gun That Isn’t: Majority Of Tweets Criticizing Copyright Directive Are Not Coming From DC
Volker Rieck runs a German anti-piracy operation, and over the last year or so has been an increasingly vocal — if somewhat unhinged — supporter of Article 13 and the EU Copyright Directive. I won’t link, but a few quick Google searches will find some examples of Rieck trying to build out conspiracy theories of big giant American internet companies secretly running the entirety of the anti-Article 13 push in Europe. You could say that some of them dip into red yarn on a corkboard territory. Of course, as we’ve discussed before, the idea that any attacks on Article 13 are all really because of Google has been a key part of the pro-Article 13 lobbying strategy from the beginning. Of course, as we’ve highlighted, if you look at the actual lobbying, it’s been almost entirely from legacy copyright organizations, with very little coming from the internet industry. This has created all sorts of conspiracy theories, including the crazy claim by a German MEP that he knew the emails he was getting against Article 13 were really astroturf from Google… because many of the senders had Gmail accounts.
Rieck’s latest move, however, goes into really nutty territory. In a now deleted story, Rieck claimed to have found something of a smoking gun, proving that Article 13 criticism was really being driven by US corporate interests: in a “study” that he helped “conduct,” and resulted in him sending an explosive “warning” letter to Members of the EU Parliament, he claimed to have uncovered that “more tweets (88,000) came from Washington (DC) alone than from the entire EU (71,000).” That would certainly be interesting if it were true.
Copyright directive a data protection hazard: data commissioner
A German federal commissioner has warned that Article 13 of the recently agreed European copyright directive could create an “oligopoly consisting of a few vendors”.
Supporters Of Article 13 Briefly Tried To Move Parliament Vote Up Before Scheduled Protests; Now Deny Plan That They Clearly Had
Despite following this stuff for decades, sometimes even I’m surprised at the levels of intellectual dishonesty coming from those supporting bad copyright policy. The latest is that, despite widespread controversy and criticism over Article 13, some in the EU Parliament thought the appropriate strategy was to speed up the timeline to the vote on the Directive — specifically holding the vote before a massive EU-wide protest that is planned for March 23. Rather than recognize that millions of people across the EU are so up in arms over the problems in Articles 11 and 13, German Member of the EU Parliament, Manfred Weber, the leader of the powerful European People’s Party (EPP) simply proposed voting before the protests could even happen.
Court Sanctions Anti-Piracy Lawyer for “Willful Disobedience”
A California federal court has sanctioned attorney Lincoln Bandlow for willful disobedience. Bandlow, who’s a partner at Fox Rothschild where he handles hundreds of piracy cases for Strike 3 Holdings, failed to meet the court’s deadlines on many occasions. The attorney’s explanations of insufficient staff and an overactive spam filter, were unacceptable, according to the court.
Notorious ‘Copyright Troll’ Outfit Hands Over its US Operations to New ‘Joint Venture’
GuardaLey, the world’s most infamous ‘copyright-trolling’ operation in the BitTorrent space, says it has entered into a joint venture with a US company called American Films Inc. The latter will become the 100% owner of GuardaLey’s US operations. According to Bloomberg data, American Films Inc. currently has no “significant operations”.
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IRC logs for Tuesday, January 21, 2020
A quick look at some of the latest examples of software patents advocacy (not by actual software professionals, obviously) and why it's deeply misguided (or guided solely by greedy law firms)
"For software to be free as in freedom, we need more people to care personally about software freedom."
Links for the day
A longterm investigation suggests that there are forces in the debate that aren't objective and are being super evasive and dodgy; this typically happens only when somebody has much to hide
Something ought to change in the way people gather and assess news; at the moment — as proper journalism runs out of steam (and budget) — things only deteriorate and quality suffers; this rapidly exacerbates as people come to rely on — and then relay — hearsay, not fact-checked bodies of work
Appalling quality of reporting and truly awful bias in the media, primarily owing to the fact that it is dominated/manned not by actual reporters but the firms looking to patent life itself; they use their lawyers and operatives who are literally funded by these lawyers (wearing "journalist" badges to mislead)
IRC logs for Monday, January 20, 2020
How anyone out there can do the job the media failed to do (after an apparently unprecedented arrest at the home of Bill Gates)
9 updates from the police department of Seattle but still nothing material/concrete, only promises and major delays
IRC logs for Sunday, January 19, 2020
The police department (PD) of Seattle is unable to open its own files about arrest for pedophilia at Bill Gates' home; it has been unable to open these files for several months, it claims...
"It might be easier if we start from the GitLab software," Stallman said
Fear of China is being leveraged to promote an agenda of patent maximalists; the general idea they promote is that granting millions of low-quality patents is the only way to compete, even if in reality that merely handicaps the whole market
The narrative surrounding last week's decision against CRISPR patents may have been virtually monopolised by the litigation think tanks and law firms; it certainly feels like no journalism is left to rebut them, fact-check, and introspect
EPO judges throw out patents on life (CRISPR at least); there's now growing hope that they'll have the courage to do the same to patents on software
IRC logs for Saturday, January 18, 2020
Pro-StartPage voices appear to be paid (or have been promised pay) by StartPage; the key strategy of StartPage seems to be, attack and betray people's privacy while paying people in particular positions to pretend otherwise
IRC logs for Friday, January 17, 2020
IRC logs for Thursday, January 16, 2020
Microsoft is working hard to describe itself as the exact opposite of what it is and what it has been; ‘Internet rot’ helps a lot with this agenda, not to mention control of the media (the narrative)
The EPO continues to scatter invalid patents (IPs) that are European Patents (EPs) all over Europe and nobody can stop this, not even the judges of the EPO because they lack independence (by their very own admission)
The tactics of Team UPC aren't changing, only the shamelessness associated with these tactics is changing (because it looks like the end of days to them)
A reader's explanation of what Microsoft is trying to accomplish with its so-called 'embrace' and what steps will come next (how they manifest themselves)
IRC logs for Wednesday, January 15, 2020
Contact us (encrypted/PGP)
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Feeds, News & Updates, RSS Feeds
Financial Times kicks off trials to sell advertisers ‘blocks of time’ to tackle industry’s viewability issue | The Drum
This is an interesting concept but sometimes it really feels like we take two steps forward and one step back in this industry. Our greatest strengths — measurability, laser-targeting, accountability — are also our greatest weaknesses.
“We can now report back to a client and say ‘we served you a thousand ads, and of those, 500 were seen for one second, 250 were seen for 10 seconds and 250 were seen for 30 seconds,” Slade went on. “The next obvious step is to sell blocks of time.
“We can sell a thousand hours of exposure to a chief executive audience in Germany, for example, or we can give clients 500 hours of exposure to finance directors in Belgium. That currency has a lot of merit.
via Financial Times kicks off trials to sell advertisers ‘blocks of time’ to tackle industry’s viewability issue | The Drum.
The Truth About Online Ad Fraud | ExchangeWire.com
All the noise around the RocketFuel and Mercedes-Benz fraud issue may be just that — noise but the problem of online ad fraud, particularly in relation to RTB and programmatic trading, isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
"Decipticons" can spoof your lookalike targeting.
One of the reasons I’m so excited to be working the ridiculously clever team at Pixalate is that they saw this issue coming from a mile away. They were building solutions to help buyers and sellers combat the effects of fraud before all the hype. In a way, they were fraud-fighting hipsters, battling the bots before it was cool.
Jalal Nasir, co-founder and CEO of Pixalate, has a great piece, complete with some very funny terms for the types of Fraud his platform can detect, in this week’s ExchangeWire.
Forecasts suggest ad fraud could cost marketers as much as $11bn in 2014, a 22% increase over 2013. Notwithstanding any unintentional inflation in these stats, it’s clear that ad fraud is running amok. At the same time, RTB display advertising continues to grow quickly. Jalal Nasir, co-founder, Pixalate
The Truth About Online Ad Fraud | ExchangeWire.com.
If you’d like to talk to me about Pixalate, I’m their exclusive representative in Europe. Either drop me an email, grab at Digiday’s EU Publisher Summit in Barcelona.
fraudpixalateprogrammatic
Programmatic Creative – Where are the Drapers to our Harry Cranes?
May 30, 2014 Matt O'Neill Leave a comment
Over the last two weeks I’ve been doing a ton of research online about the state and future of Programmatic Ad Buying. For sure there are a ton of tech prognosticators out there talking about optimised algorithms, probabilistic multi-screen story telling (dibs on the band name), conquering the In App challenge, integrating 3rd and 1st party data into decision engines, and more. Yet, not one article I’ve come across has discussed the importance of the creative itself.
via AMC
This is a consistent issue in our industry: we are so enamoured with our own tech and math genius, we often overlook the emotional quotient in advertising. We talk a big game about getting the right ad to the right person on the… etc. etc. but we never talk about getting ‘the most beautiful ad’ or the most ‘compelling ad’ or really anything else to with the quality of the creative itself. For those of you who watch Mad Men, it’s as if we’re all Harry Cranes and none of us are Peggys or Dons or Teds.
Could this guy have come up with Carousel? via AMC
Imagine if Mad Men was just about Harry. I’m reminded of a classic Roger Sterling line from the most recent episode: “Cutler won’t be happy until this agency is just Harry Crane and his computer.” It only now struck me how heavily we have bet on the numbers, leaving the creative and the quality of the message behind for someone else to worry about. I searched for some thought pieces on the state of programmatic creative and it’s pretty slim pickings. This piece, from AdExchange, though, I thought was a good start. The new breed of ‘Math Men’ need a new breed of creative lead to really succeed.
A marketer who chooses to could employ a strategy of “right message to the right person at the right time on the right device on the right operating system at the right geofenced location during the right weather conditions …” In other words, the possibilities of highly relevant, “context-aware” advertising have never been greater. And yet, a one-size-fits-all creative strategy largely reigns supreme.
via It’s Time To Fix Programmatic Creative – AdExchanger: News and Views on Data-Driven Digital Advertising.
creativeprogrammatic
Feeds, News & Updates, RSS Feeds, Speaking & Events
Online Ad Spending in Europe Topped €27 Billion in 2013 – eMarketer
A very timely piece of research and data to be released as I put the final preparations on my deck for Digiday’s European Publisher Summit. Strong growth across Europe and the the mobile tide is coming in as fast, if not faster, than the soothsayers were forecasting.
Very interesting to see that:
Spending on display ads continued to gain momentum, logging higher growth than any other format, at 14.9%, and a total value of €9.2 billion ($12.27 billion)
Although I must wonder how much of that is Facebook.
Online Ad Spending in Europe Topped €27 Billion in 2013 – eMarketer.
displayemarketer
Great News For Native: The New York Times’ Sponsored Content Is As Popular As Its Editorial | The Content Strategist, by Contently
Granted, this piece is authored by someone with some skin in the game (and, full disclosure, so do I) but still, some compelling stats. Paid content as engaging (on a click basis) if not more than ‘straight’ editorial. Just because it’s paid for doesn’t mean it isn’t good. I mean, just look at the Lego Movie for the ultimate example of this.
A United Airlines interactive graphic—produced in partnership with The Times—that showed how far athletes traveled to compete at Sochi. The result was nearly 200,000 clicks—well above the average editorial article.
Great News For Native: The New York Times’ Sponsored Content Is As Popular As Its Editorial | The Content Strategist, by Contently.
distroscaleNative
Feeds, News & Updates, Speaking & Events
Programmatic advertising’s audience addiction
This article is very relevant to my upcoming presentation at Digiday’s first EU Publisher Summit in Barcelona. This ‘race to the bottom’ factor is and seems to remain, one of the fundamental risks of an an ever-larger programmatic marketplace. How are premium publishers taking steps to protect their audiences and their inventory?
The ecosystem optimizes for clicks, and we lose the value of branding in the process. We’re making a similar mistake with audience buying.
via Digiday | Programmatic advertising’s audience addiction.
programmaticspeaking
Feeds, News & Updates
MediaPost Publications When Is An Ad An Ad? Only Time Will Tell 05/27/2014
I think we are only beginning to see the tip of the content & native advertising backlash. It’s going to be a rocky road ahead for publishers, advertisers, and tech.
What readers will despise is figuring out that publishers have been greedy participants in a conspiracy of deception. And when they do, nobody will sweat an ad on the cover of Time magazine. Because then the mechanism will go in reverse; the universal mistrust of advertisers will transfer to the publishers who have been helping disguise them. And all parties — except the public — will get what they deserve. — Bob Garfield, MediaPost
MediaPost Publications When Is An Ad An Ad? Only Time Will Tell 05/27/2014.
Teemo exclusive representative of DistroScale in the UK
I’m very excited to announce that Teemo will be the sole representative of DistroScale in the UK. The only fully integrated native advertising and branded content marketplace and platform, DistroScale does for native what the 3rd party ad server and ad exchanges did for display.
Core functionality includes:
SaaS platform for publishers & ad agencies
Transparent Private Marketplace providing control for both publishers and advertisers
Integrated content within publisher’s site.
Supports customisable presentation and unique native content formats.
Support text, images, video, widgets, slideshows, and more.
Simple tag integration agnostic to CMS; One touch entry
Web, Mobile Web, Tablet, iOS SDK, Android SDK
Target by Category, Geo, Audience, Behaviour, Device, Browser, OS, & 3rd party contextual
Real-time content, social , & video engagement analytics
If you’re a publisher who’d like to make incremental revenue every month and support native advertising or if you’re an agency or advertiser who would like to roll out a scalable native ad format at scale, please get in touch with me for a demo.
DistroScale Information One Sheet
About DistroScale
DistroScale is a platform + marketplace for delivering, managing, & measuring native content across websites, mobile web & apps. Founders Stanley Wong, Navdeep Saini, and Chenggang Duan each have a long and succesful history in the online advertising space. The team has launched numerous advertising products, technologies, and companies over the last 15 years. DistroScale’s unique, scalable, easy to use, SaaS platform works across web, mobile, social, and video. The company is based in the San Francisco Bay Area with offices in New York City and Los Angeles and now London.
distroscalelaunch
What you need to know about the brand-new native ad exchanges | VentureBeat
This is an excellent primer from VentureBeat on not just “Native” but also on the fledgling world of native exchanges. The development and adoption of native marketplaces will lead the way for delivering native solutions at scale. The exchanges will make it easier for editors to maintain control over what appears on their sites and for advertisers and brands to operate with transparency and the knowledge that their brand will only be run alongside AAA content.
Native exchanges abide by the same biddable auction structure, but the inventory being bid on is one of the newly recognised native ad formats, such as an in-feed ad or recommendation widget. The key benefit of these new native formats is that they are placed where audiences are already actively looking for content; a study from IPG Media Labs showed that audiences look at native ads 53 percent more frequently than display ads.
From MediaPost:
“We know that marketers’ greatest loss in value is most often inattention to ads,” said Kara Manatt, vice president of consumer research strategy at the IPG Media Lab, and co-author of the new research.
Whether native ads will continue to hold consumers’ attention once their uniqueness wears off is another question, but, as Manatt added: “Past research shows us that neither overly intrusive nor easily ignored ads are effective … This study validates that we are on the right path to finding that middle ground.”
What you need to know about the brand-new native ad exchanges | VentureBeat | Marketing | by Chris Schreiber, Sharethrough.
The CMO’s Guide to Programmatic Buying | Digital – Advertising Age
Since I recently read in the WSJ that only 23% of CMOs both “understand what online programmatic is and use it in their marketing strategy” I think that this AdAge report would be a useful thing to read and share with the CMO in your life.
"What’s driving programmatic is digital delivery and data. If you think about where digital display and digital video are, it’s easier to apply programmatic in those spaces. I have very little doubt that digital out-of-home, digital television and radio will follow." John Montgomery, GroupM
The CMO’s Guide to Programmatic Buying | Digital – Advertising Age.
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The Ramble 189 comments
I Smell Your Rookie Moves, New Writers
I am occasionally in a place where I read work by new writers. Sometimes this is at cons or conferences. Sometimes it’s in the sample of work that’s free online or a fragment from a self-published work. Sometimes I just roll over in my bed and there it is, a manuscript by a new writer, haunting me like a vengeful incubus.
I would very much like to yell at you.
Now, listen, before I begin the part where I scream myself hoarse about the things you’re doing wrong, I want you to understand that we’ve all been there. We’ve all done it poorly. Doing it poorly is the first step to, well, not doing it poorly. I have written my fair share of HOT PUKE, and it’s just one of those things you have to purge from your system.
(Though here we also enter into another caveat: HOT PUKE is not actually a delicacy. You do that shit over in the corner, barfing it up in the potted plant so nobody sees until morning. You don’t yak up today’s lunch in the middle of the living room and then do jazz-hands over it: “Ta-da! The Aristocrats!” What I’m trying to say is, your rookie efforts are not automatically worth putting out into the world, especially if those efforts cost readers money to access them. The mere existence of a story is not justification for its publication. Don’t make people give you cash for your inferior efforts. Get it right before you ask money to reward you for getting it wrong.)
Here, then, are some things I have noticed in drafts by new or untested writers, and these are I think standard errors — and they’re ones also that tested authors sometimes stumble into, so peruse this list, see if you have stropped up against any of these sins like a randy tomcat, and then fix your business. Get it? Got it? Good?
Let the yelling commence.
Telegraphing Every Goddamn Thing
It is compelling, I know, to figure out every single thing that is happening all the time always in your story. Characters smile and laugh. Okay. They fidget. Fine. They drink a cup of tea with their pinky out. Sure, why not? But if you’re writing out every hiccup, burp, fart, wince, flinch, sip, and gobble, you got problems. A character turns on a lamp? Super, you don’t need to describe how they turn it on. I don’t need to see John Q. Dicknoggin unzipping his fly before he pisses, and frankly, I may not need to see that he pisses unless it’s telling us something about his character. See, the problem is, when you telegraph all these movements — when you describe in detail every minute micro-expression and irritable bowel movement, you fill up the page with a laundry list of Incredibly Uninteresting Nonsense. Which leads me to —
Not Everything Is Interesting
At a rough guess, I’d say 90% of All Things Ever are uninteresting. Dull as drawing with white crayons on white paper. Things are boring. Life is boring. Details are mostly boring.
Storytelling, though, is the opposite of that. We tell stories because they are interesting. We offer narrative because narrative is a bone-breaker: it snaps the femur of the status quo. It is in fact the sharp, gunshot-loud fracture-break of the expected story is what perks our attention. Guy goes to work, works, comes home, has dinner, goes to bed? Not interesting. Guy goes to work, has the same troubles with his boss, endures the standard problems of the day (“where are my goddamn staples?”), goes home, eats an unsatisfying dinner, goes to bed and sleeps restlessly until the next day of the same thing? Still not interesting. Guy goes to work and gets fired? Okay, maybe, depending on if he does something unexpected with it. Guy goes to work and gets fired out of a cannon into a warehouse full of ninjas? I’M LISTENING.
Description is the same way. You don’t need to tell me what everything looks like because I already know, and most things aren’t that interesting. Leaves on a tree are leaves on a tree. For the impact of story, how many points each leaf has or how they move in the wind is not compelling. This isn’t a video game where you get points for painting every aspect of the environment with total authenticity. Skip it. Tell us the stuff that is unexpected. The things that shatter our notions: if one leaf has blood on it? Then we need to know that. We want to know that.
Cut the boring stuff.
Write the interesting stuff.
Trim, tighten, slice, dice. Pare it all down. Render. Render!
Which leads me to…
Going On Tooooooo Loooooooooong
Whatever it is you’re writing, it’s too long. Cut it by a third or more. Do it now. I don’t care if you think you should do it, just do it. Try it. You can go back to it if you don’t like it. Consider it an intellectual challenge — can you utterly obliterate 33% of your story? Can you do it mercilessly and yet still tell the story you want to tell? I bet you jolly well fucking can.
Get To The Fucking Story, Already
The story begins on page one.
Repeat: the story begins on page one.
It doesn’t begin on page ten. It doesn’t start in chapter five.
It starts on page one.
Get to the point. Get to the story. Intro characters and their problem and the stakes to those problems as immediately as you are able. You think you’re doing some clever shit by denying this? You think you need to invest us in your luscious prose and the rich loamy soil of the worldbuilding and the deep nature of these characters — ha ha ha, no. We’re here for a reason. We’re here for a story. If by the end of the first page there isn’t the sign of a story starting up? Then we’re pulling the ripcord and ejecting. We’ll parachute out of your airless atmosphere and land on the ground where things are actually happening.
Dialogue Works A Certain Way
Writing has rules.
Storytelling has fewer rules, and certainly more flexible ones.
But actual writing has legit rules.
It’s not math, not exactly — but things do add up a certain way and we are beholden to either apply the rules to our work or break the rules to create a specific effect.
You don’t just break the rules because it’s fun, or worse, because you don’t know them. That latter is where a lot of new writers fall. They simply don’t know that things work a certain way, and when you write in contravention to These Certain Ways, we can all smell it. It’s stinky. Your prose gains the vinegar stink of flopsweat as you gallumph about on the stage of the page, not knowing how to actually do this thing you promised us that you can do.
Dialogue, for instance, is one of those things that has rules. And for some reason, it’s one of the most common things I see get utterly fucked. The basic gist of dialogue is:
“Comment,” Dave said.
Right? Quotes, with a comment in the middle, the whole thing broken out with a comma tucked inside the quotes, and then a very simple dialogue tag.
“Comment.” Dave said.
That’s wrong. You need the comma.
That is also wrong. That comma wants to be warm and safe inside the quotes. Where bad writing will never hurt it ever again.
You can, of course, get fancier.
“I’m starting this sentence,” Dave said, “and now I’m going to finish it.”
“I want to start a new sentence,” Dave said. “Sentences are really cool.”
Note the difference between those two methods. The period versus the comma. The two complete sentences versus the dialogue tag interrupting a continuing sentence.
You cannot mix and match this.
“I want to say some more stuff,” Dave said. “so please let me say stuff.”
No! No. No. Stop that right now.
Sometimes you don’t even need the dialogue tag if you feel like orchestrating action in the appropriate arrangement around the quotes:
Dave adjusted his crotch. “My crotch is itchy ever since I let it become infected with ants.”
We don’t need to know that Dave said that because it’s pretty fucking clear Dave said it.
Certainly you can use other dialogue tag verbs other than said, but usually, you shouldn’t. Dave exclaimed, protested, shouted, screamed, shrieked, ejaculated, harrumphed, blathered, babbled, gabbled. Use those sparingly. And make sure they’re actual dialogue verbs. Don’t say:
“I don’t know which testicle is my favorite,” Dave shrugged.
Shrugging isn’t the proper verb there. You feel like because it’s a communicative verb it counts.
Spoiler alert: it doesn’t. You can’t shrug a word. Communicative gestures are not the same thing as proper dialogue verbs. No matter how hard you want them to be.
Once you get going with two characters, you can eschew dialogue tags entirely.
“I punched a fucking cat,” Dave said.
Eduardo winced. “You shouldn’t punch cats. That’s not nice.”
“I will fucking punch a cat when I fucking want to punch a cat. I’ll even fuck a cat.”
“Oh, Dave. You’re so funny!”
Also, watch your adverbs.
Adverbs get a bad rap in fiction, which is silly because adverbs are everywhere. In fact, the word ‘everywhere’ in that sentence? It’s an adverb! Holy shit!
Adverbs, though, become a problem when staple-gunned to all your dialogue tags. “I am made of bees,” Shirene said indubitably. “I like cake,” Roger exclaimed excitedly. “Porn is amazing,” Darrell ejaculated orgasmically. When you say those aloud, they sound terrible. Childish. They also do a very good job at telling and a very bad job at showing. If Roger in his love for cake tells us about how much he likes cake while grabbing us and shaking his violently, we can get a pretty good sense he’s pretty jacked up about some motherfucking cake. Even better, he doesn’t need to tell us. He just needs to stick a shiv between our ribs and steal our cake and then eat it greedily over our bleeding, mewling body. After that, we will possess little doubt how greatly he approves of the cake-eating experience.
Let Them Talk And Then Shut Them Up
You need to let your characters talk.
Dialogue is grease that slicks the wheels of your story.
And eventually it gets tiresome. You love the characters and you think they should be allowed to go on and on all day long because you think they’re just aces. They’re not. Shut them up. Keep the dialogue trim and vital. Concise and powerful. Let them have their say in the way they need to say it — in the way that best exemplifies who those characters are and what they want — and then close their mouths. Move onto the next thing. Let’s hear from someone else or something else.
I Don’t Know Who Your Characters Are Or What They Want
Each character needs to be a shining beam — each distinct from the next. Bright and demonstrative of its own color. Not archetypes, not stereotypes, but complex and easily distinguished people. And I want a reason to care about them. Right out of the gate, I want this. I need to know what they want, why they want it, and what they’re willing to do to get it. I need, in very short terms, their quest. Whether desired or a burden, I gotta know why they’re here on the page in front of me. That’s not true only of the protagonist, but of all the characters.
If you can’t tell me quickly, they become noise instead of operating as signal.
Too Many Characters Bumping Into Each Other
It’s very hard to manage a lot of characters.
I do it in some books and the way that I do it is by introducing them piecemeal — not in one big dump like I’m emptying a bag of apples onto the counter (where they promptly all roll away from me), but one or two at a time. Let them have a little oxygen. Let them have their time in the light so we can see the above task performed: they can use that stage time to tell us who they are, what they want, why they want it, what they’ll do to get it, and so on and so forth.
But jumping in with too many characters is a soup with all the ingredients.
It’s just a mushy, flavor-bombed mess.
It’s a thing I see in the work of new writers.
And it rarely works well unless you’ve developed the skill of working your characters the way a conductor commands all the musicians and instruments in a symphony.
Every Character Sounds The Same
Builds off what I was saying earlier about every character being her own shining beacon, separate from one another. And I think it’s pretty clear: if each character sounds like a replicant of the next, you’ve got a problem. It’s not just about vocal patterns. It’s about what they’re saying in addition to how they’re saying it. It’s about their ideas and vision and desires. Look at it this way: it’s not just your prose that makes you your author. It’s not just your style. It’s what you write. It’s the themes you express. Characters operate the same way. They have different viewpoints and needs. They have their own ways of expressing those viewpoints and needs, too. Get on that. Otherwise, they’re all just clones with different names and faces.
Trying To Show Off
Stop doing stunt moves. You can do that later. Right now, assume that you have a single goal: clarity. Clarity is key. It is king. If I do not know what is going on, then I’m out. If I am in any way confused about what’s happening on the page? I’ll fuck right off and watch TV or check Twitter or fondle myself. Do yourself a favor and aim to just tell the story. Get out of the way. Be clear. Be forthright. Be confident and assertive and show us what’s happening without compromise and without burying it under a lot of mud.
You don’t get points for being deliberately ambiguous.
The journey to become a successful writer is long, fraught with peril, and filled with difficult questions: How do I write dialogue? How do I build suspense? What should I know about query letters? How do I start? Where are my pants?
The best way to answer these questions is to ditch your uncertainty and transform yourself into a Kick-Ass Writer. This new book from award-winning author Chuck Wendig combines the best of his eye-opening writing instruction — previously available in e-book form only — with all-new insights into writing and publishing. It’s an explosive broadside of gritty advice that will destroy your fears, clear the path, and help you find your voice, your story, and your audience.
Ep15 - Destiny Revealed - Cris Pasqueralle - Chapter One Podcast
October 3, 2016 @ 11:40 PM
[…] The article mentioned on the show is called, I Smell Your Rookie Moves, New Writers, by Chuck Wendig: http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2015/08/26/i-smell-your-rookie-moves-new-writers/ […]
A Grace Given in Sorrow: Stories as Soulcraft with Edward Cooke – Transmundane Press
October 19, 2016 @ 7:04 PM
[…] were assumed to have all the answers. In that case it would be hard to resist the temptation to telegraph them. Rather, the writer writes in the belief that we can nurture one another, sharing Bettelheim’s […]
SaFuTheTwit
October 21, 2016 @ 8:59 AM
Gotta love your advice, Chuck.
“Eu vejo os seus erros, escritores novatos”, por Chuck Wendig – O estilo das letras
November 2, 2016 @ 5:07 AM
[…] é uma tradução de “I Smell Your Rookie Moves, New Writers“, um texto muito interessante e informativo para escritores iniciantes em […]
Author News: A Grace Given in Sorrow – Stories as Soulcraft with Edward Cooke – EdBucks
February 25, 2017 @ 4:18 AM
Nit Picking – Ambient Alacrity
[…] Rookie New Writer Moves […]
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Organizations in the throes of cleaning up after a ransomware outbreak typically will change passwords for all user accounts that have access to any email systems, servers and desktop workstations within their network. But all too often, ransomware victims fail to grasp that the crooks behind these attacks can and frequently do siphon every single password stored on each infected endpoint. The result of this oversight may offer attackers a way back into the affected organization, access to financial and healthcare accounts, or — worse yet — key tools for attacking the victim’s various business partners and clients.
In mid-November 2019, Wisconsin-based Virtual Care Provider Inc. (VCPI) was hit by the Ryuk ransomware strain. VCPI manages the IT systems for some 110 clients that serve approximately 2,400 nursing homes in 45 U.S. states. VCPI declined to pay the multi-million dollar ransom demanded by their extortionists, and the attack cut off many of those elder care facilities from their patient records, email and telephone service for days or weeks while VCPI rebuilt its network.
Just hours after that story was published, VCPI chief executive and owner Karen Christianson reached out to say she hoped I would write a follow-up piece about how they recovered from the incident. My reply was that I’d consider doing so if there was something in their experience that I thought others could learn from their handling of the incident.
I had no inkling at the time of how much I would learn in the days ahead.
EERIE EMAILS
On December 3, I contacted Christianson to schedule a follow-up interview for the next day. On the morning of Dec. 4 (less than two hours before my scheduled call with VCPI and more than two weeks after the start of their ransomware attack) I heard via email from someone claiming to be part of the criminal group that launched the Ryuk ransomware inside VCPI.
That email was unsettling because its timing suggested that whoever sent it somehow knew I was going to speak with VCPI later that day. This person said they wanted me to reiterate a message they’d just sent to the owner of VCPI stating that their offer of a greatly reduced price for a digital key needed to unlock servers and workstations seized by the malware...
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Posted on April 19, 2006 by Dennis Bournique
I just got back from a week in Tokyo, paradise for mobile geeks. 3G seems to be taking Japan by storm. In wandering around the city, I saw many of the latest 3G handsets in use. One of the most popular seemed to be NEC’s Linux based N902i on the DoCoMo FOMA network. The selling point of this phone is the 2MP camera with image stabilization and auto focus, but the nicest part for me was the Netfront browser on the 2.5 inch, 240 x 345 (dubbed QVGA+TM) TFT screen with 262,144 colors. The N902i also has an MP3 player with equalizer, a PDF viewer, support for the Japanese i-Appli Java standard for games and applications and it does OTA MP3 downloads and uses a mini-SD for storage. You can read an English brochure or down load the English edition of the phone’s manual here. The phone’s UI can be toggled between Japanese and English and it can roam on European UTMS and GSM networks as well as North American 1900 mHz networks (see comments). The N902i sells for around $150 with a new two year contract and about twice that for a user who upgrades an existing NTT plan to 3G with a one year contract extension. At 106mm X 51mm X 25mm and 127 grams, the N902i is large by US standards (the RAZR for example, is 98 x 53 x 14 mm and 97 grams) but fairly typical for Japanese phones which generally feature large screens – several models have 2.8 or 2.9 inch LCD’s. In fact the N902i has a stablemate, the Symbian based Mitsubishi D902i – a slider with a 2.8″ screen which I also saw several people using in Tokyo. Both of these phones are considered feature phones rather than smartphones by the operators. Many Japanese feature phones run either Linux or a version of Symbian with a Japanese developed UI called MOAP (“Mobile Oriented Applications Platform”). Disappointingly, it appears that neither of these phones supports installing native Linux or Symbian applications. On the plus side, i-Appli, the Japanese Java subset, does seem to have more access to the phone’s hardware than Java ME.
Japanese 3G uses two different technologies. The number one and number three carriers NTT and Vodaphone use UMTS at the worldwide (except for North America) standard frequency of 2100 mHz. Japanese UMTS phones are world-phones and can operate on UTMS networks in Europe and Asia. Most also support GSM at 900, 1800 and 1900 mHz. GSM is not used in Japan and is provided on these phones to enhance their international roaming capabilities. The older 2G Japanese systems used unique technologies and frequencies and were not comparable with any other networks in the world. The number two Japanese network AU by KDDI uses EV-DO which has a significant speed advantage over UMTS. That speed advantage seems to be paying off for AU which now has almost as many 3G subscribers – 21.8 million as DoCoMo which has 23.5 million. Vodaphone, which recently sold their Japanese operation to Softbank trails badly with only 3 million 3G users. Unlike DoCoMo and Vodaphone’s 3G handsets, AU’s use unique Japanese frequencies and won’t work anywhere else in the world.
If you’re thinking it would be neat to import one of these Japanese UTMS/GSM phones for use in your country, think again. In Japan phones are not normally sold without a contract and in addition all the phones are SIM-locked and only a few models have been successfully unlocked.
The cost of mobile service including data is coming down in Japan although it’s still on the high side. A basic 3G plan runs about 4050 Yen ($34) including tax. You only get between 24 between 60 voice minutes per month (depending on carrier and time of day) with the 4050 Yen plan. Extra voice minutes are about $0.26 each.
The good news is that you can add an unlimited data option for an additional 4050 Yen per month. That’s only for data consumed on the phone, tethering is extra.
It is a common observation that the Japanese use their phones constantly but rarely speak on them. I can certainly vouch for that. On the subway, where signs warn that phones must be silent – about half the riders at every given time were tapping away on their phones. Surreptitiously looking over the shoulders of my fellow riders, I did an un-scientific survey of what they were using their phones for. About 50% seemed to be browsing the mobile web, about 25% were reading and responding to e-mail and the remaining 25% playing games.
There was heavy promotion on the trains and TV for mobile Suica the just launched contactless e-wallet system that lets you use your mobile as a RFID based stored value payment card. Special gates with the SUICA logo (a penguin!) at most subway and train stations in Tokyo interact with software in the phone to operate the gates and deduct the fare from your SUICA account. You can recharge with a credit card using the phone or a website. The aforementioned N902i is one of nine phones that is mobile SUICA enabled. Suica has been around in the form of a RFID card for several years now and is also accepted at many coffee shops and newsstands.
Speaking of coffee shops, I was pleasantly surprised that lattes and espresso are currently the rage in Tokyo. I’d been warned that I’d be paying $5 a cup for coffee in Tokyo – not good for someone who consumes five or more cups of Java a day. I was resigned to switching to green tea. Instead I found Starbucks style coffee joints on almost every block. A few were actual Starbucks or Tullys but most were Japanese clones like Excelsior Coffee, Doutour and Beck’s. A short latte was between $1.75 and $2.45 at these places – about the same as in San Francisco. Actually in spite of what I heard about Tokyo being incredibly expensive, I found just about everything about the same price as San Francisco. Our hotel which was great, with very comfortable beds, free wifi in the room and free PC’s in the lobby and friendly, helpful English speaking staff was only $100/night for my wife and I. Breakfast averaged $5 a person at the hotel (including coffee!) with lunch at the conveyor style sushi places about $10 and dinner $25/person in a nice neighborhood sushi bar or tonkatsu place,
Staying off topic, I want to put in a plug for the Japanese rail system. Tokyo is the largest city in the world and most commuters use the subways and trains. The system is very complex (check out this map) with a couple dozen lines operated by at least six different public and private agencies – and yet for the first time in a major city I never once got on the wrong train or missed my stop. The signage in the stations is great, it’s in English and Japanese as are the crystal clear automated announcements on the trains. The newer trains have sixteen 15″ color LCD monitors in each car. Eight of the monitors alternately display a moving map showing where the train is, the name of the next stop in Japanese and English and a chart of the platform at the next station showing the location of each stairway and escalator. The other eight monitors alternate between showing advertising and system status such as delays. Even the older trains have a strip chart above each door showing all the stops on the line with a moving light indicating where the train is currently. I though London and Paris had great transit systems, but Tokyo blows them away.
Back to mobile trends, NaviTime – a GPS enabled application that provides driving and walking directions displayed on both maps and aerial photos was being heavily promoted on TV. NaviTime has several versions including Java for NTT and Vodaphone and BREW for KDDI AU. There is even a BREW version for Verizon in the USA. The slickest version and the only one with the aerial photos is a Mobile Flash application and works on several recent Flash enabled NTT phones including the N902i and D902i.
The launch of live digital broadcast TV on mobile phones was also being heavily hyped on both Japanese television and in the shops. The service called One-Seq, streams normal network broadcast TV to the phone. NTT DoCoMo and KDDI AU simultaneously launched the service, which is free for the first few months – however only three handsets currently support it. Wireless Watch Japan has a nice video of the digital TV service on AU’s Hitachi W41H – which has a beautiful 2.7″ screen. The video is available in WMV, Real, or QT.
While they are not new, having been in use in Japan for at least a couple of years, QR Codes, bar codes that can be read by most Japanese phones were everywhere – on posters, flyers, web pages, business cards and in newspaper and magazine ads. QR codes are very versatile. Scanning a QR code with a QR capable phone can add contact information (typically from a QR Code on a business card) to the phone’s address book or launch the browser and load a mobile site or load a ring tone or an image containing a map to a store. When we visited Kamakura, home of the great Buddha and other shrines and temples, the tourist information counter at the train station was giving out a map in English and on the map were QR codes for the Kamakura town i-Mode site as well as at least a dozen other QRs pointing to the mobile sites of advertisers. The Semacode project is similar and is available as a Java ME applet for most North American and European camera phones, however unlike QR Codes in Japan, Semacode has not yet been widely adopted. Based on the Japanese experience, I do believe that Semacode has great potential.
This entry was posted in 3G, Apps, Carriers, Handsets, Japanese mobiles by Dennis Bournique. Bookmark the permalink.
40 thoughts on “Tokyo!”
roi on December 15, 2009 at 1:03 am said:
Please help me.. I need help as soon as possible,, How to openline the Docomo N902i? please send me an email at [email protected] if you know the answer, thank you very much, im from the Philippines, my auntie gave me a cellphone from Japan,, i cant use it with the sim card here, please help me ASAP. Thank you
ak on October 15, 2009 at 12:56 pm said:
thx sir
i weil try 2 use this sim
I don’t have any country codes for Japanese phones and I’m pretty sure they aren’y available anywhere. Users have reported success using the i-SmartSim and similar devices that fit in the SIM slot to unlock these phones. See comment 31 on this post for link.
A.k on October 14, 2009 at 2:04 pm said:
sir my mobile do co mo sh902is still have sim eror please give me conutry code
i am pakistan i wait
ravi on October 9, 2009 at 10:14 pm said:
pls send me p901is phone country code bcoz it’s showing error. pls help me.. m from india[new delhi]
Dennis Bournique on September 10, 2009 at 10:39 pm said:
periawanto, Japanese phones are SIM locked to thier original operators and are generally impossible to unlock for use on another network.
Some users have reported that the i-SmartSim 2008 will let these phones work on foreign networks. It’s $4 with free shipping at DealExtreme http://www.dealextreme.com/feedbacks/BrowseReviews.dx/sku.12167
periawanto on September 9, 2009 at 9:31 pm said:
Dear sir.madam,
My mobile is FOMA N900iG DoCoMo
IMEI# [removed]
FOMA N900iG
When i put SIM it give UIM error,
any body help to solve this problem for me?
Your reply is highly appreciated
My country is Batam – INDONESIA
IMRAN on July 28, 2009 at 9:05 am said:
FOMA N701i phone used in Pakistan. When i put my sim it give UIM error any body can solve problem for me.Mail me
Dennis Bournique on April 10, 2009 at 10:15 am said:
mohammad ismail
I don’t think anyone has unlock codes for Japanese-market phones. Your best bet for getting this to work is probably a SIM card insert like the i-SmartSim 2008 (See the comment above yours for the link).
mohammad ismail on April 10, 2009 at 7:54 am said:
I buy foma N900IS phone used in Pakistan. When i put my sim it give UIM error any body can solve problem for me.
DoCoMo phones are hard to unlock for other networks. I don’t have codes for them or any other phones.
Some vendors and users on various forums claim that the i-SmartSim 2008 will work. $4 with free shipping at DealExtreme http://www.dealextreme.com/feedbacks/BrowseReviews.dx/sku.12167
I can’t promise it will work but for $4 it seems to be worth the gamble.
Kong on May 27, 2010 at 3:22 am said:
I live in Thailand..
I have Question…
1. i-Smart sim 2008 SIM can use for Docomo N902i?
2. If i order $3.75 incluld shipping or N?
Kongsak
I really can’t say if the i-Smart sim 2008 SIM will work with the Docomo N902i as I don’t have that phone and haven’t tried it. It’s a gamble.
Shipping is included in the price.
pax on March 26, 2009 at 12:21 am said:
i am here in the Philippines, i used DoCoMo N900iG, Unfortunately i was not able to maximize the mobile because the UIM encountered an ERROR and no signal…so please help me to know the code this mobile…thank you so much
sanjay on March 18, 2009 at 4:56 am said:
Please send me network code of my mobile model orange tokyo
Shyam Prasad Uprety on February 5, 2009 at 4:51 pm said:
i buy FOMA f902i phone used in Nepal
when i put my sim it give non recognize UIM. any body can solve problem for me
Dennis Bournique on January 5, 2009 at 5:23 pm said:
@babygrace,
Japanese phones are notoriously hard to get working on non-Japanese networks. I have no idea how to do it. Try asking on the Japanese Phone board at Howard Forums – http://www.howardforums.com/forumdisplay.php?f=418
babygrace on January 5, 2009 at 6:33 am said:
hey i have a docomo 9000iS and it waont work on my sim.. is there a possibility that it will work?
aziz ur rehman on November 24, 2008 at 8:36 am said:
tokyo is a very popular and good for letest technology in all over the world. i am from pakistan and wishing to work in any company of tokyo. thanking you
asif kamal on November 17, 2008 at 10:34 pm said:
i buy FOMA P902i phone used in pakistan
when i put my sim it give UIM error . any body can solve problem for me
romel c.estabillo on October 8, 2008 at 5:28 pm said:
not functioned sh902i in the philippines.
Dennis on July 15, 2008 at 11:06 am said:
Salman,
What’s a “Country Code”? Does it unlock the phone or something?
Salman on July 15, 2008 at 9:52 am said:
plz send me country code of foma p901is mobile.
my country is Pakistan
abid jutt on June 4, 2008 at 10:03 pm said:
please give me firstname and lastname code 705sh by sharp
Ric on May 19, 2008 at 2:17 pm said:
Apologies if this is off-topic, but I’d really like to learn more about the technology that lets Japanese cell phones work so well (at least in data mode) in subways and stations. I’ve heard that is is a property of 3G/FOMA and possibly due to the use of lower-power cell “towers” (tranceivers) in some stations. Can anyone shed any light on how this works? I’m an American who just got back from visiting my in-laws over there and I’ve been puzzling over this.
christine on March 30, 2008 at 3:07 pm said:
hey i have a softbank 3G 705SH, i live in Trinidad and i want to unlock it to use in my country, but when i enter a local sim card invalid UIM card appears. What do i do?????????????
Dennis on October 17, 2007 at 8:16 pm said:
Akash,
705SH is a Japanese market phone. These are almost impossible to unlock. I certainly don’t know how to unlock it! You would need to unlock the Sharp 705SH to be able to use it in India.
akash on October 17, 2007 at 4:32 am said:
i want sharp705sh country code for use in india.
can u send me that cell country code?
i want to se this cell in india
shahrukh on August 6, 2007 at 2:03 am said:
my mobile is docomo n900is
my mobile donot accept the sim signal
plz send me my network signal country code
plz plz plz
Igor on April 2, 2007 at 11:41 pm said:
Well, bluetooth function has almost every mobile now. Does enyone has fotos japanies phones? Sorry for my English, I’m little out of practice.
Carlos on August 28, 2006 at 7:41 pm said:
This is Carlos writing from Tokyo. Speaking of global roaming – I’m now using the Vodafone Sharp 705SH ‘SLIMIA’ model here in Japan and that can be used internationally, and the applicaple regions seem to be growing daily.
I will be visiting Cairo and Istanbul next (or maybe not after this morning’s trashcan bombing), and should be able to use the phone there. Moreover, it’s a dang sexy phone. Very slim model which is pretty much a copy of the RAZR, down to the metallic keypad. Plays music, 2MP camera and other basic stuff AND, WAIT! -it’s got Bluetooth chat function, which allows me to scan my immediate area on the train and IM them in real time. Kickass. Here it is for you to slobber over:
http://www.vodafone.jp/mb/en/product/3G/705sh/index.html
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Pingback: Martin's Mobile Technology Page
Martin on April 23, 2006 at 11:38 pm said:
Very interesting, it’s quite insightful. Good to know that the FOMA network at it’s current software level does not seem to be too far away from the current 3GPP standards used in Europe. Thanks for the info!
Editor on April 22, 2006 at 6:58 pm said:
It looks like limited UMTS roaming is available on NTT DoCoMo. This NTT page says,
Roam with your own handset
The following handsets have been confirmed to work on DoCoMo’s W-CDMA network.
Motorola :
all 3G handsets since A835, A1000, E1000, C975/980, V975/980
NOKIA :
all 3G handsets since 7600, 6630, 6650, 6680
LG U8138C, SHARP SX813, Sony Ericsson Z800i
As of August, 2005. Interoperability for handsets other than the Motorola A835 is not officially guaranteed.
Handsets listed above also may not be compatible due to software version. Please confirm details for each handset with retailers.
Also, both Orange Switzerland and Mobitel in Slovenia claim that their UTMS customers can roam on NTT in Japan, and even make video calls.
Martin on April 22, 2006 at 11:17 am said:
Hi! I’ve seen the NM850iG which is indeed a modified 6630 at the 3GSMWorldCongress in Barcelona this year. As it is quite an ‘old’ mobile phone just as the Motorola M1000, I wonder if the network was adapted for the phone or if the phones were adapted to work in the NTT DoCoMo FOMA network. I rather have a suspicion that the phones were adapted to the network. Otherwise all other UMTS phones could roam in the FOMA network as well!? Do you have more information on this. For the international traveler it does not matter so much these days anymore with Vodafone K.K. (Softbank) having a “real” UMTS network where European UMTS phones should be able to roam. Take a look here: http://www.eurotechnology.com/3G/ . This contains some background information on inbound and outbound roaming and mentions a FOMA mobile N900iG which seems to be FOMA GSM.
Editor on April 22, 2006 at 9:21 am said:
Thanks for the correction, I was wrong when I said the N902i can roam internationally. The FOMA network has been upgraded to allow international roamers to use UTMS handsets in Japan on DoCoMo but only a handful of FOMA phones can roam internationally. This NTT DoCoMo page lists them as the NEC N900iG, Nokia NM850iG (which appears to be a modified 6630), Motorola M1000, LG Simpure L and NEC Simpure N. The Simpures are “basic” phones while the N902iG looks very much like the N902i but is an older model with only a 2.2″ QVGA screen and 1.3MP camera w/o image stabilization and it also lacks the mobile wallet feature.
Hi, as I was really interested in the N902i you describe above I digged a little bit deeper. Interesting 26MB PDF documentation. I guess it takes some guts to deliver a 500 page manual with a mobile phone :-) I am not quite convinced that the phone is able to roam in overseas GSM and UMTS networks. The manual just mentions that “compatible phones” are able to do that in one place but does not specifiy if the phone is one of those “compatible phones” or not. Also on other web pages that described the phone I did not get conclusive information. So I doubt that a little bit. Some further info: The NTT DoCoMo FOMA network is not compatible to UMTS on 2100 MHZ. So phones only designed for FOMA for the Japanese market will not work in European UMTS networks. It will surely not work with UMTS networks in the US as they use a different frequency (1900 MHz) and that is not mentioned anywhere in the manual or on other websites I’ve checked. Vodafone (now to become Softbank) in Japan is an entirely different thing. Their W-CDMA network is UMTS and mobiles for that network are thus compatible with European networks (again not with US networks due to the different frequency bands). Some of the phones sold for that network even have a Europen brother (or sister? :-). Take the Sony-Ericsson V800 for example, that mobile is sold in Japan as well (different name and I guess different software with Japanese characters…)
Michael(tm) Smith on April 20, 2006 at 6:43 pm said:
I follow your site and wish now I’d known you would be in Tokyo, because it
would have been nice to meet up with you. When you make it back here again,
please definitely let me know.
Thanks for the report, very interesting! I am quite surprised that mobile phone usage and data charges seem to be quite high according to your report. Thought it would be cheaper.
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We are opening the doors of politics for youth : Rahul Gandhi
Sonia Gandhi welcomes Women’s bill success says “We had been waiting for it so long�
Sonia Gandhi delivering speech at 82nd Plenary Congress Session
Sonia Gandhi at International Parliamentary Conference, 23 Jan 2003
Building a Better Future Speech of Congress President - Smt. Sonia Gandhi at HT LEADERSHIP SUMMIT 20
You are in: Home > Politics
Pakistan’s comparison with India a misfit : Rahul Gandhi
By pressbrief
With far-reaching impact in fast evolving multi-lateral diplomacy among the nations, Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi in a very hard-hitting, yet subtle, tone said Pakistan could not be compared with a great country like India.
While addressing media persons here on Tuesday, Gandhi categorically said Pakistan does not deserve even ‘half the importance', as being accorded to, in our country.
"Geographically, Pakistan is just a small piece of land and its comparison with our country is a misfit pursuit," candidly remarked Congress general secretary. On Tuesday, he was on a day-long visit to Himachal Pradesh to woo students for the party's student wing - the National Students Union of India (NSUI).
Delving further on current situation in the neighbouring country, Gandhi said Pakistan's internal issues do have some bearings on our country but we accord too much time considering them important and crucial, Gandhi emphasized. "In my view, it (Pakistan) deserves not even half the importance we attach to it," Gandhi told mediapersons.
Reflecting on the changing global mindset towards Pakistan, he said the attitude of the world in general towards it (Pakistan) has gone under change in recent past, he remarked, adding that same having emerged only after arduous and protracted efforts by India at all platforms.
"The entire world is putting pressure on Pakistan. Certain issues related to Pakistan have to be taken into consideration and which is already being done. And, we are placed comfortably. There is no comparison between India and Pakistan," further said Congress general secretary.
Gandhi, taking a dig at the opposition parties in particular the BJP, said, " They (the BJP) talk about Pakistan's founder Mohammad Ali Jinnah. But, then he (Jinnah) is in realm of the history and for me, it is just not possible to even think about Jinnah even for five seconds or for that matter, even for one second also."
He further remarked about the BJP's ‘India Shining' slogan and how same was discarded by the people at large in 2004 general elections. Within the elite structure of the society in urban pockets only, India was shining, Gandhi said, adding, "We believe in the ideology of uplift of the poor and the down-trodden."
Commenting on the criticism about his visits to villages, he said that these were meant primarily to get first-hand information about the real situation in the country and for necessary measures to redress problems.
In a frank admission, Congress general secretary said political parties, including Congress, BJP and others, had not been open to bring the youth under respective folds.
"With an aim to democratise the process of active participation, we are sincere about same in our frontal organisations of the party, Youth Congress and NSUI," Gandhi said, adding that nominations would be a thing of the past and only elected people would man these set-ups.
But, it requires some time and the process is on with already having done the same in four states for Youth Congress, he said. He hoped that the common youth of this country would join these organizations in large numbers and in coming years its impact will be felt in politics.
Talking about the Youth Congress organisation in Punjab, he said, "In Punjab, top leadership of NSUI and Youth Congress has come from the grass root. At Panchayat and block level, maximum of our leaders are common youth, who are working for these organisations."
Congress general secretary stressed the need for an upper age limit in party's youth organisations. He said people above 35 years of age would not be office-bearers of Youth Congress and NSUI.
He further said doors were open for the youth to enter Youth Congress and NSUI which was once closed for them. "We have a clear vision for the future. In Tamil Nadu, around 6,000 youths have joined our organisation and they are the future leaders of the Congress," Gandhi remarked.
Congress general secretary said there have been two Indias, created over the years - one of the rich and one of the poor. "We have to build one composite unified India. The Unique Identity Card scheme will help in making policies meant for the poor and trace the loopholes and thus, bridge the gap between the rich and the poor," emphasised Congress general secretary, while talking to reporters here.
Congress general secretary later interacted with students at the Himachal Pradesh University here.
Tags: attitude entire world platforms current situation congress bearings india and pakistan diplomacy general secretary rahul gandhi
Source: http://www.a1articles.com/pakistans-comparison-with-india-a-misfit--rahul-gandhi-1639889.html
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View source for YTMND talk:Definition of a fad
← YTMND talk:Definition of a fad
==The purpose of this page== The reason why I'd like to know what a fad specifically is is because there is none — technically, anything with enough search results qualifies as a fad. As a result, there are about fifty seven billion fads, some more faddy than the other. There are some that are undeniably fads, and those that are questionably fads. This is confusing. Using this discussion page, I'd like to come up with the single definition of a YTMND fad. Please list your ideas below (and sign each of your comments by typing "<nowiki>~~~~</nowiki>" without the quotes). [[User:Messedrocker|Messedrocker]] 01:36, July 22, 2006 (CDT) ==Reparodied many times== When it's reparodied many times, I see it as a fad. <small>[[User:Smiddle|It's Smiddle, LOL]] | [[User talk:Smiddle/userpage|What is Talk Page?]]</small> 01:58, July 22, 2006 (CDT) : Well, that's a given. I believe that when the final definition is laid out, that should be like the preamble or something. What I'm looking for is specific figures. [[User:Messedrocker|Messedrocker]] 02:15, July 22, 2006 (CDT) ==Repeated ad nauseum== I'd say a fad is something that used to be funny but has been repeated so many times that it now boils your blood to even think about it, let alone see it. [[User:Max|Max]] 19:58, July 22, 2006 (CDT) : That's actually something that could be added to the definition: "YTMNDs incorporating basic elements of a fad are bound to attract at least a small level of criticism for including the fad." [[User:Messedrocker|Messedrocker]] 20:01, July 22, 2006 (CDT) : anything i hate is a fad. j.s. bach would have used the phrase "variations on a theme." [[User:Jon|Jon]] 20:34, July 22, 2006 (CDT) ==Popularity== I think what's more important than the repetitiveness of a fad is the, well, fad-like nature of a fad's popularity. People make Cosby sites these days because Cosby sites are the cool thing to do, and when Cosby sites stop appearing on Up and Coming and the Top 15, people will make sites about something else. On the other hand, DYTMND was never a fad because even though there were fifty of those damn things, it was all the same guy making them trying to convince people it was the next big thing. For that matter, "The internet is for porn" isn't a fad either--as popular as it is, it's never really inspired a lot of spinoff sites. --[[User:Jim Smith|Jim Smith]] 20:12, July 22, 2006 (CDT) : Fads shouldn't be excluded because it was primarily one person -- the Cosby fad was primarily motivated by Kassius's constant Cosby YTMNDs. Though it can be argued that there was a cosby fad before Kassius's reincarnation, and that after he got involved, everyone else did. However, I agree that there needs to be plenty of spinoffs and it has to be featured as Up-and-Coming, Top Rated, or Top Viewed. However, what needs to be disambiguated is the number of people that need to get involved in order to make it a fad. [[User:Messedrocker|Messedrocker]] 20:39, July 22, 2006 (CDT) ::I'm not saying we should excluse fads driven by a single user, only the ones that never managed to attract more than a handful of imitators. If I remember correctly all the Cake Song YTMNDs were initially by the same user, but eventually it won users over until it became a true fad. That's what separates fads from Joshcube's failed attempts to start fads. --[[User:Jim Smith|Jim Smith]] 20:45, July 22, 2006 (CDT) ::: Yeah, I managed to grasp that, but I'm just making sure. Would you like to respond to the other suggestions? [[User:Messedrocker|Messedrocker]] 20:52, July 22, 2006 (CDT) == Specific figures == Would anyone like to make specific figures of a fad? Like how many page views the original got? Or number of pages of results? [[User:Messedrocker|Messedrocker]] 20:53, July 22, 2006 (CDT) :Pages of results doesn't always work, for example the [[lol, internet|lol fad]] and the [[What is love]] fad. Searching {{search|lol}} gets you more than "lol internet" YTMNDs, and {{search|what+is|what is}} brings you nothing. <small>[[User:Smiddle|It's Smiddle, LOL]] | [[User talk:Smiddle/userpage|What is Talk Page?]]</small> 05:07, July 23, 2006 (CDT) == Suggested Fad Criteria == Apologies if I screw this up. I've never commented to a wiki discussion before. Sacrelige as it may be, I disagree with Max that fads must be, by definition, annoying. For example, I consider any and all sites featuring Sean Connery and the "You're the man now, dog" soundbyte to be part of one massive fad based on the original YTMND. Obviously, folks must not find this too irritating, or they wouldn't keep visiting the site that inspired it. This is just me shooting the breeze, but I'd define a fad by the following criteria: 1) '''It has to be somewhat widespread.''' The other day, I created a site and someone made their own NEDM version of it an hour later, saying it was part of a "fad" I'd started. I'm flattered, of course, but one site does not a fad make. I don't know what the magic number is, but it's definitely greater than two. And they can't all be made by the same guy. That's not a fad, it's a motif, or an unhealthy obsession. 2) '''The sites that are part of that fad all have to have common elements.''' "Epic Manuever" is an obvious fad because all the sites have the same features in common: the title, the music, and the the outlandish action going on in the image. You could make an Epic Manuever site that only involved some of these elements and still be recognized as part of the fad, but this is why users will inevitably leave comments demanding you change the music to "Nighwish" or get the title right. By contrast, Darth Vader has inspired at least two noteworthy fads on YTMND: "NOOOOOO!" sites, and "Vader Sings!" sites where the music is altered to resemble his deep voice. Just because Vader is involved with both concepts doesn't make them the same fad. The same goes for all the Superman-related YTMNDs. You don't look at a Supercat site and think of "WRONG!", or the infamous artwork of Clark Kent undressing behind a young boy. 3) '''The fad has to be identifiable.''' This is kind of self-evident, but I point it out because one could technically describe "animated gifs" as one giant superfad. I don't think this counts, because the description is too general. "5'ed for using a 22khz mp3." No one ever says that. "Crappy inside jokes" are widespread and all feature the same elements, but this isn't a fad, it's just coincidence. For a group of sites to be a fad, there has to be something deliberately the same about them that you can immediately notice. This is what separates PTKFGS from YESYES. While they both use the same joke, each fad uses different watermarks and page titles to distinguish one from the other. Meanwhile, the so-called "4th Universe" has never crystallized into anything specific, because there's no consensus on what to call it. No identity, no fad. I find it kind of dumb that we should even have three different "alternate universe" fads, but that seems to be the way it works. Anyway, that's my two cents on how fads work, for what it's worth.--[[User:Mike Smith|Mike Smith]] 10:01, July 23, 2006 (CDT)
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The Laura Flanders Show: Sat. Naomi Klein, Jeremy Scahill, Mary Gauthier; Sun. Suheir Hammad, Fergus Bordewich
Thanks to Martha, here's the line up for The Laura Flanders Show (which starts in less than an hour with the Saturday broadcast):
This weekend on Air America Radio, 7-10 PM EST
Has Baghdad come to the Bayou? While the humanitarian crisis in the Gulf grows, Republican relief efforts include a raft of economic and social policies that serve the Right:
We’ll get a frontline report from award-winning independent journalist JEREMY SCAHILL
NAOMI KLEIN will talk about disaster capitalism, US style.
Louisiana-born singer-songwriter MARY GAUTHIER on "Mercy Now," her CD that won the best new artist Americana Music Award.
From the Gulf Coast to Persian Gulf to Supreme Court, will W's government ever do what's right?
Def Jam Poet, SUHEIR HAMMAD.
Fergus Bordewich, journalist and author of 'BOUND FOR CANAAN: THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD AND THE WAR FOR THE SOUL OF AMERICA'
NEW - Now you can listen to the Laura Flanders Show via podcast on iTunes!
Go to the Laura Flanders Blog
Remember, you can listen over broadcast radio (if there's an AAR in your area), via XM Satellite Radio (channel 167) or listen online.
My apologies for the delay re: The Laura Flanders Show and we're only noting it. Depending on where you are (if you're a domestic, United States community member,) as of ten o'clock EST, Air America still didn't have their schedule for the weekend up. Having spent the entire week in D.C. on my first day home, I wasn't prepared to wait around. Eli and Dallas checked repeatedly as I worked on the entries this morning. By ten, when both had e-mailed that it still wasn't up, I e-mailed Martha who's signed up for alerts from The Laura Flanders Show and told her no rush because I was on my way out the door. (And you can use the link above to sign up for the e-mail alerts from the Flanders' show.)
Next weekend, I'm back in DC and I will try to get The Laura Flanders Show line up posted regardless because it is the show the community loves. (And it's a wonderful show.) My apologies to members who also enjoy other weekend shows. (I know Steve Earle is popular as well and, time permitting, we'll note that and Chuck D's show tomorrow but right now I'm about to start the weekly marathon with The Third Estate Sunday Review.)
This week was thought to be a two days in D.C. tops and was a test run for this coming week. It ended up being a great deal more than two days. But on the plus side, though many issue were missed (by me, not the community), the site didn't go "dead" (thanks to a lot of help from members and friends). Joan's e-mailed today wondering if that will be the case next week as well and it will be. In addition, we are all committed to making sure The Third Estate Sunday Review has an edition of some kind. It may be easier than usual despite the schedule since Ava, Jess, Ty, Jim, Dona (The Third Estate Sunday Review), Rebecca (Sex and Politics and Screeds and Attitude), Cedric (Cedric's Big Mix), Betty (Thomas Friedman Is a Great Man), Kat (Kat's Korner), Mike (Mikey Likes It!), Elaine (Like Maria Said Paz) and myself will all be in D.C. (and all staying in the same location).
Somewhere during that time or after, two members are planning to start up sites. I hesitate to put that in because until a site's active, people can (and sometimes do) change their minds. If they start up during the weekend of protest, that will probably suffer from less attention than they'd get normally from community sites and that's been explained. (Meaning highlights and adding to permalinks by all sites.) If they do start up during next weekend, do not think they're being intentionally slighted, it's just going to be a time of activism and they'll be noted as much as possible during that and more so after next weekend is over.
Lastly, Marci e-mailed regarding a story noted on Friday here. I had Dallas check regarding the byline online and I've checked the print edition now that I'm home (during the week, I only read the copy and pastes from members). The article in question is "Bush Pledges Federal Role In Rebuilding Gulf Coast" and it ran on the front page of the print edition (upper right hand story). Marci is correct that the article in the print version is credited to Elisabeth Bumiller and David Sanger in the official byline. However, the version sent in by a member (the one we link to) is credited (official byline) solely to Bumiller. (Both print version and online contain "end credits." Unless there's a point to them, we're not noting end credits.) (The end credits for the online version are: "Anne E. Kornblut, Robert Pear and David E. Sanger.") I prefer to work from the print version (or, as I like to think of, the one I'm paying for) but this week, I didn't look at a physical copy of the paper until Saturday. If the Times changes credit from online to print while I'm again in D.C., people will be omitted again.
We try to give writers credit (and blame) for what they deserve. But I was working from the article e-mailed by a member and that version was credited (in the official byline) solely to Bumiller. If you use the link to "Bush Pledges Federal Role in Rebuilding Gulf Coast," you'll see that it still is credited (in the official byline) solely to Bumiller. Thanks to Marci for the heads up to this because it could happen again next week so it's good that we addressed it.
Ruth's Morning Edition Report
Ruth: I'm going to being with the biggest problem on public radio this week. It occurred Friday on NPR's Morning Edition. Some may not see it as a problem and certainly there are many issues and stories that need airing; however, this is a story that should not have been assigned to the reporter they assigned it to.
"Examining Race, Class and Katrina"
by Juan Williams
Morning Edition, September 16, 2005 · Juan Williams examines what the response to Hurricane Katrina says about race and poverty in the United States. One man says the hurricane ripped the covering off the class lines and racism of America.
Juan Williams is supposed to be addressing race and poverty. Race takes a back seat from the and is reduced to a sidebar in a story that is supposed to examine both equally. By the time Mr. Williams offers that Bully Boy had long been planning to introduce an anti-poverty plan, listeners may have lost confidence in both Mr. Williams' reporting and the one-sided claim.
Is race an issue? From this report, it is not. This is troubling because of the reporter they've assigned to the story.
As I discussed last week, Juan Williams made his feelings very clear on whether race was an issue or not on Fox "News." I did that by highlighting CounterSpin. From their program last week, here is Juan Williams addressing the remarks that racism may have been involved in the slow response to the victims of Hurricane Katrina:
"I think that's ridiculous. I think that's kind of spouting off of people who don't know know the president, don't know this administration, don't know the people who work there."
Here again is CounterSpin's editorial reply:
Evidently in Williams view people who don't hang out with White House staffers have no right to comment on them or their actions.
Mr. Williams' remarks on Fox "News" should have prevented NPR from assigning him to this story. There is no excuse for NPR not being aware of the remarks, if they choose to claim that.
There is no excuse for Mr. Williams accepting an assignment to cover something that he has already dismissed as "ridiculous." From the start, listeners aware of his remarks on Fox "News" may question his objectivity.
Are they correct to question it?
The people allowed the most air time are the ones rejecting the idea. Coincidentally, they are also from White House present and past: Laura Bush and Donna Brazile. Which goes to the criticism made by CounterSpin that "in Williams view people who don't hang out with the White House staffers have no right to comment on them or their actions."
The report should have been assigned to another journalist. Having failed to do that, NPR should have seriously reviewed Mr. Williams' report before it aired. Had they done so, they would have noted that CounterSpin's criticism was demonstrated to be accurated and they could have avoided embarrassing themselves.
NPR operates under a strange principle and we see it with Mr. Williams' reporting this week. "Fair" means, at NPR, that critics of the Bully Boy are slighted or silenced while those who support him are given more leeway. If that criticism seems too strong for some, I'll direct you to C.I.'s November comments in "When NPR Fails You, Who You Gonna' Call? Not the Ombudsman." For those who missed that, I'll summarize briefly.
NPR political correspondent Michele Norris was restricted in her political duties during the election because her husband, in the words of NPR's ombudsman, "Broderick Johnson was a senior adviser to the Kerry campaign. For that reason, NPR management decided that Norris should not do any political interviews."
That is the policy . . . if you are not connected to the Bully Boy. However, a different standard operates for the other side. Juan Williams, a serial offender, did a commentary/analysis on Senator John Kerry's remarks that resulted in complaints from listeners. To correct the problem (Media Matters, among others, cited Mr. Williams' commentary as faulty), they brought on another person to comment/analyze the same remarks by John Kerry.
Listeners had felt that Mr. Williams had distorted Senator Kerry's remarks. So the corrective analyst should have been chosen by NPR to provide listeners with a more objective commentary/analysis. The person they chose was Robert Kagan who appeared to choke up as he gave, basically, the same analysis as Juan Williams had. The only real difference was that, when he spoke of it, he choked up and said he that he hoped this was not what Senator Kerry had meant.
Who is Robert Kagan? He is the husband of Victoria Nuland. Who is Victoria Nuland? Dick Cheney's deputy national security adviser. Michelle Norris was banned due to her husband's affiliation with the Kerry and Edwards camp. Objections to listeners from Mr. William's commentary on John Kerry led NPR to bring on the husband of a woman who worked for Dick Cheney to address Senator Kerry's remarks.
That is apparently what passes for fair at NPR. Another issue is that listeners were never informed that Mr. Kagan was married to anyone working in the administration. He was presented as an outsider with no ties to either candidate.
NPR has, to this day, not addressed the issue of bringing on the husband of someone working in the administration to critique the Democratic candidate for president. They have ignored the issue. After Juan Williams dismissed race as an issue in the response to Hurricane Katrina on Fox "News," NPR assigns him to provide an "objective" look at whether race had anything to do with the response. This appears to demonstrate that NPR has learned nothing from the issue of Mr. Kagan and that there are two sets of standards for "fair" at NPR.
More to the point, this appears to be an ongoing pattern. Media Matters caught another instance this week. From Media Matters' "All things considered? NPR host failed to mention that TNR's "liberal" Rosen endorsed Roberts for chief justice:"
In a September 13 discussion of ongoing hearings on the nomination of John G. Roberts Jr. to be chief justice, National Public Radio's (NPR) All Things Considered hosted two commentators who endorsed Roberts. Moreover, senior host Robert Siegel failed to disclose that the guests -- Douglas W. Kmiec, Pepperdine University law professor and former head of the Office of Legal Counsel in the Reagan and George H.W. Bush administrations, and George Washington University professor and The New Republic legal affairs editor Jeffrey Rosen -- both agreed on this central question of whether Roberts should be confirmed.
The above three issues are not isolated incidents. The three issues are a problem that NPR has failed to address and part of a larger pattern that NPR seems to believe listeners will not notice.
When C.I. noted that NPR has a larger audience than cable news combined, Ruth's Morning Edition seemed like something I could do to add to the community here.
I have attempted to support the concept of NPR while addressing problems with the programming. For instance, we have noted here Cokie Roberts' commentaries that seemed to rely on uncredited speculation ("people are saying"). The issue of the fertility panic that NPR pushed was noted here as well. Their attempt to correct the problem, after numerous complaints from listeners, once again was not a correction.
Members who e-mail cite issues such as the "NPR sound" of the voices of the anchors, the annoying music and the deference to corporate sponsors and the administration. I still support the concept of NPR but I am not pleased with the execution of it.
Members have also urged me to listen to Pacifica's programming. This has resulted in the focus shifting to public radio beyond NPR. If there is a program you enjoy, on Pacifica or NPR, please e-mail the site and C.I. will pass on your e-mails. I have a long list that I am working from. I had hoped to do a review for my grandson of a program he and three members enjoy but it did not air this week due to special programming on Pacifica.
If you missed Pacifica's special programming of the John Roberts' hearings, you missed a great deal. Along with airing the hearings live, something NPR did not do, Pacifica offered interviews, commentary and took calls from listeners during their coverage. Deepa Fernandes (WBAI's Wake Up Call), Mitch Jesserich (Free Speech Radio News) and Larry Bensky (national affairs correspondent for Pacifica) anchored the coverage. Each brought unique traits to the coverage.
Ms. Fernandes regularly voiced points that otherwise would not have been raised, Mr. Jesserich brought a laid back, amused style and Mr. Bensky brought a wealth of information that made me regret that this week was the first time I had heard him.
This was not coverage in the tradition of "I agree, Cokie!" where anchors all echo the same point and then throw out a useless factoid to demonstrate that they are doing more than acting as a cheering section for one another. There were serious questions raised. Mr. Jesserich participated in those and made strong points but, as someone very frightened that Roe v. Wade may become a thing of the past as the Bully Boy attempts to appoint two Supreme Court Justices, I especially appreciated Mr. Jesserich's humor so I've chosen to note that as his strongest trait.
I did appreciate humor during this and I appreciated the interest that the three had in the proceedings. There was not an attempt to talk down to the audience. Mr. Bensky, for example, walked listeners through the FISA court in an informed, though not stuffy, manner. Among other things, we learned that the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court appoints the judges on the FISA court.
Ms. Fernandes is a favorite of my granddaughter Tracey. During the special coverage, I heard why. She was not reluctant to voice an issue that a guest had avoided.
The three broadcasters brought life to the proceedings and I know from the e-mails I have read thus far that a number of members were greatly impressed with the coverage. One person did complain and I was not familiar with her so I'm unsure if she was a visitor or a member. [Note from C.I.: a visitor.]
Her complaint was that this special programming should serve as a "wake up call" to Pacifica that they needed national coverage. She meant national programming. Her feeling was that she should be able to listen to any Pacifica station and hear the exact programming on all stations. She listed a number of shows on one station that she did not enjoy. One of which I have praised here and do enjoy.
I will disagree with her point of view. As someone who has followed NPR since it's inception, my own feelings are that one of the biggest mistakes has been the packaging of programs. Many members have written to complain about, for instance, All Things Considered and Morning Edition which they feel cover the same stories in the same manner and yet they lose out on local programming from their community's NPR because both shows are broadcast.
I believe the special programming was strong broadcasting. However, as I work through my list of programs that members enjoy and have asked me to listen to, I find voices that are unique and that are heard nowhere else. There are programs that I have sampled and thought weren't to my tastes. For example, if I am going to listen to music, I will usually listen to my own collection of music. But even not being a big fan of a program devoted solely to music, I have heard voices and opinions that added to my understanding. Someone else might feel that news programming was something they would rather skip.
Public radio is supposed to serve the listenership so those are decisions that should come from the local community. The programming should reflect the communities interest and my desire for news should not trump someone else's desire for music. All the programming, whether news, talk show, music, comedy or rebroadcasts of classic radio is about serving the needs of the community.
The alternative is that you end up with a situation Billie has written about where there is only one local radio program airing during the week on her NPR station. They broadcast Morning Edition twice in the morning and Fresh Air twice (once in the morning and once at night). Her community is largely served by nothing more than news breaks.
There must be something comforting for some in standardization otherwise a road trip would not result in the exact same fast food places up and down the highway. Standardization would probably result in the range of voices being greatly reduced.
That has been the result of the programming on NPR. Billie was one of the first to ask me if I noted any difference between All Things Considered and Morning Edition? I honestly have not. All Things Considered usually seems to take the topics a little more seriously than the post-Bob Edwards Morning Edition but they are covering the same topics with the same sort of guests and hosts, with the same sort of opinions offered.
I believe that Democracy Now! and Free Speech Radio News air on all the Pacifica stations. Those are strong programs but, as I understand the histories of each, they are strong programs because of the people behind them and not because of a desire to create a national program. If they were aired on only one station, they would maintain their unqiue points of view. But when nationally programming is packaged, the tendency is not to have a strong, unique point of view, but instead to appeal the widest range of listeners and that appeal usually results in watered down programming that offers a very limited range of information and voices.
That is what I personally feel has happened to NPR over the years. I would hate to see that happen to Pacifica. Stations that offer an evening newscast provide an example of how important local views are because on one Pacifica station, I will hear an item that another might not cover. It may be a regional story or something that caught the attention of the staff of that station.
Whatever 'comfort' standardized programming might provide would be at the expense of local coverage and the wide range of perspective that I have enjoyed most from all the Pacifica programming I have listened to.
As much as I enjoyed the live coverage this week, I did think, when I woke up Thursday, that as a result, I would not be hearing WBAI's First Voices which always offers perspectives that I toss around in my head throughout the day.
Connect the Dots, on KPFA Monday mornings from seven to eight Pacific Time, nine to ten Central Time, and eleven to noon Easter Time, had interviews with Norman Solomon and Dennis Kucinich. This was not my first time hearing either gentleman interviewed but Lila Garrett brought her own perspective to the interviews which made them different from past interviews. [Click here to access the archive of that broadcast.]
A number of you e-mailed regarding Dahr Jamail's appearance on Alternative Radio. Alternative Radio distributes its programming on Tuesdays. Here are stations that broadcast Alternative Radio and provide the option to listen online. This is not a complete list. For a complete list you can click here. If the stations are up to date [and not pre-empted or making scheduling changes; airtimes are in the time zone they are broadcast from] you have not missed the chance to hear Dahr Jamail yet:
KTSW San Marcos, Texas - 89.9 FM - 9 a.m. Saturday http://www.ktsw.net/ Internet simulcast
KAOS Olympia, Washington - 89.3 FM - 5 p.m. Saturday www.kaosradio.org
Boise Community Radio Project, Idaho - webcast only8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday www.radioboise.org
WFSS Fayetteville, North Carolina - 91.9 FM - 3 p.m. Sunday http://www.wfss.org/
KAXE Grand Rapids, Minnesota - 91.7 FM; Brainerd - 89.5 FM; Bemidji - 105.3 FM - 7 p.m. Sunday www.kaxe.org
WFHB Bloomington, Indiana - 91.3, 98.1 FM - Noon Monday www.wfhb.org
WWUH West Hartford, Connecticut - 91.3 FM - Noon Monday http://www.wwuh.org/
KMUD Redway, California - 91.1, 88.3, 88.9 FM - 9 a.m. Monday www.kmud.org
KRFC Ft Collins, Colorado - 88.9 FM - 5:30 p.m. Monday www.krfc-fm.org
Since the Report reposts on Mondays, I've included some Monday listings. Of the e-mails forwarded by C.I., Ava and Jess this week, the biggest issue was "Will special coverage of the hearings mean I miss Dahr Jamail?" Hopefully, it does not mean that.
I will also offer that Weekend Edition on NPR may have a report of interest:
"'Night Draws Near': War from the Iraqi Perspective"
Weekend Edition - Saturday, September 17, 2005 · Scott Simon talks with Pulitzer Prize-winning author Anthony Shadid about his book Night Draws Near: Iraq's People in the Shadow of America's War.
Shadid, a reporter for The Washington Post who also speaks Arabic, offers an account of the first 15 months of the U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq, as seen by Iraqis.
That report can be listened to live or online (as of one p.m. Saturday, it will be available online).
Lastly, I would encourage members to check out CounterSpin. The syndicated, weekly, half-hour program can be heard on many stations as well as online.
Senador Robert Byrd exhorta a retiro de tropas de Irak
Maria: Hola. De parte de "Democracy Now!" trece cosas que vale hacer notar este fin de semana.
Oficial de Guardia Nacional admite que despliegue en Irak afectó respuesta a Katrina
A decenas de guardias nacionales de Mississippi desplegados en Irak se les negaron licencias de 15 días para ayudar a sus familiares desplazados. Los comandantes les dijeron que la cantidad de soldados estadounidenses en Irak era demasiado escasa para que se pudiera prescindir de ellos. El 40 por ciento de los integrantes de la Guardia Nacional de Mississippi y el 35 por ciento de los de la Guardia de Louisiana se encuentran en Irak. Mientras tanto, por primera vez un oficial de alta jerarquía de la Guardia Nacional reconoció que la respuesta de esa fuerza al huracán fue dificultada por la gran cantidad de sus integrantes que se encuentran en Irak. El teniente general Steven Blum, jefe de la Guardia Nacional, dijo a la CNN que "posiblemente" se demoró un día o más en la respuesta debido a la ausencia de soldados de la Guardia que se encontraban en Irak. Dijo: "Si esa brigada hubiera estado en el país en lugar de en Irak, se podría haber aprovechado su experiencia y capacidad".
Mientras tanto, en Capitol Hill, el integrante más antiguo del Senado, Robert Byrd, exhortó al gobierno de Bush a que se retire de Irak y traiga a los soldados de regreso al país. Byrd dijo: “No podemos continuar gastando millones de dólares en Irak cuando nuestro propio pueblo está pasando tantas necesidades, no sólo ahora en Nueva Orleans, sino en todo el territorio de Estados Unidos, y en toda clase de materias, desde educación y salud hasta seguridad interna y custodia de nuestras propias fronteras”.
EPA: Agua tóxica podría hacer que la ciudad sea inhabitable por una década
Un alto funcionario de la Agencia para la Protección del Ambiente (EPA, por sus siglas en inglés), advirtió que los productos químicos tóxicos en el agua que inundó Nueva Orleans harán que esa ciudad sea un lugar inseguro para la vida humana durante una década. Hugh Kaufman, veterano de la EPA, dijo al diario The Independent, de Londres, que la limpieza necesaria será "el mayor trabajo de obra pública jamás realizado" en Estados Unidos. Kaufman fue jefe de investigadores de la defensoría del pueblo de la EPA. Ahora es un analista de políticas en la Oficina de Desechos Sólidos y Respuesta de Emergencia de la misma agencia. El experimentado funcionario pronosticó que "solamente lograr que todo vuelva a funcionar y sea seguro llevará 10 años". Kaufman criticó la decisión de bombear el agua contaminada de la inundación al lago Pontchartrain y al río Mississippi. Dijo que esa medida podría poner en peligro a la gente que utiliza el agua río abajo.
Informe: Chertoff fracasó en la supervisión de la respuesta al huracán
Pasamos a una noticia sobre el huracán Katrina. La agencia de noticias Knight Ridder informa que el funcionario facultado para movilizar la respuesta federal al huracán Katrina era en definitiva el Secretario de Seguridad Nacional, Michael Chertoff, y no Michael Brown, el ex director de la FEMA que renunció a su cargo a principios de esta semana. Registros internos demuestran que Chertoff no delegó sus facultades a Brown hasta 36 horas después de que comenzara el impacto del huracán. Según Knight Ridder, Chertoff, podría haber ordenado a los organismos federales que tomaran medidas aunque no hubiera una solicitud de funcionarios estatales o locales, e incluso antes del paso del huracán. Según el Plan de Respuesta Nacional, era Chertoff, y no Brown, quien estaba a cargo del manejo de la respuesta nacional a un desastre catastrófico. Knight Ridder también informa que obtuvo un documento interno que sugiere que Chertoff se habría confundido acerca del papel principal que le correspondía desempeñar en la respuesta al desastre y la función de su departamento.
FAA advirtió en 1998 de que Al Qaeda estrellaría aviones secuestrados
Nueva información desclasificada del informe de la Comisión del 11 de Septiembre revela que la Administración de Aviación Federal (FAA, por sus siglas en inglés) advirtió, en 1998, que Al Qaeda podía "intentar secuestrar un avión comercial y estrellarlo contra un lugar simbólico de Estados Unidos". Esta es la primera advertencia conocida de que podía ocurrir un atentado similar al del 11 de septiembre. También hace surgir nuevos cuestionamientos acerca de la veracidad del testimonio de la entonces Asesora de Seguridad Nacional Condoleeza Rice ante la Comisión. Rice dijo a la Comisión "No creo que nadie pudiera prever que intentarían utilizar un avión como misil". Esta información estaba en el informe original de la Comisión, pero recién fue revelada esta semana. Otra sección revelada demuestra que funcionarios descubrieron meses antes de los atentados del 11 de septiembre de que dos de los tres aeropuertos utilizados por los secuestradores habían presentado fallas de seguridad en repetidas ocasiones.
Ministro de Justicia de Irak critica a Estados Unidos por arresto arbitrario de iraquíes
El Ministro de Justicia iraquí, Abdul Husain Shandal, criticó a Estados Unidos. En una entrevista con Reuters, condenó a las fuerzas militares estadounidenses por detener a iraquíes sin orden de arresto y por mantener a miles de iraquíes presos sin que haya cargos contre ellos. El Ministro de Justicia también dijo que quiere quitar la inmunidad a los soldados extranjeros.
Partido Republicano bloquea investigaciones sobre Katrina y Memorando de Downing Street
En Capitol Hill, los republicanos bloquearon varios esfuerzos de los demócratas para que se investigue o informe sobre el huracán Katrina, la guerra de Irak y la revelación de la identidad de la agente de la CIA Valerie Plame. En el Senado, los republicanos bloquearon una propuesta de Hillary Clinton para llevar a cabo una investigación independiente de la respuesta del gobierno al huracán Katrina. Esa iniciativa fue rechazada en una votación partidaria, por 54 votos contra 44. En una encuesta realizada por CNN-USA Today-Gallup, 70 por ciento de los consultados en todo el país apoyaron la realización de una investigación independiente. En la Cámara de Representantes, los republicanos rechazaron los intentos de los demócratas de obligar al gobierno de Bush a que entregue documentos sobre información anterior a la guerra de Irak, vinculada con el llamado Memorando de Downing Street. Ese memorando reveló las actas de una reunión de julio de 2002, entre el Primer Ministro británico Tony Blair y sus asesores, que indican que Estados Unidos se propuso atacar Irak casi un año antes de que la guerra comenzara oficialmente. El memorando también dice que la Casa Blanca “tergiversó” datos de inteligencia para justificar la invasión. También el miércoles, los republicanos de la Comisión Judicial y de Relaciones Internacionales rechazaron los intentos de los demócratas de obligar al gobierno de Bush a entregar información y registros relacionados con la revelación de la identidad de la agente de la CIA Valerie Plame.
El 72% de afroestadounidenses piensan que Bush no se preocupa por ellos
En una nueva encuesta de USA Today, 72% de los afrodescendientes consultados opinaron que al Presidente Bush no le importa la población negra del país. El 67% de los blancos que contestaron opinaron que sí.
Atentado estadounidense/ iraquí deja 200 muertos en Tall Afar
En Irak, al menos 200 personas murieron en la ciudad de Tall Afar, luego de que fuerzas estadounidenses e iraquíes lanzaron el fin de semana un importante ataque en esa ciudad norteña. El lunes, la Sociedad Iraquí de la Media Luna Roja envió ayuda a las familias desplazadas luego de tres días de bombardeos. Fue el mayor ataque desde la toma de Fallujah.
Funcionarios estadounidenses inicialmente describieron los ataques como necesarios para detener el ingreso a Irak de combatientes extranjeros, procedentes de Siria. Pero el Washington Post informa que los objetivos fueron en gran parte turcomanos sunitas. Según el Post, el ataque no fue dirigido por el ejército iraquí, sino por la milicia kurda conocida como "Peshmerga".
Mientras tanto, Estados Unidos niega la acusación de que los militares utilizaron gases tóxicos en el ataque. Abu Musab al-Zarqawi habría publicado un mensaje de audio en Internet acusando a Estados Unidos de haber utilizado algún tipo de armas químicas en la ciudad.
Tribunal de Apelaciones acepta detención por tiempo indeterminado sin juicio
En materia jurídica, un tribunal federal de apelaciones decidió que el Poder Ejecutivo puede detener por tiempo indeterminado a José Padilla, nacido en Brooklyn y acusado de haber conspirado para colocar una bomba sucia en Estados Unidos. Padilla, que es ciudadano estadounidense, permanece hace tres años en reclusión e incomunicado, en instalaciones de una brigada de la marina de guerra. Aún no se presentaron cargos en su contra y nunca compareció ante un juez. El fallo del tribunal de apelaciones revoca la decisión judicial anterior de que "la detención por tiempo indeterminado sin juicio" es inconstitucional.
Consejo electoral de Haití bloquea candidatura presidencial de Jean-Juste
En Haití, el Consejo Electoral intenta impedir que el sacerdote encarcelado Gerard Jean-Juste se presente como candidato en las primeras elecciones presidenciales en Haití desde el golpe de Estado que derrocó a Jean-Bertrand Aristide. El Consejo se niega a inscribir a Jean-Juste como candidato, con el argumento de que debe presentar su candidatura personalmente, y no desde la prisión. Jean-Juste es el candidato del Partido Lavalas, el mismo partido de Aristide, y permanece en prisión desde julio, pero aún no ha sido acusado de ningún delito. Amnisitía Internacional lo clasificó como prisionero de conciencia.
Chávez acusa a Estados Unidos de secuestrar cumbre de la ONU
En la Organización de las Naciones Unidas, el presidente venezolano Hugo Chávez acusó a Estados Unidos de intentar secuestrar la cumbre de los líderes mundiales. Exhortó a las naciones a realizar más esfuerzos para combatir la pobreza y mejorar el medio ambiente. La cumbre de tres días fue establecida para encontrar nuevas formas de combatir la pobreza, aunque en el documento definitivo acordado por los estados miembros de la ONU, temas como educación, enfermedades, comercio, ayuda y el desarme se vieron reducidos, en un intento por realizar un texto que todos los países pudieran aprobar al final de la cumbre. Chávez también describió a Estados Unidos como un país terrorista porque protege al pastor tele-evangelista Pat Robertson. Chávez dijo "pidió públicamente ante el mundo mi asesinato y anda libre, ¡ese es un delito internacional!, ¡terrorismo internacional!"
Bush: "Creo que necesito un receso para ir al baño"
Otra noticia relacionada con las Naciones Unidas. Una breve nota escrita por el presidente Bush a Condoleeza Rice durante la cumbre de la ONU está en primera plana de los medios internacionales. Un camarógrafo de Reuters tomó una foto de Bush mientras le escribía "Creo que necesito un receso para ir al baño. ¿Es posible?" La nota aparece en la tapa del Times de Londres con el titular: "Documento filtrado de la ONU: ¿Qué le pidió el presidente Bush a Condi Rice?"
Maria: Hello. En inglés here are thirteen stories from this week's Democracy Now! Get the word out. Peace.
National Guard Official Admits Iraq Deployment Affected Katrina Response
Scores of members of the Mississippi National Guard stationed in Iraq have been denied 15-day leaves in order to help their displaced families. The commanders told them that there were too few U.S. troops in Iraq to spare them. 40 percent of Mississippi's National Guard force and 35 percent of Louisiana's is in Iraq. Meanwhile, for the first time, a high-ranking National Guard official has admitted that the Guard's response to the hurricane was hindered by the high number of troops in Iraq. Lt. Gen. Steven Blum, chief of the National Guard Bureau, told CNN that "arguably" a day or so of response time was lost due to the absence of the Guard troops in Iraq. He said, "Had that brigade been at home and not in Iraq, their expertise and capabilities could have been brought to bear."
Sen. Robert Byrd Calls for Withdrawal From Iraq
Meanwhile on Capitol Hill, the Senate's most senior member, Robert Byrd called for the Bush administration to withdraw from Iraq and bring the troops home. Byrd said "We cannot continue to commit billions in Iraq when our own people are so much in need, not only now, in New Orleans, but all across America for everything from education to health care to homeland security to securing our own borders."
EPA: Toxic Waters Could Make City Unsafe For A Decade
A top official at the Environmental Protection Agency is warning that toxic chemicals in the New Orleans flood waters will make the city unsafe for full human habitation for a decade. EPA veteran Hugh Kaufman told the Independent of London that the clean-up needed will be 'the most massive public works exercise ever done in this country." Kaufman is the former chief investigator to the EPA's ombudsman. He is now a senior policy analyst in the EPA's Office of Solid Wastes and Emergency Response. He said "It will take 10 years just to get everything up and running and safe." Kauffman criticized the decision to pump the contaminated flood water back into Lake Pontchartrain and the Mississippi River. He said this could endanger people using the water downstream.
Report: Chertoff Failed In Overseeing Hurricane Response
In other news on Hurricane Katrina, the Knight Ridder news agency is reporting that it was Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff who was ultimately empowered to mobilize the federal response to Hurricane Katrina - not Michael Brown, the former head of FEMA who resigned earlier this week. Internal records show that Chertoff didn't shift power to Brown until 36 hours after Katrina hit. According to Knight Ridder, Chertoff -- even before the storm struck -- could have ordered federal agencies into action without any request from state or local officials. According to the National Response Plan, it was Chertoff - not Brown - who was in charge of managing the national response to a catastrophic disaster. Knight Ridder is also reporting that it has obtained an internal memo that suggests that Chertoff may have been confused himself about his lead role in disaster response and that of his department.
FAA Warned in 1998 of Al Qaeda Crashing Hijacked Jets
Newly declassified sections of the 9/11 commission's report reveals that the Federal Aviation Administration was warned as early as 1998 that Al Qaeda could "seek to hijack a commercial jet and slam it into a U.S. landmark." This is the earliest known warning that a 9/11-like attack could take place. It also raises new questions about the veracity of then National Security Advisor Condoleeza Rice testimony before the commission. She told the commission "I don't think anybody could have predicted that they would try to use an airplane as a missile." This information was contained in the commission's original report but remained classified until this week. In addition another declassified section shows that officials realized months before the Sept. 11 attacks that two of the three airports used by the hijackers had suffered repeated security lapses.
Iraqi Justice Minister Condemns U.S. For Arbitrarily Detaining Iraqis
The U.S. is also coming under criticism in Iraq by the country's Minister of Justice, Abdul Husain Shandal. In an interview with Reuters he condemned the US military for arresting Iraqis without a warrant and for holding thousands of them without charges. The Justice Minister also said he wants to strip immunity from foreign troops.
GOP Blocks Investigations Over Katrina & Downing St. Memo
On Capitol Hill, Republicans have blocked several efforts by Democrats to seek investigations or information on Hurricane Katrina, the Iraq war and the outing of CIA agent Valerie Plame. In the Senate, Republicans killed a proposal by Hillary Clinton for an independent investigation of the government's response to Hurricane Katrina. Her proposal was rejected on a party line vote of 54 to 44. A new CNN/USA Today Gallup poll shows that 70 percent of the country supports an independent investigation. In the House, Republicans rejected attempts by Democrats to force the Bush administration to surrender documents on pre-war intelligence about Iraq connected to the Downing Street Memo. The memo revealed the minutes of a July 2002 meeting between British Prime Minister Tony Blair and his advisors that indicate the United States was already committed to attacking Iraq almost a year before the war officially began. The memo also says that the Bush White House "fixed" intelligence data to justify the invasion. Also on Wednesday, Republicans on the Judiciary and International Relations Committees rejected attempts by Democrats to compel the Bush administration to turn over information and records related to the outing of CIA officer Valerie Plame.
72% of African-Americans Say Bush Doesn't Care About Them
A new USA Today Poll has found that 72 percent of African-Americans feel that President Bush does not care about the country's Black population. 67 percent of white respondents said he did.
U.S./Iraqi Attack on Tall Afar Kills 200
In Iraq, at least 200 are dead in the city of Tall Afar after U.S. and Iraqi forces launched a major assault on the northern city over the weekend. On Monday the Iraqi Red Crescent Society sent in aid for families displaced by three days of bombardment. It was the largest attack since the siege of Fallujah. U.S. officials originally portrayed the bombing as essential to stop the flow of foreign fighters from Syria. But the Washington Post reports the targets were largely Sunni Turkmen. According to the Post, the Kurdish militia known as the Peshmerga - not the actual Iraqi army - led the assault. Meanwhile the U.S. is denying an accusation that the military used toxic gases in the attack. Abu Musab al-Zarqawi reportedly posted an audio message online claiming the U.S. was using some type of chemical weapons in the city.
Appeals Court Oks Indefinite Detention Without Trial
In legal news, a federal appeals court has ruled that the government can indefinitely detain the Brooklyn-born Jose Padilla who was accused of plotting to set off a dirty bomb inside the United States. Padilla, who is a US citizen, has been held for over three years in solitary conferment on a Navy brig. No charges have ever been filed against him and he has never appeared before a judge. The ruling overturns an earlier decision that "indefinite detention without trial" is unconstitutional.
Haiti's Electoral Council Blocks Jean-Juste Presidential Run
In Haiti, the country's electoral council is attempting to block jailed priest Gérard Jean-Juste from running for president in Haiti's first elections since the coup that ousted Jean-Bertrand Aristide. The council is refusing to enroll Jean-Juste as a candidate claiming that he has to enter his candidacy in person, not from prison. Jean-Juste is the candidate of choice for the Lavalas Party - the same party of Aristide. Jean-Juste has been in jail since July but he has not yet been charged with any crimes. Amnesty International has classified him as a prisoner of conscience.
Chavez Accuses U.S. of Hijacking UN SummitAt the United Nations Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez accused the United States of trying to hijack the summit of world leaders. He called upon nations to do more to tackle poverty and improve the environment. The three-day summit was set up to find new ways to tackle poverty but the final document agreed to by UN member states saw almost every issue from education, disease, trade, aid and disarmament scaled down in an attempt to produce a text all governments could endorse by the summit's end. Chavez also described the United States as a terrorist nation because it is harboring the tele-evangelist Pat Robertson. Chavez said, "He publicly asked for my assassination and he is still walking the streets. This is an international crime, terrorism, international terrorism."
Bush: "I Think I May Need a Bathroom Break"
And in other news from the United Nations, a short note written by President Bush to Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice during the UN summit is making international headlines. A Reuters cameraman snapped a photograph of Bush writing the words "I think I may need a bathroom break. Is this possible?" The note appears on the cover of today's Times of London under the headline: "Leaked UN Memo: What did President Bush ask Condi Rice?"
Sunday Chat & Chews
The Sunday Chat and Chews. Sadly, they never go on hiatus. (Check local listings for times.)
NBC's Meet the Press offers Gwen Ifill (PBS's Washout Week? Washington Weak?), Judy Woodruff (no longer the anchor of Inside Politics, formely known as What's Cooking, Judy!), Eugene Robinson (syndicated columnist for the Washington Post who, I believe Elaine noted while subbing for Rebecca, now is in almost thirty papers across the nation) and Byron York (Irrational Review, er National) sit around the table with Tim Russert trying hard to get a word in. (Hint, toss him a compliment, he'll let you talk at length as he tries not to look modest).
They'll also have Vice Admiral Thad Allen who apparently has the time to direct hurricane relief and to become a fixture on the chat & chews. Finally, Meet the Press is really excited to announce that they have the first Sunday Chat & Chew with Bill Clinton since he left the oval office!
But wait! Over at ABC's This Week, they're also thrilled to have the first interview with Bill Clinton since he left the oval office! Oh, I see. This Week has the first This Week interview with Bill Clinton s.h.l.o. Meet the Press has the first Meet the Press interview with him since . . .
Here's a question. Since Bill Clinton isn't exactly shy or the type to play Greta Garbo, exactly why has it taken either show five years to bring him on? It's not as though he didn't have a best selling book. It's not as though he has vanished since leaving the White House. What they're trumpeting as an accomplishment strikes me as an oversight on their part.
After five years of avoiding the ringing phone, Tim and George now both want to fight over Clinton. Ladies, ladies . . .
Also on ABC's This Week, Caroline Kennedy will review some of her family's favorite poems. Which is the shiny thing that gets you to move closer before the grizzlies that are the George Will, Sam Donaldson and Cokie Roberts surround you screaming, "I've got a point!" and "People are saying!" If you can't laugh at the ancient creeky roundtable (I think they're missing a leg) avoid This Week . . . this week.
CBS' Face The Nation, or as it prefers these days, "Face," lets us down. They go with Thad Allen as well. Who is directing the hurricane relief efforts while Thad is chatting and chewing! Karl Rove?
Here's the line up for "Face:"
CBS Evening News Anchor Bob Schieffer
The Aftermath Of Hurricane Katrina; Supreme Court Nomination; Iraq
Vice Admiral Thad Allen
Director, Hurricane Katrina Relief Operations
Sen. Arlen Specter
Republican - Pennsylvania
Chairman, Judiciary Committee
Sen. Patrick Leahy
Democrat - Vermont
Ranking member, Judiciary
Sen. Barack Obama
Democrat - Illinois
Lara Logan
CBS News Correspondent
Carin Pratt is the Executive Producer of Face the Nation.
If I had to watch? I'd say This Week just because I wouldn't feel guilty about the suffering of the Katrina survivors as I watched Thad chat & chew it on two networks; however, fear may trump guilt here since I doubt I could keep my breakfast down and watch George Will, Cokie Roberts and Sam Donaldson reteam to shoot a remake of The Sunshine Boys.
Nearly three weeks after Hurricane Katrina cut its devastating path, FEMA - the same federal agency that botched the rescue mission - is faltering in its effort to aid hundreds of thousands of storm victims, local officials, evacuees and top federal relief officials say. The federal aid hot line mentioned by President Bush in his address to the nation on Thursday cannot handle the flood of calls, leaving thousands of people unable to get through for help, day after day.
Federal officials are often unable to give local governments permission to proceed with fundamental tasks to get their towns running again. Most areas in the region still lack federal help centers, the one-stop shopping sites for residents in need of aid for their homes or families. Officials say that they are uncertain whether they can meet the president's goal of providing housing for 100,000 people who are now in shelters by the middle of next month.
The above is from Jennifer Steinhauer and Eric Lipton's "FEMA, Slow to the Rescue, Now Stumbles in Aid Effort" in this morning's New York Times and Charlie e-mailed to highlight it.
Randall e-mails to note the AP story at the Times web site entitled "Chavez: U.S. Plans to Invade Venezuela:"
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said Friday he has documentary evidence that the United States plans to invade his country.
Chavez, interviewed on ABC's ''Nightline,'' said the plan is called ''Balboa'' and involves aircraft carriers and planes. A transcript of the interview was made available by ''Nightline.''
He said U.S. soldiers recently went to Curacao, an island off Venezuela's northwest coast. He described as a ''lie'' the official U.S. explanation that they visited Curacao for rest and recreation.
''They were doing movements. They were doing maneuvers,'' Chavez said, speaking through a translator.
He added: ''We are coming up with the counter-Balboa plan. That is to say if the government of the United States attempts to commit the foolhardy enterprise of attacking us, it would be embarked on a 100-year war. We are prepared.''
I'll note Richard A. Oppel Jr., Eric Schmitt and Thom Shanker's "Baghdad Bombings Raise Anew Questions About U.S. Strategy in Iraq" (which is credited with this note: "This article was reported and written by Richard A. Oppel Jr., Eric Schmitt and Thom Shanker."):
Although the attacks in Baghdad suggest that there may be cells of insurgents there, or at least that they can sneak into the city to plant bombs, senior officials at the Pentagon and in Iraq say they believe that Mr. Zarqawi and the insurgency's "center of gravity" is now in the bends and towns of the Euphrates River valley near the Syrian border.
Commanders say they plan to squeeze the Zarqawi leadership and Iraqi insurgents in those areas. Throughout the spring and summer marines and Army forces staged raids into those same towns, confiscating weapons and killing scores of insurgents. But many fighters melted into the countryside, and there were not enough coalition troops to keep a sufficient presence in the villages.
Commanders say new offensives in Anbar Province in coming weeks will be modeled on the siege of Tal Afar, which used 8,500 American and Iraqi troops.
"You will see the same thing down along the Euphrates Valley to push back out and restore Iraqi control to the area around Qaim," Gen. George W. Casey Jr., the top American commander in Iraq, said in an interview in Baghdad. General Casey said the Iraqi forces had little control of the country's border with Syria on either side of Qaim, a desolate town on the Euphrates.
Why am I noting it? I think we should remember what "commanders" say in this piece for a future date. Also we've dropped to the figure "8,500" (the one Elaine noted was consistent with other reporting but inconsistent with the Times' claim on Sunday [11,000]). And because "you will see the same thing." Not what's reported in the Times, but the same actions in Tal Afar that you saw in Falluja will be repeated elsewhere. Unlike the optimists quoted in the report, this will not be the end of it (even with death squads) but fuel for more rage.
Hopefully, Christian Parenti was correct and the Times reporters (at least Dexter Filkins) are aware that there is reality and then there is the spin that's characterized too many reports from the paper. We're told, by commanders who lead in the story, that Iraqis are cooperating to halt the insurgency (they're supposedly outraged by the violence). We've heard that claim before. We heard that claim, in fact, before we invaded.
It's offered as new and developing as though we've all acquired early senility and forgotten all that's come before. And we're also supposed to believe not only that in choosing between their own citizens and the occupiers, Iraqis are siding with the Operation Enduring Falsehood "coalition," but that they're ratting them out.
"Secretarian" wasn't a word that popped up much in the limited Tal Afar coverage in the Times. But it's worth noting the term. No doubt many sects are turning on each other (some believe that has been the US plan). But the idea that a country of people embraces an invader over their own people goes against history and political theory. Today commanders present it as fact.
Here are the facts. Violence rages still. Violence has not been "subdued." It is unlikely that it will be "subdued" with these actions. We could let Negroponte unleash all the death squads his heart may desire but everyone that's killed will be replaced with friends and family. That's how a resistance breeds. That's historical.
There is no "subduing." This isn't a state in the United States (though certain policies seem to attempt to make it that). This is a foreign country. And to the citizens the US is a foreign force.
They will argue and fight amongst themselves and we may prove momentarily effective at playing them off one another but not in the long term. In the long term, they want us out and they will not be "subdued" or "channeled." This isn't an issue of "Give us ___!" whatever service. This is an issue of autonomy and it won't go away while we're there.
Our presence only adds to the problems. "Fine tuners" will no doubt trumpet today's claims by commanders with choruses of "See!" I'm not sure what they think they're seeing (possibly the happy talk the Times portrays and gives far too much weight to -- though give the paper credit for clearly identifying who reported what), but it's an ahisotrical approach (and, bluntly, an ignorant one) to think that this is a turning point in the favor of Operation Enduring Falsehood.
"Winning" defined by the terms of the administration will mean more massive killings and they may delay certain attacks, maybe planned ones in the works, but this is how a resistance breeds.
If you and I argue over the tree in the middle of both of our properties, I may kill you and claim the tree. Before I claim victory, I better be prepared to kill everyone close to you and everyone who's not pleased that I moved into the neighborhood.
We're talking a Biblical slaughter (term used intentionally). No baby Moses better be floated down a river.
If I don't kill everyone then they will be there to tell what happened, to stroke the outrage and to encourage it.
There is no turned corner here. Suggesting there is requires a denial of history and a denial of how a resistance operates. That a nation (the US) supposedly so consumed with the Bible can't grasp the basics suggests that maybe they might need to read a little more closely. Otherwise, cries of "Let my people go" may come as a shock to them.
These are points that are raised later in the article, after the happy talk:
But independent analysts suggest that the strategy of driving the insurgents from urban centers and trying to capture or kill as many as possible, aiming especially at leaders, may be flawed. The violence in Baghdad is only one problem. Another is that the fighting may work against the search for political consensus among Iraqis.
Whether it was an editorial decision or one on the part of the journalists, pushing reality down into the article, as opposed to leading with it, was a mistake.
In terms of past reporting, however, I'll give the writers (and the paper) credit for noting reality somewhere in the article. You lead with the most important information, however, and happy talk isn't important to anyone but the people spinning. Readers need reality from the start.
If I reassemble the article on my own, there are few quarrels I have with it. (As always with the paper, the reliance on "official sources" would be a quarrel I have with the article.) For a Times piece it's a strong one. But as assembled, weighted with happy talk at the start, it's not as strong as it should be.
A daily paper wants to provide you with a sense of "This just happened!" so possibly it's a problem with the form itself? However, I'd suggest that the opening paragraph could have been written in such a way that we'd have both history and what the military is spinning today.
Hopefully, this is a sign of stronger reporting to come from the Times.
(For anyone wondering, the official fatality count for US military stationed in Iraq for the month is fifteen. Or fifteen more thanks to Happy Talkers and "fine tuners." Make yourself heard next weekend at a rally.)
Brenda e-mails to highlight Norman Solomon's "The News Media Are Knocking Bush -- and Propping Him Up" (Common Dreams):
The country's largest media institutions operate on a basis of enormous respect for presidential power. Major news organizations defer to that power even while venting criticisms. Overall, mass media outlets restrain the momentum of denunciations lest they appear to create instability for the Republic.
Initially, when the lethal character of Bush's "leadership" became clear in New Orleans, the journalistic focus on federal accountability was quick to bypass the president. For several days, the national political story seemed to mostly revolve around the flak-catching FEMA director, Michael Brown, a cipher who obviously was going to be tossed overboard by the administration.
On Tuesday, the day after Brown resigned, President Bush adjusted the damage-control weaseling. "Katrina exposed serious problems in our response capability at all levels of government," he said at the White House, "and to the extent that the federal government didn't fully do its job right, I take responsibility."
It was a classic hollow statement, meant to sound important and meaningless at the same time. On Wednesday, more than a dozen paragraphs into its story headlined "President Says He's Responsible in Storm Lapses," the New York Times reported: "In saying he took responsibility for any failures of the federal response to the storm, Mr. Bush stopped short of acknowledging that he or anyone else had made mistakes."
So, according to the Times headline, Bush said that "he's responsible" for "storm lapses" -- but, according to the article, Bush did not say "that he or anyone else had made mistakes." Got that?
Patrik e-mails to note Gloria Steinem's "I'm a Hopeaholic. There's Nothing George Bush Can Do About It" (Common Dreams):
Still, I have hope. I have hope because majority opinion has turned against the invasion of Iraq in far less time that it took to wake up to Vietnam. I have hope because Bush's selling-off of the US government, one function at a time, has stumbled on the privatization of social security. I have hope because Americans are finally connecting, via the internet, with what the rest of the world thinks. I have hope because the only long-term solution to rightwing extremism was visible in the last election; I've seen people willing to vote before, but for the first time I saw people fighting to vote. Only an end to our status as one of the lowest-voting democracies in the world can keep a focused and financed minority from cutting through the majority like a hot knife through butter.
Hard times have made me realize that hope might be the most American of qualities, the reason why many immigrants come here and our best export by far. When I've lived in other countries, it's what I've been most homesick for. After all, unless we make a place in our imaginations for what could be, there's not much point in believing in anything. You might say I'm a hopeaholic.
I owe this not only to being born here, but to working as a feminist organizer. Terminal hopefulness is an occupational hazard. None the less, I've come to feel that hope is natural, a necessity of human evolution - and hopelessness has to be carefully taught by those who benefit from the status quo. Here's why.
I had the good luck of missing school until I was 12 or so. My parents thought that seeing the country from a trailer or caravan was as educational as a classroom, so I escaped the discouragement that, especially in my generation, came with it. I wasn't taught that boys and girls were practically different species, that America was "discovered" when the first white guy set foot on it, or that Europe deserved more space in my textbooks than Asia and Africa combined. I didn't even learn that people at the top were smarter than people at the bottom.
Instead I grew up seeing with my own eyes, following my curiosity, falling in love with books and learning mostly from being around grown-ups - which, except for the books, was the way kids had been raised for most of human history. With no one to tell me that some people were born to poverty or that women weren't leaders, but married or gave birth to them, I just assumed that hope could lead anyone anywhere.
Needless to say, school hit me like a ton of bricks. I wasn't prepared for gender obsession, race and class complexities or the new-to-me idea that war, male leadership and a God who mysteriously resembled the ruling class were inevitable. Soon I gave in and became an adolescent trying to fit in, pretending I didn't know what I knew, and keeping my hopes to myself - a stage that lasted through college. I owe the beginnings of rebirth to living in India for a couple of years and falling in with a group of Gandhians, then coming home to the Kennedys, the civil rights movement and protests against the war in Vietnam.
(Note, we've linked to Common Dreams before but apparently Nora Ephron's article this week caught members attention. We'll add it to the permalinks at the start of October.)
It seems appropriate in one of our NYT morning posts to note this, Misuse of Power: How the Far Right Gained and Misuses Power. What is it? A BuzzFlash premium, a book written by Ed Asner and Burt Hall. Remember when Asner played Lou Grant on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and we had more faith in our press? As the theme to another Saturday CBS show of the same period put it, "Those were the days."
[Note: Correction ("my" from "your") and links added per Shirley. Thank you, Shirley.]
NYT: Scott Shane on anthrax, Douglas Jehl on 9-11
But Mr. Lambert was not testifying in a criminal trial. He and his teams of F.B.I. agents and postal inspectors have not found the culprit. Instead, he and six other F.B.I. and Justice Department officials have been forced to give depositions in a suit over news media leaks filed by Dr. Steven J. Hatfill, the former Army biodefense expert who was under intensive scrutiny for months.
Four years after an unknown bioterrorist dropped letters containing a couple of teaspoons of powder in a mailbox in Princeton, N.J., what began as the largest criminal investigation in American history appears to be stalled, say scientists and former law enforcement officials who have spoken with investigators.
The failure to solve the case that the authorities call "Amerithrax" is a grave disappointment for the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Postal Inspection Service, the investigative arm of the Postal Service. The letters were the first major bioterrorist attack in American history and killed five people, sickened 17 others, temporarily crippled mail service and forced the evacuation of federal buildings, including Senate offices and the Supreme Court.
The above is from Scott Shane's "In 4-Year Anthrax Hunt, F.B.I. Finds Itself Stymied, and Sued" which Erika notes as the spotlight story from this morning's New York Times. Erika, I've just now caught up on all the e-mails from both accounts (public and private) and now you invite the whiners to e-mail in sobbing we play favorites? (No entries last night because I focused on e-mails which piled up while I was in D.C. and unable to go through most. That's even with Jess & Ava's help. Members should use the private address when e-mailing because when time is short, that's the account I'll check.)
Erika shouldn't feel too bad because Wally & Eli both e-mail to note Douglas Jehl's article as a spotlight story and Jehl and Shane are the two that we are most accused of playing favorites with. From Jehl's "Republicans Join in Call for Release of Report on C.I.A.:"
Senior Republican members of Congress have joined Democrats in asking Porter J. Goss, the C.I.A. director, to declassify and make public an internal agency report that criticizes his predecessor, George J. Tenet, and others for lapses on terrorism in advance of the Sept. 11 attacks.
The requests were sent last week by leaders of the House and Senate Intelligence Committees, said members of Congress and their aides. They add to the pressures on Mr. Goss, who has made clear that he would prefer not to make the report public, at least in part because its publication could be damaging to the agency's morale.
Mr. Goss is also still weighing difficult decisions about whether to impose any kind of disciplinary action against the dozen or so current and former intelligence officials, including Mr. Tenet, who are said to have been singled out in the report.
The report was prepared by the Central Intelligence Agency inspector general, John L. Helgerson, at the request of the joint Congressional committee that completed its own review in 2002 of the Sept. 11 attacks. Mr. Goss delivered a highly classified version of the document to Capitol Hill last month, and Mr. Helgerson has briefed the Intelligence Committees on his findings, but distribution of the report has otherwise remained very limited.
Also don't miss BuzzFlash's "
(I'm passing something to
Rebecca re: Buzz so she'll either grab at her site or tonight/early Sunday morning with The Third Estate Sunday Review.)
Democracy Now: New Orleans militarized & journalists harassed; Cindy Sheehan, A New Leif, The Smeal Report, Murray Waas ....
6.5 Million Gallons of Oil Leak in Gulf Coast Region
In other news on the hurricane, The Guardian of London is reporting that the gulf Coast region is suffering from one of the worst oil spills in the country's history. Over the past two weeks a total of 6.5 million gallons of oil has leaked into the waters of the region. In addition, more than 250,000 cars were submerged underwater from the flooding as were many gas stations. This marks the country's most severe oil spill since the Exxon Valdez went ashore in 1989 leaking 11 millions gallons of oil in Alaska.
73-Year-Old Held w/ $50K Bail for "Looting" Sausages
More information is emerging from New Orleans over how the police are treating people accused of looting. A 73-year-old woman remains in jail on a $50,000 bond after police arrested her for looting sixty dollars worth of sausage. At the time of her arrest, the woman -- Merlene Maten -- was staying in a hotel with her 80-year-old husband. She said they had followed orders to stock up on food and had stored some sausage in her car. After she took the sausage from the car, she says police handcuffed her and threw her in jail. A judge then set the bail at $50,000 -- 100 times the maximum $500 fine under state law for minor thefts.
The above items are from Democracy Now!'s Headlines and were selected by Joan, End Zone and Taylor. Democracy Now! ("always worth watching," as Marcia says):
Headlines for September 16
- Bush Vows To Rebuild New Orleans
- 6.5 Million Gallons of Oil Leak in Gulf Coast Region
- Army Corps of Engineers Admits Mistakes Were Made
- 73-Year-Old Held w/ $50K Bail for "Looting" Sausages
- Louisiana Families Sue Over Insurance Policies
- O'Reilly: Many Katrina Survivors "Drug-Addicted"
- John Roberts Hearings Close
- Mass. Gov Calls For Wiretapping of Mosques
New Orleans Police Harass Independent Journalist
As President Bush says he'll rebuild New Orleans, we speak with Hip Hop activist and independent journalist Rosa Clemente about the crackdown in the shelters. She describes being harassed by a New Orleans police officer while doing interviews at a Red Cross shelter.
The Militarization of New Orleans: Jeremy Scahill Reports from Louisiana
We go to Louisiana to speak with Democracy Now! correspondent Jeremy Scahill who has been in New Orleans this past week. He has been looking into how the city has changed to a militarized zone and what that means for the residents who left.
George Galloway vs. Christopher Hitchens on the Bush Administration Response to Hurricane Katrina
We play an excerpt of a fiery debate Wednesday between British antiwar MP George Galloway and columnist and author Christopher Hitchens discussing the Bush administration's response to Hurricane Katrina.
Trapped in New Orleans: Emergency Medical Worker Describes How Police Prevented Evacuation
We speak with emergency medical worker Lorrie Beth Slonsky who was in New Orleans attending a conference when hurricane Katrina hit. She describes how she spent most of the next week in New Orleans trapped by the flooding - and the police.
Todd e-mails to note Cindy Sheehan's "A Bright Spot in Bush World Amid the Miserable Failures on the Same Planet" (The Huffington Post):
It has been one month and one week since I sat in a ditch in Crawford, Tx. I can hardly believe it when I think of it myself. So much has happened in that time, and really, so little.
I got to Camp Casey III in Covington, La today, after getting up at 3am to head for the airport. Now it is 3am the next day and we are driving in a car to try and find a hotel to sleep anywhere around Jackson, Miss. I was prepared to be shocked by what I saw in Louisiana, but I guess one can never really fully prepare for such devastation and tragedy. After living in a country your entire life it is so difficult to see such callous indifference on an immense scale. When I reflect on how the mother of the imbecile who is running our country said that the people who are in the Astrodome are happy to be there, it angers me beyond comparison. The people in LA who were displaced have nice, if modest homes that are perfectly fine. I wonder why the government made them leave at great expense and uproot families who have been living in their communities for generations.
After we arrived at Camp Casey III, we took the Veterans for Peace "Impeachment Tour Bus" into New Orleans after stopping at the distribution center to pick up some supplies in Covington. The stench and the destruction are unbelievable. I saw some hurricane zones in the panhandle of Florida last year that were pretty bad but that couldn't have prepared me for this.
I saw in the paper that George Bush said the recovery in the Gulf States would be "hard work." That's what he said about sending troops to Iraq and looking at the casualty reports everyday: "It's hard work." That man has never known a day of hard work in his life. The people on the ground in Covington scoffed at George's little junket to Louisiana yesterday. He stayed in the French Quarter and a Ward that weren't even damaged a bit. The VFP took me to the city of Algiers on the West Bank. The part of Algiers we went to was very poor and black. The people of Algiers know what hard work is.
Algiers had no flooding. All of the damage was from winds. There are trees knocked over and shingles off of roofs. There are signs blown over and there was a dead body lying on the ground for 2 weeks before someone finally came to get it. Even though Algiers came through Katrina relatively unscathed, our federal government tried to force (mostly successfully) the people out of the community. Malik Rahim, a new friend of ours and resident of Algiers, told us stories of the days after the hurricane. The government declared martial law, but there was no effective police presence to enforce it. Malik said the lawlessness was rampant. People were running out of food and water and they were being forced to go to the Superdome. They didn't want to go to the Superdome, because their homes were pretty intact: they wanted to stay and have food and water brought to them. A town of 76,000 people dwindled down to 3,000. The die hards were rewarded last Wednesday when the VFP rolled into town with food and water. The Camp Casey III people were the first ones to bring any relief to Algiers. The people who were supposed to look after its citizens, our government, failed them.
Lynda e-mails to note Carol's "Smooth Operator?" (A New Leif):
I know John Roberts likes analogies. I've got one. John Roberts is the frat guy trying to get you to leave the kegger with him.
This guy is good. "That's a nice sweater. It would look even better crumpled up next to my bed." He is smooth. "Are you tired? Because you've been running around my head all night." I am actually about to go home with him. "Come on. It's totally cool. We can just talk." Only this particular guy is John Roberts and it's not me he's trying to talk into bed, it's the entire Senate Judiciary Committee.
"Do you believe in a right to privacy?" Arlen Specter, the girl in our scenario, asks smooth talking frat boy John "The Judge" Roberts. He looks sincerely into her eyes. "I do," he assures her. Cheesy, but it seems to be working. Maybe he does believe what I believe after all. I can trust him.
Saying you believe in the right of privacy is about as telling as asking you your sign. Arlen Specter, Aquarius, bought it. "Saying there is a right to privacy goes a long way on... a woman's right to choose." She's un-doing her bra hooks for him.
That's Carol Ann Leif and her blog, A New Leif, joins Christine's Ms. Musing as one of the three blogs Ms. now provides. The third blog is Eleanor Smeal's The Smeal Report and here's an excerpt of "More Stonewalling: Roberts Hearings, Day Four:"
Over the past four days, Judge Roberts has repeatedly refused to answer questions about his views on Roe v. Wade and the right to privacy and has given confusing and misleading answers to questions on Title IX and the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment as it pertains to sex discrimination.
And the Bush Administration has continued to refuse to release Roberts' papers and memos when he was deputy solicitor general under Bush the First. Even when Democrats pared their request down to documents dealing with only 16 cases in which he played a key role, the Bush Administration refused to hand them over, despite the fact that similar documents were released for the confirmation hearings of Chief Justice Rehnquist.
Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Chuck Schumer (D-NY), understandably frustrated, asked Roberts today, "What kind of a justice would you be, John Roberts?"
Roberts said, "I would hope you'd look at my briefs and my arguments before the Supreme Court..."
Yes, we have looked at his briefs. Roberts co-authored a brief arguing that Roe should be overturned in Rust v. Sullivan. Yes, we have looked at his arguments before the Supreme Court. In Bray v. Alexandria, Roberts argued on behalf of anti-abortion extremists, including a convicted clinic bomber, who were blockading access to women's health clinics and harassing health care workers and patients. His arguments led to preventing the National Organization for Women (NOW) and women entering the clinics from using civil rights statutes to protect themselves. Shortly after the Supreme Court decision against NOW, the clinics, and women patients in Bray, violence at clinics escalated.
Carol will make you laugh as she details the outrages, Eleanor will walk you through. Which brings us to Christine who is the template and then some. Day in, day out, she's raising issues and voices at Ms. Musing. Christine's a community favorite, so take some time to check out the two newest blogs from Ms. and see what you think.
And thanks to Melissa who e-mailed about them Wednesday to ask that they be noted. (Being part of Ms. makes them part of a magazine, so no committee decision was needed since I pick mags and orgs for our permalinks.) She also asked if other community members with sites could link to them. I believe everyone linked yesterday.
Remember, on Air America Radio, Laura Flanders is supposed to be filling in for Randi Rhodes today. Starts at 3:00 pm Eastern and ends at 7:00 pm.
Don't miss Betty's "Friedman and His Ego" (Thomas Friedman Is a Great Man).
Lyle e-mails to advise Susan to check out Murray Waas' site. Here's an excerpt of "House Intelligence committee votes down Plame" (Whatever Already!):
The House Intelligence Committee earlier today became the third congressional committee to derail a "resolution of inquiry"that would have required the Bush administration to turn over to Congress sensitive information and records relating to the outing of CIA officer Valerie Plame.
The 11-9 vote by the committee earlier today to adversely report H. Res. 418 follows similar votes yesterday (see post immediately below) by the House Judiciary and House International Relations Committee.
Had the resolutions of inquiry been adopted, they would have lead to the first independent congressional inquiries of the Plame affair, and perhaps even the public testimony of senior Bush administration aides, such as Karl Rove, the White House deputy chief of staff, and I. Lewis (Scooter) Libby, the chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney, about their personal roles.
Republicans argued that any vote in favor of the resolution might impair the ongoing federal grand jury probe by special prosecutor Fitzgerald. In the case of the House Intelligence Committee, they were aided, when at the very last minute, the Justice Department informed the committee that Fitzgerald himself opposed any independent inquiry at this time by Congress.
Yahoo! for Good
Click here to donate to the Hurricane Katrina relief effort.
Joel Brinkley pens "Sharon Tells U.N. It's Time for Palestinian Peace Steps" in this morning's New York Times. Rob and Kara provide responses.
Rob: Brinkley can't get a comment from Nasser al-Kidwa?
(al-Kidwa is the Palestinian ambassador to the UN and was present for Sharon's speech.)
Kara: Sharon's in violation of more than Israel's own court but Brinkley can't find room for that? The usual problem with the mideast coverage is the paper's reliance on "official sources" which render all but the leaders, the ones recognized by the paper, invisible. Today Brinkley cherry picks who he'll quote and what courts he'll cite.
Rob: If you need a fan club bulletin on Sharon, Brinkley provides it. If you need to know what stalker Brinkley unearthed as he followed Sharon around, you've got it. What you don't have is the reaction of those present in the UN, their comments (one is quoted) or anything of merit other than "Sharon said . . ." It's a gossipy, little telephone call, overheard from a distance.
Greg Myre's "Court Says West Bank Barrier Must Detour by 5 Arab Villages" details the Israeli court finding. (The International Court of Justice in The Hague's ruling on the wall is noted in Myre's article.)
Micah e-mails wondering "how a bit of truth snuck into NYT?" He's referring to Matthew L. Wald's "Experts Assess Deregulation as Factor in '03 Blackout" and specifically to this paragraph:
"The most serious mistake we can make is pretending that markets do things that they do not do," said Kellan Fluckiger, executive director of the electricity division at the Alberta Department of Energy. "Markets allocate risk, they allocate capital, they provide price signals. Markets do not have a conscience, they do not provide social policy, and they do not do things they are not paid to do."
Beverly e-mails to note the Associated Press article "Study Attributes Stronger Storms to Warmer Seas:"
Storms with the power of Hurricane Katrina are becoming more common, in part because of global warming, according to a report from a team of researchers that will be published Friday.
The number of storms in the two most powerful categories, 4 and 5, rose to an average of 18 a year worldwide since 1990, up from 11 in the 1970's, according to the report, which will be published in the journal Science.
The researchers were led by Peter J. Webster of the Georgia Institute of Technology.
There was no increase in storms over all, the researchers said, just in their intensity. But the rise in intensity, they said, coincided with an increase of nearly 1 degree Fahrenheit in the surfaces of tropical seas around the world.
The Times offers many puff pieces to John Roberts, Jr. but we'll instead focus on what Lloyd's e-mailed (yes, he seems to live at The Progressive web site but it's a nice neighborhood populated with wonderful people), Matthew Rothschild's "The Roberts Mask" (This Just In, The Progressive):
I've watched a bit of the Roberts hearings, and the guy is smart and the guy is prepared and the guy is smooth.
But he may be too smart, too prepared, and too smooth for his own good--and for the country's.
I sense in Roberts a troubling patness.
He's figured out all the angles, he knows just what to say, and he says it with agility, aplomb, self-effacement, and humor.
But what lies behind the mask?
A summa cum laude from Harvard and Harvard Law School surely is savvy and self-aware enough to put Clearasil on his face.
And so he's presented this facade of moderation and modesty.
But beneath the façade lies a foundation of Republican hackwork, and behind the most studied modesty often lurks arrogance.
I suspect it does here.
Let's look beyond the rehearsed performance and examine the record.
Roberts was not just "working for a client" when he worked in the Reagan Justice Department and when he was principal deputy solicitor general under the first George Bush. "Roberts chose the 'client.' He chose to serve Administrations committed to rolling back civil rights protections, overturning Roe v. Wade, limiting access to federal courts, and undermining separation of church and state," as People for the American Way has noted.
He wasn't just some hired gun. He eagerly enlisted in the Reagan Revolution. And during the confirmation hearings, he beamed proudly at his association with it.
Elaine notes Katha Pollitt's "Intelligible Design" (The Nation):
Sometimes I wonder if the future, in some strange metaphysical way, reaches down into our psyches and readies us to accept what is to come. Maybe we know things before we know them. By the time change is plain to see, we've unconsciously adapted to it and have learned to call it something else--God's will, human nature, life.
Let's say, for example, that the American Empire is just about over. Let's say China and India and other countries as well are set to surge ahead in science and technology, leaving reduced opportunities for upward mobility for the educated, while capital continues to roam the world in search of cheap labor, leaving a shattered working class. Let's say we really are becoming a society of fixed status: the have-nots, an anxious and defensive middle and what George W. Bush famously calls his base, the have-mores. What sort of shifts in culture and social structure would prepare us for this looming state of affairs? A resurgence of Christian fundamentalism would fill the bill nicely.
Intellectually, scientifically, even artistically, fundamentalism--biblical literalism--is a road to nowhere, because it insists on fidelity to revealed truths that are not true. But religious enthusiasm is not all bad. Like love or political activism, it can help troubled souls transform their lives. And if what we're looking at is an America with an ever-larger and boxed-in working class and tighter competition for high-paying jobs among the elite, fundamentalism is exactly the thing to manage decline: It schools the downwardly mobile in making the best of their lot while teaching them to be grateful for the food pantry and daycare over at the church. At the same time, taking advantage of existing currents of anti-intellectualism and school-tax resistance, it removes from the pool of potential scientists and other creative professionals vast numbers of students, who will have had their minds befuddled with creationism and its smooth-talking cousin, intelligent design. Already, according to a study by University of Minnesota biology professor Randy Moore, 40 percent of high school biology teachers don't teach evolution, either because it's socially unacceptable in their communities or because they themselves don't believe in it.
Elaine also noted Pollitt's article in the roundtable late last night (early this morning?) so check your inboxes for the gina & krista round-robin. (It's many K because it's their regular Friday round-robin and it contains the Roberts commentary they've done all week in their special round-robins. They did a wonderful job. Not just my opinion, judging from the e-mails from members.)
Did you miss the George Galloway/Christopher Hitchens debate (moderated by Amy Goodman) (which, unless I missed it, and I may have, I didn't see the Times do a write up on)? Rod passes on this:
The Grapple in the Big Apple
The Debate between George Galloway and Christopher Hitchens, moderated byAmy Goodman on Wednesday evening will be broadcast on C-SPAN Book TV at the following times:
Saturday, September 17 at 9:00 pm (EST)
Sunday, September 18 at 12:00 pm (EST)
Monday, September 19 at 5:30 am (EST)
(Marcia says she heard that over 70,000 people listened to the debate.)
Scheduled topics for today's Democracy Now! include:
Fri, September 16: As President Bush travels to New Orleans to deliver a prime-time speech tonight, we continue our coverage of hurricane Katrina.
We'll get a report from the ground as well as hear an excerpt of a debate between British MP George Galloway and author and columnist ChristopherHitchens discussing New Orleans.
From the city that never sleeps, the journalist that never sleeps continues the Un-Embed the Media Tour:
* Amy Goodman in Huntsville, AL:
Fri, Sept 16
*TIME: 730 PM
Media-ocracy: How the American Media Compromises Democracy
Chan Auditorium Administrative Science Building
Huntsville, AL Admission is FREE
A sign language professional will provide interpretation
For more information, call 256-489-3884 or email Lahaynes@knology.net
Reception before the speaking engagement (Reservations are required!)
Union Grove Art Gallery
The University of Alabama in HuntsvilleCost is $30. Includes refreshments and Goodman's book, The Exception to the Rulers: Exposing Oily Politicians, War Profiteers, and the Media that Love Them.
Call 256-824-6210 or email reide@uah.edu no later than Sept.9, 2005.
Space is limited.
* Amy Goodman in Birmingham, AL:
Sat, Sept 17
*TIME: 7 PM
Amy Goodman speaking event:
Hill University Center Alumni Auditorium
14th Street South @ University Blvd
Pre-event reception:Bare Hands Gallery
109 Richard Arrington, Jr. Blvd
For more information, visit: www.geocities.com/bhampeace
or contactDiane McNaron, dianemcnaron@aol.com, 205.838.1391
David Gespass, thepasss@aol.com 205.323.5966
* Amy Goodman in Santa Fe, NM:
Mon, Sept 21
Lannan Readings & Conversations
Robert Fisk with Amy Goodman
211 W. San Francisco St
Tickets: $6 general public, $3 with student ID
Tickets for each event go on sale the first SATURDAY in the month prior to the event.
505.988.1234 (Lensic Box Office), Mon-Sat, 10-5
Lensic Performing Arts Center, 211 W. San Francisco St, Santa Fe, NM 87501,
Mon-Sat, 10-5
Order tickets online at the Lensic website, www.lensic.com
* Amy Goodman in Washington, DC:
Fri, Sept 23 *TIME: 5:30 PM
First Annual Unvarnished Truth Awards
Amy Goodman will be a recipient.
Busboys & Poets Restaurant
14th and V St. NW Washington, DC
5:30 Jazz Reception
6:30 Dinner and Awards Ceremony
Attire: Semi-formal
Reservations for the dinner and awards ceremony are $150 per person
(fundraiser for Pacifica Radio's Washington Bureau)
Reservations (no ticket sales) for this event will be taken at (202)588-0999 x 348 beginning Sept. 1
Sun, Sept 25
Green Festival
Washington D.C. Convention Center
801 Mount Vernon Place NW
Day of Ticket Prices:
Adults--$15 each day
Students/Seniors--$5
Kids 12 & Under--Free
Ride Your Bike--$5
For more information, visit http://greenfestivals.com
* Amy Goodman in Norfolk, VA:
Independent Media: A Primer
Naro Expanded Cinema
1507 Colley Avenue
Minimum donation $10
Tickets available at Naro Cinema
For more information, visit www.narocinema.com
Rod asked that we note something that's "so obvious, people may miss it." Amy Goodman hosts Democracy Now! (with Juan Gonzalez) Mondays through Friday. A holiday means a special episode that's been prepared ahead of time. In addition to that, she's been on this Un-Embed the Media tour for months. She's moderated the debate this week, she's hosted a broadcast for a new low wattage radio station. She's done more things this summer than even Rod can keep track of. So Rod asks for a shout out to Amy Goodman and her dedication to real journalism. We're glad to note that here but you can do it one better by making sure that you're aware of any event in your area or that your friends and family in an area Goodman's visiting are aware of the event.
Rod's right about the level of dedication and the time the Unembed the Media tour and other events have taken and Goodman deserves to be noted for all that she does. Maria's doing the bilingual run down of Democracy Now! Headlines this weekend so, stealing from Maria, make sure you're passing on that Democracy Now! is providing their headlines in Spanish and English, text and audio.
The Laura Flanders Show: Sat. Naomi Klein, Jeremy ...
Senador Robert Byrd exhorta a retiro de tropas de ...
Democracy Now: New Orleans militarized & journalis...
NYT: "Bushes Pledges Federal Role in Rebuilding Gu...
NYT: "Who's afraid of democracy in Afghanistan?" a...
Indymedia roundup
Indymedia roundup focus on Iraq
Sept. 24th, noon to 4, "Anti-War Fair," in Memoria...
September 24th, 7:00 pm, corner of Brady & Farwell...
Democracy Now: The Roberts' Hearings; Ajamu Baraka...
NYT: "Ex-FEMA Chief Tells of Frustration and Chaos...
"13 Books, 20 Minutes" (The Third Estate Sunday Re...
Democracy Now: Kim Gandy on Roberts; Tom Hayden, M...
NYT: Todd S. Purdum "cupping" the story
NYT: Spotlight articles by Eric Lichtblau and Edmu...
Oh My God! NYT is going for pay! We're switching ...
Joint entry from Ava and C.I.
Note from Ava on ABC's altering Colin Powell's rem...
ABC "fixes" Colin Powell
Democracy Now: on Roberts & New Orleans; Marlene M...
NYT: "45 Bodies Found in a New Orleans Hospital" (...
NYT: "An Opening Performance Worthy of an Experien...
Kevin Pina and Jean Ristil released; Delilah on th...
"Lecture" (Cedric's Big Mix)
Democracy Now: "Americans should be asking right n...
Kevin Pina held in Haiti, reports under attack in ...
NYT: "Roberts Spotlight Falls on Senators, Too" (S...
Reporting from outside the US mainstream media
Reporting from outside the US mainstream media foc...
"An Injustice Is Born" Isaiah's The World Today Ju...
Isaiah's latest The World Today Just Nuts. This o...
"The Third Estate Sunday Review News Review 9-11-2...
NYT Sunday summary
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Joe Biden Marries Same-Sex Couple
On August 2, 2016 by TheFeministBride With 0 Comments - Couples' Stories, Culture, Current Events, Defense of Marriage Act, Domestic Violence, Feminism, Feminist, Feminist Wedding, Groom, Identity, Marriage, Marriage Equality, Same-Sex Marriage, The Feminist Bride, Wedding, Wedding Traditions, wedding websites
If you didn’t have enough reason to get all Leslie Knope on Joe Biden, the Vice President got temporarily ordained by the District of Columbia in order to marry two White House staffers…in a same-sex wedding…at his personal house. Swoon!
Brian Mosteller, Director of Oval Office Operations married Joe Mahshie, a trip coordinator for Michelle Obama at the U.S. Naval Observatory in Washington in front of their immediate family. It’s the VAWA founder’s first wedding as an officiant, though there’s no indication as to whether he plans to marry more deserving couples after his stint as Veep (maybe he should!). In a time when a certain potential presidential candidate drives people with fear and loathing, it’s nice to know there are those politicians out there who still understand that love and support is how you lead by example. Dr. Biden put it best!
Congrats to Mahshie and Mosteller; may your marriage be blessed by the rays of Biden’s winning smile with years of happiness and love.
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Jewelry that Empowers Survivors of Human Trafficking
On January 9, 2015 by TheFeministBride With 0 Comments - Alternatives, Bridal Boldness, Bride, Bridesmaid, Consumerism, Culture, Domestic Violence, Dowry, Engagement Rings, Feminism, Feminist, Feminist Wedding, Int'l Human Rights, Marriage Equality, Sex, The Feminist Bride, Wedding, Wedding Planning, Wedding Swag, wedding websites, Wife, Women, Women's Equality
For this Feminist Fashion Friday, take a moment to think about the jewelry you are wearing right now – who made it? By buying it, did it help someone in need or make the world a better place? Here at The Feminist Bride jewelry often comes under scrutiny due to the wedding industrial complex or how it can sometimes negatively affect gender equality; but sometimes there’s jewelry that creates positive social welfare and makes an amazing difference in the lives of women and their families. Relevée jewelry does just that, and we love socially conscious options for weddings. Founder and Executive Director of Made by Survivors, Sarah Symons explains how Relevée jewelry is made not only by women but specifically helps survivors of human trafficking in South Asia. So if you need to buy your best ladies, your bride, your mother of the bride/groom, your local mailwoman or just a friend a gift consider Relevée jewelry first. Here’s more on how amazing and socially minded it is.
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Emma Watson and Men’s Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
On September 23, 2014 by TheFeministBride With 0 Comments - Awesome Women's Stuff, Civil Rights, Culture, Current Events, Domestic Violence, Feminism, Feminist, Feminist Wedding, Int'l Human Rights, Marriage Equality, Marriage Stats, Pop Culture, Sex, The Feminist Bride, Women, Women's Equality
UN Women Goodwill Ambassador Emma Watson Co-Hosts Special HeForShe Event. UN Photo/Mark Garten
Emma Watson’s impassioned United Nation’s speech seeking both sexes to peacefully unite in order to achieve women’s equality has touched a nerve. Inaugurating the HeForShe campaign, Watson went on to explain that fundamental feminism “… by definition is the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities. It is the theory of political, economic and social equality of the sexes.”
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Creating Social Good with Your Wedding Registry
On September 15, 2014 by TheFeministBride With 0 Comments - Alternatives, Bridal Boldness, Bride, Civil Rights, Consumerism, Culture, Domestic Violence, Dowry, Feminism, Feminist, Feminist Wedding, Groom, Int'l Human Rights, Marriage Equality, Marriage Stats, Money, The Feminist Bride, Tradition, Wedding, Wedding Planning, Wedding Traditions, Wife, Women, Women's Equality
Image: KIVA. In this Group: Saraswati, Tikeswar, Sapuri, Manorama, Ketaki, Upasi, Sumanti, Jamuna, Sumitra
Feeling like a traditional gift registry is an egregious imposition to ask for more stuff that you already have? Or an archaic gendered tradition? Suspicious that asking for money as a gift throws every etiquette book into a blazing book burning fire? Here’s an option that gives the newlyweds tremendous good karma - consider a micro finance registry. The beauty of having guests contribute to micro finance loan account is that it generously gives to those in more immediate need and then eventually the newlyweds when their the ones in need. To read more about this idea, check out The Feminist Bride article on Green Bride Guide.
Green Bride Guide, KIVA, social good registries
Playboy Explains When Catcalling is Okay; It’s Surprisingly…Feminist
On August 29, 2014 by TheFeministBride With 0 Comments - Awesome Women's Stuff, Body Image, Culture, Dating, Domestic Violence, Feminism, Feminist, Feminist Wedding, Health, Pop Culture, Sex, The Feminist Bride, Women, Women's Equality
Playboy, an unlikely ally in women’s quest to end street harassment, especially because they’ve made millions and millions off encouraging men to ogle at women, has done something wonderfully feminist. Hugh Hefner has even claimed we are living in a post-feminist world before, meaning that a chart like this shouldn’t even be necessary. But here we, feminists, are in agreement with Playboy’s work for once. Hell just froze over.
Playboy and graphic designer Shea Strauss have designed an excellent explanatory flowchart (click to see full chart) that answers when it’s okay to catcall a woman. In a sort of choose-your-own adventure game, guys can follow the line that represents his libido and male entitlement the best with options like, “Are you sexually frustrated?” if yes, proceed to “Yeah, I wanna yell sex stuff at people.” It eventually all flows down to “Nope, don’t do it,” and “Yeah, go for it.” There’s a real educative twist to help folks understand that the only case where it’s okay to catcall is when there’s mutual consent (and even then they make clear heckling is an equal opportunity for both sexes) and when it’s an actually kitty. For everyone other instance, it’s not cool.
This chart comes in the wake of other great devices to battle street harassment. There’s the bell Hooks hotline, which provides women a fake number to give to strangers who ask for it. The idea (unfortunately, this reasoning exists) is to safeguard women “because we’re [women] raised to know it’s safer to give a fake phone number than to directly reject an aggressive guy.”
There’s also the Cards Against Harassment, which are business cards that anyone can get and hand out to street harassers to explain how their actions negatively affect women. And Tatyana Fazlalizadeh’s art project, Stop Telling Women to Smile attempts to combat harassment directly on the streets too.
While this great flowchart doesn’t get Playboy out of the doghouse for its years of misogyny, objectification, exploitation and body issues, it is certainly a step in the right direction.
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Dating Solutions on Giving Out Your Phone Number
On August 20, 2014 by TheFeministBride With 0 Comments - Alternatives, Awesome Women's Stuff, Culture, Dating, Domestic Violence, Feminism, Feminist, Feminist Wedding, The Feminist Bride, Women, Women's Equality
Finally, there’s a solution for when you don’t want to give your phone number to creepy people, but don’t want to be rude either because as the bell Hooks hotline explains, “because we’re [women] raised to know it’s safer to give a fake phone number than to directly reject an aggressive guy.”
Feminist author bell Hooks has created the Feminist Phone Intervention Hotline for anyone to use when faced with the dating dilemma of giving out your phone number to a stranger. When you’re just not that into the suitor, you can just give them the phone number (669) 221-6251.
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Why there’s much more to the Nigerian girls’ kidnapping
On May 5, 2014 by TheFeministBride With 0 Comments - Bride, Current Events, Domestic Violence, Dowry, Feminism, Feminist, Feminist Wedding, Int'l Human Rights, Religion, Sex, The Feminist Bride, Women
Hundreds of schoolgirls were kidnapped in a school raid in Nigeria on April 14, 2014. The kidnappers are from the Islamist group Boko Haram, which means, “Western education is sinful.” Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has been unable to retrieve the girls and he is seeking internationally assistance.
US Secretary of State John Kerry promised help. “The kidnapping of hundreds of children by Boko Haram is an unconscionable crime, and we will do everything possible to support the Nigerian government to return these young women to their homes and to hold the perpetrators to justice,” Kerry said from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The international community is right to respond cooperatively, but what about addressing why the girls were kidnapped in the first place?
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Iraq Moving To Legalize Child Marriage
On April 10, 2014 by TheFeministBride With 1 Comments - Bride, Culture, Current Events, Domestic Violence, Dowry, Feminism, Feminist, Feminist Wedding, Groom, Int'l Human Rights, Marriage Contract, Marriage Equality, Proposal, Religion, Sex, The Feminist Bride, Wedding, Wife
A terrible step backwards in women’s fight for equality overseas. Iraq’s Council of Ministers has drafted a law, The Jaafari Personal Status Law, which will be voted on April 30. If passed the law would:
Legalize marital rape
Grant men the authority to marry girls as young as age nine
Prohibit Muslim men from marrying non-Muslims
Require wives to submit to sex on their husband’s whim
Prevent women from leaving the house without the permission of their husbands
Give automatic custody in divorce cases to fathers.
Only father have the right to accept or refuse a marriage proposal
Discontinues temporary marriages for sexual pleasure (called zawaj al-misyar or “traveller’s marriages”)
This law was formed to appease the Shi’a Muslim community in Iraq, which have a stronghold majority in the country at 36 million. It’s argued that Iraq’s current law that women can only marry at the age of 18 religiously discriminates against the Shi’a Muslims. As it stands, UNICEF estimates that more than 24 percent of Iraqi women are married by age 18, and nearly five percent are married by age 15.
If passed before Iraq general elections, the law will violate the UN Convention on Rights of the Child, which Iraq signed and its own constitution.
To understand how widespread this issue is in the world and not just potentially in Iraq, here are some facts:
In developing countries, more than 60 million women aged 20-24 were married/in union before the age of 18. Over thirty-one million of them live in South Asia (UNICEF estimates based on MICS, DHS, and other national surveys, 1987-2006).
In countries like Bangladesh, Central African Republic, Chad, Guinea, Mali, and Niger more than 60 per cent of women entered into marriage or into a union before their eighteenth birthdays (MICS, DHS, and other national surveys, 1987-2006).
Girls living in the poorest 20 per cent of households are more likely to get married at an early age than those living in the wealthiest 20 per cent. In Peru 45 per cent of women were married by age 18 among the poorest 20 per cent, compared to 5 per cent among the richest 20 per cent (UNICEF estimates based on DHS 2000).
Women with primary education are significantly less likely to be married/in union as children than those who received no education. In Zimbabwe, 48 per cent of women who had attended primary school had been married by the age of 18, compared to 87 per cent of those who had not attended school (UNICEF estimates based on DHS 1999).
To read more about global child bride issues:
The Young and the Betrothed – Child Brides
15 Year Old Afghan Bride Beaten for Refusing to Enter Prostitution by In-Laws
Acid Throwing and Forced Marriage Now Illegal in Pakistan
Information originally appeared in: Iraq Wants To Legalize Child Marriage – The Daily Beast.
child brides, Council of Ministers, human rights violations, iraq, Iraq general elections, Jaafari Personal Status Law, Shi'a Muslims, traveller’s marriages, UN Convention on Rights of the Child, UNICEF, zawaj al-misyar
Understanding the Past, Present and Future of Marriage
On April 18, 2012 by TheFeministBride With 0 Comments - Bridal Boldness, Bride, Bridesmaid, Civil Rights, Consumerism, Culture, Current Events, Dating, Defense of Marriage Act, Divorce, Domestic Violence, Dowry, Engagement, FB Lectures, Feminism, Feminist, Feminist Wedding, Groom, History, History, Identity, Marriage, Marriage Stats, Media, Party Central, Pop Culture, Proposal, Religion, Same-Sex Marriage, Sex, The Feminist Bride, Tradition, Wedding, Wedding Traditions, Wife, Women, Women's Equality
This is my most recent lecture at the Tufts University GSC Research Symposium. It was me and a bunch of Ph.D. candidates lecturing on mostly science, but alas my speciality is in marriage culture. Here’s a breakdown of how marriage’s past, present and future effect our quality of life. It’s an interesting overview about how our time-honored traditions are totally irrelevant to Western lifestyles, which in itself makes a case for why it’s really important we respectfully modernize them! Enjoy.
1970s, ancient rome, Anthony Comstock laws, average spent on a wedding, Civil Rights, culture, defending marriage, DOMA, eugenics, Griswold vs. Connecticut, GSC Research Symposium, interfaith couples, interracial couples, Katrina Majkut, laws, loving vs. Virginia, marrying for love, modern women's healthcare debate, modernizing marriage, nero, Present and Future of marriage, procreation, prop 8, rights to marriage, the future of marriage, the pill, traditional marriage, Tufts University, Understanding the Past, wedding showers
Putting the “V” in Valentine’s Day
On February 13, 2012 by TheFeministBride With 0 Comments - Alternatives, Awesome Women's Stuff, Body Image, Civil Rights, Comedy, Culture, Current Events, Dating, Domestic Violence, Feminism, Feminist, Feminist Wedding, Health, History, Identity, Marriage, Marriage Equality, Media, Party Central, Pop Culture, Religion, Sex, Singlehood, The Feminist Bride, Tradition, Wife, Women, Women's Equality
When it comes to celebrating Valentine’s Day, we seek to spend it with those we love and shower them with all the accoutrements a Hallmark Valentine’s can bestow. What about spending Valentine’s Day in a non-commercial way? What if you could honor the women in your life by participating in something that seeks to support and empower them? What if you spent this Valentine’s Day learning how to appreciate yourself?
alternative valentine gifts, eve ensler, how to celebrate valentine's day, play, vagina monologues, valentine's day, vday
On January 3, 2012 by TheFeministBride With 2 Comments - Bride, Civil Rights, Couples' Stories, Culture, Current Events, Divorce, Domestic Violence, Dowry, Engagement, Feminism, Feminist, Feminist Wedding, Groom, Identity, Int'l Human Rights, Marriage, Marriage Contract, Marriage Equality, Marriage Stats, Religion, Sex, The Feminist Bride, Tradition, Wedding, Wife, Women, Women's Equality
Dahiney Ghuri in Pul-i-Kumri, Baghlan Province, Afghanistan: Afghanistan’s neighbor, Pakistan, outlawed forced marriage and acid throwing on December 11, 2011. Unfortunately for Afghanistan, a similar story has gained huge international attention as well, but for opposite reasons. 15-year old bride, Sahar Gul, who after refusing to become a prostitute by her in-laws was severely beaten and locked in a dirty basement bathroom for several months with barely enough necessities to survive. Her in-laws of seven months pulled out her nails, clumps of hair, burned her with cigarette butts, and tore pieces of flesh from her body. Gul, in critical condition, will be transported to India for serious treatment and recovery.
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On December 13, 2011 by TheFeministBride With 0 Comments - Bride, Civil Rights, Culture, Current Events, Domestic Violence, Dowry, Engagement, Feminism, Feminist, Feminist Wedding, Groom, Int'l Human Rights, Marriage, Marriage Contract, Marriage Equality, Marriage Stats, Religion, Sex, The Feminist Bride, Wedding, Wife, Women, Women's Equality
A historical moment for Pakistan, whose Senate passed two new bills: The Acid Control and Acid Crime Prevention Bill 2010 and The Prevention of Anti-Women Practices (Criminal Law Amendment) Bill 2008. This makes the following illegal in Pakistan.
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Hillary Clinton United Nations Speech: ‘Free and Equal in Dignity and Rights’
On December 9, 2011 by TheFeministBride With 1 Comments - Awesome Women's Stuff, Bridal Boldness, Bride, Civil Rights, Culture, Current Events, Defense of Marriage Act, Domestic Violence, Engagement, Feminism, Feminist, Feminist Wedding, Groom, History, Identity, Int'l Human Rights, Marriage, Marriage Equality, Marriage Stats, Religion, Same-Sex Marriage, Sex, The Feminist Bride, Wedding, Wife, Women, Women's Equality
An amazingly powerful speech that should be shared and heeded. Hillary Clinton speaks to the United Nations about how LGBT rights are human rights. Clinton explained that LGBT legitimacy does not differ from the civil rights issues that other groups experienced throughout history. She stresses that to make sure LGBT members are not discriminated or abused we all need to recognize the need to accept and protect – that they should be as free as the rest of us to live in peace, expression and lifestyle without condition.
“It proclaims a simple, powerful idea: All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. And with the declaration, it was made clear that rights are not conferred by government; they are the birthright of all people. It does not matter what country we live in, who our leaders are, or even who we are. Because we are human, we therefore have rights. And because we have rights, governments are bound to protect them.”
“I am talking about gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people, human beings born free and given bestowed equality and dignity, who have a right to claim that, which is now one of the remaining human rights challenges of our time. I speak about this subject knowing that my own country’s record on human rights for gay people is far from perfect. Until 2003, it was still a crime in parts of our country. Many LGBT Americans have endured violence and harassment in their own lives, and for some, including many young people, bullying and exclusion are daily experiences. So we, like all nations, have more work to do to protect human rights at home.”
“It is violation of human rights when people are beaten or killed because of their sexual orientation, or because they do not conform to cultural norms about how men and women should look or behave. It is a violation of human rights when governments declare it illegal to be gay, or allow those who harm gay people to go unpunished. It is a violation of human rights when lesbian or transgendered women are subjected to so-called corrective rape, or forcibly subjected to hormone treatments, or when people are murdered after public calls for violence toward gays, or when they are forced to flee their nations and seek asylum in other lands to save their lives. And it is a violation of human rights when life-saving care is withheld from people because they are gay, or equal access to justice is denied to people because they are gay, or public spaces are out of bounds to people because they are gay. No matter what we look like, where we come from, or who we are, we are all equally entitled to our human rights and dignity.”
Click to here to read full transcript.
More Feminist Bride articles related to gay rights:
A Testimonial on the Families Gay Marriages Builds
Woman’s Pro-Gay Shirt Deemed Offensive at Dollywood, Dolly Parton’s Theme Park
Miley Cyrus Inks Wrong Symbol In Support Of Gay Marriage
Hair’ Celebrates Same-Sex Marriage With On-Stage Weddings
abolition, are gay rights human rights?, bigotry, bisexual, discrimination, freedom, freedom of belief, freedom of expression, gay, geneva, Hillary Clinton on gay rights, Hillary Clinton Speech: 'Free and Equal in Dignity and Rights', Hillary Rodham Clinton, history of human rights, human rights, lesbian, LGBT, mam, man, oppression, protection, racism, rights, secretary of state, slavery, speech, switzerland, the advocate, transgender, united nations, universal human rights
West Meets & Marries East: The Mail Order Brides Industry
On November 13, 2011 by TheFeministBride With 0 Comments - Bride, Consumerism, Couples' Stories, Culture, Current Events, Dating, Divorce, Domestic Violence, Engagement, Feminism, Feminist, Feminist Wedding, Groom, History, Identity, Int'l Human Rights, Marriage, Marriage Contract, Marriage Equality, Marriage Stats, Pop Culture, Proposal, Sex, The Feminist Bride, Wedding, Wife, Women, Women's Equality
Mail Order Brides to avoid feminist agressive women – YouTube.
human rights violations, Mail Order, Mail Order Brides, Russia, sex trafficking, Ukraine, Western Men
Miss Representation – OFFICIAL MOVIE TRAILER
On October 14, 2011 by TheFeministBride With 0 Comments - Awesome Women's Stuff, Body Image, Bride, Bridesmaid, Consumerism, Culture, Current Events, Domestic Violence, Feminism, Feminist, Feminist Wedding, Health, Identity, Marriage, Media, Movie, Movie Review, Pop Culture, Sex, The Feminist Bride, Wife, Women, Women's Equality
It’s important to think about how women in relationships and in marriage are portrayed too! Wives are often pitched as nags and ragged or sexy trophies. Brides are crazy, weight obsessed, vain control freaks. Miss Representation – OFFICIAL MOVIE TRAILER – Sundance Film Festival 2011 – YouTube.
condi rice, gloria steinam, Miss representaion, trailer
Book Review: Agnes Smedley’s ‘Daughter of Earth’
On September 28, 2011 by TheFeministBride With 0 Comments - Awesome Women's Stuff, Civil Rights, Couples' Stories, Culture, Domestic Violence, Feminism, Feminist, Feminist Wedding, Identity, Marriage, Media, Religion, Sex, The Feminist Bride, Wife, Women, Women's Equality
Daughter of Earth by Agnes Smedley. An under-appreciated feminist novel, Agnes’s fictionalized personal memoir traverses her impoverished and brutal childhood to her equally straining, political adulthood. Daughter of Earth gives amazing insight into the issues of the working class proletariat during the Depression era. Smedley brings us an eye-opening account of how starvation, extreme poverty, brutal working conditions and a lack of education can shape the emotional and physical experience of an individual. The book also focuses heavily on the social conditions imposed on women from the limitations caused by marriage to a lack of birth control and over populated families, from domestic abuse to sexual freedoms. Aside from the book’s political nature and historical insight, it is a smooth read and a pleasure to read. Smedley should be remembered (and read) just as much as her feminist sisters!
Agnes Smedley, Daughter of Earth, depression era, literature
On September 28, 2011 by TheFeministBride With 2 Comments - Civil Rights, Culture, Current Events, Defense of Marriage Act, Domestic Violence, Dowry, Feminism, Feminist, Feminist Wedding, Groom, History, Marriage, Marriage Contract, Marriage Stats, Religion, Same-Sex Marriage, Sex, The Feminist Bride, Wedding, Wife
This chart has been circling the Internet. What’s interesting about wedding tradition today is that it is mostly shaped by pop culture and media, whereas back in the day it was influenced mostly by religion. This chart lays out the various verses that relate to marriage, sex and women’s issues. While a lot of these practices are not as commonly practiced, I thought I might address ones that are:
Man + Women (Nuclear Family) bride who could not prove her virginity was stoned to death – this still happens in the middle east and sub-Sahara in what is justified as an honor killing. Honor killings are not limited to stoning but can also include burning, acid burning and other forms of abuse. For example, in Iraq 2007, a 17-year old girl, Du’a Khalil Aswad, was stoned to death in an honor killing because she fell in love with someone outside her religion. She was from a minority Kurdish religious group called Yezidi, and the boy was a Sunni Muslim. Iraqi Security forces stood by and watched as she was dragged into a square and publically flogged until her death. Pools of her blood collected around her body in the middle of the street. Not one person in the crowd tried to save her. The entire event was captured on camera and released on the Internet (Warning: Graphic Violence)
Man + Woman + Woman’s Property – This was called coverture and wasn’t outlawed until 1933.
Man + Woman + Woman + Woman – An estimated 30,000 to 50,000 people live a polygamist lifestyle in the US.
Rapist + His Victim – While no one forced a victim to marry their rapist, one parallel issue that could be drawn is how state abortion laws treat pregnant victims of rape. First, states that outlaw abortions outright are leaving little choice for its constituents, along with the states that limit the victim’s freedom to chose the outcome of their pregnancy and have control over their own bodies.
Male Slave + Female Slave - The Department of Justice estimates that more than 250,000 American youth are at risk of becoming victims of commercial sexual exploitation. Each year an estimated 800,000 to 900,000 human beings are bought, sold, or forced across the world’s borders [2003 U.S. State Department estimate]. Among them are hundreds of thousands of teenage girls, and others as young as 5, who fall victim to the sex trade. in 1999 that more than 200 international matchmaking services operated in the United States, arranging 4,000 to 6,000 marriages annually between American men and foreign women, mostly from the Philippines and former Soviet Union.
acid burnings, american, coverture, Du’a Khalil Aswad, genesis, honor killings, human rights violations, male order brides, polygamist, property, prostitutes, Sex, sex trade, slavery, statistics, trafficking, US, virginity, World
Frenchman Found Guilty for Not Having Sex with His Wife
On September 8, 2011 by TheFeministBride With 0 Comments - Body Image, Bride, Civil Rights, Couples' Stories, Culture, Current Events, Divorce, Domestic Violence, Feminism, Feminist, Feminist Wedding, Health, Honeymoon, Identity, Marriage, Marriage Contract, Sex, The Feminist Bride, Wedding, Wife
From Frans Kahn to now a tired middle-aged man, the French are having their own sexual revolution as of late. The question is which way is it going?
autonomy, coverture, france, french, Frenchman Found Guilty for Not Having Sex with His Wife, husband, law, marital rape, nice, rape
On September 1, 2011 by TheFeministBride With 2 Comments - Bride, Civil Rights, Culture, Current Events, Domestic Violence, Dowry, Engagement, Feminism, Feminist, Feminist Wedding, Groom, Identity, Int'l Human Rights, Marriage, Marriage Contract, Marriage Equality, Marriage Stats, Money, Religion, Sex, The Feminist Bride, Wedding, Wife, Women, Women's Equality
While many of us fret over unimportant issues related to our own weddings or believe that our freedom of choice on how to marry is a sign of progress, we must remind ourselves that equality and humanity in marriage is seldom enjoyed in other parts of the world. From the denial of gay marriage to the following issue of child bride, we must remember that many existing forms of marriage violate basic human rights. It is up to us who are privileged enough to enjoy healthier forms of marriage to not turn our backs on those who still need help.
afganistan, child bride, child marriage, human rights violations, kids
Walk Down the Aisle to Your Own Tune
On September 1, 2011 by TheFeministBride With 0 Comments - Alternatives, Bridal Boldness, Bride, Bridesmaid, Ceremony, Comedy, Couples' Stories, Culture, Domestic Violence, Feminism, Feminist, Feminist Wedding, Groom, Groomsmen, Marriage, Party Central, Pop Culture, The Feminist Bride, Tradition, Wedding, Wedding Party, Wedding Traditions, Wife, Women, Women's Equality
Chris Brown, forever, forever song, JK Wedding Dance, Sheila Wellstone Institute, walking the bride down the aisle, walking to your own drum, wedding march, wedding walk
Wedding Contract by Males and Dowry Dispute Leaves Bride in Poverty
On August 1, 2011 by TheFeministBride With 0 Comments - Bride, Current Events, Divorce, Domestic Violence, Dowry, Feminism, Feminist, Feminist Wedding, Groom, Int'l Human Rights, Marriage Contract, Marriage Equality, Marriage Stats, Money, Religion, Sex, The Feminist Bride, Wedding, Wedding Traditions, Wife, Women, Women's Equality
Yes, Virginia [Woolf] dowries so still exist! The writer who insisted women must have their own income would be upset about this law decision and the culture leading up to it in all capacities. Our Canadian neighbor’s B.C. Supreme Court turned down a petition for payment of a dowry under a marriage contract authorized in a sharia court of Amman, Jordan. Seems that the dowry and sharia were contracted by the bride’s uncle, leaving her to live in poverty after her divorce.
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1st Meeting of the Urban Economics Association
53th Annual North American Meetings of the Regional Science Association International (RSAI)
Program Committee:
Accepted Papers
Session 01. Land Use and Spatial Interactions
Alejandro Jofre* (Center for Mathematical Modeling & DIM, Universidad de Chile), Pedro Jara (DELTA, and College de France, Paris.), Francisco Martinez (Dept. Civil Engineering, Transportation. Universidad de Chile)
A Land Use Equilibrium Model With endogenuos incomes
In a new land use equilibrium model based on a goods-and-housing exchange process with private ownership and hence endogenous incomes, we define two possible market equilibrium conditions. In the first one, households bid for all the available dwellings and market equilibrium adjusts utilities and allocates households in order to satisfy that at each available location only best bidders are localized. In the second one, a competitive equilibrium is defined; where households choose their dwellings by maximizing their utility, given the prices of goods and dwellings. In the second part of this paper we give conditions that allow us to identify equilibrium points that satisfy the equilibrium conditions of both approaches. The particular structure of the model motivates a new definition for willingness to pay (or bid) functions obtained as a result of an optimization problem and extending the usual definition (inverse on the rent of indirect utility) to any possible constraint in the consumer’s consumption sets. Finally, in the third part of the presentation, we establish an existence result for a simplified version of the utility maximization equilibrium model.
Pascal Mossay* (Universidad de Alicante), Picard Pierre (University of Manchester)
A Spatial Model of Social Interactions
A major source of spatial heterogeneity stems from the existence of social interactions. Social interactions through face-to-face contacts are at the essence of our societies and explain the gathering of individuals in villages, agglomerations or cities. They translate a psychological need for maintaining relationships with one another, and favour a constant exchange of ideas (Krugman 1991; Glaeser and Scheinkman 2003; Fujita and Thisse, 2002). In this paper we address the issue of the emergence of multiple agglomerations as the result of the interplay between social interactions and competition in the land market. The present paper builds on Beckmann's (1976) model. This model provides a simple rationale for the spatial agglomeration of agents as the result of spatial interaction externalities. Agents are distributed along a geographical space and benefit from social interactions with other agents. These social interactions provide individual benefits while entailing an individual cost as each one must access to distant agents. Moreover the return of the spatial interaction is also balanced by a cost of residence since agents compete for land space. When the benefit of social interactions is larger than the commuting and residence costs, agents prefer to be located close together, which leads to the formation of agglomerations. Beckmann considered the case of a one-dimensional spatial economy modelled along a line segment. The resulting equilibrium consists in a unimodal symmetric - bell-shaped - spatial distribution, where agents agglomerate around the city center and progressively disperse away from the city center (Fujita and Thisse, 2002). We revisit Beckmann (1976)'s framework along a line segment and extend it to the case of spatial economy extending along a circle. While the modelling along a line segment seems appropriate to describe the internal structure of cities, the formulation along a circumference provides a natural framework to analyze the emergence of multiple agglomerations. Circular spatial frameworks have already been studied in `racetrack economy' models. Those are new economic geography models based on economic interactions between agents that reside along the perimeter of a circumference, e.g. Fujita et al. (1999), Mossay (2003), or Picard and Tabuchi (2003). Yet, because of the complexity of market interactions, this strand of literature characterizes only the `flat earth' spatial equilibrium corresponding to a spatially constant distribution of agents. The present social interaction model has simpler analytical properties and allows us to discuss the structure of all spatial equilibria. The only change with respect to Beckmann's model concerns the utility function. We consider an hyperbolic preference for residential space rather than the logarithmic preference. Our results are the following. First we determine the first best and the equilibrium spatial distributions of agents along the line segment. In accordance to Fujita and Thisse (2002), the first best distribution is more concentrated than the equilibrium's; see also Tabuchi (1986). At equilibrium agents choose a too large lot size because they do not internalize other agents' preferences when making their own lot choice. Moreover, we show that the equilibrium includes a single city irrespective of the residential space preference. In this case, social interactions generate heterogeneity within a city but no heterogeneity among cities since the city is unique. Furthermore we also show that the implementation of the first best spatial distribution does not require the use of spatial transfers. Second we provide the conditions characterizing the spatial equilibria for a spatial economy extending along a circle. We consider the case of equidistant, symmetric, non-connected cities meaning cities sharing the same spatial structure and being separated by equal-size empty hinterlands. We show that there exists no spatial equilibrium with an even number of such cities. In contrast, there exist multiple equilibria with odd numbers of such cities. In that case the equilibria can be Pareto-ranked. Our findings contrast with Beckmann's result. Along a circle, spatial equilibria involving multiple agglomerations emerge. Indeed, the periodicity of the geographical space adds new location possibilities for agents because they may interact with others through additional alternative paths. Such issues arise in other spatial interaction models formulated around a circumference as in Krugman et al. (1999), Mossay (2003), Picard and Tabuchi (2003) and others. The relative simplicity of our model allows us to deal analytically with these aspects.
Christian Redfearn* (University of Southern California)
Determinacy in Urban Form: Fixed Investment and Path Dependence in the Spatial Distribution of Metropolitan Employment
Currently the economics of agglomeration receives a great deal of research attention, focusing on a variety of externalities to explain the evolution of cities. Much of this research is ahistorical, with little attention paid to the cumulative history of investment decisions that are manifested in the urban form researchers seek to understand. This paper addresses path dependence in the location of economic activity within the Los Angeles metropolitan area and presents evidence that during a remarkably dynamic period – in terms of the growth and transformation of the region’s population and employment, as well as other fundamental modeling variables such as transportation costs and communication technology – the “shape” (the spatial allocation of economic activity) of the Los Angeles metropolitan area remained broadly unchanged. Over the twenty-year sample period, the number of employment centers and their share of total employment have undergone only small changes relative to their aggregate dynamics. This stability appears to have its origins in the large fixed investment in structures and transit networks made decades earlier. Indeed, where employment concentrations are not situated astride one of the arteries in the current highway network (largely established by 1960), their location can be attributed to the freeway system as it stood prior to WWII. The dynamics of the metropolitan area’s employment appear to be explained in no small part by a path dependence related largely to the region’s freeway system as it existed prior to 1960. This finding has important implications for our understanding of location choice and the causes of agglomeration within metropolitan areas.
David Frame* (Carnegie Mellon University)
Local public goods and the dynamics of urban decay
Urban decay can be thought of as the physical and social degeneration of parts of a city, or even entire cities. Structural economic change resulting in a loss of local population, property abandonment, crime, and other social problems. Why is the urban structure in and around cities such as Detroit, Pittsburgh, and Cleveland abandoned despite proximity to city centers? Other cities, such as Denver, for example, have made significant transformations in the past 10 to 15 years. Why have some city centers flourished, while others experience persistent decay? Local governments and the level of public service provided by cities are often identified as important components of decision making among different neighborhoods and/or jurisdictions within metropolitan areas. What policies undertaken by local governments encourage and speed urban decay? What policies can be undertaken to stop or even reverse it? What is the role played by developers at the fringe of existing cities? The model developed in this paper attempts to capture the dynamics of urban decay and renewal where existing urban areas, run by local governments, compete with private developers offering newer housing allow with public amenities.
Session 02. Land Supply and Local Policies
Yusuke Teraji* (Graduate School of Economics, Kyoto University)
An Economic Analysis of Municipal Consolidation with Heterogeneous Preference
This paper studies the conditions for the consolidation of political jurisdictions. We focus on the tradeoff between the scale merit and the heterogeneity of preference among residents. That is, large jurisdictions enjoy the benefit of scale but must incur the cost due to the heterogeneity among their populations. In addition to this, the land public ownership yields the strategic interaction: the agreement of the consolidation of some towns induces the consolidation of remaining towns. Our model implies that i) the consolidation might be too much observed under the decentralized regime; ii) observed number of the consolidation might be inefficiently large.
Shin-Kun Peng (Academia Sinica and National Taiwan University), Ping Wang* (Washington University in St. Louis and NBER)
Housing Quality, Housing Development and Public Policy
We construct a general equilibrium model to characterize housing quality and prices in a competitive spatial equilibrium framework in which the finance of local public amenities plays a crucial role. We consider an array of housing-related tax policies, including a developer revenue tax, a property tax, a land tax and a development license fee. In competitive spatial equilibrium, all households optimize and reach the same utility in locational equilibrium, all monopolistically competitive developers optimize and receive zero profit, and both housing and land markets clear. We characterize the schedule of housing quality, housing prices, land rent, and the population and housing density. Moreover, we evaluate the effects of tax policies on the housing market, the urban structure, as well as the welfare of the local economy.
John Hartwick* (Queen's University)
The Control of Land Rent in a Fortified Farming Village
We consider village defense as a local public good and take up the matter of funding this good with local land rent from farms, rent administered by a local civic leader. Rotating office-holding is the democratic alternative. We argue for this administrator becoming an exploitative local herediary lord of the community and consider constraints on his degree of predation on the incomes of the farmers. We draw on the Henry George theory of using land rent to finance the public sector and take up a new critique of Henry George theory.
Francois Ortalo-Magne* (University of Wisconsin - Madison), Andrea Prat (London School of Economics)
The Political Economy of Housing Supply
We model an economy where people choose housing consumption, housing investment, and vote at a local level on the number of new building permits to be issued. Inefficiencies arise due to a vicious circle between households' desire to own housing as a hedge against income shocks and their support for housing supply restrictions that make housing a better hedge against income shocks. The equilibrium supply of housing depends on the rule that governs the appropriation of the proceeds from issuing new building permits. There is hysteresis in housing supply: the more restricted the initial housing supply, the smaller the city size selected by the voting process. We analyze the effects of a number of policies: (1) A reform of the housing permit allocation process; (2) Incentives for home ownership; (3) Centralization of planning decisions; and (4) Elimination of barriers to fractional ownership. The model highlights the tension between the two housing policy objectives of increasing homeownership and housing affordability.
Session 03. Housing
Christian A. L. Hilber* (London School of Economics), Yingchun Liu (Fannie Mae)
Explaining the Black-White Homeownership Gap
Blacks in the United States are considerably less likely to own their homes compared to Whites. Differences in household income and other socio-economic characteristics can only partially explain this gap and previous studies suggest that the 'unexplained gap' has increased over time. In this paper we use the 2001 Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID) intergenerational data, which allows us to better control for household wealth, parental wealth (and other parental externalities) and location type (which proxies the relative cost of owning). We find that the remaining homeownership gap can be entirely explained by differences in endowments and location choice.
Paul Cheshire* (London School of Economics), Christian Hilber (London School of Economics)
Office space supply restrictions in Britain: the political economy of market revenge
According to surveys by real estate intermediaries rents and occupations costs of office space in Britain are - and have been since comparable data have been available - the highest in the world (KingSturge, 2003; 2004 & 2005: CBRE 2004 & 2005). While London is a large and prosperous city with an international reach as a financial centre and location for HQs so might be expected to be expensive, it is not immediately obvious why the total occupation costs of office space per square metre in a not so prosperous, medium sized city such as Birmingham, England, should be 44 percent higher than Manhattan or 124 percent higher than richer and really land-constrained Singapore (KingSturge, 2004). Yet this is consistent with research on the effects of planning constraints in the residential sector showing that these are high and have had a significant net negative welfare effect in the prosperous south east of England (Cheshire and Sheppard, 2002). This paper first investigates the causes of high costs of office space in Britain. We provide the first systematic estimates of the value of the ‘Regulatory Tax’ (see Glaeser, Gyourko and Saks, 2005) for non-residential real estate. We have estimated this for office space in 15 British office locations. We provide a central estimate and then subject this to sensitivity tests. This work shows that even on the most conservative assumptions there is a very substantial cost of regulation in Britain. The regulatory tax relative to the marginal costs of construction is several orders of magnitude greater than that estimated for Manhattan condominiums by Glaeser et al (2005). The values are estimated over time with the oldest data being for the City and West End of London in 1961. This cross sectional time series data then allows us to investigate the political economy of regulatory restriction on office development. The British tax system provides no fiscal incentive to local authorities to permit commercial development since there is a uniform business rate with rates being set nationally and revenues redistributed according to nationally determined formulae. The result is that in all cases except one, permissions are controlled by ‘homevoters’ (Fischel, 2001). The exception is the City of London where the inheritance from the medieval system of government which allowed local determination to the City Corporation, coupled with the fact that there are only 4,000 residents in the City has meant that local business interests control the land regulatory system. The City of London is also the only office location in Britain where the value of the Regulatory tax has fallen over time. This fall seems to be related to explicit changes in planning restrictiveness in the City of London, triggered first by the development of competing back office locations in the 1960s and 1970s and then by the development of London Docklands during the 1980s. This provided significant competition to the City as an office location. In all other locations the value of the regulatory tax has increased significantly since the early 1990s. Finally, we construct alternative measures of regulatory restrictiveness for each of the fifteen locations and show how these relate to estimates of the regulatory tax. We then investigate how our measures of the regulatory tax relate over time and across locations to local economic indicators, home ownership rates and varying conservation requirements imposed by national government.
Nathaniel Baum-Snow* (Brown University), Justin Marion (UC Santa Cruz)
The Effects of Low Income Housing Units on Neighborhoods
This paper exploits a discontinuity in the allocation of tax credits to low income housing developments that generates pseudo-random assignment in the number of low income housing units built in similar sets of census tracts. Preliminary estimates indicate that a 30 percent increase in the tax credit is associated with an increase of approximately 5 low income housing units on a base increase of 12 units per tract on average. Among large metropolitan areas, we find a measurable negative impact of these additional low income units on local housing values.
Morris Davis* (University of Wisconsin), Morris Davis (Georgetown University), Jonathan Heathcote ()
The Price and Quantity of Land in the United States
A house is a bundle comprising a physical structure and the plot of land upon which the house is built. Thus changes in house prices reflect changes in the cost of structures and value of land. In this paper we apply this insight to construct the first constant-quality price and quantity indexes for the aggregate stock of residential land in the United States. We document that the value of residential land exceeds annual GDP, and that the dynamics for the prices of residential land and residential structures are quite different. For example, the real price index for residential land almost tripled between 1975 and 2005, while the real price of structures increased by only 24 percent. Fluctuations in house prices at business cycle frequencies, including the recent boom, are primarily driven by changes in the price of land.
Session 04. Real Estate
David Brasington* (Louisiana State University), Diane Hite (Auburn University)
A Mixed Index Approach to Identifying Hedonic Price Models
Recent literature suggests identifying house price hedonic models by using instrumental variables, spatial statistics, the borders approach, panel data, and other techniques. We introduce a mixed index model to identify house price hedonic regressions. We compare the performance of the mixed index model to a traditional hedonic model and to a hedonic model that includes characteristics of the buyer of each house. We find the mixed index model outperforms the other models based on bootstrap distributions of predicted housing values, prediction variance, and predicted policy effects. The mixed index model distributions are less skewed and kurtotic than the other models, suggesting that the mixed index model more closely satisfies the classical linear regression assumption of normally distributed errors. Compared to the mixed index model, the traditional hedonic overstates the importance of school quality to house price and understates the importance of environmental quality to house price.
Indrashis Chaudhuri* (Department of Economics, The Ohio State University)
Consumer Borrowing Behavior of U.S. Homeowners
The paper is aimed at developing a clear understanding of consumer borrowing behavior of U.S. homeowners experiencing house price shocks with a special focus on differences in behavior comparing non-Hispanic Whites and African-Americans. Some prominent economists attributed the increase in home equity and subsequent refinancing of mortgages to be the stabilizing force during the last recession. The theoretical model of my paper is aimed at analyzing the circumstances under which increased equity in homes results in increased consumption by homeowners. It is shown that liquidity constrained households and households that smooth consumption over time are the likely candidates to react strongly to any housing wealth windfall. In addition, collateralized borrowing should be the instrument of choice for cashing out equity from homes and spending on consumer goods. Given that on average African-Americans are more likely to have a smaller asset base and more volatile income than non-Hispanic Whites, the theoretical model suggests that Blacks should react strongly to any house price shock, as they are more likely to be financially constrained. The instrumental variable regression results point to the fact that the consumer credit behavior of homeowners differ by race in various consumer credit markets. Another finding is that Blacks are not behaving in line with theoretical predictions. The paper also found some evidence that Blacks refinance primarily to cash out equity where as Whites usually achieve the dual objectives of lowering interest rate and cashing out equity from refinancing.
Paul Anglin* (University of Guelph)
Local dynamics and contagion in real estate markets
Prices usually assumed to adjust so that the market clears in such a way that any dynamic characteristics of a market are independent across different segments within a market. In this paper, I propose a model with three locations: one in the center and two on the periphery. In each market separately, the price is determined by a combination of auto-correlated shocks and non-instantaneous adjustment. Prices are also determined by the potential for buyers to move between locations based on information. Thus, the evolution of the three prices is governed by a simple difference equation characterized by three parameters: the degree of autocorrelation, the speed of adjustment and a measure of contagion between regions. While local parameters may be hidden by aggregation, I argue that changes in the micro-structure can alter macro-phenomena: that contagion between regions alters the dynamic properties of aggregate measures. Most of the analysis uses numerical simulation to quantify the effects. The paper ends with a discussion of empirical issues since the contagion parameter cannot be estimated directly using commonly-available city-wide data on average prices. This analysis will also use data drawn from Toronto Canada data for over 80 regions and 10 years. I present evidence of significant correlation over time and over space.
John McDonald* (University of Illinois at Chicago), Yuliya Yurova (UIC)
Property Taxation and Selling Prices of Industrial Real Estate
This study shows that variations in the local property tax are fully capitalized into the selling prices of industrial real estate in the O'Hare Airport market area. The property tax is 1.67% in DuPage County and 4.36% in Cook County. Both counties abut O'Hare Airport.
Session 05. Agglomeration and its Effects
Thomas Klier (Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago), Daniel McMillen* (University of Illinois at Chicago)
Clustering of Auto Supplier Plants in the U.S.: GMM Spatial Logit for Large Samples
A linearized version of Pinkse and Slade’s (1998) spatial probit estimator is used to account for the tendency of auto supplier plants to cluster together. By reducing estimation to two steps – standard probit or logit followed by two-stage least squares – linearization produces a model that can be estimated using large datasets. Our results imply significant clustering among older plants. Supplier plants are more likely to be in counties that are near assembly plants, that include interstate highways, and that are near other counties with supplier plants. New plants show no additional tendency toward clustering beyond that shown by older plants.
Gerald Carlino* (Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia), Robert Hunt (Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia)
INNOVATION ACROSS U.S. INDUSTRIES:THE EFFECTS OF URBANIZATION AND LOCALIZATION
This paper extends the research in Carlino, Chaterjee and Hunt (2004) to consider variations in the effects of scale (urbanization economies) and industrial clustering (localization economies) on industry level rates of innovation, as measured by patents. We estimate separate equations for more than a dozen U.S. industries over the 1990s. We find both effects matter, but the magnitudes vary significantly across industries. We also verify that our earlier results in terms of the selectivity of worker matches, as measured by density of workers, obtains in most R&D intensive industries.
Li Gan (Texas A&M University), Qinghua Zhang* (Peking University)
The Thick Market Effect on Housing Markets Transactions
This paper provides a search model for housing market where the number of buyers and/or sellers plays very important role. The model makes three testable predictions: (1) the unemployment rate has a negative impact on the trading volume and the sale prices of the housing market; (2) a larger housing market has a lower average sale price, shorter time-to-sale and smaller price dispersion, in addition to a lower vacancy rate. (3) In a larger housing market, when the unemployment rate goes up (or down), the sale price decreases (or increases) by a smaller percentage than in a smaller market. All three predictions are supported by a panel dataset of the Texas city-level housing markets.
Fabiano Schivardi* (Banca d'Italia), Luigi Guiso (Universita' Tor Vergata)
What determines entrepreneurial clusters?
We contrast two potential explanations of the substantial differences in entrepreneurial activity observed across geographical areas: entry costs and external effects. We extend the Lucas model of entrepreneurship to allow for heterogeneous entry costs and for externalities that shift the distribution of entrepreneurial talents. We show that these assumptions have opposite predictions on the relation between entrepreneurial activity and productivity: with different entry costs, in areas with more entrepreneurs their average productivity should be lower and vice versa. We test these implications on a sample of Italian firms and unambiguously reject the entry costs explanation in favor of the externalities one. We also investigate the sources of external effects, finding robust evidence that learning externalities are an important determinant of cross-sectional differences in entrepreneurial activity.
Session 06. Transportation
Pierre M Picard* (CORE UCL; SoSS University of Manchester), Thierry Brechet (CORE UCL)
Airports and Tradeable Noise Permits
This paper presents a market design for the management of noise disturbance created by aircraft traffic around large airports. A market for tradable noise permits allows noise generators to compensate harmed residents. We show that the noise permit markets allow to achieve the planner's optimal allocation of flights provided that she/he does not over-weight the benefit of economic activity compared to the disutility of noise disturbances. The fact that zones are likely to be strategic players does not fundamentally alter this finding. Because of market auctionneer's information constraints, noise permits are likely to redistribute windfall gains to residents located in non-critical zones. This entices landlords to increase their land/house rents there and to design smaller houses in the long run.
Se-il Mun* (Kyoto University), Shintaro Nakagawa (Kyoto University)
Cross-border Transport Infrastructure and Aid Policies
We investigated resource allocation concerning the provision of cross-border transport infrastructure, which is used for trade of goods between two neighboring countries. Since the level of infrastructure is sub-optimal under the circumstances that two governments choose the levels of infrastructure independently, we focus on the role of foreign aid to improve the efficiency of infrastructure provision. In this paper, we examine the welfare effects of aid policies, and show that aid can make both countries better off, i.e., Pareto improvement. Furthermore, Pareto improvement is more likely if the stage of development in recipient country is very low or sufficiently high.
Kurt Van Dender* (University of California, Irvine)
Determinants of Fares and Operating Revenues at U.S. Airports
We estimate a system of equations to investigate the dependence of (a) average passenger fares for flights out of large U.S. airports, (b) airports’ average aeronautical revenues per flight, and (c) concession revenues per passenger, on the airports’ market environment and on service quality. The main indicators of market structure are whether there is a nearby airport offering similar services (horizontal relations), the degree of airline concentration at the airport, and network hub status (vertical relations). Service quality is measured by delays, which are partly the result of congestion. The system is estimated on annual data for large U.S. airports from 1998 through 2002. We find that aeronautical and concession revenues are only weakly related to indicators of market structure. However, passengers and airlines respond to fares, airport charges and delays as would be expected, and fares depend on vertical and horizontal features of market structure as well. The results imply that the anticipated increase in commercialization of airports is likely to strongly alter their decisions concerning aeronautical and concession charges and concessions; they also provide some guidance on airport and passenger behavior affecting such changes.
Marvin Kraus* (Boston College)
Returns to Scale in Networks
When demand increases in a congestible network, there are typically a variety of ways that a network authority can provide additional capacity. For example, in a highway network, existing roads can be widened or new ones added. This paper is concerned with the determination of the degree of local returns to scale in the cost function for the network’s outputs when there are multiple margins – including the network’s density – along which the network authority can make adjustments to capacity. The degree of local returns to scale is important, bearing on whether and to what extent an optimally priced and designed network should be subsidized. We prove: Theorem. Under the provision of a cost-minimizing network, the degree of local returns to scale is the same along all margins for adjusting capacity, both singly and in combination. This includes the network’s density. A particular implication of the theorem is that, subject to the optimality of the initial network, its density can be held fixed in evaluating local returns to scale.
Session 07. Honouring M. Fujita
Tony Smith* (University of Pennsylvania), Tomoya Mori (Kyoto University)
EMPIRICAL ANALYSES OF INDUSTRIAL AGGLOMERATION
In this paper we give a brief overview of our recent attempts to develop an analytical framework for studying empirical patterns of spatial economic agglomeration. These efforts have been largely inspired by the theoretical work of Fujita and Krugman, who formulated a general equilibrium model of a one-dimensional continuum within which equilibrium patterns of land use could be derived. Unlike previous two-region models or non-spatial multi-region models, their continuous framework for the first time allowed one to study the equilibrium size and spacing of industrial agglomerations, as well as their possible coordination across different industries. Our work attempts to build on these theoretical contributions by developing analytical methods for studying these spatial agglomeration properties empirically. One key finding of the Fujita-Krugman model was that in many cases the equilibrium industrial patterns derived are strikingly similar to the classical Hierarchy Principle of Christaller. Our work with Japanese data lends empirical support to this finding. In particular, we have found a strong empirical regularity, designated as the “Number-Average Size Rule”, that is not only consistent with Christaller Hierarchies, but also reveals a new connection between such hierarchies and the classical Rank-Size Rule. In addition, we have developed a new statistical approach to the comparative analysis of agglomeration (localization) between industries in terms of Kullback-Leibler divergence. The decomposability properties of K-L divergence are particularly well suited to the study of agglomeration hierarchies at various level of spatial aggregation. Another key finding of Fujita-Krugman is the notion of an “agglomeration shadow”, which helps to explain the equilibrium spacing between agglomerations within a given industry. Our most recent work on agglomeration patterns can in principle help to measure this shadow effect. Here we begin with a statistical model of agglomeration patterns in terms of “cluster schemes”, and then develop methods for constructing and identifying the cluster schemes that best fit the regional concentrations of each industry. These “best fit” patterns not only yield empirical information about the size and spacing of agglomerations within industries, but also about their degree of coordination across industries. So it is our hope that the results of this analysis may ultimately suggest useful theoretical hypotheses for two-dimensional extensions of the Fujita-Krugman model.
Vernon Henderson* (brown university & NBER), Hyoung-Gun Wang (World Bank)
Urbanization and City Growth: the Role of Institutions
. This paper models the urbanization process and how urbanization in a country is accommodated by increases in numbers versus population sizes of cities, in an endogenous growth context where political institutions play a key role. The paper estimates the equations of the model describing growth in city numbers in a country and growth in individual city sizes, using a worldwide data set on all metro areas over 100,000 from 1960-2000. Institutions and the degree of democratization and fiscal decentralization, as well as technological advances, strongly affect growth in both city numbers and individual city sizes, with the effects on individual city sizes being heterogeneous. Technology improvements help bigger cities, with their complex infrastructure needs, relative to smaller ones; but increasing democratization levels the playing field across the urban hierarchy, allowing smaller cities greater ability to compete for firms and residents. In sum, these two opposing effects on the relative sizes of bigger versus smaller cities appear to have left the overall relative size distribution of cities worldwide unchanged over the time period.
Edward Glaeser* (Harvard University)
Why Have Housing Prices Gone Up?
Since 1950, housing prices have risen regularly by almost two percent per year. Between 1950 and 1970, this increase reflects rising housing quality and construction costs. Since 1970, this increase reflects the increasing difficulty of obtaining regulatory approval for building new homes. In this paper, we present a simple model of regulatory approval that suggests a number of explanations for this change including changing judicial tastes, decreasing ability to bribe regulators, rising incomes and greater tastes for amenities, and improvements in the ability of homeowners to organize and influence local decisions. Our preliminary evidence suggests that there was a significant increase in the ability of local residents to block new projects and a change of cities from urban growth machines to homeowners’ cooperatives.
Session 08. Honouring M. Fujita: Empirical New Economic Geography
Tomoya Mori* (Kyoto University), Tony E. Smith (University of Pennsylvania)
A Probabilistic Modeling Approach to the Detection of Industrial Agglomerations
Dating from the seminal work of Ellison and Glaeser in 1997, a wealth of evidence for the ubiquity of industrial agglomerations has been published. However, most of these results are based on analyses of a single (scalar) index of agglomeration. Hence it is not surprising that industries deemed to be similar by such indices can often exhibit very different patterns of agglomeration -- both with respect to the number, size, and spatial extent of individual agglomeration clusters. The purpose of this paper is thus to propose a more detailed spatial analysis of agglomeration in terms of multiple-cluster patterns. The key idea is to develop a simple probability model of multiple clusters, called cluster schemes, and then to seek a "best" cluster scheme for each industry by employing a range of standard model-selection criteria. Our ulitimate objective is to provide a richer characterization of spatial agglomeration patterns that will allow more meaningful comparisons of these patterns across industries.
Keith Head* (University of British Columbia, Sauder School of Business), Thierry Mayer (University of Paris I)
Decolonization and the erosion of market potential
We investigate the costs of independence to former colonies in terms of lost market potential. The idea is that trade linkages fell between the former colony and colonial power. Because the colonial power's market could not be easily replicated, the former colony experienced a net loss in market potential. New Economic Geography models predict a corresponding decrease in the incomes of factors in the former colonies. We investigate whether this mechanism finds support in the data.
Gilles Duranton* (University of Toronto), Henry Overman (London School of Economics)
Detailed Location Patterns of UK Manufacturing Industries
Using a point-pattern methodology, we explore a range of issues regarding the detailed location patterns of uk manufacturing industries. In particular, we focus on the location of entrants and exiters vs. continuing establishments, domestic- vs. foreign-owned, large vs. small, and affiliated vs. independent. We also examine co-localisation between vertically-linked industries. Our analysis provides a set of new stylised facts and confirmation for others.
Anthony Briant (Paris-jourdan Sciences-Economiques), Pierre-Philippe Combes* (GREQAM-University of Aix-Marseille, Paris-jourdan Sciences-Economiques and CEPR), Miren Lafourcade (University of Valenciennes and Paris-jourdan Sciences-Economiques)
Does the Modifiable Areal Unit Problem jeopardize linebreak economic geography estimations?
Any empirical research based on geographical data has to deal first with the choice of a given spatial nomenclature. When results differ from one study to another that does not use the same nomenclature, it might be the case that changes in the results are due to changes in the nomenclature, or to real differences in the underlying process under study. For instance, the determinants of local wages have been studied at various geographical scales such as countries (Redding and Venables, 2005), European regions (Head and Mayer, 2006), national regions (Brackman et al., 2004 ; Mion, 2004), or even smaller units such as US counties (Hanson, 2005), French (Combes et al., 2004) or Italian (Mion and Naticchioni, 2005) employment areas. Typically, the significance and weight of wage determinants vary across these studies. A huge body of empirical literature was also devoted to analyze the agglomeration scope of economic activities. In the same vein as before, it is difficult to infer from the results obtained under different geographical scales whether theoretical predictions can be challenged independently of the spatial scale chosen for empirical analysis. More generally, if different areal arrangements of the same data produce different numerical results, independently of subjacent theory, testing the validity of theoretical predictions becomes itself an extraordinary difficult task. This paper investigates whether some standard economic geography estimations are jeopardized by changes in the scale and aggregation of spatial units. We notably compare the biases arising from nomenclature choices with those resulting from economic mis-specification.
Session 09. Honouring M. Fujita: Theoretical New Economic Geography
Marcus Berliant* (Washington University in St. Louis), Fan-chin Kung (City University of Hong Kong)
Can Information Asymmetry Cause Agglomeration?
Various models, such as those used in the New Economic Geography, employ combinations of agglomerative and repulsive forces to generate equilibria with cities and agglomeration. Can classical asymmetric information in the labor market, in the form of adverse selection, result in an equilibrium that features agglomeration of agents? We use a model with two types, high and low ability, and two locations. The high type dislikes work more than the low type. Firms in both locations have the same technology for production of a single consumption commodity. They know the distribution of types, but the type of a particular agent is private information to that agent. The firms compete with both potential entrants and firms in the other location. Firms offer labor contracts that specify wages based on hours worked. In equilibrium, zero profit, voluntary participation, and incentive compatibility constraints must be satisfied along with feasibility. A further stability requirement is imposed, that the equilibrium be immune to small locational deviations of consumers. We have functional forms and some relatively mild restrictions on parameters such that the equilibrium separates types by location. Thus, high and low skilled workers agglomerate separately. This can be induced as a comparative static change from a symmetric equilibrium to an asymmetric one by varying some of the exogenous parameters.
Takatoshi Tabuchi* (University of Tokyo), Chao-cheng Mai (Tamkang University), Shin-Kun Peng (Academia Sinica)
Economic Geography with Tariff Competition
A simple two-country model of economic geography is constructed in order to examine the effect of tariff competition on the manufacturing distribution of firms. We show that tariff competition with free capital movements ends up with a coreperiphery economy, where at least one of the two countries imposes no tariff in Nash equilibrium. We also show that tariff competition without capital movements harms each other’s welfare, and that tariff competition with capital movements leads to the first-best outcome.
Massimo Del Gatto (U Cagliari), Giordano Mion (U Catholique Louvain), Gianmarco Ottaviano* (U Bologna)
Integration, Firm Selection and the Costs of Non-Europe
In models with heterogeneous firms trade integration has a positive impact on aggregate productivity through the selection of the best firms as import competition drives the least productive ones out of the market. To quantify the impact of firm selection on productivity, we calibrate and simulate a multi-country multi-sector model with monopolistic competition and variable markups using firm-level data and aggregate trade figures on a panel of 11 EU countries. We find that EU trade has a sizeable impact on aggregate productivity. In 2000 the introduction of prohibitive trade barriers would have caused an average productivity loss of roughly $13$ per cent, whereas a reduction of intra-EU trade costs by 5 per cent would have generated a productivity gain of roughly 2 per cent. Productivity losses and gains, however, vary a lot across countries and sectors depending on market accessibility and trade costs. We provide evidence that our results are robust to alternative distance and productivity measures.
Kazuhiro Yamamoto* (Osaka University)
Location of industry and market size in a world of imperfect capital mobility
This paper examines the impact of imperfect international capital mobility on industrial location when increasing returns are present. When the international capital mobility is perfect, agglomeration of manufacturing firms is progressed with decline in transportation costs of manufactured goods, and full-agglomeration in a large market country is observed at low transportation costs. In contrast, when international capital mobility is imperfect, agglomeration in the large market country is progressed with capital trade integration. When transportation costs of manufactured goods are low, all capital holders in two countries invest their capital into home market: the distribution of firms between two countries holds the same value to the distribution of capital holding between two countries.
Session 10. Honouring M. Fujita: Urban modeling
Robert Helsley* (University of British Columbia), William Strange (University of Toronto)
A Game-Theoretic Analysis of Skyscrapers
The development of structural steel and the elevator in the late 19th Century allowed buildings to be constructed economically at heights that had previously been impossible. But tall buildings have never been about economy alone. Ever since the development of the first skyscrapers, it has been clear that value has been placed not just on the pro forma attribution of value to leasable space but also on building height in and of itself. One dimension of building height that appears to have been central to builders is relative height. In 1909, the Metropolitan Life Building became the largest occupied building in the world, with only the Eiffel Tower reaching a greater height. In 1913, the Woolworth Building was completed, displacing the Metropolitan Life Building at the top of the list of the World’s Tallest Buildings. It private conversations with builder Louis Horowitz, Frank W. Woolworth made it clear that an accounting that related the costs of the building to its leasing revenues failed to capture the great value that accrued to being tallest: winning mattered in that it established the Woolworth brand as a corporation and it marked an achievement for Woolworth himself as an entrepreneur. In other words, Woolworth assigned value to being tallest that was independent of the narrow value of the skyscraper as a piece of real estate. This situation is one that has repeated itself several times, notably the skyscraper race between the Manhattan Company Building (40 Wall Street), the Chrysler Building, and the Empire State Building. The situation seems to be repeating itself today, with new holders of the world’s tallest title being built every few years and other contenders in the process of being built. A common feature of these situations is that builders appear to assign value to being biggest, which results in their topping each other with structures of undeniable symbolic significance but doubtful economy. This paper carries out a game-theoretic analysis of such a skyscraper contest. A builder is assumed to have a payoff function that depends in part on profits, as derived from a standard model of urban spatial structure. Builder payoff also depends on whether the builder has developed the tallest structure in his or her market. The paper considers both simultaneous-move and sequential skyscraper games. The main conclusion that emerges from the analysis is that the contest results in dissipation, with the value of the tallest-building prize at least partially lost in the poor economics of skyscrapers. In the simultaneous move version of the game, the dissipation manifests itself in a mixed strategy equilibrium where all but the highest-value builder gain no expected value whatsoever from competing in the skyscraper contest. Although the highest-value builder does enjoy positive expected surplus from the contest, there is partial expected dissipation of the fruits of victory for this builder as well. This sort of race is at least broadly consistent with the historical evidence sketched above. In a sequential version of the game, the dissipation takes the form of costly pre-emption, where the leader builds a tall-enough building to deter competing builders. This pre-emption also seems to be consistent with observation, in particular with the Empire State Building’s long stay at the top of the tallest-building list. These results are relevant to several significant issues in urban economics. First, they bear on agglomeration in that skyscrapers allow the concentrations of great numbers of workers and businesses in very close proximity. It is well-known that in the presence of positive externalities associated with agglomeration, there exists a tendency for density to be inefficiently low in the market equilibrium. The skyscraper contest results suggest that an opposing tendency may exist to build at excessive densities. Second, the results also bear on the related issues of the health of central cities and so-called “urban sprawl.” Opponents of sprawl argue that the tendency to decentralize spatially is inefficiently strong in equilibrium since suburbanites and exurbanites do not bear the full costs of commuting or decentralized public good and service provision. The skyscraper contest results suggest an opposing tendency, one that tends towards a more centralized urban spatial structure. Third, the results bear on the tendency towards overbuilding in real estate markets. Overbuilding has been identified as an important aspect of real estate cycles in nearly every city. It has been variously attributed to irrationality on the parts of builders and lenders, to incentive problems in banking, and to particular features of tax codes. This paper’s results suggest another possible foundation, one arising from strategic interactions between builders.
Jan Brueckner* (University of California, Irvine), Stuart Rosenthal (Syracuse University)
Gentrification and Neighborhood Housing Cycles: Will America's Future Downtowns Be Rich?
This paper identifies a new factor, the age of the housing stock, that affects where high- and low-income neighborhoods are located in U.S. cities. High-income households, driven by a high demand for housing services, will tend to locate in areas of the city where the housing stock is relatively young. Because cities develop and redevelop from the center outward over time, the location of these neighborhoods varies over the city’s history. The model predicts a suburban location for the rich in an initial period, when young dwellings are found only in the suburbs, while predicting eventual gentrification once central redevelopment creates a young downtown housing stock. Empirical work indicates that if the influence of spatial variation in dwelling ages were eliminated, longstanding central city/suburban disparities in neighborhood economic status would be reduced by up to 50 percent. Model estimates further predict that between 2000 and 2020, central-city/suburban differences in economic status will widen somewhat in smaller cities but narrow sharply in the largest American cities as they become more gentrified.
Charles de Bartolome* (University of Colorado), Stephen Ross (University of Connecticut)
The Location of the Poor in a Metropolitan Area: A Positive Analysis
We seek to explain the stylized fact that poor households form the majority in the inner city of most American metropolitan areas. Using numerical simulations, we show that (1) typically there exist two equilibria: one in which the poor form the majority in the inner city and the other in which the rich form the majority; (2) when the metropolitan population is small, rich households “jump to the suburb” to obtain their desired public service, and this causes the growth path to select the equilibrium in which poor households are the inner city’s majority.
Yves Zenou* (Research Institute of Industrial Economics)
Why do Ethnic Minorities Search Less? A Transport-Mode Based Theory
The aim of this paper is to show that different transport modes between whites and nonwhites lead to different search intensities. We develop a theoretical model in which whites mainly use cars to commute whereas nonwhites use public transportation. We show that, for both whites and nonwhites, living in areas where employed workers' average commuting time is higher yield the unemployed to search more than in areas with lower commuting time. Because of different transport modes, we also show that white unemployed workers search more intensively than nonwhites even if both live in areas where employed workers have exactly the same average commuting time. This is because using a faster transportation mode allows unemployed whites to accept jobs that are located further away and thus to have a higher area of search than nonwhites.
Session 11. Honouring M. Fujita: Urban labour markets
Laurent Gobillon (Institut National d'Etudes Demographiques (INED)), Harris Selod* (Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA))
Acces to jobs, residential segregation and urban unemployment in the Paris Greater Area
In this paper, we first present a survey showing how residential segregation and disconnection from job opportunities can exacerbate urban unemployment. We then present a set of relevant descriptive statistics on the Greater Paris Area which characterize the region’s spatial disparities in unemployment, residential segregation, and access to jobs. These statistics are computed from the 1999 Census of the Population and traveling times provided by the French Ministry of Transportation. We then estimate the effect of indices measuring segregation and access to jobs on transitions out of unemployment using a rotational panel dataset from the French Labor Force Survey over the 1990-2002 period. Our results show that neighborhood segregation is a key factor that prevents unemployed workers from finding a job (without moving) and impedes residential mobility. The result remains when accounting for potential location endogeneity biases.
Eleonora Patacchini* (University of Rome "La Sapienza"), Yves Zenou (IUI, The Research Institute of Industrial Economics, Stockholm)
Spatial Dependence in Local Unemployment Rates
By explicitly considering the spatial dimension of local regional labor markets, we develop a simple dynamic model that explains the spatial correlation between unemployment rates, and test it using local autority-level data in England. Our evidence shows a significant spatial dependence that has been growing over time and characterized by a low distance decay. Highly localised effects are found to derive from commuting flows. These results are consistent with the theoretical model.
Hikaru Ogawa (Nagoya University), Yasuhiro Sato* (Nagoya University), Toshiki Tamai (Nagoya University)
Tax competition and public input provision with imperfect labor markets
Incorporating a labor market imperfection caused by fixed wages into a tax competition model, this paper analyzes what will happen when jurisdictional governments provide public inputs to cope with regional unemployment. The results show that capital taxation has an employment externality. Public input provision is also shown to cause an employment externality by shifting the production frontier. These employment externalities induce the governments to levy tax on capital even if a head tax is available. The degree of the employment externalities is shown to vary depending on the level of fixed wage. Composition of public spending is also discussed.
Stephen L. Ross* (University of Connecticut), Shihe Fu (Southwestern University of Finance and Economics)
Wage Premium in Employment Clusters: Agglomeration Economies or Worker Heterogeneity?
This paper examines whether wage premia that appear to be correlated with concentrations of firm activity arise due to agglomeration economies or workers sorting across work locations based on preferences that are correlated with unobserved productivity. A worker’s residential location is used as a proxy for their unobservable productivity attributes, and the paper examines whether the estimates of work location wage premia are robust to the inclusion of controls for residential location. The models in this paper are estimated using the 5% Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) from the 2000 U.S. Decennial Census. Preliminary analyses suggest that a substantial fraction of wage premium can be explained by worker residential location.
Session 12. Honouring M. Fujita: Local public economics
Alex Anas* (State University of New York at Buffalo), David Pines (Tel-Aviv University)
Anti-sprawl policies in a system of congested cities
Armed with recurring analyses since the mid 1960s, economists believe that the under pricing of traffic congestion in urban areas causes not only excessive travel but also excessively low land use densities and excessively spread out cities, a condition popularly known as urban sprawl. We consider congested cities of different population sizes linked to each other by migration. Under plausible general assumptions, we show that first-best-optimal congestion tolls reduce excessive travel and travel expenditure by shifting population from large to small cities, increasing aggregate land consumption in the city system. Thus more not less geographic sprawl is associated with economic efficiency. When tolls are not available, planners can achieve a second-best optimum by zoning or subsidizing smaller cities for expansion while simultaneously taxing or restricting land expansion in the large cities. In this case also, aggregate urban land across all city sizes expands as excess travel is reduced, provided the elasticity of substitution between land and other goods is sufficiently close to zero.
Yoshitsugu Kanemoto* (University of Tokyo), Satoshi Hikino (University of Tokyo), Chisato Asahi (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport)
Consumption Side Agglomeration Economies in Japanese Cities
We estimate the magnitudes of the consumption side urban agglomeration economies for Japanese metropolitan areas. Following the pioneering work of Tabuchi and Yoshida (2000), our approach exploits the fact that consumers tolerate higher living costs in larger cities, in particular, higher housing costs, if they benefit from urban agglomeration. This living cost approach requires an appropriate measure of the average living cost in a metropolitan area, which is not easy to estimate because housing prices have extremely wide variation within a metropolitan area. Tabuchi and Yoshida (2000) chose the average land price for commercial use. Since the prices of residential land are typically much lower than those of commercial land, this might have resulted in biased estimates. We estimate bid rent functions for municipalities within metropolitan areas to obtain a better estimate of urban agglomeration economies.
Christian A. L. Hilber (London School of Economics), Frederic L. Robert-Nicoud* (London School of Economics)
Desirable Locations and Land Use Constraints
We model residential land use constraints as the outcome of a political economy game between owners of developed and owners of undeveloped land. Land use constraints are interpreted as shadow taxes that increase the land rent of already developed plots and reduce the amount of new housing developments. In general equilibrium, locations with nicer amenities are more developed and, as a consequence, more regulated. We test our model predictions by geographically matching amenity, land use, and historical Census data to metropolitan area level survey data on regulatory restrictiveness. Using amenities as instrumental variables, we demonstrate that metropolitan areas with better amenities are indeed more developed and more tightly regulated. Moreover, consistent with theory, metropolitan areas that were more regulated in the 1980s observed a greater slowdown in the growth rate of new housing construction from the 1980s to the 1990s.
Hideo Konishi* (Boston College)
Tiebout's Tale in Spatial Economies: Entrepreneurship, Self-Selection and Efficiency
This year is the fifty year anniversary of celebrated Tiebout's paper (Tiebout, 1956 JPE). This paper proposes an equilibrium concept based on Rothschild and Stiglitz (1977 QJE) in local public goods economy a la Tiebout (1956 JPE) with spatial elements. Land, location-specific production technology, and wage differences are introduced, and taxes are land taxes (property taxes). Assuming small group effectiveness in the manner of Wooders (1978), Kaneko and Wooders (1986 MASS), Ellickson et al (1999 Econometrica) and Conley and Wooders (1997 mimeo), we show the existence and efficiency of equilibrium. The key requirement is anonymity of land tax, which is attained by imposing Hamilton's (1975 Urban Studies) zoning constraints (otherwise, no equilibrium based on the logic of Rothschild and Stiglitz). Wage differential across locations are allowed, yet we can assure efficiency of equilibrium in our particular model with small group effectiveness, despite of intuitions by Tiebout (1956 JPE), Buchanan and Wagner (1970 essay) and Flatters, Henderson and Mieszkowski (1974 JPubE). Lastly, our theorem can be directly applicable to the existence and efficiency of a monocentric city equilibrium in urban economics with commuting time costs even if we allow existence of collective residences such as apartments.
Session 13. Honouring M. Fujita: Sprawl
Stephen Sheppard* (Williams College)
Infill Versus Outgrow: Estimating the Microstructure of Urban Expansion
The continuing pace of urbanization around the globe has generated an ongoing process of expanding urban land use. This is verified both in everyday experience and in empirical studies such as Burchfeld, Overman, Puga and Turner [2006] or Sheppard, Civco and Angel [2006]. Several factors contribute to the growth in urban land use: for example increasing population and income, falling transportation costs, tax and regulatory distortions and the spatial distribution of amenities. In this paper we investigate how the local structure of urban expansion is affected by these factors. Some of these forces encourage increasing urban land use at the periphery, and some encourage infill of vacant areas within the city. It is difficult to empirically test our understanding of these processes using data from a single city or even a single country because the data do not offer sufficient independent variation in the relevant factors to reliably distinguish their separate impacts. This paper makes use of newly collected data from a global sample of cities with land use data classified from satellite imagery in all cities. The analysis distinguishes increasing urban land use at the periphery from increasing urban land use through infill of built up areas. We obtain theoretical predictions for the expected impact of economic variables on each type of urban expansion, and test the predictions using the data.
Elena Irwin* (Ohio State University), Hyun Jin Cho (Ohio State University), Nancy Bockstael (University of Maryland)
Measuring and modeling urban sprawl: Data, scale and spatial dependencies
Although urban decentralization is a well documented trend, the extent to which this decentralization process is characterized by discontinuous development or “sprawl” is widely debated. Because the measurement of urban land use patterns depends critically on the data source, resolution, definitions and scale, it is likely that different conclusions will be drawn depending on the data and scale of analysis. First, we use spatial statistics to investigate a series of hypotheses regarding the data dependency of urban pattern analysis using three sources of land use data for the State of Maryland that differ in their definitions, resolution and scale. Our analysis reveals enormous differences across datasets in the basic measurement of urban land and its pattern. For example, we find that 82 percent of all land identified by the most accurate dataset as low density residential land in 2000 is classified as undeveloped by the remotely sensed data. Second, we use spatial statistics and the most accurate data to investigate a set of hypotheses regarding the spatial and scale dependencies of urban land use patterns and changes in these patterns over time. We examine how various dimensions of urban pattern, including density, patch size, spatial autocorrelation and fragmentation, change along an urbanization gradient and across different spatial scales of analysis ranging from land use patches to entire counties. Lastly, we estimate a series of reduced form models to examine spatial and scale dependencies in the associations between urban land use pattern and heterogeneous features of the landscape, including distance to urban centers, road access, public services, surrounding land uses and land suitability. For each spatial scale, we attempt to isolate the spatially heterogeneous features that matter with respect to urban pattern by comparing the expected urban land use pattern with a pattern generated using the mean values of these spatially heterogeneous variables. The results demonstrate a number of interesting findings regarding the spatial and scale dependence of urban land use patterns and the dynamic process of urbanization.
Henry Overman (London School of Economics), Diego Puga* (Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Matthew Turner (University of Toronto)
The relationship between the growth in residential land use and population
The amount of land built up for residential use in the United States is growing much faster than population and there is a common perception that this reflects almost entirely the fact that people are building larger houses. In this paper we show that this is not the case. Population Between 1976 and 1992 the amount of land built up for residential use in the United States grew by 47% while population only grew 17%. However, only 27.1% of the growth in US residential area can be attributed to individual households using a greater amount of residential land in each state. 36.1% is due to overall population growth, 21.2% to an increase in the number of households over this period as baby-boomers have left their parents' houses, 5.9% to the shift of population towards states with larger houses, and the rest to interactions between these changes.
Antonio Bento* (University of Maryland)
Urban Decline, Urban Sprawl, and the Double Dividend Hypothesis
This paper asks the following questions: Does the introduction of a metropolitan wide development tax produce a double dividend when revenues are earmarked to finance a revitalization program? What are the potential welfare gains of such policy and how does it compare with an urban growth boundary? To properly address these questions and guide policy, there is a need to develop a framework that simultaneously capture the following key aspects of the problem: the durability of the housing stock, including the fact that some housing exhibits a quality that is below the threshold accepted by building regulations; neighborhood urban decline that results from the spatial concentration of degraded housing, which in turn generates negative externalities to near by neighborhoods; adjustment costs in the decision to improve the existing housing stock; strategic behavior amongst developers when deciding on the level of improvements; production of new housing at the urban fringe; and spatially concentrated benefits from open space at the urban fringe
Session 14. Migration
Luisito Bertinelli* (University of Luxembourg), Salvador Barrios (European Commission, Institute for Prospective Technological Studies), Eric Strobl (Ecole Polytechnique , Paris)
Climatic Change and Rural-Urban Migration: The Case of Sub-Saharan Africa
We investigate the role that climatic change has played in the pattern of urbanization in sub-Saharan African countries compared to the rest of the developing world. To this end we assemble a cross-country panel data set that allows us to estimate the determinants of urbanization. The results of our econometric analysis suggest that climatic change, as proxied by rainfall, has acted to change urbanization in sub-Saharan Africa but not elsewhere in the developing world. Moreover, this link has become stronger since decolonization, which is likely due to the often simultaneous lifting of legislation prohibiting the free internal movement of native Africans.
Curtis Simon* (Clemson University), Robert Tamura (Clemson University)
Fertility and the City
This paper documents a negative relationship between fertility and the scarcity of living space across U.S. cities over the period 1940-1990 using data from the Integrated Public Use Microdata Samples (IPUMS). We use our estimates to try to (1) account for the U.S. baby boom, explained by Greenwood et. al. (2005) as resulting from household productivity shocks; (2) account for the U.S.-Europe fertility differential; and (3) estimate the marginal value of a child. Our preferred estimates can account for ¼-1/3 of U.S.-Europe fertility differential, and imply a marginal value of a child of $60,000. However, our estimates can account for only 12-16% of the baby boom.
Sukkoo Kim* (Washington University)
Immigrants and Cities
see attached
Raven Saks* (Federal Reserve Board of Governors), Abigail Wozniak (University of Notre Dame)
Is Migration Procyclical? New Evidence on Fluctuations in Internal Migration over the Business Cycle
This paper provides new evidence on the cyclicality of internal migration patterns in the United States. Using historical reports of the Current Population Survey, we examine gross migration patterns during the entire postwar era, a period that spans ten recessions over more than fifty years. We obtain additional evidence on state-to-state population flows during the past thirty years from statistics compiled by the Internal Revenue Service. We find that internal migration within the US is strongly procyclical in both sources. Even after accounting for variation in relative local economic conditions, migration is lower during downturns in the aggregate economy. To investigate explanations for this result, we use Current Population Survey microdata to identify the personal and demographic characteristics of individuals for whom the probability of migrating is most strongly tied to the business cycle. The procyclicality of migration is strongest for younger and less educated workers, but is not related to employment status. In closing, we relate our findings to the current literature on search models of the labor market. The new facts on worker flows that we document in this paper suggest that labor market matching models should be extended to incorporate aggregate macroeconomic conditions.
Session 15. Measurement of Agglomeration
Bentley Coffey* (Clemson University)
In Search of a Monocentric City
Despite the pervasiveness of strong assumptions about monocentricity and radial symmetry in theoretical work on cities, there is a dearth of empirical research on the shape of actual cities. This paper fills the literature’s gap by testing those city shape assumptions with a new semi-nonparametric methodology that is nearly as flexible as a purely nonparametric approach while nearly retaining the computational (and conceptual) simplicity to estimation and testing as a purely parametric approach. Applying this procedure to a cross-section of 62 cities with tract-level data collected in the 2000 Census, we find strong evidence that most cities are neither monocentric nor radially symmetric.
Andrea Lamorgese* (Banca d'Italia), Gianmarco Ottaviano (University of Bologna)
Intercity interaction
Using national level input-output matrices, we propose a strategy to identify pecuniary externalities operating through the markets for intermediate goods at the local level. Then, controlling for common shocks in a spatial econometric framework, (i) we estimate the effect of pecuniary externalities on productivity growth; (ii) we disentangle such effect from the one of other local interactions (i.e. knowledge or other face-to-face spillovers) and that of local characteristics; (iii) we evaluate the spatial scope of operating of all kind of externalities using different distance measures. Our estimates suggest that pecuniary externalities and other kinds of local interactions coexist, that their effect on productivity growth is decreasing with distance, thus inducing agglomeration, and that it depends on inter-city diversity and the pattern of local specialisation.
Giulio Bottazzi (Sant'Anna School for Advanced Studies), Giovanni Dosi (Sant'Anna School for Advanced Studies), Giorgio Fagiolo* (University of Verona), Angelo Secchi (Sant'Anna School for Advanced Studies)
Sectoral and Geographical Specificities in the Spatial Structure of Economic Activities
This work explores the spatial structure of location of production activities. We try to disentangle location- from sector-specific drivers in the dynamic process of spatial agglomeration. We argue that the former typically apply "horizontally" (i.e. across all industrial sectors), while the latter unfold in the form of non-decreasing dynamic returns to the current stock of installed business units. A stochastic model of location is developed and three different specifications are tested against Italian data on the location of manufacturing firms. Our results suggest that different locations exert different structural influences on the distribution of production activities. Moreover, a widespread horizontal power of "urbanization", which makes particular locations more attractive irrespectively of the sector, does emerge. However, after controlling for the latter, one is still left with sector-specific forms of dynamic increasing returns to agglomeration, which vary a lot across different manufacturing activities.
Arthur O'Sullivan* (Lewis & Clark College)
Using GIS to Map and Measure the Spatial Distribution of Employment within Cities
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) provide powerful tools to describe the spatial distribution of economic activity within cities. I will use GIS software to generate maps of employment density by census tract and block group, for total employment and for employment in individual sectors, e.g., manufacturing, FIRE, services, and retail. I will generate maps for several metropolitan areas. GIS software also computes spatial statistics that describe the degree of centralization, concentration, and clustering. I will compute the following for total employment and for employment in individual sectors. • Standard deviation distance is the radius of a circle containing one standard deviation of observations. The • Moran’s I measures the degree of spatial autocorrelation for different levels of geography, providing a general measure of concentration. • The Getis-Ord Gi* identifies clusters or “hot spots” of economic activity. I will compare the results of GIS analysis to the results of earlier studies of the intraurban distribution of employment. Of particular interest is how the hot-spots identified by GIS compare to the employment centers and subcenters identified in earlier studies.
Session 16. Rental Markets
Pablo Casas-Arce (University of Oxford), Albert Saiz* (The Wharton School)
Do Courts Matter? Rental Markets and the Law
We argue that the allocation of ownership rights will minimize enforcement costs when the legal system is inefficient. In particular, when legal enforcement is costly, there will be a shift from contractual arrangements that rely on such enforcement (such as a rental agreement) towards other forms that do not (such as direct ownership). We then test this prediction on data on the rental housing market, and show that costly enforcement of rental contracts hampers the development of such a market in a cross-section of countries. We argue that this association is not the result of reverse causation from a developed rental market to more investor protective enforcement. The results provide supportive evidence on the importance of contract enforcement for the development of financial and other markets.
David Genesove* (Hebrew University of Jerusalem)
Real Effects of Exchange Rate Movements in U.S. dollar denominated Isareli Rents
Apartment rents in Israel are typically set in U.S. dollar terms. This paper asks whether that convention (left over from the hyper and high inflationary times of twenty years ago) has real effects. In particular, it considers whether movements in the shekel-U.S. exchange rate, instrumented by movements in the Euro-U.S. exchange rate, affect real housing rents at the time of contract setting for new tentants.
Etienne Wasmer* (UQAM et IEP Paris), Francis Kramarz (CREST)
Tenant’s Eviction and Discrimination in the French Housing Market: An Empirical Strategy”
Housing and labor markets exhibit many similarities. First, information is imperfect. Tenant quality, like worker quality, is unobserved. Second, separation is costly and time consuming. The laws and regulation typically complicate or slow down the termination process of the contractual relationship and make it more costly for firms and landlords to fire an employee /evict a tenant. And finally, there are rigidities in nominal wages and rents. Adapting tools from labor theory, we attempt to understand how landlords wish to screen and possibly statistically discriminate against potential tenants. They do so when housing regulations are more stringent. An empirical strategy, based on administrative data on tenants' eviction in France is provided.
Donald Haurin* (Ohio State University), Hazel Morrow-Jones (Ohio State University)
The Differences in Financial, Mortgage, and Real Estate Market Knowledge between African American and White Renters and Homeowners
We hypothesize that a household’s level of knowledge about the real estate market and financial information is determined simultaneously with its tenure decision. Undergoing the process of searching for and obtaining a home and mortgage should increase a household’s amount and quality of financial information. On the other hand, we hypothesize that the lack of information about real estate and financial markets is a barrier to home buying. Our empirical results support both of these views. The most important finding is that lack of financial and real estate knowledge is a significant barrier to becoming a homeowner. This result, derived from a simultaneous equations estimation model, is consistent with descriptive data reported in the survey where many renters indicate that the lack of knowledge about how to buy a home, how to get a real estate agent, and how to get a mortgage are barriers to their becoming homeowners. However, we find that the racial differences in the knowledge variable used in the estimation are small and thus it explains only a small part of the racial gap in homeownership rates.
Session 17. Local Taxation and Public Goods
Yannis Ioannides (Tufts University), Kurt Schmidheiny* (Tufts University)
Estimating Equilibrium Models of Local Jurisdictions: A Discrete Choice Approach with Individual and Community-Level Data
The paper develops a discrete choice model of community choice by combining features of the approach by Berry, Levinsohn and Pakes (1995; 2004) with the approach of Epple and Sieg (1999) and of Epple et al. (2001; 2006). The paper reports estimation results that involve an iterative procedure consisting of two stages. At a first stage, we use information on the joint distribution of household characteristics in a metropolitan area, in our case obtained from the American Housing Survey Boston metropolitan area micro sample, to predict population shares and moments of household characteristics for each community. We then match them with population shares and moments from the US Census by means of a generalized method of moments method. This stage estimates coefficients reflecting interactions between individual and community characteristics and community-specific intercepts. These intercepts serve as sufficient statistics for the estimation, at a second stage, of coefficients expressing the effects of community-specific characteristics by the different communities in Boston metropolitan area in 1980. We use the same data set from the US Census that Epple et al. have used, but augment it by community-specific housing prices, which are obtained from the record of housing transactions. Our results demonstrate that use of two public sources of data circumvents the need of confidential data that other research has relied on.
Carlo Cambini (Polytechnic of Torino ), Massimiliano Piacenza (Ceris-CNR National Council of Research), Davide Vannoni* (University of Torino)
Restructuring Public Transit Systems: Evidence on Cost Properties and Optimal Network Configuration from Medium and Large-Sized Companies
This paper analyses the cost structure of a sample of Italian local public transport (LPT) companies operating in medium and large urban centres. The main focus is to identify the proper network configuration for the LPT service, by verifying the presence and the extent of scale and density economies. Technological characteristics of public transit systems are analysed by estimating both variable and total cost function models, which consider three alternative supply-oriented output measures, include firm-specific fixed effects, and allow for X-inefficiency to play a role through the estimation of a stochastic cost frontier. The evidence is remarkably robust across the different specifications which have been tested and shows the presence of short-run and long-run economies of scale, as well as of economies of network density, for both the average sample firm and for operators belonging to the highest percentile (large-sized companies). This suggests that, from a technological point of view, a proper LPT network design should at least include a large urban centre and should be extended so as to embrace the intercity service too, while a regulatory policy aimed at fragmenting the served area in various sub-networks would imply an efficiency loss.
Sylvie Charlot* (INRA), Sonia Paty (INRA and University Lille 1)
Taxable agglomeration rent: evidence from a panel data
The main purpose of this paper is to test the existence of a taxable agglomeration rent in the French local tax setting by taking account the tax interactions among the urban jurisdictions. After presenting a simple economic geography model with fiscal interactions, we estimate a model of tax setting for the local business tax using the econometrics techniques on panel data for 1993 to 2002. We observe that the relationship between tax rate and fiscal base gives presumption of the existence of a ``taxable agglomeration rent''.
Patricia Beeson (University of Pittsburgh), Lara Shore-Sheppard (Williams College), Tara Watson* (Williams College)
The Effect of Local Fiscal Policies on Urban Wage Structure
While it has long been recognized that average wages vary strikingly across regions and urban areas, differences in the variance of wages remain relatively unexplored. In this paper we empirically examine differences in the extent and persistence of wage dispersion across urban areas. Using data from the 1980 and 1990 Censuses, we show that metropolitan area wage distributions vary, that the variation is substantial, and that it is not entirely accounted for by differences in the supply of workers with different skills or the size or geographic region of the city. We find that the differences in wage distributions across cities are highly persistent. We investigate whether there is a link between local fiscal policy and the degree of dispersion in the wage structure, and find evidence that such a relationship exists. Cities with higher overall taxes, fewer transfers from state and federal governments, and a greater share of spending on public health and community development appear to have higher levels of overall dispersion. In addition, we find that cities that rely more heavily on property taxes have greater dispersion in the lower half of the wage distribution, and cities with higher expenditures on education have more dispersion in the upper half.
Session 18. New Economic Geography
Masahisa Fujita* (Kyoto University)
Economic Development Capitalizing on Brand Agriculture: Turning Development Strategy on Its Head
Challenging the common literature of economic growth and development that tends to assign the agrarian sector the backseat, this paper seeks to move agriculture and rural development to the forefront through a community-based strategy designed to cause major innovation dynamics and human capital accumulation to occur. Specifically, this paper explores the possibilities of two unique Japanese concepts advocating community-based rural development -- the One Village One Product Movement (OVOP) and Michino Eki (or Roadside Stations) -- initiated in the peripheral regions of Japan in the early 1960s and the mid-1990s, respectively. Both OVOP and Michino Eki have attracted widespread attention in many developing countries as potential tools for bridging the gap between cities and rural areas through community-driven development, and are being implemented in many countries. From the viewpoint of spatial economics and endogenous growth theory, this paper considers both OVOP and Michino Eki as rural development strategies of a broader nature based on “brand agriculture." Here, brand agriculture represents a general strategy for community-based rural development that identifies, cultivates and fully utilizes local resources (including natural, historical, cultural and human resources) for the development of products or services unique to a certain "village" or geographical area. This process feeds the engine of sustained development of a greater variety of these products and gradually establishing these local brands in increasingly larger markets. In the context of brand agriculture, selected examples of OVOP and Michino Eki from Japan and developing countries are introduced, with special attention given to the role of various types of infrastructure in the effective promotion of OVOP and Michino Eki. The paper concludes with a discussion of policy implications for successful promotion and implementation of brand agriculture programs in developing countries.
Yasusada Murata* (Advanced Research Institute for the Sciences and Humanities, Nihon University)
Intergenerational Linkages and Economic Geography
This paper presents a model of economic geography with overlapping generations and shows that intergenerational linkages lead to the symmetric equilibrium in which young and old people are equally mixed in each region. Once the discount factor is taken into account, however, symmetry breaks and ex ante identical agents in the same generation are divided into those with higher lifetime income and greater product diversity when old and those with lower lifetime income and greater product diversity when young, thus yielding spatial sorting by age. This is because when making a location decision, each individual cares about how many varieties are available at which stage of a life cycle in the destination.
Antonella Nocco* (University of Lecce)
Preference heterogeneity and economic geography
New economic geography models analyze agglomeration and dispersion forces, whose interactions determine the spatial distribution of economic activity. In this paper we investigate the effect of preference heterogeneity between skilled and unskilled workers on agglomeration. We introduce consumers’ taste differences in the model by Ottaviano et al. [2002], and we argue that this allows us to represent an additional source of dependence of equilibrium prices on the demand properties shaped by the interregional distribution of workers. In particular, we identify a new preference effect, and we show that when the intensity of skilled workers’ preference for the modern good and its variety is strong enough, prices charged by firms, either local or foreign, may increase when the mass of local firms increases therefore acting as a dispersion force.
Kristian Behrens* (CORE Université catholique de Louvain), Pierre Picard (CORE Université catholique de Louvain)
Tax competition, location, and horizontal foreign direct investment
We develop a model of capital tax/subsidy competition in which imperfectly competitive firms choose both the number and the location of the plants they operate. The endogenous presence of horizontal multinationals is shown to attenuate the ``race to the bottom'' and yields some results that are opposite to traditional findings in the tax competition literature. First, in the presence of horizonal multinationals, increasing subsidies decrease firms' profits by exacerbating price competition due to more firms `going multinational'. Second, instead of being always subsidized, capital may actually be taxed in equilibrium. Third, taxes/subsidies become strategically independent policy instruments, instead of being strategic complements. Last, there may exist multiple equilibria with either low or high subsidies.
Session 20. Urban Sprawl
Matthew Turner* (University of Toronto)
A Simple Theory of Smart Growth and Sprawl
This paper considers the simultaneous determination of residential density and the supply of local versus remote retail services. Possible equilibrium development patterns either correspond closely to what anti-sprawl activists describe as smart growth, or to its opposite. Equilibrium and optimal patterns of development do not always coincide, and when they diverge, optimal density is always higher than equilibrium density, and, equilibrium development is discretely rather than marginally different from the optimum. This occurs in the absence of congestion externalities, and is due to a free-rider problem and a coordination problem. The analysis indicates that a tax on large lots or a subsidy for small lots may be welfare improving under certain conditions.
Jean Cavailhès (INRA-CESAER, Dijon), Dominique Peeters* (Université catholique de Louvain)
Residential Equilibria in a Green Urban Area
‘Green’ amenities attract households into the countryside around cities where a mixed residential and agricultural land use prevails. We model a land market where two rents co-exist for those two land uses. The purpose is to define a zoning system that maximizes landowners' income by providing the optimal quantity of agricultural amenities enjoyed by households close to farmland. Urban configurations and analytical properties of the equilibrium are presented. Simulations with actual data from the Dijon urban area (France) supplement the analysis.
Yasushi Asami* (University of Tokyo), Yukari Niwa (University of Tokyo)
TYPICAL LOTS FOR DETACHED HOUSES IN RESIDENTRIAL BLOCKS AND LOT SHAPE ANALYSIS
A method for identifying typical lots in a residential block is proposed based on the shape distance matrix among all the lots in the block. The method is applied to 20 blocks in Setagaya ward in Tokyo. The typical lots tend to be rectangular-like lots even in irregularly shaped blocks, suggesting the preference for rectangular shape in the choice of residential lots. Moreover, rectangular like blocks tend to contain rectangular typical lots, such that length of their depth is approximately a half of the shorter edge of the block, and two variation of width, which may imply that part of earlier lots were subdivided into halves.
Christopher Wheeler* (Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis)
Urban Decentralization and Income Inequality: Is Sprawl Associated with Rising Income Segregation Across Neighborhoods?
Existing research has found an inverse relationship between urban density and the degree of income inequality within metropolitan areas, suggesting that, as cities spread out, they become increasingly segregated by income. This paper examines this hypothesis using data covering more than 160000 block groups within 359 US metropolitan areas over the years 1980, 1990, and 2000. The findings indicate that income inequality - defined by the variance of the log household income distribution - does indeed rise significantly as urban density declines. This increase, however, is associated with rising inequality within block groups as cities spread out. The extent of income variation exhibited between different block groups, by contrast, shows virtually no association with population density. There is, accordingly, little evidence that sprawl is systematically associated with greater residential segregation of households by income.
Session 21. Interactions Between Housing and Labour Markets
Edward Coulson* (Penn State University), Lynn Fisher (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
Housing Tenure and Labor Market Impacts: The Search Goes On
We develop a search-theoretic model of the Oswald hypothesis, the idea that homeownership is linked to inferior labor market outcomes, and compare its predictions to two extant theories. Beyond their prediction that individual homeowners will have a higher probability of unemployment, the three models have surprisingly different predictions about the labor market at both the aggregate and micro levels. We estimate micro and US state-level regression models of wages and unemployment and compare the estimates to those predictions.
Laurent Gobillon* (Institut National d'Etudes Démographiques (INED)), Thierry Magnac (Université des Sciences Sociale in Toulouse - IDEI), Harris Selod (Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA) - LEA)
How does Residence Matter When Looking for a Job in Greater Paris?
There are large spatial disparities in unemployment durations across the 1,300 towns in the Ile-de-France region (Paris Greater Area). In order to characterize these imbalances, we estimate a proportional hazard model stratified by town on an exhaustive dataset of all unemployment spells starting in the first semester of 1996. For each town, this model allows us to recover a survival function purged of individual effects. Analyzing these survival functions, we show that nearly 80% of the gross disparities remain, especially for long-term unemployment. However, we show that 60% of the remaining differences can be explained by aggregate explanatory variables, especially indices of residential segregation.
Giorgio Topa* (Federal Reserve Bank of New York), Stephen Ross (University of Connecticut), Patrick Bayer (Yale University)
Place of Work and Place of Residence: Informal Hiring Networks and Labor Market Outcomes
We use a novel research design to empirically detect the effect of social interactions among neighbors on labor market outcomes. Specifically, using Census data that characterize residential and employment locations down to the city block, we examine whether individuals residing in the same block are more likely to work together than those in nearby blocks. We find evidence of significant social interactions operating at the block level: residing on the same versus nearby blocks increases the probability of working together by over 33 percent. The results also indicate that this referral effect is stronger when individuals are similar in sociodemographic characteristics (e.g., both have children of similar ages) and when at least one individual is well attached to the labor market. These findings are robust across various specifications intended to address concerns related to sorting and reverse causation. Further, having determined the characteristics of a pair of individuals that lead to an especially strong referral effect, we provide evidence that the increased availability of neighborhood referrals has a significant impact on a wide range of labor market outcomes including employment and wages.
Janet Kohlhase* (University of Houston), Jia-Huey Lin (University of Houston)
Spatial Mismatch and Urban Labor Markets in the United States: Evidence for Blacks, Immigrants and Hispanics
(see extended abstract below)
Session 23. Commuting
André de Palma* (University of Cergy-Pontoise and Ecole Nationale de Ponts et Chaussées,), Kiarash Motamedi (University of Cergy-Pontoise), Nathalie Picard (University of Cergy-Pontoise and INED), Paul Waddell (University of Washington)
A Model of Residential Location Choice with Endogenous Housing Prices and Traffic for the Paris Region
There is a growing interest in the development and the use of large-scale planning models. In this paper, we describe the first step of a project to integrate UrbanSim, a dynamic microsimulation land use model, and METROPOLIS, a dynamic traffic model. This is the first attempt, to our knowledge, to integrate a dynamic land use model and a dynamic traffic model. We briefly describe the two models and propose a unified framework for their integration. Within this integrated framework we develop a model of residential location choice, with endogenous housing prices and traffic. The study area for this research is the Ile-de-France (Paris region), for which we provide empirical results.
Jos van Ommeren* (Free University), Wouter Vermeulen (Free University)
Commuting and spatial structure
Urban economic theory and public policy are based on the assumption that the spatial structure of the economy, so the spatial distribution of jobs and residences, determines the length of the commute. Empirical support for this assumption is weak, but based on cross-section observations. We examine this assumption employing panel data for the Netherlands between 1990 and 2000 which reduces measurement problems. Hence, we examine to what extent the change in the length of the commute is due to changes in spatial structure. We show for the Netherlands that about 65% of the average increase in the length of the commute can be attributed to changes in spatial structure.
Elena Safirova* (Resources for the Future), Sébastien Houde (Resources for the Future), D. Abram Lipman (Resources for the Future), Winston Harrington (Resources for the Future), Andrew Baglino (Resources for the Future)
Congestion Pricing and Land Use Change
In their quest for solving the problem of ever-increasing traffic congestion, cities around the globe are facing more and more difficulties building new roads. Problems with financing, public opposition, environmental concerns all contribute to an infrastructure gridlock. One of the modern solutions to alleviate infrastructure problems is to introduce road pricing. On the one hand, road pricing promises to improve efficiency of existing roads and therefore effectively postpone the need for building new expensive infrastructure. On the other hand, revenue collection can at least partially finance infrastructure investments. Of course, road pricing comes with its own package of problems, such as concerns about its effectiveness and distributional effects. One of the effects of congestion pricing that is largely unknown is its long-term economic impact that can result from a series of adjustments in wages, rents, and spatial distribution of jobs and residents in the city. Relying on the short-run projections alone may be inaccurate, especially when estimating future revenue collection. In this paper, we evaluate economic effects of a congestion pricing scheme in the long run when land use and economic changes are taken into account and compare them with short-run effects when the land use and economic changes are ignored. In order to conduct this analysis we employ a spatially disaggregated general equilibrium model of regional economy that incorporates decisions of residents, firms and developers integrated with a spatially disaggregated strategic transportation planning (START) model that features mode, time period and route choice. First, we look at the impacts of a road pricing policy evaluated based on the integrated model and compare them with short-term effects obtained from the START model alone. Then we analyze how optimal short-run policy differs from the optimal long-run policy. Finally, we look at distributional impacts of the policy in question and point out their differences and similarities the short and long run.
Jan Rouwendal* (Free University), Thomas de Graaff (Free University)
Unemployment and Commuting in a Spatial Labor Market with Search
In this paper we develop a model for a spatial labor market in which employment is spread over a finite number of locations and workers are located around employment centers. Information frictions on the labor market induce workers to accept job offers from outside their city of residence so as to reduce unemployment spells. This generates commuting flows between cities. We investigate the optimal search strategy of unemployed workers and the labor market equilibrium with commuting. Unemployment rates are inversely related to the accessibility to jobs in the worker’s city of residence as well as in other cities, which agrees with the spatial mismatch hypothesis. We take a closer look at the special case in which all cities have the same numbers of jobs and workers and identical positions with respect to other cities, and in which the matching function has constant returns to scale. We study the welfare losses caused by information friction and distance friction and the effect of changes in the wage and in intercity commuting costs on them. The cost benefit analysis of transportation improvements suggested by our model differs from the conventional one.
Session 24. Urban evolution
Jens Suedekum* (University of Konstanz), Kristian Behrens (CORE - Université catolique de Louvain)
Convergence of human capital shares across German cities
In this paper we analyze the impact of human capital on local employment growth for the case of West Germany (1977-2002). We find robust evidence that a large initial share of high-skilled workers in a city raises subsequent total employment growth, but reduces subsequent local growth of high-skilled jobs. In other words, there has been convergence of local human capital shares across German cities over time. This stylized fact sharply contrasts evidence from the US. We then present a theoretical model that is consistent with the empirical observations from Germany. Our main point is to argue that the observed convergence trend is consistent with the presence of localized human capital externalities, provided they are not too strong. Finally, we present some highly tentative suggestions what might explain the differences between Germany and the US concerning the spatial evolution of human capital.
Maarten Bosker (Utrecht School of Economics, Utrecht University), Steven Brakman (Faculty of Economics, Univ of Groningen), Harry Garrretsen* (Utrecht School of Economics, Utrecht University), Herman de Jong (Faculty of Economics, Univ of Groningen), Marc Schramm (Utrecht School of Economics, Utrecht University)
The Development of Italian Cities 1300-1861
The evolution of city growth is usually studied for relative short time periods. The rise and decline of cities is, however, typically a process that takes many decades or even centuries. In this paper we study the evolution of a large sample of Italian cities for the period 1300-1861. The first contribution of our paper is that we use various descriptive statistics on individual city sizes and the city-size distribution as a whole to highlight the main characteristics of Italy’s urban system such as the differences between Northern and Southern Italy. Our second contribution is that our data allow for a panel estimation where city-size is regressed on various geography, political and other determinants of city size for the period 1300-1861. We show that, although large shocks are visible in the data, the main determinants of Italy’s city growth invariably are physical geography, political importance and, over time, the productivity in the agricultural sector and institutional constraints. In our estimations the North-South difference turns out to be important too. All in all, the historical development of the Italian cities is an intriguing mixture of stability and change.
Yuming Fu* (National University of Singapore), Sheng Zhou (National University of Singapore)
Urban Growth across Chinese Cities—Estimates of Structural Equations
We investigate the urban growth behavior across China cities between 1990 and 2004, when China’s urbanization level rose from about 28% to almost 40%. We examine urban growth in terms of population, wage rate, and per capita GDP. Unlike in developed economies like US where these three urban growth indicators would be highly correlated, they have little correlation in China. Urban population was influenced by government policies that limited population growth in large cities. Wage rate, which reflects urban productivity, would be influenced by economic reform, fixed investment, and such variables as average education level and location advantages that were found to influence urban growth in US. GDP, which reflects investment profits in addition to labor productivity, would be influenced also by openness to foreign direct investment. It is, therefore, import to analyze not only how the exogenous variables affect the alternative urban growth measures but also how these urban growth measures interact with each other during China’s recent rapid urbanization. We expand our set of exogenous instruments in our structural equations by including such variables as the distance-weighted average of GDP, infrastructure investment, human capital and manufacturing employment of all the cities other than the city in each case. These variables provide detailed measures of location advantages and disadvantages of the individual cities. Our preliminary three-stage OLS estimates show the following results: 1. The city demand for labor was downward sloping—a positive shock to population growth slowed wage rate growth and, to a lesser extent, the growth in GDP per capita. 2. Wage rate grew faster in cities with a higher average education level, a higher per capita fixed investment, and a lower share of employment in state-owned enterprises (SOEs). Other things being equal, wage rate grew more slowly for larger cities and cities with a higher initial wage rate. 3. Per capita GDP growth was driven by fixed investment and the share of FDI in total investment. It appears independent of the initial population size but considerably smaller where the initial per capita GDP and the wage rate growth were high. 4. Population growth was highly responsive to per-capita GDP growth but not responsive to wage rate growth, suggesting a highly elastic supply of unskilled labor to manufacturing job growth but an inelastic supply of skilled labor. Population growth was considerably slower for large cities, reflecting a policy bias; it was, however, significantly higher for cities with an initially high wage rate. An implication of these results is the importance of investment in skills for China’s continued productive urbanization. Apparently, receiving more unskilled workers is not going to improve the productivity of Chinese cities and the growth of the skilled jobs appears to be constrained by skill shortages. Large cities in China are yet to become productive places for unskilled migrants to acquire new skills.
Mohammad Arzaghi* (American University of Sharjah), James Davies (U.S. Census Bureau)
Urban Resurgence
We explore empirically the mobility of industry agglomerations. Within a city, some industries fade and are continuously replaced by others. For the period over 1987 to 1997, the data show of 313 PMSA cities in the U.S., 152 (49%) lost more than 15% of their city employment due to employment losses in locally declining industries. However, only 24 cities have a decline in total city employment over the same period, and for only 11 cities is the decline more than 5%. City employment is generally quite stable, yet the composition of industries within the city can change quite rapidly. This paper investigates this industry replacement process within cities.
Session Amenities
Lynn Fisher (MIT), Henry Pollakowski (MIT), Jeffrey Zabel* (Tufts University)
Amenity-Based Housing Affordability Indexes
The most common notion of affordable housing implies that households that spend more than 30 percent of their income on housing have an affordability problem. This fails to address the actual supply of “affordable” units in a geographic area or to anticipate the spatial implications of where the supply of housing is located. In contrast, we develop a new measure of area affordability that characterizes the supply of housing that is affordable to different households in different areas of a metropolitan region. By focusing on area affordability, we recognize that the price of a house is affected by its location since this price includes the value of the services provided by the local amenities. Thus, in generating an affordability index, it is important to account for locational amenities when comparing house prices across towns in a metropolitan area. We adjust our index for accessibility, school quality, and open space. We apply our affordability index to the Boston metropolitan area for 2005. The flexibility of our index allows us to present the indices for a set of household incomes (as a percent of area median income) and family sizes. The main source of data is the 2000 Census; we have updated prices and the housing stock to 2005 levels. The results show that the ranking of towns by affordability can change substantially when we adjust for local amenities. Finally, we discuss the policy uses and implications of our affordability index.
Yong Chen (Syracuse University), Stuart Rosenthal* (Syracuse University)
Local Amenities and Life Cycle Migration: Do People Move for Jobs or Fun?
Between 1995 and 2000, roughly 21 percent of U.S. residents moved to a different county. Migration on this scale has important implications for the local supply of labor and land markets. Using data from the 1970-2000 Censes, we investigate factors driving U.S. migration patterns. As a first step, we construct a unique panel of MSA and state-specific non-MSA quality of life and business environment measures. Based on this panel, it is clear that households tend to prefer MSAs in warm coastal areas and non-metropolitan locations, while firms prefer large, growing cities. In addition, cities with improving business environments acquire increasing shares of workers, especially workers with high levels of human capital; cities with improving consumer amenities acquire increasing shares of retirees. We next examine migration decisions at the individual level. Two dominant patterns emerge: (i) between age 20 to 35, regardless of marital status, highly-educated households move to places with high quality business environments; (ii) after age 55, regardless of education, married couples move away from places with favorable business environments and towards places with highly valued bundles of consumer amenities. Evidence also supports the idea that young “Power Couples” seek locations attractive to business in part to solve their labor market co-location problem.
Jordan Rappaport* (Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City)
Moving to Nice Weather
U.S. residents have been moving en masse to places with nice weather. Well known is the migration towards places with warm winters, which is often attributed to the introduction of air conditioning. But people have also been moving to places with cooler, less-humid summers, which is the opposite of what is expected from the introduction of air conditioning. Nor can the movement to nice weather be primarily explained by shifting industrial composition or by elderly migration. Instead, a large portion of weather-related moves appear to be the result of an increased valuation of nice weather as a consumption amenity, probably due to broad-based rising per capita income.
Kenneth Small* (University of California at Irvine), Seiji Steimetz (California State University at Long Beach)
Spatial Hedonics and the Willingness to Pay for Residential Amenities
Housing rents and prices may be influenced not only by the characteristics of the house in question, but by those of nearby houses. Recent work has shown how this effect can be included in a hedonic housing-price equation by using a spatial autoregression model that includes “spatial lags” (prices of nearby properties) in the specification. But if there is a change that influences all prices simultaneously, such as a uniform pollution reduction, what role do spatial lags play in measuring the welfare effects arising from this change? One suggestion in the literature is that the full marginal value of an improvement in air quality is given by the reduced form equation of the autoregressive model, effectively applying a “spatial multiplier” to the directly-measured implicit price of air pollution. We show that this suggestion is correct only if the spatial price interdependence arises from technological spillovers, such that my utility depends on actions my neighbor takes as a result of that neighbor’s property value (e.g. better maintenance). In this case simply estimating a model without spatial lags may also provide a reasonably accurate welfare measure. On the other hand, the spatial inter-dependence could be from pecuniary spillovers, e.g. when real-estate agents use prices of nearby houses to estimate the true equilibrium price of a house being sold. In that case, correct benefit estimation requires the use of spatial lags to separate these pecuniary effects from the implicit prices of pollution. And because those implicit prices alone carry all the required information for benefit estimates, applying a spatial multiplier to them would overestimate benefits.
Session Urban Wages
Matthias Wrede* (RWTH Aachen University)
Distortive wage tax and commuting subsidies
Within an urban economics framework, this paper studies the implications of a wage tax which distorts workplace choices on account of commuting costs. Commuting subsidies increase welfare if and only if they shift labor supply from less to more productive business districts.
Marigee Bacolod (University of California - Irvine), Bernardo Blum* (University of Toronto), William Strange (University of Toronto)
Hard Skills, Soft Skills and Agglomeration: A Hedonic Approach to the Urban Wage Premium
This paper considers urban labor markets. In Marshall’s (1890) discussion of industrial localization, he argues that skills are fundamental. Workers can acquire better skills in a localized setting (“the secrets of the trade”), and workers with unusual skills can expect to make better use of them in such a setting as well. The same sorts of effects have been ascribed to an urbanized setting by Jacobs (1969). Knowledge spillovers and matching in urban labor markets have been modeled by Glaeser (1999) and Helsley and Strange (1990) respectively. See Fujita and Thisse (2002) and Duranton and Puga (2004) for surveys. Arguably, the most striking conclusion in the literature on urban labor markets is the existence of an urban wage premium, where labor in large cities is rewarded more highly than labor in small cities. For instance, Glaeser and Mare (2001) show that workers in larger cities are paid more, and that the premium persists when various approaches are taken to deal with unobserved worker quality. Wheaton and Lewis (2002) show that workers in cities with large numbers of workers in the same industry also receive higher wages. Other papers that have considered urban wage premiums includes Combes et al (2003), which employs panel methods to control for unobserved heterogeneity, and Rosenthal and Strange (2005), which employs geological instruments to estimate the geographic pattern of the urban wage premium. Taken as a group, these papers all find a positive relationship between agglomeration and wage. There is no consensus, however, on which sort of worker benefits most from agglomeration. It is theoretically possible that more skilled workers benefit from the many opportunities to employ their specialized abilities. It is also theoretically possible that less skilled workers benefit more from the presence of complementary skills. Wheeler (2001) finds that more educated workers enjoy a larger wage premium. Adamson et al (2004) find a “negative skill bias,” with more educated workers enjoying a smaller urban wage premium. Lee (2005) focuses on the health care sector, also finding a smaller effect for more educated workers. Rosenthal and Strange (2005), in contrast, find slightly larger urban wage and human capital effects for more educated workers. In all of these papers, the skills considered are “hard” cognitive skills, and the only sort of worker skill differentiation considered is vertical differentiation in education. In this paper, in contrast, we allow for horizontal differentiation as well, and focus on the impact of agglomeration on the hedonic prices of fundamental worker skills. To do this, we make use of the Dictionary of Occupational titles and data from the U.S. Census. We employ the indices of occupational skill requirements developed by Bacolod-Blum (2005) to characterize an occupation’s requirements for cognitive, motor, and people skills. The latter are a “soft” skill, in contrast to the hard skills that have been considered in prior work on the urban wage premium. Using these skill measures, we estimate a range of wage models, also including as regressors standard controls for worker education, family status, race, gender. The analysis reaches three principal conclusions. First, contrary to our expectations, worker skills are not very different across cities. The differences are smaller than are the differences in worker education across cities, which Berry and Glaeser (2005)) argue are themselves not very large. The differences are much smaller than are the well-known differences across cities in industrial composition. This uniformity characterizes both traded and non-traded goods sectors. It is not a consequence of a uniform distribution of occupations across city sizes; occupations are not present in approximately constant shares in cities of various sizes. The paper’s second conclusion is that worker skills are differentially impacted by urbanization. Specifically, there exists a cognitive premium that rises with city size. Similarly, there exists a similar but slightly weaker pattern for the people skills premium. In contrast, motor skills have a lower price in larger cities. Third, there are important interactions between hard cognitive skills and soft people skills. More precisely, when skill complementarities are considered, the returns to cognitive skills interacted with people skills are positive and significant, while the returns to cognitive and people skills by themselves both become insignificant. Taken as a group, these results are consistent with models of agglomeration where interaction is fundamental. It is well known that a wage premium associated with agglomeration can reflect either agglomeration economies that make workers more productive or a selection effect where the more productive workers choose agglomerations. We address this issue by making use of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth in two ways. First, we employ the Armed Forces Qualification Test and the Rotter Index to control further for unobserved worker ability. The pattern described above continues to hold: hedonic prices of cognitive and people skills that rise with city size and significant interactions between these hard and soft skills. Second, we exploit the panel nature of the NLSY to estimate worker fixed effects and so control for the entire range of unobserved worker skills. As above, cognitive skills and the interaction between cognitive and people skills are valued to a greater degree in large cities.
Susana Iranzo* (University of Sydney), Giovanni Peri (University of California, Davis)
Social Returns to High School Education and College Education: Theory and Evidence from US states
While there is no doubt that college education has granted large and increasing private returns to workers, it is still an unresolved issue whether social returns are higher than private returns for the highly educated workers. Recently the literature on appropriate technological adoption has emphasized that the supply of highly educated workers may affect the adoption of skill-biased technologies. If new skill-biased technologies are more productive, in the sense that they are associated to higher total factor productivity (TFP), the existence of highly educated workers may have a positive externality on the other workers. The current literature on externalities of schooling in the US, however, is rather mixed and does not find, in general, a positive external effect of schooling. We propose a simple model and an empirical strategy that reconcile the conflicting finding of the previous empirical studies with the role of education in technological choice. Our model assumes that modern technologies require an investment and provide a comparative advantage to highly educated workers over less educated ones; hence they are adopted only by workers above a certain level of schooling. This implies that the private as well as the social returns to schooling are affected by the technology adopted: the adoption of more productive (modern) technology generates higher private returns as well as higher TFP. We also adopt a strategy that identifies the effect o shifts in any part of the schooling distribution on TFP. We simulate those external effects using the model and we estimate those using U.S. states data for 1960-2000. Relying on compulsory state laws and international “brain” migration we have, for US states, some exogenous shifters of average schooling and of the share of college born. Consistently in the model and in the data, we measure positive and large externalities associated to an increase in the share of college graduates but very small externalities associated to an increase in high-school graduation.
Sabrina Di Addario* (Bank of Italy), Eleonora Patacchini (La Sapienza University of Rome)
Wages and the City. Evidence from Italy
We analyze empirically the impact of urban agglomeration on Italian wages. Using micro-data from the Bank of Italy's Survey of Household Income and Wealth for the years 1995, 1998, 2000 and 2002 on more than 22,000 employees distributed in 242 randomly drawn local labor markets (30 percent of the total), we test whether the structure of wages varies with urban scale. We find that every additional 100 employees per square kilometer (100,000 inhabitants) in the local labor market raises earnings by 0.4-0.6 percent (0.1 percent) and that employees working in large cities earn, on average, 2-3 percent higher wages than those in the rest of the economy. The application of spatial data analysis techniques enables us to state that this effect is present only in the large cities surrounded by low-populated areas. We also find that urbanization does not affect returns to experience and that it reduces returns to education and to tenure with current firm, while providing a premium to managers, worker supervisors, and office workers.
* Presenter
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Semi Final Projects
A thank you from University of Toronto Schools for making the SSEP project happen for us
Watch our thank you video
Student Spaceflight Experiment Program project – Microgravity Research in Space!
Opportunities in education are out there, and sometimes they are just outrageously amazing. While attending the International Astronautical conference in this school year September 2014 (Where our school met Billy Nye and Col. Hadfield), we met some other people involved in education initiatives. It was nearing space week, and representatives from World Space Week and the Canadian Space Society (CSS) came to our school to publicize World Space week and have our students sign a banner that was being launched in space.
I spoke to the CSS representative, Haroon Oqab, about other space initiatives and mentioned the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program (SSEP) project. With only a link to a web site, I visited the SSEP site and loved the possibilities of doing space research in high school, but I imagined the extra time it would need, thought it would be a competition to do an experiment which I thought meant we might do a lot of work and had only a slim chance of sending an experiment to the ISS, doubted I could get people interested, but I investigated further.
Their web site was extremely robust with many links and sources so I made contact with the site administrator. Very quickly, their director, Dr. Jeff Goldstein, explained the process to me over the phone. Jeff Goldstein is one of the most passionate STEM advocates I have ever run into. He’s extremely knowledgeable astrophysicist, but his passion is giving this oppotunity to as many people as possible and having students involved in real space research. What jumped out at me “guaranteed ISS experiment, student engagement, simultaneous experiment on Earth”… Whaaaat?????? What an opportunity!!
It was then that I understood that participation meant if I could apply and manage to get our community involved, one of our experiments WOULD be performed in space, and it was an internal competition. Well now we were talking about real motivation. Mentally, I was in!
Speed ahead 6 weeks, later. Lack of sleep from my other duties, convincing people we needed to get involved no matter how negative they were about the many “what ifs” and unknowns about the project, trying to sift through the web site… creating things and… we were accepted (pending financial back up)! Oh my God, our students are actually going to impact space research. Humanity! The future! Oh, but there was just this tricky little thing, that I, a full-time chemistry teacher with multiple projects going on and busy home life, must now become a fund raiser. That was the beginning of a roller coaster journey, creating a video, a kickstarter, applying for donations, speaking in public engagements, speaking to companies and consulting a myriad of organizations and individuals, up and down emotions when it looked like it just wouldn’t work and then would and then up and down that roller coaster many, many times. Doing a project requires a bit of courage and immunity to risk. This is why I’m writing this article. To tell anyone out there who also became excited that it is worth it, earn from our experiences and improve on them. Isn’t that what real science is all about?
Where we are now (March 14, 2015):
With the money raised for our participation (that’s right, I’ve skipped the details, but mission accomplished!) with a combined effort from the NCESSE and us, we are now moving forward with experiments!
It has been quite a journey and despite many people having doubts, the fundraising is completed to participate in the Student Spaceflight experiments Program (SSEP) mission 8. I would like to say a big thank you to many many people, beginning with the major corporate sponsors for our participation.
Magellan Aero
Telus Canada
Other Businesses and Individuals also made this happen:
Toronto Foundation
Kanetix
Bessada Kia
UTSPA (UTS Parent’s Association)
The Govan family
John and Angela Vavitsas family
Michaele Robertson & Barry Wansbrough
VandenHoven Raymond family
UTS parents, alumni, staff
A bake sale initiated by our grade 8 students!
The combined efforts of related family, friends, colleagues
The general public the world over that believe in STEM education and the positve impact on this planet!
How does one fundraise anyway?
I, personally had no idea how to crowdfund. I am, afterall, an educator, author and a scientist and the extent of raising funds has been for research proposals or education grants. But this was different, it was dealing with the public, and asking them to support an educational initiative – not a government agency. It was a very scary, unknown journey with an equal number of supportive enthusiasts and nay sayers moving forward. The supportive enthusiasts thought it was an amazing opportunity, but were also concerned about the funding, about introducing a topic that may not happen.
The nay sayers had a combination of too much time, too much money, let’s stick to what we know, why try something new types of answers. Unknown territory is not easy, and the risk of introducing this opportunity and then failing was a very realistic concern. But it was a no win situation, and we have to win it.
To participate in the SSEP things had to move fast and it was impossible to do this without student support, and thus not telling them was less risky than telling them.
The next step was discussing with the administration of the school. This project is risky to take part in financially and for planning the participation of so many people. UTS is a school already so involved in so many extra-curricular activities. The school is popping over with debating clubs, sports teams, science Olympiads, biotechnology projects, chess teams, math contests, computer contests, tournaments, competitions, shows, bands… so much is going on! Was there even room for more? I approached our subject director, followed by vice-principals, followed by principal and our director of advancement, and they both loved the ideas, but also had no idea how we could raise the money or fit it into the curriculum. The response was positive, but asking me to give a realistic plan for the funding AND how this could be incorporated into a course without stepping on other courses.
I started attending and arranging multiple meetings with various educational, scientific and startup organizations along with Haroon. One of the first meetings was with MARS discovery and a former colleague, Joseph Wilson. From him, I learned much more on how to focus the kickstarter, and what was, and was not important for it. Joseph himself is an astronomer and educator, and he was so enthusiastic he himself promised to pledge to the kickstarter. With the clear signs of the momentum and enthusiasm this project was making, we moved forward.
Other major hurdles
As the funding was being organized, the other major plans were including 200 students in a school of 670. Would they be marked? Who would and wouldn’t be allowed to participate? I wanted to involve other relevant subject teams, and give anyone the chance to be involved, while streamlining those that should be involved. The senior students had the experience but no time in their classes. The junior students had a perfect fit in their curriculum, and overwhelming enthusiasm, but less experience and not enough of a student body. If only we could merge them…
Oh yes! We could merge them! It was perfect. A mentoring relationship was envisioned. I spoke with another science enthusiasts in my department, including Shawn Brooks and Jennifer Howell, who showed very early support and we enthusiasm for the program. We ironed it out with the other teachers in the grade 9 science grade, where this would fit in perfectly as a part of their subject area. Elizabeth Straszynski, the lead on the grade 9 science course I assumed might feel there was no time to do this, but she also saw the value of the program. She is a curriculum specialist and was very good for helping us all figure out where this fit in, and the 3 teachers involved in grade 9 science were willing to shift around some other projects. As a team, we continue to plan how to incorporate this project into the grade 9 curriculum
To summarize, these are that needed to be dealt with to participate in the program
The funding, which is $23700 US. The NCESSE does a lot of work to help its communities get sponsorship through corporate sponsors, but it’s not something you can depend on, and it’s always better to promise an amount it not all yourself rather than depending on so many unknowns
Incorporating it into the program
Organizing groups and providing guidance for mentor teams
Making sure anyone involved in the program agrees to do so
Taking the time to apply and create an implementation plan
Coming up with a project plan
Finding the time for the students to be involved
making sure your plan acknowledges everyone involved and is a valid learning experience regardless of whether those involved have the top experiment
making contacts with other research institutions for the use of their equipment
For anyone planning to do a major STEM project like this out there, some unexpected surprises:
There has been overwhelming support. In words, in sponsorship, it has been made clear right back to us that people realize the need to have real world applications in education and the chance to make an impact at ANY stage in education. Space research is a part of all of us, it’s a part of how we fit in and will be more and more a part of all of our futures.
The engagement of this program is touching on many levels. It’s a relief and inspiring to see, that a project in space means so much to aerospace companies, companies interested in space, to small businesses that feel proud to help students do something wonderful, to friends of students who just think this is cool and want to help them… the list goes on. The human spirit is shining through!
The level of engagement is a very strong reality! We are in the early stages, and some groups have almost completed their projects. This opportunity means something to them. Students do not learn for grades or the carrot at the end of the stick, they learn when they are engaged, when they know why they are learning what they are learning and clearly, this is when they give you some awe inspiring outcomes!
Our Music department was inspired! Sarah Shugarman, a UTS music teacher, approached me on making their year end project incorporate this space project. They were connecting the creativity and the entire UTS music department is making this happen
Our English department very early on was happy to make this a cross-curricular journey and fine tune the younger students research writing skill as part of the program which is something they also teach. Not everyone likes to step out of their boundaries and do new things, but seeing the many departments do this, in the name of learning is just adding to the fruitfulness and excitement of doing such a large project.
The beginning of the projects:
We have successfully split up the grade 9 science classes into groups they want to work with. Because a lot of the shared documentation is on google docs, we did not limit the groups to specific classrooms. They can work with any people in their grade. We had enough mentor volunteers from science grade 11 and 12 grades to join with the grade 9 science grade. Each group has their own folders where teachers and additional science mentors have access. A meeting was held for the mentors and they have been asked to meet their younger partners to begin their journey and very quickly, on mass, most have been following this protocol wonderfully. We are able to see who contributes what with google docs and follow progress.
We are 2 weeks into the planning and the grade 9s have given details on what microgravity is, the FME research box, and another assignment where they looked at previous microgravity experiments. They have all narrowed down their choice of topics or chosen them.
Our current challenge is to monitor their progress, delegate the teachers following. We are also pairing them with external mentors for scientific advice. So far, we have some scientists from the Canadian Space Society, the Royal Astronomical Society, Ontario Science Centre and University of Toronto. Our projects are being worked on collaboratively on google docs, making it easier to see who contributes what
“The Student Spaceflight Experiments Program http://ssep.ncesse.org is undertaken by the National Center for Earth and Space Science Education NCESSE http://ncesse.org in partnership with Nanoracks, LLC. This on-orbit educational research opportunity is enabled through NanoRacks, LLC, which is working in partnership with NASA under a Space Act Agreement as part of the utilization of the International Space Station as a National Laboratory.”
We are on our way and will keep you posted!
Suzanne Monier
UTS is the first school in Ontario, Canada to participate in the SSEP project; and have experiment preformed in the ISS.
Canadian Space Society
Galaxy Toppers
TDbank
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HomeNewsGrant Notches PittRace Victory
Grant Notches PittRace Victory
Wampum, PA – Keith Grant led from pole to checkered flags in round nine of the Atlantic Championship Series season to take the win in the first of two races of the Pittsburgh International Race Complex weekend. Grant backed up his recent victory at Mid-Ohio, making it two in a row for the Polestar Swift 016/Mazda. Conner Kearby and Gaston Kearby, in a pair of K-Hill Motorsports cars, completed the podium.
It was Grant and C. Kearby on row one heading to the green flag, and sat one-two in the point standings coming into the weekend. Grant extended his points lead with not only the win, but points for pole and fast lap of the race, which came on the second-to-last lap of the 23-lap event.
“The car just handled great all weekend working with Polestar,” said Grant. “Anywhere I wanted the car to go I’d point it and it would go there. Conner kept the pressure on the first few laps and then just disappeared out of my mirrors.”
Kearby stayed with Grant for the opening laps as the two traded fast laps back and forth for the opening laps of the event. As the one-second or so margin went back and forth to the tune of a couple tenths, Kearby hiccupped, falling a few seconds behind. Then it was Grant who opened the wick and disappeared to the race victory with a torrid pace.
A second place run for Kearby, however, does net him valuable points in the No. 56 K-Hill Swift 016/Mazda.
“I made a bad adjustment on the car during the race, and Keith was that fast the entire time,” said Kearby. “After he was gone, I tried to run the fastest lap, but we didn’t get that.”
Fast times included a 1:33.019 for Grant versus 1:33.843 to C. Kearby, with G. Kearby with the third fastest lap of the race and also finishing third in the No. 69 K-Hill entry, narrowly beating Richard Zober.
“I kept looking back and saw nothing but green,” said G. Kearby. “The track is really awesome, we are enjoying it.”
Zober hassled G. Kearby for the second half of the race as he moved in on the K-Hill car solidly in his No. 66 Comprent Motorsports Swift 016/Mazda.
Zober would finish 1.5 seconds behind G. Kearby, with a fast race lap of 1:34.751 on the 18-turn track.
Storming to fifth and holding position for the duration of the race was Chris Ash, who picked up two spots with some nice moves in the opening segments of the race.
Brian Novak was sixth in his white Honda Performance Development Swift 014, while Bob Corliss logged a second place finish in the Atlantic Challenge category with a seventh place run for Comprent Motorsports.
Full results are available on www.AtlanticChampionshipSeries.com under the Results tab.
Round 10 of the Atlantic season continues on Sunday from Pittsburgh with morning qualifying and afternoon race.
Ladder Series
Road Atlanta April 18-20
Watkins Glen May 10-12
VIR July 26-28
Pittsburgh August 2-4
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You request a cash advance for $500, then your payment is $75
نوفمبر 27, 2015 سبتمبر 27, 2019
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Tag Archives: Hollywood
Intersections, Violence
Fabulous Nicholas Brothers
November 3, 2016 Andrea Gibbons 1 Comment
Last night at Bristol’s Watershed we went to see The Fabulous Nicholas Brothers:
Bruce Goldstein, Director of Repertory Programming at Film Forum in New York, presents a unique compilation tribute to the greatest dancers of the 20th century the Nicholas Brothers, featuring a collage of rarely seen home movies, photographs and film clips.
It was — the Fabulous Nicholas Brothers were — amazing. I perhaps use that adjective too much, my enthusiasms lace my writing with ‘I loved’ and ‘brilliant’ and other such encomiums so that perhaps they lose some meaning. But little I have ever experienced compares to the feeling of pure joy that dance can grant, particularly as embodied by Fayard and Harold Lloyd Nicholas. Before Bruce Goldstein began, they started with this clip, ‘Lucky Number’ (1936):
Throughout their career, in addition to the jaw-dropping virtuosity of their movements, there is a joy in dance and in dancing with each other that is a gift to watch. It fills you up as you watch it, together with awe that such things might be done.
I will also note that this format, of talk interspersed with clips, from someone as knowledgeable and personable as Bruce Goldstein who knew the brothers personally, was awesome. He had loads of footage from the Fabulous Nicholas Brothers’ own home videos including some of their unique film of the Cotton Club performances, which rendered it incredible. You are sorry you missed it.
Anyway. You take all of this, the very best and the most beautiful of talent, and you set it in Jim Crow America. This ensures the Fabulous Nicholas Brothers are billed most of their lives as a ‘specialty act’ (though usually at the top of the bill). I think for all I have read, watched, wrestled with, this exposed an entirely new view of how damaging Jim Crow was. How crazy it was.
Absolutely batshit crazy.
There’s Pie Pie Blackbird. Crazy. Immense talent to be found singing and dancing about the master’s ‘blackbird pie’.
As a reference to master sleeping with his slaves, it hardly seems veiled at all. And so it is that here, the Fabulous Nicholas Brothers in their 1932 debut get called little pickinninies.
Wonderful without reservations is their appearance in the 1935 All Coloured Vaudeville Movie — and look at that city background, this is really an urban art after all, not one tied to the plantation south, but to Harlem, to Chicago, to the places that beckoned towards freedom and equality (though still have yet to grant it). Fayard is performing in his characteristic three piece suit — he wore it at almost all times (there’s home footage of him wearing it at the tennis courts, on the beach), a fashion statement against the indignities and disrespect of Jim Crow, and I love him for it:
Yet so many of these clips make me feel Jim Crow viscerally. After a rather saccharine display of white doo-wop and the (rather good don’t you know) Glen Miller band, there is the joy and virtuosity of the Fabulous Nicholas Brothers and the equally fabulous Dorothy Dandridge (who married Harold, how did I not know?). Carefully orchestrated so the whole section is separate from the white musicians, able to be cut entirely for Southern audiences — a prime reason the Nicholas Brothers would always perform self-contained ‘numbers’ rather than roles.
I found this separateness physically painful to watch, which sat strangely beside the absolute joy of the performance itself. But more bewildering were these two clips, the first the 1934 ‘Minstrel Man’ from Kid Millions
Apart from it being cool that Lucille Ball is in this, I sat wondering in what insane ideological space the whole of America was in to make such a musical number possible, such plunging necklines and singing about loving a minstrel man when Black men were being lynched in the South for even looking the wrong way at a white woman.
Their number from Tin Pan Alley (1940) is even crazier:
I couldn’t stop thinking about Emmet Till through the whole of this damn number. What the actual fuck. Never in a million years could I have imagined such a thing in 1940. In struggling to make sense of it, I think a partial answer is that the category of youth allowed Harold Nicholas to be non-threatening enough for ‘Minstrel Man’, and the category of ‘performing slave’ to be non-threatening enough for Tin Pan Alley (and the absence of sexual innuendo or physical contact). And yet. It doesn’t really explain it to my satisfaction.
Nothing does. Think of Billie Holiday singing ‘Strange Fruit’ in 1939: Southern trees bear a strange fruit / Blood on the leaves and blood at the root / Black bodies swingin’ in the Southern breeze / Strange fruit hangin’ from the poplar trees. The two performances together somehow make white power and violence even more terrifying in ways I am unable to understand. Perhaps it is the impossibility of reconciling these two things that is the most terrifying, how do you fight what is impossible to understand?
World War II would start to move change along again, Fayard would be drafted into the Jim Crow Army’s laundry brigade.
The Pirate (1948), with Gene Kelley, was the first film where Black and white dancers interacted together, as something like equals (where Gene Kelley, who is a superb dancer, is struggling to keep up in fact).
Still the brothers’ speaking roles were cut from the final film, they remained listed as a specialty act.
Bruce Goldstein writes of all those they influenced:
The dancer’s dancers, their fans have included Gene Kelly, who teamed up with them in The Pirate; Bob Fosse and Gregory Hines, whose first acts were modelled on them; ballet legends George Balanchine and Mikhail Baryshnikov; Michael Jackson, who once had Fayard as a dance coach; and Fred Astaire, who named their Stormy Weather ‘staircase’ number the greatest of all musical sequences.
Yet watching this talk I was struck by how much better all of those dancers and all of their performances could have been in a world without racism, where the Fabulous Nicholas Brothers could have found a rightful respect and a rightful place in musicals and movies. The leading roles they deserved. The space to further develop their art. Instead they moved to Paris. After four years Fayard moved home, because home is home, you know? No one should have to leave home to feel like a human being. No one should have to choose between performing with his brother or being treated like a human being. Harold had to, chose the second for a time. Remained in Paris. Ended up coming home to be with his brother.
Here they are reunited at the Hollywood Palace in 1965. Fayard is 51.
How wonderful they are. How angry I remain at this larger context and history.
Finally to end, and to end on the wonderful just as the talk did, the most wonderful routine of all (of all!) from Stormy Weather, which we are lucky enough to have tickets to see on the big screen on Sunday!
I am going to learn to tap dance. I will not be good, but perhaps I might come to express some of my joy with my feet in such a way…
artbeautydanceFabulous Nicholas BrothersFilmHollywoodJim CrowjoymusicalsNew Yorkrace
Films, Photo Essay
Apacheland
January 22, 2015 Andrea Gibbons Leave a comment
`My last set of pictures and post from Arizona…just a few days wandering yields so much. After reading Orientalism I know when writing about an old movie set I should do something more thoughtful about Westerns and representation and how I sit in relationship to the myths of the West and its occupants. But this won’t really be it, just a quick beginning.
In my youth I refused to watch most Westerns at all, especially after the first time I realised a white dude had actually painted himself brown and was pretending to be an Indian. That was a moment of pure WTF. I sided with the Indians and Mexicans and I knew in advance they always lost. I hated that male violence was always so stupidly extreme and defined everything, as women fluttered around them like anachronistically clean and well-fed butterflies. We did, I confess, watch a lot of Bonanza, but I thought John Wayne was an asshole and wanted no part of anything that made him look like a hero.
I still think John Wayne is an asshole. That’s why I now like The Searchers so much.
Now that I have left the desert, I yearn to catch site of it in the multitude of films shot in the very same hills to the SW of Tucson where I grew up. Along familiar trails even. But there are more reasons than that to like James Stewart in Winchester ’73.
Tucson never appears at all in the TV show Maverick, but James Garner cheers me up just to look at him. Nichols may be even better, I’m just sad that the Rockford Files aren’t filmed in Tucson too. L.A. is overrepresented.
I’ll stop listing the Westerns worth watching because I will leave things out (like Lee Marvin! Cat Ballou!) But what is fascinating is the way that the the manufacturing of the Western myth in movies left a trail all across the South West in the form of movie sets and theme parks that sit oddly with the detritus of mining and cattle ranching that actually marks the passing of the old west.
One I had never heard of, next to the Superstitions just south of Apache Junction, is Apacheland (APACHELAND since 1959, is a registered trademark of Apacheland Movie Ranch © 2014).
The name itself is after the Apache trail, or Apache Junction perhaps. All of them together just serve as another expression of how white people have no shame at all at appropriating the names and cultures of those they have massacred and forced to leave the area entirely. And then made money making moving pictures about a rewritten version of that history.
This makes the use of the word ‘innocent’ in its own description a bit dubious:
Apacheland 1956-1959
From its innocent inception of a theme park and western movie studio in 1956 to its founding in 1959 as “The Western Movie Capital of the World,” this is the first chapter in a 55 year history of Apacheland Movie Ranch that covers Richard Boone, Ronald Reagan, Elvis Presley, John Wayne and Henry Fonda to name a few. Apacheland Days at its finest.
This was always meant to be a tourist destination, a show:
Sadly most of it burned down, so its relics have been picked up and moved to the Superstion Mountain Musuem:
Despite all of this, I get a little thrill knowing that these buildings have been the backdrop for the work of some of my favourite people:
I will include Elvis in that, here is the chapel from Charro!:
It is, of course, dedicated to Elvis. Vegas, eat your heart out.
It also contains some pictures of what Apacheland once looked like:
And then because this is indeed a mixture of the real and the unreal, they of course have my favourite exhibit in all western museums — the obligatory board of barbed wire:
Outside, and again outside of Hollywood all together, is this wonderful collection of old mining machinery, like the Cossack Stamp Mill, dragged here with love from Bland, NM and now being restored to working condition.
An old water drill:
And amazing bits of machinery rusting:
Perhaps the most memorable exhibit is inside:
But to return to Hollywood, here is the monument to the wonderful Tom Mix, who died here in a car accident — much further down the highway, but it seemed to fit here:
And a monument to the leisure activities of many a good resident of Arizona. I miss it.
Apacheland Filmography
1956 Gunfight at the OK Corral – Burt Lancaster, Kirk Douglas
1960 Apache Trail Documentary – Documentary of Superstition Wilderness
1960 Have Gun, Will Travel – Richard Boone
1961 Bonanza – Lorne Greene, Michael Landon, Dan Blocker
1961 Stagecoach West – Wayne Rogers, Robert Bray
1961 The Purple Hills – Gene Nelson, Kent Taylor
1961 The Broken Land – Jack Nicholson, Kent Taylor
1962 Showdown at Redrock – Frank Wilcox, Leland Wainscott
1964 Blood on the Arrow – Dale Robertson, Martha Hyer
1964 Arizona Raiders – Audie Murphy, Michael Dante
1965 Death Valley Days – Ronald Reagan
1965 General Motors – Lorne Greene
1966 Death Valley Days – Robert Taylor
1967 Ice Capades in the Desert – Carolyn O’Kelly, John Labrecque
1967 Pepsi’s ‘Girl on the Go’ – Corinne Calvet
1967 Dundee and the Culhane – Warren Oates, John Drew Barrymore
1968 Hang Fire – Jerry Vance, Lindsay Crosby
1968 Charro! – Elvis Presley, Ina Balin
1968 Will Rogers Institute – John Wayne
1969 Ballad of Cable Hogue – Jason Robards, Stella Stevens
1969 A Time for Dying – Audie Murphy, Richard Lapp
1971 Second Chance – Brian Keith, Rosie Grier
1972 Guns of a Stranger – Marty Robbins, Chill Wills
1976 The Haunted – Aldo Ray, Virginia Mayo
1977 Sweet Savage – Aldo Ray, Charles Samples
1977 Jacob and Jacob – Alan Hale, Jake Jacobs
1978 Blue Jay Summer – Ken McConnell, Teresa Jones
1983 The Gambler: The Adventure Continues – Kenny Rogers, Linda Evans
1994 Blind Justice – Armande Assante, Jack Black
1994 Playboy Goes West – Royce O’Donnell, Ed Birmingham, Hank Sheffer
1995 Ford Motor Company – Waylon Jennings
ArizonaElvisHollywoodJames Garnermovie setsrepresentationtheme parksWesterns
City Unseen
Muay Thai and the Museum of Death
April 6, 2009 Andrea Gibbons Leave a comment
Thai festival today! There was absolutely no parking at all anywhere, but it was worth it when we got to Thai town. The day was sunny, the skies were blue, the crowds were hopping, and the food…oh the food was magical. We ate in the little square, in the least-full looking restaurant though we still had to wait for seating. I kind of wanted to throw over vegetarianism, even more than I already have I mean, and order the chicken volcano (it’s an entire chicken, steamed veggies, and the whole thing seems to be on fire…I don’t think you can ask more from an entree.) But I didn’t. And I wasn’t sorry taste wise.
We actually only saw dancers, none of the dancing, though we did wander the booths. Because the main attraction and the real reason we were there?
Not him specifically, though I wouldn’t have minded, especially as he is a new champion. We were there for Muay Thai, or Thai boxing. Remember Ong Bak? Oh yeah. Unlike Western boxing, you don’t just use your fists. It is known as the “Art of the Eight Limbs” as there are 8 points of contact, the two hands, shins, elbows, and knees.
And while it has no long tradition of women fighters (tradition holds that a Muay Thai ring will be cursed if women fight in it…not surprising of course), there is a new popularity and some kick ass women fighters were there.
And we stood watching it for several hours, there were 18 matches in all, and I think we stayed for perhaps 11 of them…we left after the first heavyweight match as it wasn’t as exciting or lively I’m afraid. A very drunk thai man in a wool hat enlivened the afternoon; he really wanted to bet. He kept shouting out bets that I couldn’t understand, 200 of something or other, and cheerfully embraced everyone from the fighters to security. And there were a few guys behind us who drank the whole time, smoked three bowls of weed and had the most revolting conversation I have ever heard. I pray that they die single and never reproduce, but any women priveleged to hear their comments would have to be dead before allowing any of them to touch her.
The above was the best shot (and the tats by far the best as well), the light was none too good, even after we’d worked our way to the front. And like western boxing, there are a lot of clinches…where the photographs essentially look like two guys holding each other tenderly. I did get a good one of spittle flying out of a guys mouth, and some good expressions…I might put those up later.
Jose and I had lost Bev by that point, she wasn’t so into the fighting, or the standing in the sun for hours. I was too into the fighting to notice really, until I started getting tired, and then we moved and my legs were hating me. They still do. They might hate me for some time. Because we walked down Hollywood…passing some amazing graf
There was more, but I tire…we were headed exploring, and to the Frolic Room, and we passed the Museum of Death. I have been wanting to go there for some time, with such a name how could you not go?
The best thing about the Museum of Death, apart from the name, is that the owner has a siamese turtle.
It’s a bit blurry, but it is extraordinary…and will be as long lived as a regular turtle, as there are two hearts. He had an albino turtle as well, who was lovely.
You’re not allowed to take pictures inside, and it is pretty…gruesome in there. Very gruesome. Very graphic. I’m glad I went, I recommend it to everyone with a strong stomach and a taste for the macabre. I shan’t be going again however! You start out in the warm-up room, full of the embalming arts, a horrifying training video, pictures of dead babies laid out in funeral splendour, the implements of the trade, matchbooks from funeral parlours…you move into a corridor full of photographs of car accidents, a couple having an affair who killed the husband, stripped, dismemebered him while naked, had much traditional fun with the body parts, and took pictures of it all. They were caught while developing them (this is pre-digital days obviously), and lads, the woman was released after only 6 years, so she’s out there and possibly dating.
There’s a room on suicide cults. A room on L.A.’s biggest crimes…the Black Dahlia (those photos will keep you from sleeping for a week), the Manson murders (likewise), OJ Simpson (seems like a sweetheart next to the rest…) There’s lots on serial killers, little write ups, surveys they’ve filled out, letters, pop up books, drawing, pictures…Richard Ramirez showing what Jeffrey Dammer’s fridge probably looked like, a cheerful letter from the Son of Sam. It’s a nice intimate look at the mind of killers.
Ooh, and there’s Jane Mansfeld’s stuffed chihuahua. And a video room. And a section on hollywood stars who have croaked in extraordinary or violent ways…I’d say more but I’m winding down. So go. And don’t forget that the Frolic Room is only a few blocks away, you will almost certainly want a drink. I admit to “needing” one after the Museum of Death. And who could ask for more from their dive bar?
Jim Belushi was here. He fit in with the mood.
And so two beers later, my legs hating me much more after a museum tour, we walked to the train station. Which was crawling with cops. And waited for the train. And waited. And waited. Union Station was closed due to a “police incident,” and I couldn’t find anything yet on the news this evening, but hopefully tomorrow. Finally the train came, and it was packed full of course, and there was a break-up in full swing right next to us. And both the girl and the guy were annoying. I almost wanted them to stay together so no one else would be tempted to date either of them. And my legs were hating me. And I was starving. And freezing.
So back home to Echo Park, chilaquiles at Rodeo Grill, and back home. To play some with my pictures. And to write. And to sleep, but I shall hope for no dreams!
deathfrolic roomHollywoodLos Angelesmuay thaimuseum of deathwalking
City Unseen, Everyday, Photo Essay
The OTHER Hollywood, all around the Oscars
February 23, 2009 Andrea Gibbons Leave a comment
It is the Hollywood I love…The Oscars? All fake glam and glitter, and while I have a severe weakness for beautiful dresses, I hate the posing and I really hate false smiles. But the scene surrounding the Oscars was truly phenomenal, partly in its everyday madness and cheap sexual thrills, and partly in the crowds that thronged the sidewalks, the cops, the snipers.
Absolutely. Snipers.
I’m fairly certain…There was also the rather frightening suv with the protected hole in the window that I originally assumed was for drive-bys, can’t take the ghetto out of the girl I guess, but it is much more likely to be a paparazzi vehicle.
It really is an extraordinary scene really, from on the ground, and from the outside.
Hollywood…I still remember the first time I went there years ago, and how shockingly cheap and tawdry it was. I love it of course, the way I love dive bars and eccentrics, but it has nothing to do with the image projected out into the wide world, though the city has been trying to push all the poor, the junkies, the sexy out into the far-flung regions, preferably LA County. But here you can still fulfill all of your stripper and fantasy needs, and for pure entertainment value very little can beat it
There was also the official celebration of twenty five years of all-American pornography
And of course, strippers don’t just come here to shop… though it appears The Cave with its Girls Girls Girls is soon going out of business, and everything is on sale
Yeah, the above just makes it all quite sad really, and clearly crosses the line for me between capitalist exploitation of sex and women, and an enjoyable eroticism. But Hollywood crosses all kinds of lines.
Here’s Sponge Bob crossing another line
Pretty priceless shot if I do say so myself! This sort of thing inspires a whole cadre of folks who believe the world desperately needs saving, they are as entertaining as anything else really
And my favourite…and least judgment oriented
I’m a bit gutted that this turned out so blurry…But was very happy to see the son of god present and accounted for. And tolerant. Because it’s the people really, that make Hollywood shine
V, fighting a righteous cause. The Scientologists were out in force, as this is their heartland.
While the above was taken on the fly and therefore free, the below did cost me a dollar. Well, turned out I didn’t have any change so it cost Jose a dollar…he’s a good sport
But the best shots are free
Twin goth girls, a pimp with sky blue shoes, Cat Woman AND Barney, though you can’t really see him. Who could ask for more than this? Live music? We had that too:
with crazy style too…there is almost more style here then you can handle
and you go from absurdity to absurdity, I really could not ask for more from a day then this.
King George? Who? The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd are all dead, so I’m in a bit of a puzzle to know exactly what he’s talking about…and who exactly will be entering the face-off with Snoop Dog, Tori Spelling, Adam Sandler, and David Hasslehoff. But the mental images that evokes are quite delightful really, I think we should have them face-off each other. And then have Sarah Ferguson take on the winner.
It was an amazing Sunday. Not least because we mingled, wandered into the Cat and the Fiddle, mingled, spent some time in the Frolic Room (where I lost all respect for Hugh Jackman as he pranced around singing silly songs, that was a bit tragic), headed back to the reminders of LA’s even darker side and what lies behind all the wealth and glitz of the Oscars
And then back home in downtown
The most phenomenal basket collection I have ever seen in my entire life. And its owner in purple velour robe and slippers. And from here to the whiskey bar at 7th and Grand, though we didn’t drink whiskey. We did play pool. I am phenomenally bad. But I won the last game after two perfect shots, and the high from that was pretty astounding. And then we walked to Tacos Mexico, found the Broadway Bar closed, so then we went home. And I laughed too loudly and the man with the crazy bugged-out eyes who had been weaving around the bus and swatting at people as they passed him stood up, walked over to us, and asked Jose (being a gentleman I spose) “what the fuck are you laughing at mother fucker, you laughing at me?” But luckily that was our stop, the bus driver was calming the guy down, Jose didn’t back down nor did he provoke, and so he didn’t get whipped around the head with the guys heavy “gold” chain that was missing a link and he’d been trying to…er…fix, the whole ride. Ah, the excitement of the 4 after 11 pm. Or any time.
Much as I hate L.A., I love it. I love the pulsing vibrant non-cosmetic beauty and life and heartbreak of it. I always wonder why you would chose the other.
Hollywoodjesus freaksLos Angelesoscarsstrippers
Moving is a bitch. I’m going through all of my things, and I have far too many things…This weekend I’ve started going through my books which is heartbreaking enough, but the big news? The boxes of old tapes I’ve dug out of the closet…all those mixes I made back in the day (I was a huge mix maker cause music just happens to be one of those things I most love in life), mixes friends made for me, stuff I taped off the radio. I’m listening to them all, downloading all the songs I don’t currently have on my i-pod, and…and…and…throwing them away. I must say, it’s bringing a tear to my eye, and an avalanche of memories. And an embarassed chuckle or two, I found the electric slide AND la Macarena, what was I thinking?
Anyways, had a good day today aside from the trip down memory lane…who knew that John Waite’s Missing You could still make me cry? It’s going to take me all week, this playing tapes and throwing away and remembering things (Christ, just found some Ton Loc! Carlos from homeroom in Jr. High used to sing this fucking song all the time, thought he was a playa…and he was. Took steroids in the drinking fountain and was a dad before graduation…) So, anyways, I went on down to the farmers market in Hollywood on the train…just wanted to show an example of LA’s finest public art as seen in the Civic Center metro station
They have any number of these guys suspended over you, they all have numbers on their chests, and I find them a bit frightening.
I did overmaster my fear, however, in my quest for fresh vegetables. After the vegetables i went over to Amoeba music, the best music store in LA and I believe the world. I know I’m supposed to be getting rid of all my music but it’s depressing and what cheers me up more than looking at music I don’t have yet? Anyway, I wanted to buy The Doors Morrison Hotel on vinyl so they can all sign it for me on Wednesday Night. Didn’t find it, but thought I’d get some R.L. Burnside and found what might be possibly the best album cover ever:
A Ass Pocket of Whiskey? Why is there no n? How did they get that bottle of whiskey down their shorts and what will happen if they sit down? What is he going to do with his belt? It’s a good album and so I’m giving it to Dan for Christmas, he’s in law school and has no time be reading his sister’s blogs I hope…he doesn’t respond to my emails at any rate, so serves him right.
Anyways, to continue with the music theme, here’s a lovely view of capitol records and some typical Hollywood frontage:
The cave, nice! They even have a cash machine inside.
I also got a hair cut.
amoeba musicAss Pocket of Whiskeycivic center metroHollywoodmusicpublic artR.L. Burnsidethe Cave
ARG and MEO hit Hollywood
Arg and Meo took a little bike trip down to Hollywood today, sadly it is being cleaned up and turned into a giant mall…but enough is left of the grit and madness and classic movie star murals to make it worth a visit from time to time, though I shudder to think what tourists make of it! Now that I think about it though, they must love it, who doesn’t love sex shops and playmates lingerie and stripper shoe stores? Whenever my lime green shiny leather boots with their five inch platform heels wear out (happens far too often I can tell you) I sleep soundly knowing they are easily replaced! It’s very educational for the whole family, I know I certainly learn something new about human anatomy and what you can do with it everytime I head down there!
Still, the old movies are magical…Some of my favorites are by the gentleman who said “a lot of movies are about life, mine are like a slice of cake.” I don’t know what kind of cake that would be honestly, but who can resist it?
He also said “Blondes make the best victims. They’re like virgin snow that shows up the bloody footprints.” I don’t know why I think that is funny. But I do.
Another favorite…I have to interject and say that I had no idea these folks were painted on the roll downs because I’ve only ever seen them up and the seedy stores behind open for business, but they’re great…another favourite is
The master himself, who said “A film is never really good unless the camera is an eye in the head of a poet.” (I’m looking these up by the way, I really loves quotes and can never remember them unless I’ve seen a movie 50 times so…), he also said “Ecstasy is not really part of the scene we can do on celluloid.” And lastly, particularly relevant for today, “Ask not what you can do for your country. Ask what’s for lunch.”
One last femme fatale to balance things out, a mosaic:
Always wanted Bette Davis eyes, someone yelled big eyes at me from a car the other day but I don’t think that counts, nor do I have any idea if they were being insulting or complimentary. I took it as the second. My favourite quote? “I’d love to kiss you, but I just washed my hair.”
I’d have liked to have run into Humphrey Bogart, or Lauren Bacall, or Katherine Hepburn, they’re all over but didn’t see them today. We did see the enigmatical king of flying mammals screaming at some people in a car…he was very very angry indeed…
Off he goes, striding away in the sulks.
The afternoon was spent at the Tofu festival in Little Tokyo, which was supremely unphotogenic. Very yummy though.
batmanbikesHollywoodlittle tokyomuralstofu festival
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Andinia.com - Foros / Forums / • Ver Tema - Should People Carry Guns?
Índice general » Andinia´s Fora - (English) » Survival, Bushcraft and Emergencies
Should People Carry Guns?
Asunto: Should People Carry Guns?
In the world violence is increasing; terrorism and even common crime seem to be hijacking the freedom that we took for granted, so far. Now we depend on CCTV cameras and overstretched police, security and military forces.
Firearms in the hands of civilians has always been an issue; many politicians as well as a lot of politically-motivated people frequently state that civilians should not have firearms at their disposal but the truth is that having weapons has always been a natural prerrogative of humankind since the advent of tools, back in the Palaeolithic.
And while it is true that firearms hurt when they are used, the same could be said of cars, forks and electrical circuits. Many things are able to kill, but weapons allow people and whole societies to be defended. A gun is a survival tool, and in countries - like in Switzerland - where they are understood as such, there is no particular incidence of crime related to the fact that citizens are armed with rather heavy weapons.
In countries like Canada, the ratio between guns and inhabitants is higher than in the United States yet, there is no apparent relationship between that fact and violent crime. In other words, violent crimes develop from other factors instead on guns.
In Europe it is really difficult to own a firearm yet, is crime non-existent there? Are terrorist deterred in any way by that? If Europe has had a violent past it is not because of guns, but due to particular sociological factors.
Having guns in the hands of civilians not only guarantees more security for the owners - if they are properly trained to use them -; it also means that countries where that is allowed are harder to control by dictators, tyrants or invading forces, and security and defence budgets are better used.
Should people carry guns then? Yes, absolutely, because they are the tools that anyone would need for self-defence. No one can really take you the right to defend yourself from robbery or terrorists; this has been the right of people since we became capable of using tools, as I wrote. It is only a natural thing to have weapons for survival.
Publicado: Vie Abr 20, 2007 10:56 pm
Ubicación: N.N.
Doesn´t the recent shootout in Virginia, USA prove that people shouldn´t have guns?
Publicado: Sab Abr 21, 2007 3:17 am
It proves that as much as it proves the opposite: If someone there had a gun probably he or she could have stopped the murderer. You have no other way to stop a shooter than by shooting him, and even if guns were outlawed people with criminal intent will get them.
You could argue that the police has to do the job of defending others; right, but the police force in fact was at the campus when the murder was commited and they could do nothing, so unless a policeman armed is present at the crime scene at the moment the crime is perpetrated, other armed individuals might actually prove the only way for innocent bystanders to survive.
Look at what happened once in Sweden, a country were guns are not exactly as broadly sold as in the USA: Someone got a revolver and killed a prime minister (the late Olof Palme). The murderer was never caught so he was, indeed, a person who planned the murder and not a casual killer.
That person was able to find a gun, certainly in the black market, and use it to kill someone as VIP as a prime minister, then it becomes clear that the issue is not guns but people. What would prevent someone in the USA from doing something similar if guns were totally banned there? What would prevent someone planning an atrocity from sneaking a gun from Canada, México, etc?
And even if someday, somehow, that would become possible, there are still a thousand different ways to kill and commit mass murder without using gunpowder, and you can see that in Iraq today, where expedient explosive devices, chlorine bombs and so on are profuse in abundance. Outlawing guns will only produce a variation in the way some people kill ohters, and then what?
The debate on whether guns should be outlawed is pointless, in my view, because as I just explained, it's like the chicken and egg discussion; you can outlaw guns but you will never get rid off them. The real question is to find out why these murderous individuals come into existence and what society could do about it.
Publicado: Vie May 02, 2008 3:05 pm
I would recommend to anyone interested in this topic to review these .
La justicia es la ventaja de los poderosos [¡y en Argentina cada vez más!] - .
Publicado: Sab Dic 06, 2008 3:21 am
While laws should be respected, I don't think that gun laws always reflect reality, especially in places where survival logic begins to take the place of state institutions due to excessive violence.
Asunto: Re: Should People Carry Guns?
Publicado: Lun Oct 05, 2009 10:09 pm
I think it's a really difficult topic!
On the one hand, I think that a person who wants to commit a crime with the help of guns is able to do so because you always can get them on the "black market".
On the other hand though, it seems as if it's much easier to commit such crimes if there isn't a law against owning guns. You don't have to think about "How do I get a gun?", "When do I best do it?", and questions/concerns like these ones. If you have a gun in your house, I think that the possibility of acting preciptious is very high.
Nevertheless, to me it seems to be a question which is difficult to answer. In general, I do not think that prohibiting guns deteriorates the number of crimes commited - only the way of doing so is different!
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Bailey Class Action Daily
Your source of news and discussion of cutting edge class action issues, both in California and Nationwide.
First District Upholds Class-Wide Meal/Rest Break Judgment Based on Employer’s Failure to Maintain Meal/Rest Break Policies and Practice of Counting Time Waiting to Enter/Exit Oakland Port As A Break: Godfrey v. Oakland Port Servs. Corp.
On Oct. 28, 2014, the First District Court of Appeal (Division 2) issued an opinion in Godfrey v. Oakland Port Servs. Corp. , __ Cal.App.4th __; 2014 Cal. App. LEXIS 980 (2014), upholding a $964,557.08 class-wide meal and rest period judgment secured on behalf of truck drivers who performed work out of employer AB Trucking’s Oakland facility. In addition to concluding that California meal and rest break requirements are not barred by FAAAA preemption [Slip Opinion, at 9-17], which mirrors the holding of the Ninth Circuit in Dilts v. Penske Logistics, LLC, ___ F.3d___ (9th Cir. Sept. 8, 2014), the Court upheld the trial court’s finding of “absolute” meal and rest period liability based on the employer’s failure to maintain a meal/rest period policy, and practice of providing drivers meal and rest breaks while waiting in line to enter or exit the Port in their trucks.
With regard to the latter issue, the employer’s challenge turned on the trial court’s finding that no class-member had received a legally complaint meal or rest break. The employer claimed this was error, and that “the [trial] court should have reserved individual determinations of damages for a claims administration process rather than granting ‘a maximum damage award to each and every member of the plaintiff class, based upon an assumption that all of them had the same experience as the handful of drivers who testified on plaintiffs' behalf at trial ….’” See Slip Opinion, at 18-19. The Court rejected this contention outright, concluding that the evidence cited in the trial court’s Statement of Decision established the employer had categorically failed to satisfy its threshold meal/rest break obligations in the first instance on multiple, independent grounds. Id., at 19-22.
First, the trial court concluded that the employer’s failure to communicate a meal and rest period policy to employees violated the employer’s legal obligation to authorize breaks in the first instance. See Slip Opinion, at 20 (“[T]he evidence shows AB neither maintained, nor provided drivers, any 'formal' meal period policy. The first example of unlawful discouragement provided in Brinker presumes the existence of a formal meal period policy. AB does not meet the ‘provide’ standard because it provided no evidence showing drivers were, at a minimum, informed in any meaningful or consistent way that they could take a meal period, or the definition of any such meal period.”); Id., at 21 (“AB provided no evidence of any formal policy on rest breaks” and “[a]s with meal periods, there is no indication drivers were, at a minimum, informed in any meaningful or consistent way that they could take rest breaks, or the definition of any such rest breaks.’”).
Second, the trial court concluded that the employer’s practice of providing drivers breaks during “waiting time” while in line at the Port – which by definition was not a duty-free break –violated the employer’s obligation to release employees of duty:
The evidence reflects AB knew drivers were stuck in line to enter the Port, once inside the Port, and in order to exit the Port, every single day. Yet it did not provide for the relief of its employees' duties during this 'waiting' time. Waiting, even in a comfortable location, is 'on-duty' by definition: here, drivers were waiting to complete a task assigned by their employer.
See Slip Opinion, at 21.
The Court of Appeal held that these findings rendered the employer’s criticism regarding the scope of damages without merit:
AB's contention that the SOD did not apply to "all" class members and that it did not say that deprivation of meal and rest breaks happened "most of the time" is not well taken. A fair reading of the court's factual findings shows that with respect to the class as a whole, the court determined that AB had no policy of providing rest and meal breaks, that breaks the drivers were able to take were usually on-duty breaks, and that AB consistently discouraged or prevented the taking of off-duty breaks. The court's finding of liability applied to the class as a whole, and to its members individually.
Moreover, the Court of Appeal rejected the employer’s claim that these findings were inconsistent with “generalized” employee-testimony claiming that they always received meal and rest breaks. See id., at 21, fn. 21 (“Francis stated that he ‘always’ took his lunch break, but we find no testimony that these were off-duty breaks, in conformance with IWC Order No. 9-2001.… Gaines said that he took rest breaks, but it appears that he counted time in his truck, waiting in line at the Port—time that was not off duty—as break time.”). Such testimony did not conflict with “the [trial] court's finding that AB did not provide for conforming breaks and actively and consistently impeded or discouraged drivers from taking them” and as such, “failed to undermine the damages model upon which the court based its award.” See id., at 22.
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Air Commandos at the Tip of the Spear
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by W. Thomas Smith, Jr.
The Air Force is a Major
Player in Rooting out Terrorists
Few Americans think of Air Force “Special Tactics” Commandos as trained and equipped to fight in a ground combat environment, when in fact, airmen are often first on the ground during airborne and special operations.
Like Navy SEALs, Army Special Forces, and Recon Marines, the missions of these airmen are often classified; their efforts rarely make the papers. They don't duplicate the work of other "shooters": Instead they bring a number of unique features to the special-operations mix, including men, aircraft, and battle-field wizardry.
"The Air Force has always prided itself on things like high-tech information systems and space technologies, and that has carried over into its approach to special operations," Maj. General William W. Hoover (a retired two-star who currently serves as an advisor to NASA) tells NRO. "Our ability to precision-locate things, to insert people and weapons systems, and to communicate has simply been devastating to the enemy."
Beyond the science is the art, and that's where the operators come in. Air Force special-tactics units are comprised of three elements (not including the pilots, aircrews, and support personnel). These include combat controllers, pararescuemen, and combat weather teams.
Today, the scarlet beret of a combat controller is highly sought by many young Air Force recruits, but not all pack the mental or physical gear to win it. The Air Force wants "men between the ages of 18 and 27 who are athletic enough to enter the ranks" and tough enough to remain there.
All applicants for combat-controller slots must pass a rigorous Physical Abilities and Stamina Test, including swimming, running, pull-ups, sit-ups, push-ups, and flutter kicks. The test is followed by a grueling ten-week indoctrination course, affectionately referred to as "Ironman 101."
The course is characterized by constant running and calisthenics. But the most difficult portion is the "pool work." During pool work, students must demonstrate the ability to swim with a weight belt, tread water, drown-proof, and work closely with a "buddy" swimmer. The course is meant to enhance the water confidence of those who have what it takes and eliminate those who don't.
Following "Ironman 101," combat-control hopefuls must attend a variety of special-operations-related schools including the Army's combat-diver school, Navy underwater-egress training, Army parachute training, Air Force survival training, and field-tactics training. Additionally, students are trained in the use of ropes, skis, and motorcycles. Upon successful completion of the combat-training programs, the students must earn the second part of their title, "controller." To do so, they attend the Air Force's air-traffic-control school, where they ultimately become certified by the Federal Aviation Administration.
To suggest that their training is tough is an understatement. In fact, only seven men out of a total of 130 candidates in a recent Combat Control class stayed the course and graduated.
During the early days of the war on terror, airmen were among the first to see action. In one instance, according to General Hoover, a special-tactics team jumped into Afghanistan, secured a tower at a deserted airport, and from there, coordinated air strikes on Taliban forces less than a mile away. "This kind of capability was a new dimension the bad guys had not experienced with the Soviets," he says.
"The marriage between technology and special operators is one of the reasons we've been so successful against the enemy in Afghanistan, Iraq, and elsewhere in the world." And it's why we will continue to be.
A former U.S. Marine infantry leader and paratrooper, W. Thomas Smith Jr. is a freelance journalist and the author of four books, including the 'Alpha Bravo Delta Guide to American Airborne Forces'. Reprinted with permission granted by Mr. Smith in an email sent to Gene Adcock, EOS author on November 13, 2009.
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Jaylen Brown says coaches and front office should be blamed for last season, not Kyrie Irving
Marcus Smart said he was tired of being asked about Kyrie Irving and last season. Apparently Jaylen Brown was not.
Here's what G/F Jaylen Brown told @ScoopB Robinson about Kyrie Irving and last season w the @celtics: "It wasn’t his fault that certain guys couldn’t take a step back. It wasn’t his fault. That was the front office and the coach’s fault."
Here's the story:https://t.co/6KC95FOlZO
— Sean Deveney (@SeanDeveney) December 17, 2019
The thing is as long as players are going to give quote worthy responses like Jaylen just did, Celtics players will continue to get asked the questions. I was pretty shocked to see Jaylen in his defense of Kyrie basically throw Danny Ainge and Brad Stevens under the bus.
Kyrie got a lot of the blame and was undeserving. It wasn’t his fault that certain guys couldn’t take a step back. It wasn’t his fault. That was the front office and the coach’s fault. He gets a lot of that blame because he was the star. But a lot of that should be on the organization and coaching staff. It’s in the past. Kyrie is in a better place in Brooklyn, somewhere his roots are.
Personally I would have preferred if Brown just said that it's unfair the amount of blame Irving has received (though honestly I think it's been deserved). Ainge has already taken blame for having too many players on the roster last season expecting big roles. No need for Jaylen to criticize the front office when Ainge has been willing to take blame off the players. And coaching? If it's the front office's fault, what was Brad Stevens supposed to do withy too many cooks in the kitchen? Or is this pertaining to that rumor that players were upset that Stevens gave "his guy" Gordon Hayward too much playing time as he came back from his horrific injury.
Anyway, Jaylen Brown is having a very good season this season, so I don't expect him to get much flack over these comments. Ainge and Stevens definitely won't publicly criticize him. They tend to have their players' backs and keep stuff in house. Would have liked if Brown had done the same.
JR 12/17/2019 10:35:00 PM Tweet Edit
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/ Nature News
/ Intellectually disabled often get antipsychotics in absence of mental illness
Intellectually disabled often get antipsychotics in absence of mental illness
September 1, 2015 This article courtesy of Nature News.
UK study confirms widespread use of drugs to control disruptive and aggressive behaviour.
Antipsychotic drugs are widely used to blunt aggressive behaviour in people with intellectual disabilities who have no history of mental illness, a UK survey of medical records finds, even though the medicines may not have a calming effect. The finding is worrisome because antipsychotic drugs can cause severe side effects such as obesity or diabetes.
Psychiatry researcher Rory Sheehan and colleagues at University College London studied data from 33,016 people with intellectual disabilities from general-care practices in the United Kingdom over a period of up to 15 years. The researchers found that 71% of 9,135 people who were treated with antipsychotics had never been diagnosed with a severe mental illness, and that the drugs were more likely to be prescribed to those who displayed problematic behaviours.
“We suspected that this would be the case, but we didn’t know the true extent,” Sheehan says.
“We should be worried because the rates are high,” says James Harris, a psychiatrist at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. But he adds that it is hard to determine whether treatment with antipsychotics is appropriate without knowing what other forms of treatment were available to people in the study. It is possible that medication was the only option available or that it was used to dampen a person's behaviour enough that they could participate in therapy or other types of treatment.
Evidence suggests that the drugs are not effective at treating aggressive and disruptive behaviour, says psychiatrist Peter Tyrer of Imperial College London. In 2008, he and several colleagues gave haloperidol (Haldol), risperidone (Risperdal) or a placebo to people who had intellectual disabilities but no mental illness, and exhibited aggressive behaviour. The drugs were no better at reducing behavioural problems than the placebo. Because the placebo reduced aggressive behaviour by 79%, Tyrer notes, it may be that antipsychotics are so prevalent simply because they seem to have an effect and can be administered by untrained caregivers in an emergency. “It’s impossible to do a psychological intervention at two in the morning,” Tyrer says.
The popularity of antipsychotics could also be related to their marketing. In 2013, global health-care company Johnson & Johnson paid more than US$2.2 billion to settle a lawsuit charging that it had improperly marketed risperidone, which had been approved for use in schizophrenia, to treat behaviour problems in children, adults with mental disabilities and elderly people with dementia.
Coral symbiosis is a three-player game
Court ruling highlights the threat of vaccine misinformation
Virus tricks the immune system into ignoring bacterial infections
Antarctic project to drill for oldest-ever ice core
Why the sexes don’t feel pain the same way
Japan poised to allow ‘reprogrammed’ stem-cell therapy for damaged corneas
New York City climate-change plan proposes adding land to Manhattan
Thousands of scientists are backing the kids striking for climate change
Nearly half of global childhood cancer cases go undiagnosed
Molecular envoys pave the way for pancreatic cancer to invade the liver
Battling disease by giving mosquitoes an antimalarial drug
A newly discovered stem cell that keeps bones growing
Night-vision ‘super-mice’ created using light-converting nanoparticles
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Home Tags Literary map
Tag: literary map
You Like Us; You Really, Really Like Us: The 10 Most Popular Stories in Brooklyn Magazine in 2014
Community Kristin Iversen - December 17, 2014
It seems like it's been an eternity since I was last compiling a list of the most popular posts for 2013 on old bkmag dot com. Alas it has not been an eternity, it has only—obviously—been a year. But what a year it was! Full of pregnant tarantulas and white flags flying over Brooklyn and catcalling videos and BuzzFeed lists about the joys of living in New York and ohsomanythings that we wrote about...
Books Kristin Iversen - October 15, 2014
Two weeks ago, we published a literary map of Brooklyn, highlighting the books we felt best represented the neighborhoods in which they were set. Compiling the list of books for that map had us thinking about what it means for a story to not just be from a place, but also of it, and why it is that some places have an abundance of literary riches (we're looking at you, American South), while others, well,...
A Brooklyn Literary Map: The Best Book for Each Brooklyn Neighborhood
Books Kristin Iversen - September 29, 2014
To paraphrase a famous member of the local literary scene, Brooklyn contains multitudes. And perhaps nowhere are those multitudes made more manifest than in the borough's many neighborhoods, each as different from one another as are the city's boroughs themselves. Over the years, countless writers have borne witness to the nuances of each neighborhood, celebrating the singular smell of the streets in Bushwick or the way the light washes over the beach in Coney...
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Home » Evening Standard/BMG Constituency Poll: Richmond Park by-election voting intention and key issue results
Evening Standard/BMG Constituency Poll: Richmond Park by-election voting intention and key issue results
Posted 28/10/16 in Polling
An exclusive BMG poll for the Evening Standard reveals that the former Conservative MP Zac Goldsmith would re-elected as an Independent with a clear majority if the by-election was held today, but his majority could easily drop to within reach of the Lib Dems if they put up an effective campaign that cuts through on national and not local/personal issues.
Headline Results
56% (-2) – Zac Goldsmith
29% (+10) – Sarah Olney/Lib Dems
10% (-2) – Labour
5% (-5) – Other
*Note: Results may not sum to 100% due to rounding. Figures in brackets are changes on 2015 General Election. Readers should note; 19% said they were undecided; those who didn’t indicate which way they were leaning were excluded to calculate the above figures.
A snapshot in Richmond Park
The snapshot poll shows Goldsmith currently taking 45% of the vote, well ahead of the expected Liberal Democrat candidate, Sarah Olney, in second place on 22%. A Labour candidate is polling on 7% (Other 4%^). 19% said they were undecided and 5% refused to say.
After asking those who were undecided which way they were leaning, the remaining were excluded puting Goldsmith on 56%, the Lib Dems on 29%, and a Labour on 10% (5% other).
Four in five (79%) of Richmond residents that voted Leave in the EU referendum will vote for Zac Goldsmith. However, Remainers are split between Zac Goldsmith (43%) and the Lib Dems (42%).
Readers can interrogate the data for themselves using the toggle menu below
When compared to the 2015 General Election result in Richmond Park, Goldsmith’s majority could be slashed. If turnout at the by-election was 50%, his majority of just over 23,000 from 2015 could be cut to under 10,500, based on an estimated swing of 6% to the Lib Dems and the expected fall in turnout^^.
When voters were asked what the most important issue in making their decision is, the results show that Brexit is the most important, but by no means a stand-out issue.
Constituents’ top three voting considerations are Brexit (25%) followed by their local MP’s record/views (22%) and then Heathrow/3rd Runway (21%).
It’s all about Zac
For Goldsmith supporters (51%) a majority say that their main motivation for voting is about the particular candidate, his views or his record as an MP, followed by Heathrow/3rd Runway (28%). Those voting for the Lib Dem candidate, expected to be Sarah Olney, are more motivated by Brexit (41%) and the government’s record (26%).
When residents were reminded that both candidates oppose a 3rd runway being built at Heathrow, the salience of this issue drops by 6 points, and Zac’s record as an MP becomes the top consideration when deciding how to vote (28%), beating Brexit into second place (26%).
What if the Tories had stood a candidate?
The results also show that even if the Conservatives did stand a candidate, Zac Goldsmith would still be ahead, though by a much smaller margin of just nine percentage points, with Mr Goldsmith on 34% followed by Sarah Olney – Lib Dem candidate – (25%) and the Conservative candidate on 20%.
Dr Michael Turner, Research Director at BMG Research, said “Goldsmith is clearly a popular figure in Richmond Park, with most of his supporters citing his personal qualities and record as their motivation for voting for him.
Although the Lib Dems are within reach, they may rue the day they passed an opportunity to run a ‘big-hitting’ personality like Vince Cable.
Because Goldsmith has resigned the government whip, and our poll shows him on message with residents about Heathrow, Olney will be searching for wider issues to campaign on, like the EU referendum and attacking Goldsmith’s Mayoral campaign.
To win, Olney will need cut-through with residents on Zac’s Brexit stance, and almost certainly, for a large number of Labour supporters to vote tactically in December.”
The poll also asked residents their stance on the third runway at Heathrow and found that a majority (60%) oppose a third runway while one quarter (25%) are in support for the third runway (14% are undecided)
^Other parties/candidates are currently polling on 4% – composed of 2% UKIP [confirmed not standing] and 2% Greens [unconfirmed if standing].
^^BMG have assumed a by-election turnout of 50% for the purposes of estimating an expected majority based on these results. Turnout could vary substantially from this figure.
An article based on these polling results, released by the Evening Standard, can be found here.
Fieldwork dates and methodology can be found here.
A full breakdown of these results can be found here.
For a more detailed breakdown of results from this poll, or any other results from our polling series, please get in touch by email or phone.
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Home > News > Howzat! BC&C to co-sponsor Chinese cricket team
Howzat! BC&C to co-sponsor Chinese cricket team
Hong Kong, 29 November 2019: A pioneering team of Chinese cricketers will be proudly sporting the Boase Cohen & Collins logo on their chests after the firm agreed a two-year sponsorship agreement.
BC&C has signed a deal with Cricket Hong Kong to support the CHK Dragons, the organisation’s Chinese development team competing in the territory’s Elite League. The firm has joined forces with Somerley Capital Holdings Limited, one of the most active financial advisory groups in Hong Kong, to be co-sponsors of the Dragons until the end of the 2020-21 season.
The Dragons will display both Somerley and BC&C’s logos on their shirts and players will support the firms with guest appearances at corporate events. In return, the new sponsors have pledged to support Cricket Hong Kong in its efforts to market and promote the team as the flagship of the governing body’s development programme.
“A successful Dragons team is key to taking cricket forward in Hong Kong and broadening its appeal. Our firm has a proud history of investing in sport at grassroots level and so we are pleased to be adding the Dragons to our portfolio of partnerships. We wish the team every success over the next two seasons,” said Boase Cohen & Collins Senior Partner Colin Cohen.
Martin Sabine, Chairman of Somerley Capital Holdings Limited, added: “As longtime supporters of cricket in Hong Kong, we are delighted to continue our involvement in the sport with sponsorship of the Dragons until the end of the 2020-21 season. We look forward to working closely with Cricket Hong Kong on promoting the future development of the game.”
The Elite League is a round-robin 50-over competition on Sundays that is contested in two divisions. The CHK Dragons compete in Division Two against HKCC Optimists, DLSW Knights, USRC Elite, KMF Vagabonds and SLCC Lions.
Cricket Hong Kong Chairman Tony Melloy welcomed the agreement, saying: “Like many sporting organisations, we rely on sponsorship from businesses and individuals to help us build the game, raise standards and reach out to the community. We are therefore grateful to Somerley Capital Holdings Limited and Boase Cohen & Collins for investing in our sport and we look forward to a successful partnership with both firms.
“We have long recognised that the future of cricket in the territory lies in spreading awareness and enjoyment of the game amongst the local community. The CHK Dragons are an essential component of this strategy and they will surely benefit from this fresh investment.”
The CHK Dragons compete in Hong Kong’s Elite League, a 50-over competition played on Sundays.
Activities Sponsorship
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Copyright ©2013 Boase Cohen & Collins. All Rights Reserved. Website Design: Infinity
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Cycle Touring The Americas
Continental bicycle tour of Canada, USA, Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Argentina, Chile, Bolivia and Peru
Sween in SAmerica
Used to be an applications developer (posh name for computer geek) for Pilkington Glass in St Helens. Always had an ambition to travel so I saved, quit, cycled across Eastern Europe. The travel bug bit hard so I went back to Pilkingtons to reload the bank account and planned to cycle through some of the world's very cheapest and most interesting countries. Now my girl has been infected with the bug and has joined me in the madness!
Initially a six month journey by bicycle, beginning in Ushuaia, Argentina and ending in Peru at Lake Titicaca along the infamous Ruta Quarenta (route 40). Taking in Torres del Paine, Perito Moreno glacier, Bariloche (lake district), the Carreterra Austral, Aconcagua, Salta, Salta de Uyuni, Titicaca.
The journey has extended and restarted in Vancouver heading south along the US coastline, through Mexico to Central America and hopefully back into South America to return to Lake Titicaca from the north....
Subscribe....
Bolivia/Peru
Argentina/Chile
To Acapulco
More Beach Paradises...
To Playa Azul
Mexico's Pacific Coast
To Colima
Nevado Volcano
Lake Chapala
Next Stop - Guadalajara
La Quemada
Riding Out Of Town
Fiesta!!
Carnival!!
Wild West Country
Ruta Cuarenta
The Road to Salta
The Pass to Mendoza
Bad Road
Canyon Ride
Mexico Route
Co-operativa Atitlan
Guata Linda - Antigua
Spanish Magic - Oaxaca
March 23rd to 25th
Circumnavigating the lake to the west and south, we look back over fields of blue agave plants with Lake Chapala behind backed by mountains....
It's an easy amble on flat tarmac and the miles fly. The heat of the day is really starting to be a factor now and it's 2pm when we reach the fork where the road swerves away from the lake towards Mazamitla. We know there's another tough, 1000m climb coming up and we hear the road is 'not good', so we decide to tackle it on fresh legs in the morning. The guy who tells us about the road also owns a taco stand and he's very persuasive.
Early next morning we discover why the road is 'not good'. It's something to do with the fact it's not built yet...
It's hot sweaty work climbing out of the lake basin and dust thrown up by construction workers rapidly turns to mud as it sticks to wet skin. Construction equipment lines the road as we look back at the dip in the earth we are struggling out of...
Much of this region holds minerals under the rock and mountains, including iron; which explains why the landscape is turning Martian....
This is tough riding as the sand prevents traction and bogs the wheels down, hindering forward momentum. Passing cars kick up a cloud and we eat dirt. In places tankers damp down the dust spraying water from huge pipes. They are bemused as we ride through the deluge, but it's a welcome relief from soaring temperatures - and a chance to clean off some mud.
And suddenly it all changes.
Like teleporting from Mars back to earth, the world stops being red and becomes a green and pleasant land. It actually reminds me of England....
And 8kms (5 miles) further on, we are in Switzerland in the alps....
It's five hard, hard hours and just 40kms (25 miles) later when we roll in to Mazamitla, a "Pueblo Magico" or magical town. The Mexican Ministry of Tourism decided in 2001 to promote 32 towns around the country that offer this magical experience. In their words:-
A "Magical Village" is a place with symbolism, legends, history, important events, day-to-day life – in other words, "magic" in its social and cultural manifestations, with great opportunities for tourism.
It's a shame then that we feel so beat up after the ride. To our tired eyes and aching bodies it just looks like a small town with lots of tat vendors and we need to sleep.
Riding out the next day though, we are in a better mood to apreciate the beautiful surroundings and much of the town has been built to mimic a style of Swiss chalets, all golden wood and sloped rooves. It's all very nice and echoes more natural Alpine themes found in the mountains.
We spend the morning falling out of those mountains. Where yesterday's total of just 40kms took 5 hours, today they fly by in just 60 minutes. We drop out of the sky onto the fertile valley floor.
Riding past fields, recently relieved of crops, we look back at yet another line of mountains we have tackled on our long, long journey....
We ride into Ciudad Guzman and contemplate the next one to come, our biggest challenge to date....
Posted by Sween in SAmerica at 4:50 PM
Labels: Cycling, Mexico
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European Business News > Articles > European market and business
European market and business
A brief glance into Lithuanian business environment
The business environment composes one of the main items of the state’s competitiveness among the other world countries. The right and suitable business environment has a huge impact on the any country’s appropriate attraction of investments that increase internal welfare growth and an export possibilities.
Business Integration Set For All Type Companies
Business Integration Set for a small and medium size ventures.
An International Conference on Euro Introduction in Lithuania
On the 1st of January 2015 Lithuania will become the 19th member state of the Euro zone, further deepening and developing financial and economic integration with the rest countries in Old Continent that belong to general European market of Euro.
Seven things you need to know about the UK economy
The ONS has analysed the nature of Britain's economy and how it compares with other G7 countries. Here are the main points.
Seimas establishes euro adoption procedures in Lithuania
On Thursday, by adopting the Law on the Euro Adoption, as well as secondary legislation, the Parliament of Lithuania (Seimas) has established the legal basis to introduce the new currency in Lithuania.
Cargo turnover of Klaipeda port in March grew by 12.9%
In March 2014, the results of cargo turnover in Klaipeda Seaport were quite near the best cargo handling results achieved throughout the entire period of the history of the Seaport – 3 234,3 thou. tn; the best month through the entire history of the Seaport was October of 2011 – 3 298,2 thou. tn.
A skyscraper too far
At la Défense, Europe’s biggest purpose-built office complex, workers are putting the finishing touches to the Majunga Tower. The handsome 45-floor building in the business district west of central Paris is due to open around August. There is only one drawback. The building, currently unlet, will add 63,000 square metres to a park where the vacancy rate already tops 12%. Another big building is scheduled to open in 2014.
Sweden has highest hourly labour costs in EU
Sweden's average hourly labour costs are just over €40 per hour, high enough to land the country at the top of the EU28 charts, according to a new survey.
Stock Spirits drinks to hard 2013, better 2014
In its first set of results since the IPO in October, the Central and Eastern European booze maker and distributor Stock Spirits Group said its operating profit rose 7.5% as the market recovered from the methanol poisoning scandal in the Czech Republic and drinkers in the region continued to migrate toward drinking premium locally made brands.
Poland is the new Danish export market
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expects Danish exports to Poland to double over the next six years to 33 billion kroner
Lithuanian energy sector considering possible alternatives to Russian oil supplies
The probability that the supply of the Russian oil to Lithuania could be disrupted is not very great. Yet representatives of energy sector began considering possible alternatives, reports LETA/ELTA, referring to Lietuvos rytas.
Germans buy half their wine at Aldi and co
Practically every second bottle of wine bought in Germany comes from one or other of the country's fable discount supermarkets such as Lidl and Aldi.
Salmon to be farmed in giant offshore platforms
Norway's third-largest salmon farming company SalMar plans to start rearing fish out to sea using constructions based on oil platforms, each of which could house eight times as many salmon as conventional cages.
BMW and VW celebrate strong sales
Two German car giants unveiled soaring sales and profits on Thursday. BMW said it achieved record earnings while Volkswagen hopes to sell a record 10 million vehicles this year.
Energy firms told to return £400m to customers
Millions of people are owed refunds by their former energy company, according to the watchdog Ofgem. It said yesterday that the Big Six firms have kept more than £400m over the past six years from customers who have switched supplier or moved house.
Lithuania is Europe’s leader in fibre-optic connection
Lithuania is the leading country in Europe for its share of citizens that have fibre-optic connection, according to the ratings by the Fibre to the Home Council, www.lithuania.lt has informed.
In 2013, Lithuania was leading in the wind energy production in Baltics
In 2013, as compared to 2012, Lithuania was the leading country in the wind energy production among the Baltic States. Estonia was the second and Latvia – the third, reports LETA/ELTA.
Business as the EU and member states’ agenda
The EU authorities are trying to attract member states’ attention to the SMEs activity. Recent “action plan” shows some progress in doing business. SMEs play a decisive role in the European economy’s competitiveness and dynamic. To help them realise their growth potential, the EU is working towards promoting entrepreneurship and creating a friendlier business environment for SMEs.
Vilnius to be on Rail Baltica route
At tripartite negotiations on the project Rail Baltica joint venture shareholders agreement, held at the Ministry of Transport and Communications of Lithuania between Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, an agreement was reached: essentially, Vilnius will be part of the trans-European Rail Baltica gauge route, the Transport Ministry of Lithuania said in a statement, reports LETA.
New rules for tobacco products
The European Parliament on 26 February approved a revised EU Tobacco Products Directive. This new law strengthens the rules on how tobacco products are manufactured, produced and presented in the EU, and introduces rules for certain tobacco-related products.
Viciunai Group creates most targeted jobs in Lithuania
Lithuania's Labour Exchange acknowledged company Baltic Fish Export, which belongs to Viciunai Group, as the company that created the largest number of targeted jobs in Lithuania, informs LETA/ELTA.
Sweden's best-selling defence products
Sweden's top-three defence products account for 42 percent of all exports.
Potential £100m flotation for maker of washing machine that uses beads
Xeros's listing in March could bring pioneering, environmentally friendly washing machine technology to mass market
Gold demand softens by 15% globally as economic recovery heats up
Investors offload gold after emerging from traditional safe haven to find demand has slumped to four-year low
Lithuanian firms ready to enter Chinese market
More Lithuanian firms are ready to enter China's market in 2014, new trends show.
Government supports Liepajas Metalurgs sale plans
The Latvian government has supported a sale strategy for the troubled metallurgical company Liepajas Metalurgs.
Updating rules on anti-money laundering
The leaders of European Union countries are aware of the need for stronger rules to react to new threats associated with various methods of money laundering. These threats are constantly evolving, which require regular updates of the rules.
Hanner to invest EUR 19 mln in Lithuania
Lithuanian-based real estate investment company Hanner will invest LTL 66 million (EUR 19 million) in Lithuania and this will be 40% more than last year when the company's investments reached LTL 47 million (EUR 13.5 million), informs LETA/ELTA.
Over quarter of Lithuanians consider working in another EU country
More than one-fourth, or 28 percent, of Lithuanians would consider a possibility to work abroad within next ten years and one-tenth of the Lithuanians currently residing in the country have worked in another European Union (EU) country, the Eurobarometer survey conducted by market and media research company TNS LT has shown.
PM: Lithuania paid a allotment of attention to the improvement of the investments' natural natural environment
On Tuesday, Lithuania's Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevicius met with representatives of the U.S. enterprise delegation. Butkevicius presented the principle of the support of the investments in order to appeal more of the capital of the foreign countries into Lithuania.
Worldwide individual investment invests more than one million euro in Lithuania
In Q3 2013, the revenue of the UK business ‘International Personal Finance’, which established the business ‘Provident Finansai’ in Lithuania, has expanded by 19 per cent and now reaches EUR 38.2 million.
Investors see shares in Lithuania’s Amber Grid as good investment
Some investors believe it is now good time to buy shares of Amber Grid, in particular as the government proposes to buy out the shares in the Lithuanian natural gas transmission system operator from Russia’s gas giant Gazprom.
Three-fourths of Lithuania’s listed companies report profit
Three-fourths, or 24 of 32 Lithuanian companies listed on the NASDAQ OMX Vilnius Stock Exchange and the Warsaw Stock Exchange, recorded a profit in the first half of this year, which totalled 489.45 million litas (EUR 141.8m) in aggregate, the central Bank of Lithuania says in its latest review of the results of issuer operations.
Europe goes electric
WHEN the Frankfurt motor show opens its doors to the public this weekend, visitors had better watch their step: they will encounter many new models getting their power by plugging into the wall. This is the year of the electric car, at least as far as European carmakers are concerned. They are ready to deliver a record number of hybrids, plug-ins and pure battery-electric vehicles (BEVs), covering just about every size and price range.
Vilnius - a model of tolerance yesterday and today
About Vilnius as the historical capital of Lithuania, multicultural city and center, there are a lot of written – from legends to scientific discoveries. This time we would like to look at, for Lithuanians and foreigners living in Lithuania, precious city through the prism of tolerance, how this phenomenon has been and is important in today's society, how much tolerance influenced the economic development, is it worth to identify the city with this word, which everyone perceive differently ....
The union of Hansa cities
Hansa - north German former land, Prussian and Livonian cities’ trade and political union, founded in 1280, in Lübeck. In XV century it owned about 160 cities from 10 countries. If translate from the German language, word „Hanse” means „group”, „union”.
Baltic and Benelux foreign ministers adopt declaration on closer consular cooperation
On 10 December in Brussels, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Edgars Rinkēvičs met with his colleagues from the Baltic and Benelux states. During the meeting the ministers adopted a joint declaration on closer cooperation in the consular sector, informs Latvia’s Foreign Affairs Ministry.
Lithuania appreciates German policy in Europe; German Ambassador
Although its presence is not always prominent, German business and culture is in fact very well represented in Lithuania, despite there being room for improvement, so the German ambassador to Lithuania, His Excellency Matthias Mulmenstadt, tells The Lithuania Tribune in the second part of our interview with him.
“Lithuania is an important partner for us; bilateral relations are excellent” – Exclusive interview with Dutch Ambassador, H.E. Kornelis Spaans
The Netherlands, as the name indicates, is low-lying territory, with one-quarter of the country at or below sea level. Many areas are protected from flooding by dykes and sea walls. A seafaring nation, much of its land has been reclaimed from the sea.
“We need to strengthen economic coordination within the Euro area with binding commitments” – German Ambassador to Lithuania
German Ambassador to Lithuania, Matthias Mulmenstadt is a great supporter of the European project and does not see any reason for people to fear a “two-speed” Europe. His country has always advocated closer EU integration.
Europe’s first citizens initiative asks for 3% of the EU budget being spent on EU exchange programmes starting from 2014
Fraternité 2020 (F2020) is Europe’s very first citizens’ initiative. It is supported by over 100 NGOs from all across the EU and beyond, around 50 MEPs from all major political parties, and an increasing number of EU citizens. On October 26 it started collecting signatures online. Without investing a single Euro into its campaign, it already collected several thousand signatures from all 27 member states.
A better future for China-Europe relations
In the eight months since I became Vice Foreign Minister in charge of European affairs, I have paid nearly ten visits to Europe. During each visit, I witnessed the tremendous efforts made by Europe to cope with the debt crisis, and I am very glad to see that some of these efforts are showing effect gradually. China has provided firm support to Europe since the outbreak of the debt crisis.
Klaipėda on preliminary list of seaports for cargo transit from Afghanistan
Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Audronius Ažubalis says the country's port of Klaipėda is on the preliminary list of seaports for NATO countries' cargo transit from Afghanistan as the Alliance is getting ready for ending tactical actions in the country.
Discussions about future Baltic projects take place in Klaipeda
The next Baltic joint project between Latvia and Lithuania will take the form of a mail and air companies. According to Transport Minister, Eligijus Masiulis, the initiative of a joint postal company is favoured by Vilnius and Riga. Nonetheless, he cautions that the possibility of establishing a joint airline needs to be carefully assessed by the experts on both nations first
Lithuanian Prime Minister officially invited to Davos economic forum
Lithuania's Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius has received an official invitation to the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum that will traditionally be held in the Swiss ski resort of Davos, the government has said on Monday. Signed by World Economic Forum president Klaus Schwab, the letter says that Kubilius' contribution was highly appreciated during a recent summit in China
“It’s important for Lithuania that the eurozone solves its problems” – Presidential advisor
European integration forges ahead with closer cooperation in the banking sector amongst EU Member States. From the Lithuanian perspective, the Presidential advisers have communicated that through analysis about this cooperation is required, despite the country’s support for continuous and deeper integration
Lithuania and Sweden share common approach to socially responsible business
Thursday, September 20, Vilnius - President Dalia Grybauskaitė welcomed the winners and organizers of the Swedish Business Awards. During the event, which is taking place the sixth year already and has become traditional, awards are conferred on Lithuania-based businesses for innovative, transparent and socially responsible business. At the so-called “Business Nobel Prizes” ceremony, outstanding entrepreneurs in Lithuania are awarded by the Embassy of Sweden and the Swedish Trade Council, Press Service of the President reports.
Cooperation protocol signed between Lithuania and Poland
Despite the undiplomatic undertones often seen between Lithuania and Poland, it is business as usual in the latest round of meetings between the economy ministries of both nations. Today, Lithuanian Deputy Economy Minister Daumantas Lapinskas and his Polish equivalent, Mr. Andrzej Dycha sat down to discuss and signed a cooperation protocol designed to fortify bilateral trade relationships in the transport, energy and investment sectors.
Ilves: EU has to be a demanding partner for neighbours who have chosen the European way
"The European Union must continue to be an encouraging and trusting yet demanding partner for its closest neighbours that have chosen the European way," said Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves at his meeting with the Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the German Parliament Ruprecht Polenz.
The Image of Lithuania in Spain: Progress Achieved and New Ways to Explore
Šarūnas Jasikevičius announced in late July that he is going to play for Barça basketball club next season. Four months ago, the Lithuanian distribution chain Maxima purchased the fourth largest supermarket chain in Spain. This means that they will be present in southern Spain and the Canary Islands, thereby commencing business activities for the first time outside of the Baltic states and Bulgaria.
In view of euro crisis, Lithuanian businesses boost exports to Scandinavia
With the euro falling, Lithuania is boosting exports to the Scandinavian countries, chief economist with Swedbank, Lithuania’s leading commercial bank, comments. Lithuania’s exporters had shifted their focus to Eastern and Scandinavian countries amid turmoil in the euro zone, Nerijus Mačiulis said adding that the re-launch of Orlen Lietuva refinery after turnaround made a solid contribution to the growth in exports in June.
National Energy Independence Strategy was adopted
An important piece of legislation has just received the maximum endorsement by the Seimas. On Tuesday, June 26th, the Parliament gave its backing to the National Energy Independence Strategy. The strategy establishes the fundamental objectives about Lithuania’s energy sector and the policies that need to be implemented in full by the year 2020. Furthermore, it sets a roadmap guiding the energy sector development by 2030 and 2050.
Lithuania’s strategists look in the Nordic direction
Every year, Lithuania is moving closer and closer to its neighbours in the North. The extent of foreign direct investment from Scandinavia continually grows, the export curve turns upwards. Strategic projects are also moving forward – Lithuania is graduating from a mentor-mentee relationship into equal partnership, experts think, Dovilė Jablonskaitė writes in 15min.lt portal.
Commission’s initiative to stimulate growth and jobs in Europe
The European Commission has announced the biggest ever set of calls for proposals under its 7th Framework Program. In total, €8.1 billion will support projects and ideas in the EU-27 that will boost region's competitiveness and tackle urgent issues that could create additional growth and jobs in 2013. Universities, research organisations and businesses in the Baltic States have to be active in searching for the EU funds.
Lithuania remains open for importers and exporters
By the reason of the economic crisis, trade volumes are declining, however, Lithuania manages to maintain export. The decrease in domestic consumption made the import decrease, but consumers’ confidence is rising, so it is likely that volume of import will also remain stable.
Economic development in Lithuania allows a country to remain competitive
Although the latest macroeconomic indicators of Baltic States raise skepticism, the economic analysts feel calm. The latter ones claim that Baltic States have grown disproportionately in a rapid pace for the last three years. Therefore, economic decline is considerably higher. A newly developed economic potential of Baltic States did not disappear. Conversely, after the recovery of world market, economies will definitely reveal their tremendous value.
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Posts Tagged ‘ Harvey Weinstein ’
Oh hai Harvey
Oct 25th, 2019 11:02 am | By Ophelia Benson
Speaking of horrible dudes who should not be allowed out –
A woman comedian was booed and two attendees kicked out after they protested the appearance of disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein at an event for young performers in lower Manhattan on Wednesday night.
Weinstein turned up with an entourage to watch Actor’s Hour, a monthly event “dedicated to artists” at the Downtime bar in the Lower East Side.
Weinstein was welcome, it was the people who objected to his presence who were not. Power and money always come out on top, it seems.
One comedian, Kelly Bachman, called him out in her act onstage, referring to him as “the elephant in the room” and “Freddy Krueger.”
“I didn’t know
Posted in Notes and Comment Blog | 3 comments
Tags: Harvey Weinstein
How Weinstein did it
Sep 15th, 2019 10:42 am | By Ophelia Benson
As if in preparation for the new Brett Kavanaugh allegations, last week Terry Gross interviewed Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey, who broke the Harvey Weinstein story in the Times. Weinstein fought even more dirty than we knew. Men rape or assault women; women report it; men circle the wagons to punish women for reporting it; rinse and repeat.
Terry Gross: Harvey Weinstein created many obstacles to prevent women from revealing his alleged sexual misconduct and prevent reporters from investigating it. My guests, New York Times reporters Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey, were the first reporters to manage to get enough sources and documents to break the story. They tell how they did it in their new book “She Said.”
Flanked by several sex crimes detectives
May 25th, 2018 11:01 am | By Ophelia Benson
Harvey Weinstein turned himself in this morning.
Harvey Weinstein turned himself in to New York City detectives and appeared in court on Friday on charges that he raped one woman and forced another to perform oral sex, a watershed in a monthslong sex crimes investigation and in the #MeToo movement.
Around 7:30 a.m., Mr. Weinstein walked into a police station house in Lower Manhattan, flanked by several sex crimes detectives. Toting three large books under his right arm, he looked up without saying a word as a crush of reporters and onlookers yelled, “Harvey!”
He was fingerprinted and formally booked. Then about an hour later, he was led from the First Police Precinct in TriBeCa and taken to
Hang on a minute
Feb 13th, 2018 12:16 pm | By Ophelia Benson
The sale is off for now, boys.
The fire sale of the Weinstein Company hit a last-minute snag on Sunday, when Eric T. Schneiderman, New York’s attorney general, filed a lawsuit against the studio and its fraternal founders alleging that they repeatedly violated state and city laws barring gender discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual abuse and coercion.
Harvey and Bob were hoping to avoid bankruptcy.
But the final-stage talks came to a screeching halt on Sunday afternoon, according to the two people briefed on the process, as the investor group received word that Mr. Schneiderman was about to file a lawsuit based on an ongoing four-month investigation into the Weinstein Company’s internal dealings.
The lawsuit, which refers to Harvey Weinstein
Iced out by Harvey’s dick
Dec 17th, 2017 10:51 am | By Ophelia Benson
So that’s pretty stunning:
Film director Peter Jackson has admitted to blacklisting actors Ashley Judd and Mira Sorvino in response to a “smear campaign” orchestrated by accused sexual predator Harvey Weinstein.
“I recall Miramax telling us they were a nightmare to work with and we should avoid them at all costs,” Jackson said, referencing the production company Weinstein ran with his brother Bob. As a direct result, he said, both women fell out of the running for parts in his Lord of the Rings series.
“At the time, we had no reason to question what these guys were telling us. But in hindsight, I realize that this was very likely the Miramax smear campaign in full swing. I now
Posted in Notes and Comment Blog | 15 comments
That’s just Harvey being Harvey
Dec 8th, 2017 11:29 am | By Ophelia Benson
The Times ran an immense piece Tuesday (really immense, it goes on for pages in the hard copy) on Harvey Weinstein’s complicity machine. Jaw-droppers abound. He had an elaborate web of people who threatened harm to any woman who dared try to report what he did to her. He befriended people high up in the Sleaze Media, who would pour sleaze on Weinstein’s victims. It’s bottomlessly disgusting.
Executives at Mr. Weinstein’s film companies who learned of allegations rarely took a stand, cowed by their volatile boss or worried about their careers. His brother and partner, Bob, participated in payoffs to women as far back as 1990. Some low-level assistants were pulled in: They compiled “bibles” that included hints on
A little list
Nov 19th, 2017 11:11 am | By Ophelia Benson
Harvey Weinstein knew they were coming for him. He drew up a list of people to try to silence.
The Observer has gained access to a secret hitlist of almost 100 prominent individuals targeted by Harvey Weinstein in an extraordinary attempt to discover what they knew about sexual misconduct claims against him and whether they were intending to go public.
The previously undisclosed list contains a total of 91 actors, publicists, producers, financiers and others working in the film industry, all of whom Weinstein allegedly identified as part of a strategy to prevent accusers from going public with sexual misconduct claims against him.
The names, apparently drawn up by Weinstein himself, were distributed to a team hired by the
One of the spies pretended to be a women’s-rights advocate
Nov 8th, 2017 10:56 am | By Ophelia Benson
Here’s another jaw-dropper from Ronan Farrow.
In the fall of 2016, Harvey Weinstein set out to suppress allegations that he had sexually harassed or assaulted numerous women. He began to hire private security agencies to collect information on the women and the journalists trying to expose the allegations. According to dozens of pages of documents, and seven people directly involved in the effort, the firms that Weinstein hired included Kroll, which is one of the world’s largest corporate-intelligence companies, and Black Cube, an enterprise run largely by former officers of Mossad and other Israeli intelligence agencies. Black Cube, which has branches in Tel Aviv, London, and Paris, offers its clients the skills of operatives “highly experienced and trained in
A strong criminal case
Nov 3rd, 2017 4:25 pm | By Ophelia Benson
Harvey Weinstein could have more problems than just the disappearance of his career.
The police in New York on Friday said that they have developed a strong criminal case against Harvey Weinstein after an actress’s claim that he raped her seven years ago.
Speaking at a news conference at Police Headquarters in Lower Manhattan, officials in the Police Department said they were gathering evidence with an eye toward preparing a warrant to arrest Mr. Weinstein, whose representatives have said is undergoing therapy outside of New York.
Undergoing therapy, forsooth, as if it were a medical problem as opposed to a moral one. He treated women with contempt, which is all too normal; “therapy” seems like an easy escape.
The claims
Posted in Notes and Comment Blog | 1 Comment »
Yes, yes, very accomplished
Mimi Kramer on Harvey Weinstein and all that.
I spend a lot of time reading about the Weinstein scandal. Like most women, I imagine, I’m fascinated by it and by everything that seems to be happening — and not happening — as a result of it. My interest probably derives from the two years I spent being sexually harassed by a married writer at The New Yorker. There’ve been some wonderful things written on the subject, not only the original exposés by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey in The New York Times, and by Ronan Farrow in The New Yorker, but also “think” pieces, mostly by women, that have made my heart soar: Rebecca Traister in The Cut, Lena
So many blind eyes
Oct 15th, 2017 6:10 pm | By Ophelia Benson
Emma Thompson talked to the BBC about Harvey Weinstein.
“One of the big problems in the system we have is that there are so many blind eyes and we can’t keep making the women to whom this happens responsible. They are the ones we have got to speak. Why?” she told Emily Maitlis.
She railed against the “conspiracy of silence” and described Weinstein as “the top of a very particular iceberg” in “a system of harassment and belittling and bullying and interference” and warned that there were many more like him in Hollywood.
Asked if she was a friend of Weinstein, who was credited with transforming the British film industry in the 1990s, she replied emphatically: “No, and that
Let it be the last hand-wringing and the next reckoning
Alicen Grey points out that Harvey Weinstein is no anomaly, he is the norm.
There seems to be this unspoken rule that if you want to be a successful man, you must use women—and if you want to be a successful woman, you must be used by men. Wait, no. Scratch that. It’s not unspoken. It’s actually pretty well-known and widely accepted. It’s a culture-wide joke that women get career promotions in exchange for sexual favors. There’s even a porn genre called the “casting couch” where women are given fake job offers as a bribe for sex. When this sexual coercion is framed as consensual–funny, even—we spit in the face of every woman who has ever known the terror
Posted in Notes and Comment Blog
There are enablers all over the place
Harvey Weinstein wasn’t just a groper or rapist. He had a system.
A storyline stretching over 20 years with a rotating cast of actors, multiple locations across the US and Europe, a disciplined crew of assistants, producers and fixers, savvy dealmaking, and a publicity machine like no other.
But this was not The English Patient, Pulp Fiction, Shakespeare in Love, The King’s Speech or any other of his films that earned more than 300 Oscar nominations.
It was a shadow production, an inverted version of Hollywood that leveraged entertainment industry might into an alleged spree of sexual harassment and assaults, including rape, and into a methodical way of hushing it all up with payments, threats and non-disclosure agreements.
Not pressed on what she’d done
Oct 13th, 2017 8:25 am | By Ophelia Benson
Here we foolishly thought Harvey Weinstein was at fault for three decades of (allegedly) sexually harassing and assaulting women, but it turns out it was Emma Thompson’s fault for not stopping him.
The @maitlis interview of Emma Thompson was PR for latter. ET not pressed on what she’d done to tackle the abuse she claimed was everywhere
— Tim Montgomerie ن (@montie) October 12, 2017
The pressure was “nail the story”
Jodi Kantor, one of the Times reporters who broke the Harvey Weinstein story, was on Maddow last night. She also talked to Isaac Chotiner at Slate.
Isaac Chotiner: Tell me a little bit about how you got on this story. When did you start and what was the impetus?
Jodi Kantor: The Times has made a real commitment to sexual harassment reporting this year. My colleagues Emily Steel and Michael Schmidt did the Bill O’Reilly story and Katie Benner had done some really startling reporting on women in Silicon Valley. So basically we said as investigative journalists we can look at the whole pattern here, and not just focus on one individual woman’s experience. Let’s see if there
Tags: Harvey Weinstein, Jodi Kantor
Eminently reportable
And this is interesting. Apparently Ronan Farrow took his story first to NBC and they said no thanks. Why? Pressure.
Video: Smart of @Maddow to press @RonanFarrow about why NBC didn't greenlight/support him pushing his Weinstein investigation #TTT pic.twitter.com/JApEs07xoL
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) October 11, 2017
An ordinary, malignant symptom of systemic sexism
Harvey Weinstein as symbol of Hollywood sexism and misogyny.
It is the perverse, insistent, matter-of-factness of male sexual predation and assault — of men’s power over women — that haunts the revelations about Mr. Weinstein. This banality of abuse also haunts the American movie industry. Women helped build the industry, but it has long been a male-dominated enterprise that systematically treats women — as a class — as inferior to men. It is an industry with a history of sexually exploiting younger female performers and stamping expiration dates on older ones. It is an industry that consistently denies female directors employment and contemptuously treats the female audience as a niche, a problem, an afterthought.
Still. After all this time. Feminism … Read the rest
This piece of shit human has very fine taste in cinema
Scalzi on Harvey Weinstein:
4. While we’re on the topic, let’s dispense of some other nonsense. Weinstein tried to imply that coming of age in the 60s and 70s meant his moral compass was pointed a few degrees off true. Well, that’s bullshit; I know lots of people who came of age in the 60s and 70s who know perfectly well sexual coercion and rape is immoral. Pretty much all of them, in fact.
Well, not quite, or yes but. There are also lots of people who came of age in the 60s and 70s (and 80s and 90s and 00s and teens) who think men are somehow entitled to access to women’s bodies and thus don’t see sexual … Read the rest
He is taking the time to focus on his family
Oct 10th, 2017 12:39 pm | By Ophelia Benson
The Times has a new story to add more to the growing heap of Harvey Weinstein ordure.
Gwyneth Paltrow was one. Rosanna Arquette was one. Judith Godrèche, a leading French actress, has a story.
So does Angelina Jolie, who said that during the release of “Playing by Heart” in the late 1990s, he made unwanted advances on her in a hotel room, which she rejected.
“I had a bad experience with Harvey Weinstein in my youth, and as a result, chose never to work with him again and warn others when they did,” Ms. Jolie said in an email. “This behavior towards women in any field, any country is unacceptable.”
A New York Times investigation last week chronicled a hidden
They had the evidence
In the New Yorker, a long piece by – of all people – Ronan Farrow on the sexual bullying of Harvey Weinstein.
This has been an open secret to many in Hollywood and beyond, but previous attempts by many publications, including The New Yorker, to investigate and publish the story over the years fell short of the demands of journalistic evidence. Too few people were willing to speak, much less allow a reporter to use their names, and Weinstein and his associates used nondisclosure agreements, monetary payoffs, and legal threats to suppress these myriad stories.
And they weren’t kidding – women who said no or complained were punished.
In the course of a ten-month investigation, I was told
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Being the blog of Charles Stross, author, and occasional guests ...
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Back to: On hold | Forward to: Cthulhu Counterfactual
Not dead but dreaming
By Charlie Stross
Stop me if you've heard this before:
Hobby Lobby, the American arts and crafts stores owned by anti-contraception Christian fundamentalists the Green family (who most famously sued for exemption from the Affordable Care Act because it required them to provide health insurance covering contraception for female as well as male employees) have been at it again.
The Museum of the Bible in Washington DC opened in November 2017; claiming to have one of the largest collections of biblical artefacts and texts in the world, it's primarily funded by donations from the Green family (owners of Hobby Lobby) and the National Christian Foundation. (You can take a biblical literalist view of history—young earth creationism—as a given.)
It now appears that a large number of artifacts in the museum, donated by Hobby Lobby, were smuggled out of Iraq via the UAE, as part of the extensive archaeological looting of historic sites that took place in the wake of the Iraq invasion. (Hobby Lobby was forced to relinquish 5,500 artifacts for repatriation to the Iraq Museum, and paid a $3M settlement.)
Anyway, the latest update: hundreds of the looted 4000-year-old cuneiform tablets in the Hobby Lobby collection appear to come from the lost Sumerian city of Irisagrig: they've been identified as legal and administrative texts between 3600 and 4100 years old, although a few contain religious/magical incantations.
So: dubious Protestant fundamentalist cultists, 4000 year old lost cities, looted archaeological sites, magic spells ... does this remind you of anything?
Posted by Charlie Stross at 13:45 on May 1, 2018 | Comments (353)
curgoth | May 1, 2018 14:00
At least this time, you beat reality to the plot?
I'm going to ask people to see their tongues next time I go to the US, though, just to be safe.
JanneM | May 1, 2018 14:09
Come autumn, a dense fog will roll in over a sleepy coastal town in Maine, and an undulating, otherworldly mass of eldritch tentacled horrors will rise from their eternal resting place to take care of our Hobby Lobby problem once and for all?
Dan H. replied to this comment from JanneM | May 1, 2018 14:26
I dare say this has already happened. You *did* read our gracious host's introduction about the Green family, didn't you?
Vulch | May 1, 2018 14:34
If a chap called L Bob Rife makes an offer for a surplus aircraft carrier, don't go accepting scrolls from avatars of Sumerian goddesses?
Elderly Cynic | May 1, 2018 14:38
I am beginning to the think that the so-called Christian extremist fanatics are right - we ARE entering the end times :-( Do you have any good wards for sale? You could make a mint ....
Greg Tingey replied to this comment from Elderly Cynic | May 1, 2018 15:09
Set off by their total insanity, no doubt.
Scary stuff - these people are really dangerously insane.
However, looking at the article ...
I do agree that the tables should all be very carefully photographed, before handing them back, so that the records can be studied.
Incidentally ... talking of ancient religious scripts & records ... - I came across this this morning.
Greg Tingey | May 1, 2018 15:36
Mind you, if you want further proof that, if not a majority & very sizeable slice of the population of the USA is/are completely off their heads... Try reading this It just gives me the cold all-over shudders.
Troutwaxer | May 1, 2018 15:48
It's all part of the plan. After four years of Trump, we will welcome Cthulhu. (I'm having plastic surgery soon to add another mouth, so I can use the Elder Language correctly - the ability to pronounce "Ph'nglui Mglw'nafh" correctly and without an accent will help me get ahead a head during the end times!)
Derek | May 1, 2018 15:51
@JanneM You beat me to it, but I can't help thinking that the reason Hobby Lobby is headquartered in Oklahoma might be an attempt to protect themselves from marine eldritch horrors... I'm afraid you can run, but you can't hide.
Troutwaxer replied to this comment from Greg Tingey | May 1, 2018 15:51
It will last only as long as it takes some teacher to blow away a kid, who will probably be Black... I weep for my country!
Troutwaxer replied to this comment from Derek | May 1, 2018 15:59
Oklahoma is the site of blue-lighted K’n-yan. I don't know how any review of the Mythos could have missed that hazard. Hang on a second, I need to make a phone call... if only it was that easy!
Derek replied to this comment from Greg Tingey | May 1, 2018 16:01
I loved the story about the Memorial Scrolls Trust. The other, not so much.
Heteromeles | May 1, 2018 18:26
Yeah: imperialist archaeology, variation #1.
Also: Snow Crash
The sad part is it's unlikely that Iraqi archaeologists will get the stuff repatriated. On a more promising note, so long as the collection stays together, it might find a better home someday.
Tim H. | May 1, 2018 18:56
"Pro Life" seems like just another weird-ass religious thing, though more offensive than most, add an aversion to any remedy for poverty that is in any way socialist, and that combination is not uncommon, you get something monstrous. No tentacles required.
Tim H. replied to this comment from Derek | May 1, 2018 19:07
Oklahoma might be a bad idea, what if sedimentary rock and petroleum are there for a reason? A reason like the mithril Balrog cage that the Dwarves broke into by accident?
dpb replied to this comment from Tim H. | May 1, 2018 19:42
We burned Cthulhu.
Mike | May 1, 2018 20:02
As both an American and a Christian I am completely at a loss to understand why the fundamentalist Christian community is so fanatically supportive of weapons whose sole purpose is to kill other human beings. What part of 'thou shalt not kill' do they not understand? Ditto gor stealing artifacts. I distinctly remember 'thou shalt not steal' being in there, too. Yet when I bring these topics up with my Evangelical family, friends and church members all I get are mumbled evasions, straw-man arguments and the occasional over-aggressive threatening response.
Perhaps the Elder Ones have been here a while and are already munching away on cerebral matter?
Martin | May 1, 2018 20:09
Hmmm, cuneiform tablets and fundamentalists, it reminds me of.... Snow Crash?
(he says, giggling and running away...)
Jonathan M. | May 1, 2018 20:25
Some extra fun: It turns out that some of the money they paid to smuggle those artefacts ended up going to Da'esh. So, way to go radical Christianist jacknozzles!
Heteromeles replied to this comment from Mike | May 1, 2018 22:32
Nice that this stuff is available online. I mean, James is pretty far back in the New Testament, but if anyone wants to be a real Christian, they've got to do more than read the first page and last chapter of the Bible.
James 2:14-26 New King James Version (NKJV)
Faith Without Works Is Dead
14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your[a] works, and I will show you my faith by my[b] works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?[c] 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”[d] And he was called the friend of God. 24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.
25 Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?
26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
JBS | May 1, 2018 22:42
Are these tablets part of the 5000 some stolen artifacts they already had to give back or is this an additional cache of looted artifacts that has turned up since?
JBS replied to this comment from Tim H. | May 1, 2018 22:47
"'Pro Life' seems like just another weird-ass religious thing, though more offensive than most, add an aversion to any remedy for poverty that is in any way socialist, and that combination is not uncommon, you get something monstrous. No tentacles required."
"Pro Life" is anything but. They only care about unborn babies. After they're out of the womb, they can starve or rot in hell as far as these "good christians" care.
Corran | May 1, 2018 22:52
Meanwhile, machine learning is being applied to the Vatican Secret Archives...
Not quite as dramatic as it sounds at first blush, of course: just a fancy OCR system for handwritten Latin text. But shades of Laundry and "Nine Billion Names of God" with a dash of Dan Brown, perhaps. Perfect for your Turing-complete kabbalistic apocalypse.
Also, having lived in the US, I do find it interesting to compare Hobby Lobby's over-the-top corporate christianity vs. In-n-Out Burger's. Both are family-held companies where the family has strong Christian beliefs. But the only way you'd know about it for In-n-Out is that they print references to bible verses (eg. your "John 3:16" and similar) in inconspicuous places in their packaging and, from everything I can tell, seem to treat their employees like human beings. Quite different from Hobby Lobby.
Heteromeles replied to this comment from Martin | May 1, 2018 23:56
Jinx (#13)
Sean Eric Fagan replied to this comment from JBS | May 2, 2018 00:09
"Forced birthers," not "pro life."
Robert Prior replied to this comment from JBS | May 2, 2018 00:16
Like "Right to Work" meaning "Right to be Arbitrarily Fired for No Reason Whatsoever".
Greg Tingey replied to this comment from Heteromeles | May 2, 2018 07:27
I mean, from my p.o.v. as a thoroughly-escaped ex-christian atheist it's wall-to-wall bollocks - BUT - if they claim to be xtians, then they must stick by what "the book" says. And they don't.
Nice one, I like it.
Greg Tingey replied to this comment from Sean Eric Fagan | May 2, 2018 08:00
Cane we turn this into a universal meme, because it's so true.
Mikko Parviainen replied to this comment from Martin | May 2, 2018 08:18
Now I began wondering if Hobby Lobby would listen to Reason.
JayGee | May 2, 2018 08:55
I like Americans. They’re funny...
Charlie Stross replied to this comment from Greg Tingey | May 2, 2018 10:45
The best explanation I've heard (from an American friend -- raised Mormon, got herself excommunicated, lately discovered Catholicism mostly because she enjoys the ritualistic side of it) is that there is a peculiar American folk religion, dating to roughly the 1830s in its current form, that calls itself "Christianity" but is heretical at best if evaluated within the terms of the Nicean Creed.
This folk religion is:
* Dualistic (there's a God of Evil called Satan who is powerful enough to triumph over the God of Good unless the God of Good's followers actively engage in spiritual warfare)
* Worships a God of Good who has a human form that is subject to repeated reincarnation and is next due to arrive Real Soon Now in warrior form to smite the foes of America (the homeland of the Good People)
* There are a whole raft of demons out there who work for the God of Evil and are active in the world by manipulating the unbelievers, who are therefore demonic
* It is the duty of believers to breed lots of soldiers for the cause (the Quiverful movement) which is why contraception/abortion are sinful (with a side-order of female subjugation/violent patriarchy/rape culture on top)
* White Americans are God's people: there are nasty ethnic-supremacist angles on this creed (look at what's supposed to happen to the Jews and Muslims -- or indeed the non-whites, if you look at the white evangelicals -- not to mention all the foreigners)
* Wealth and Beauty are signs of godliness because the Good God gives goodies to his followers: being poor or ugly or sick means you're a sinner. There's no such thing as bad luck, so the poor are evil.
Give it a century to fester and you're going to end up with an all-American reboot of Mithraism.
Elderly Cynic replied to this comment from Charlie Stross | May 2, 2018 11:20
Very insightful! I would add one point:
* The God of Good is a warrior god (in the worldly sense, as well as the spiritual), and it behoves His followers to be likewise.
As you say, Mithraism is definitely closer than Christianity.
Trottelreiner | May 2, 2018 12:55
To be somewhat balanced concerning the Green family, it's not clear if they drank the whole Kool-Aid.
Concerning Christianity and contraception, at least Roman Catholic objection to reproductive liberty actually rests on two quite distinct strings of argumentation:
1) First of, the idea human life starts at conception, though I have no idea if "conception" means plasma fusion of sperm and egg or karyogamy or first mitosis of the zygote. Karyogamy is the criteria used in German Embryonenschutzgesetz (embryo protection law), where I had a heated discussion with a biology student who objected this wasn't the biological definition of an embryo but a zygote. Actually, there have been different definitions used historically, but I'll come to my ideas about zealous utilitarian bioethicists later.
Also note some sources quote a ruling to say European court rulings say unfertilized eggs might be treated as embryos, though the results in Vrüstl vs. Greenpeace are not clear for me.
This argument mainly applies to abortion, and thing is, that's a concern I can understand somewhat. Actually it's another interpretation of Singer's argument concerning abortion, not necessarily more extreme than using his argument to allow infanticide.
2) Aquina's "Natural Law"
Sorry, on the go, more later.
Greg Tingey replied to this comment from Charlie Stross | May 2, 2018 13:34
Thanks, but, I think your last conclusion is a little off.
Mithraism wasn't quite that bad ( I think ) ...
And they are clearly "in error" by falling into open Manicheanism ....
I think you are going to get something much more like the wierd ( And evil ) Nazi-version of xtianity, that was pushed in the 3rd Reich
A google for "German Reich church" produces some very peculiar - & also familar - tropes
Trottelreiner replied to this comment from Trottelreiner | May 2, 2018 14:13
Err, mught be some time, my brother is working, and I need to fetch some electronic parts and tools. Which might be for the best, I can think about things, and maybe some discussion comes up.
As for my ideas on the issue, I'm somewhat doubtful it's lingering RC indoctrination. More likely it's the part of me that thought J(a)inism quite a nice religion in my teens. It's not just the Wiccans using a broom in their practices, you see...
Trottelreiner replied to this comment from Greg Tingey | May 2, 2018 14:22
Depends. You might look up Zarathustra for ethical dualism, though thinking in opposites is not that uncommon.
Actually it's been said quite a few nasty "Muslim" habits are Persian in orugin, not that Ancient Greece and Rome were much better. It's different for some individuals, of course, Hyapathia, Anna Komene, Hildegard of Bingen...
Allen Thomson replied to this comment from Elderly Cynic | May 2, 2018 16:22
The God of Good is a warrior god (in the worldly sense, as well as the spiritual)
Indeed. Here's a discussion of the OT warrior god. It's a little more veiled in the NT, except for Revelation, but it's there in places.
Yahweh Is a Warrior
RICHARD NYSSE
https://wordandworld.luthersem.edu/content/pdfs/7-2_Search_for_God/7-2_Nysse.pdf
whitroth | May 2, 2018 18:31
First, Charlie, I think they'd been caught buying smuggled archaeological items a few years ago, too - they seem to have a habit. Wonder if they're buying them from a Frenchman who wears a white hat....
Now... I have spoken to friends who call themselves Christian, and they all agree completely with me: other than, perhaps 1% of funnymentalist evengelical Christians (the 99% ruin the reputation of all the rest...), NONE OF THEM ARE CHRISTIAN. By their own definitions, they run the gamut from the "Christian" version of the Pharisees (the letter of the law, please, who cares about the spirit?) to Christian Satanists (take what their deity allegedly said, and do the exact opposite).
How'd they become so powerful? Late seventies, the wealthy used them, as part of the "Southern Strategy" (which did *not* end with Nixon) to wage culture war against all the uppity kids, women, and ethnics, and set the working class against itself... for all the usual reasons: you 99% don't know your place, just tug your forelocks and do what you're told, for whatever crumbs I toss you way, and don't argue.
I *wish* someone would go after the anti-abortion laws with the most obvious (to me) attack: it violates the 1st Amendment, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion", since this crap "a person at conception" is uttely religious, and Christian, at that, since Jews have no issues with abortion.
I'm retiring next year, or I might have run against my Congressman this year. I still might in '20, and I guarantee that if I do, you'll read about it. My least best case scenario is that a Faux News talking head dies on the air of apoplexy. Or maybe Murdoch himself....
Allen Thomson | May 2, 2018 18:34
Also סֵפֶר מִלְחֲמֹת יהוה , and wouldn't it be fascinating to have a copy of that.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_the_Wars_of_the_Lord
(The Lord, of course, being a theologically prudent euphemisim for יהוה .)
Allen Thomson replied to this comment from whitroth | May 2, 2018 18:46
"a person at conception" is uttely religious, and Christian, at that
Yes. It would be interesting to get a Christian perspective on the fact that at most 50% of fertilized eggs make it to a live birth. Is mass prenatal infanticide a privilege reserved to Jesus? Jesus, of course, being homoousious with God through the mystery of the Trinity.
Tim H. replied to this comment from whitroth | May 2, 2018 19:00
You may find this interesting:
https://thebaffler.com/salvos/the-eyes-of-spiro-are-upon-you
http://polaris.gseis.ucla.edu/pagre/conservatism.html
The TL,DR of the second:
Q: What is conservatism?
A: Conservatism is the domination of society by an aristocracy.
Q: What is wrong with conservatism?
A: Conservatism is incompatible with democracy, prosperity, and civilization in general. It is a destructive system of inequality and prejudice that is founded on deception and has no place in the modern world.
Elderly Cynic replied to this comment from Allen Thomson | May 2, 2018 19:10
Er, yes? I am no expert, but I can assure you that many (most?) versions of Christianity teach that we have no business questioning the actions of God, and decisions of life and death are His sole perquisites. I was, and (English) Anglicanism is fairly mainstream. That is extended, in quite a lot of sects, to not questioning the actions of the clerical hierarchy.
As you implied previously, the so-called fundamentalists have always treated the Pentateuch and Revelation as their primary sources, whether or nor they pay lip service to the orthodoxy that it is the Gospels (possibly plus the Acts). Indeed, if one took a hard line, most of the UK's conservative (and all current Conservative) population cannot be Christians, because their actions flatly contradict the explicit teaching that is attributed to Jesus.
Heteromeles replied to this comment from Elderly Cynic | May 2, 2018 20:25
This gets into the murky area of self-defense.
I realize this is innately controversial, as people who are okay with abortion do not see a early term fetus as human, while people who are not okay with abortion do not see killing a fetus as self defense.
Still, the Bible says thou shalt not murder in the Hebrew, not that thou shalt not kill. My understanding is that taking a life in defense of your own is allowable. Where the boundary is about acceptable violence is questionable: if someone invades your home at gunpoint, are you within your rights to kill in defense of your home (not your life)? I'd argue that if it's okay to for any homeowner to kill an intruder, whether or not their life is definitely threatened, then it's okay for a woman to abort in defense of her way of life. If she is going to be unduly burdened by caring for another human being for the rest of her life, then that imposition is a form of theft. Therefore, people who advocate for the "castle defense" (that a man's home is his castle, and that therefore lethal force is allowable in protection of a home) should also be okay with women defending their lives via abortion. Conversely, those who follow the doctrine of retreat, and who believe that lethal violence is justifiable only in the case of self-defense against a lethal attack, then they should allow abortion when the woman's life is threatened by the fetus.
In no case should abortion be totally outlawed.
Furthermore, it's irrelevant, because the problem is that abortion seems to be outlawed primarily for poor women, while property owners seem to be more privileged, either to kill in defense of their homes, or for the women to afford contraception or seek a discrete abortion when necessary. That's the real justice issue that needs to be addressed.
Aardvark Cheeselog replied to this comment from Charlie Stross | May 2, 2018 21:37
American Christianity is what you get when anybody who wants to call himself a preacher can found a new sect, and can make it stick if he can get enough people to go along. Mormonism is a good example of just how out-there it can get. The Bible-believers didn't even consider them Christians for most of their history: indeed, I think Mormons are only provisionally and very imperfectly Christian for most of my believing countrymen. Though they (the Mormons that is) have been politically useful in recent years, and the noisy factions in American Christianity are nothing if not political.
I don't think the story is quite as neat as your friend makes out. Many of the earliest settlements in America were by religious nutcases, and a preoccupation with the Old Testament resulting in deafness to the appeal of Radical Jesus seems to have been here from the beginning. There is a lot of Manicheanism in American popular theology, though I think it's relatively recent. There's a sort of feedback loop between pop-culture supernatural horror stories and bad theology, which I think really took off in the 1970s, around the time that the Religious Right was gearing up.
It's noteworthy how recent is the Protestant preoccupation with abortion. In the late '70s even the Southern Baptists were OK with that being a decision for the woman involved (though probably they'd have insisted that the man have a say too). It didn't become a political issue until Republicans started recruiting the religious by appealing to racism. Google "segregation academies" if you're interested.
Heteromeles replied to this comment from Aardvark Cheeselog | May 2, 2018 22:10
Pennsylvania and the Quakers, perhaps?
One thing I'd argue is that, while yes, America was founded by people leaving the Church of England territory for religious freedom (Quakers, Puritans), plus a bunch of slave owners (from Virginia to Georgia), plus a more diverse Spanish colony everybody keeps forgetting about because it doesn't fit the narrative of the slaveowning south (Florida)... Well, one reason we have the First Amendment with freedom of religion is that, aside from many of the revolutionaries being atheists in religious clothing, there was a large realization that the only way to get such a heterodox group to fight and govern together was to utterly ban the imposition of a Church of the United States by anyone.
As for today's religiosity, it's hard to say where we are, because a lot of the foaming rhetoric has been around in bits and pieces for decades, if not centuries. Racism and mighty whitey has been around since before the Revolution, as it is necessary to justify both conquest of the Americas and the importation of slaves who are physically different. That's not part of Christianity, that's part of the way the US became rich enough to become a first world power.
Subjugation of women? Baked into US history, and fought against by many, especially in New York, in an area known for its weird utopian leanings (cf the Oneida colony), and populated in part by the descendants of the Puritans.
Manichaeism? Go look at Paul or the Gnostics. Mani (born two centuries later) was in the tradition of a spiritual world of light and a material world of darkness and evil, which is right there with the Gnostics and even Paul's original writings (Paul apparently thought that the angel governing Earth was either corrupted or incompetent, so trying to get in good with that angel's boss makes sense...). We label it manichaeist as if this was something special and different, but it apparently was a very common world view in the latter Roman empire and surrounding nations (Mani was Persian). This may say something about imperial governance.
The non-violent hippy Jesus does pop up repeatedly, in things like the Quakers, the Second Great Awakening, the Underground Railroad, and so forth.
One final thing I'd add is James Scott's comments about messianic religion. It tends to arise in marginalized, exploited groups (as in the Appalachians) as a response to oppression, when a heterodox charismatic leader promises that if people will only believe, the divine (God, Pure Land, field of merit, whatever) will manifest and make the world a better place. This seems to be a basic human response to government oppression, so it shouldn't be surprising when it surfaces anywhere, even in white America. It should also not be surprising that it gets faked and manufactured at times.
Getting back to the original what-if though, let's deconstruct that:
Assume that magic works, and that the right spell can summon [horrible demon]. Why is it that the world's still around? It's a great horror trope, but it also suggests that such magic is horribly ineffective.
I've been playing around with alternatives to this (which have nothing to do with The Magic Goes Away), but it's a worthwhile question to play with for generating ideas. In the real world, magic is ineffective. What then is the lure of old spells, and the assumption that whatever we dig out of the dust is a good thing?
Hugh Fisher replied to this comment from Heteromeles | May 2, 2018 23:14
What then is the lure of old spells, and the assumption that whatever we dig out of the dust is a good thing?
We are members of an industrial / Promethean civilisation and assume, even if only unconsciously, that Progress happens and today is better than yesteryear. That's quite a new development in human history. (Not optimism itself, but fairly widespread acceptance of change within your lifetime.)
If you don't like The Magic Goes Away explanation that magic is a resource that we've used up, hmm ... alien artefacts? Tomb raiders are the magical equivalents of the explorers in Fredrik Pohl's Gateway series, risking their lives to figure out how the magic left behind by more advanced beings works.
Lara Mater Larum replied to this comment from Hugh Fisher | May 2, 2018 23:21
We are members of an industrial / Promethean civilisation and assume, even if only unconsciously, that Progress happens and today is better than yesteryear. That's quite a new development in human history.
You're using the Word "Promethean" fully knowing it's a Greek foundation Myth (~350BC) and claiming this a "new idea".
White Men: sort your shit out.
Things are about to get WILD HUNT.
Trottelreiner replied to this comment from Heteromeles | May 2, 2018 23:27
Quite easy, it happens all the time, we just don't realize it thanks to the multiple worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics being basically right:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_suicide_and_immortality
Though some quite nasty outcomes piling up lately (cf. US Pres Elect. 2016) indicates it gets quite close.
In somewhat less snarky news, being home with my family sucks, and I guess the "emotional vulnerability + invalidating environment" diathesis of DBT works for all family members involved at least partially. Sorry for being somewhat short and keeping discussions hanging for some time, but at the moment my priorities are a) get out of here, b) keep my calm and c) implement some improvised "skill training".
I'm having an appointment next week concerning my hypertension medication, which necessitates a visit with my shrink, maybe I can sort out what's normal for families and what's not somewhat with this. And what's me acting normal and what's me being improper, eh. Guess it's somewhat funny with my old one retiring and this being a new one. No, it's all somewhat civil, thank you.
Might be I can work up the elephant in the closet till then, namely the abortion I witnessed in my circle of friends about 12 years ago. This also includes some of the reactions of my other friends, at least in one girl's case I'm quite sure some negation of own emotions was involved, and not just because she was cutting. No idea how she would react nowadays, she "mellowed up" somewhat apparently. Err, as said, it's something of an elephant in the closet, BTW all persons involved were either atheists or agnostics, with one or two part-time Wiccans.
Music, Lower Order by Propagandhi. Not that I think about becoming vegan, it just seems somewhat appropiate...
Yes, and sorry for the psychodrama. Guess reading "A Scanner Darkly" was a strange choice ATM...
Lara Mater Larum | May 2, 2018 23:32
Oh, and @HOST.
This is merely cracking the surface of the entire scandal (way back to Elgin Marbles Zones). Roman Polanski even made a film about it, it's called: The Ninth Gate.
It wasn't Fiction: this is what a large number of really dubious mother-fuckers who luuuurve their symbolism spend their monies on[1] and lurrve their "Gnostic" hidden works.
Sumerian you say? Ask a bit about the Mummies[2].Anyhow, this is all ancient shit.
Questions you should ask: who bankrolled ISIL to desecrate all those Sumerian monuments and non-Biblical stuff? Then look @ Afghanistan and GIANT BUDDAH STATUES.
You want the truth?
Sociopathic American Apocalyptic Christian Fantasists pay TOP FUCKING DOLLAR to anyone erasing their non-Eschatological world view. TRUE. STORY. $$$ TO ISIL / AL-AFGAN $$$$$$$$$
Through Turkey, of course.
Oh, and bonus round:
They Kill the Ones They Can't Control.
59 left.
[1] Marina Abramović has announced that a new art piece will see her electrified with one million volts, to extinguish a candle just by pointing at it. The performance will take place at the Royal Academy of Arts, London in 2020 – the first time a woman has taken over the galleries space with a major show.
Marina Abramović to electrify herself with one million volts in new project DAZED, 2018
Spoilers: NO. LONGER. WORKS.
[2] Made into fertilizer. Made into fuel. Made into fucking WALLPAPER. Oh, and all wrapped in the equivalent of Newspaper. Sort your fucking heads out already.
OH, and if you need lessons in pre-Christian Magic.
Spunk on an Alligator.
[Actually real: also there's a massive large section of particularly Abrahamic knob-heads focused on this and the blow-back might just wipe all their Minds, but that's a bit above the pay-grade of this blog or Greg. No, not joking: Want to play nasty? Ok, sure: screaming harmonic destruction of your Minds you Little CUNTS]
Heteromeles replied to this comment from Hugh Fisher | May 2, 2018 23:43
Well, one could argue that civilization is all about meme propagation for the purpose of continuing whatever system the memes are part of. Memes can be spread for utilitarian and pragmatic purposes of getting everyone to speak a common language, to deal with inputs and outputs, to organize labor and supplies, and to systematize things so that the rulers know who and what they have, so that they can be taxed.
Then there's the whole command and control meme thing, wherein we get our parasites in chief telling us that they're divine, symbols and role models for all that's good in life, monopolizers of violence, and so on. There's often a systematized spiritual system (aka a religion) backing them up to justify all this.
On the other hand, most civilizations through history look more like protection rackets than they do, say, Iain Bank's Culture. Throughout the bronze age (per James Scott. Is he right?) one could argue that the city states were at least partially rackets, preferable because there were so many people in the then-fertile crescent that trying to sort out disputes using tribal systems would be impossibly slow and complicated. Still, these rackets break down rather frequently. All it takes is a dispute between god-kings about who's got the bigger army, or (worse) the heir of a god-king turning out to be a sensitive lad with a conscience and artistic temperament, who's thus totally unsuited to the authoritarian leader role he's stuck with. All those dusty piles are where something failed, and either the slaves serfs former citizens made a break to the hills, where life might have been a bit better, or where people got subjugated by another city state.
Anyway, what the "Diggers" (who shall remain nameless) are looking for are old memes to recycle. After all, wouldn't it be cool (for them) if they could claim that they'd found Genesis version 1.0, wherein they could claim that their particular ideology was, like the oldest and therefore best, dude, bow down and obey them? And in the meantime, they can house their memetic UXB horde in a museum, which looks all cool and charitable and stuff.
So what about the hopeless romantics who want the magic to be real and not memes? Fear not. Some people claim that the best defense against memes of all sort is genuine human connection. To quote these boffins at too long a length, "People with some live experience of local politics, mutual aid, and environmental maintenance will be more resistant to the memetic constructions of the synthetic ideological landscape. They will be more likely to blame low fidelity on technology than one another, and less likely to accept the false, anti-social premises of angry, sensationalist memes. The less alienated a population is from one another, the harder it is to turn them against one another through polarizing memetics."
To rephrase this, the magic of dead civilization is that their writings may contain memes that can be revived and repurposed for modern use, and the best defense against these damned things for us chronic non-joiners isn't more magical memes, but human contact, stepping away from the computer, and generally going all barbarian (in the best possible, non-violent hippy sense) on civilization.
But I suppose magitech is the kind of meme that takes less thought, and certainly less work. Oh well.
Nile | May 2, 2018 23:52
Looted artifacts from Iraq...
There's a worrying legal exposure there: it's very difficult to prove that you haven't traded with ISIS, or other organisations on terrorism-related blacklists, or named individuals subject to sanctions.
It's impossible to prove that you didn't facilitate transfers of funds to such parties, as part of your supply chain, as these looted artifacts originate from areas under ISIS control.
So why are the owners of Hobby Lobby escaping frozen accounts and prosecution under national security laws?
Lara Mater Larum replied to this comment from Nile | May 3, 2018 00:01
Holy Crap. You actually think that "LAW" means something to the Dominionists and ultra-Rapture folk.
How Dubya Used the Book of Ezekiel as a Blueprint for the Iraq War BigThink
Inboden particularly focused on Smith’s claim that in attempting to persuade French President Jacques Chirac to support a United Nations Security Council resolution authorizing the Iraq War, Bush told Chirac “Gog and Magog are at work in the Middle East. Biblical prophecies are being fulfilled. This confrontation is willed by God, who wants to use this conflict to erase His people’s enemies before a new age begins.
Bush, Chirac, and the War in Iraq Foreign Policy, Nov 2016
Bush, Gog and Magog Guardian, Aug, 2009
@Hetero.
You're showing your age. Please supply at least three (3) matriarchal societies in your analysis. Here's a hint: Siberia, Minoan (pre-split and then round-echo-chambers etc) or Native American or even Polynesian.
White Guys: Please Update Software/Hardware. This is important.
allynh | May 3, 2018 00:25
Heteromeles @46 said: Assume that magic works, and that the right spell can summon [horrible demon]. Why is it that the world's still around?
Think of 'Big Magic' as self limiting the way a Time Machine is.
- Any development or use of a Time Machine results in the erasure of the Time Machine and the memory of it ever existing.
Now rephrase the same statement but for Big Magic.
- Any development or use of a Big Magic results in the erasure of Big Magic and the ability to call it up again.
- The Legend of Hell House
- Silent Hill
- Poltergeist
In each case the movie ended with the Big Magic vanishing.
- Watch any movie where someone stumbles across something by accident, triggers the Big Magic, then only by learning the rules can the Big Magic be stopped.
Each Big Magic event contains the destruct codes that negates the Big Magic. There is always a balance in Big Magic. There are Rules to be followed, else the Big Magic can't occur in the first place. The Rules power Big Magic.
Look at the movie Cabin in the Woods. As long as the kids are ignorant of what is going on they can trigger the monsters. If they had know the Rules, they would have had a quiet weekend. Just as the children in the Japanese scenario were able to defuse their scenario because they knew the Rules.
Look at Harry Potter. They use Magic as App, without knowing the root cause of that Magic. They are calling on Magic without knowing how it works, just as people use an App without knowing how the code works on a base level. As long as the underpinnings of Magic is unknown, the App will continue to work. Once there is a grand Theory of Everything explaining Magic, it will cease to work.
Another interesting example for this is 'Miracles'.
There is Doubt and Belief, two sides of the same coin. It requires both Doubt and Belief to power a Miracle. Once the Miracle occurs, and it is absolute and clear that it happened, there is no more Doubt or Belief, there is Knowledge that the Miracle happened.
Watch the clip from the movie, Constantine with Keanu Reeves.
Constantine Clip 2
Someone who knows that Miracles can happen are incapable of performing Miracles.
Think of it as a variation of The Observer Effect.
@Hetero.You're showing your age. Please supply at least three (3) matriarchal societies in your analysis. Here's a hint: Siberia, Minoan (pre-split and then round-echo-chambers etc) or Native American or even Polynesian.
Pfui. Try matristic rather than matriarchal, which (AFAIK) currently exists in the UK and Germany, but historically is rather not evident, unless you want to talk about Hatshepsut, Hojo Masako, Catherine the Great, Victoria, or Elizabeth I. Matrilineal is rather more common (mostly because it's easier to link mothers with children than fathers), but it's not typical for the women in matrilines to be standing around giving orders now, is it?
As for the Minoans, do you think any functioning matriarchal society would value symbolically sexualizing the bodies of young women and men to that degree? Those murals were commercial memes aimed at foreign sailors far from home. The Polynesians went for birth rank order, but that didn't put women in power except as mother of boys. The Yakuts, like the Micronesians (who were probably who you were thinking of with the Polynesian thing) were matrilineal, which is directly about family, only indirectly about power.
As for northwest New York being the land of the Iroquois as well as being the heartland of US white suffragist and equality movements, I don't think that's a coincidence. But the Iroquois are matrilineal, not matriarchal.
Jay | May 3, 2018 01:08
I saw this and thought of you: factories in China are monitoring their workers' brains in real time.
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/2143899/forget-facebook-leak-china-mining-data-directly-workers-brains
Spoiler alert: the future's gonna suck.
Pigeon replied to this comment from Heteromeles | May 3, 2018 01:51
Lyrane, bees, red deer. Er...
"In the real world, magic is ineffective. What then is the lure of old spells, and the assumption that whatever we dig out of the dust is a good thing?"
I'm not sure you'll get an answer to that, we don't have many "Leave" voters on here...
"Why is it that the world's still around?"
Is it? Not quite clear how you'd know and still be posting here.
allynh replied to this comment from Charlie Stross | May 3, 2018 02:32
I've been searching and I can't figure out what "peculiar American folk religion, dating to roughly the 1830s in its current form" that you are talking about.
I read all of the fun stuff about Quiverfull, but that seems to be fairly modern.
Curious people want to know. HA!
Pigeon replied to this comment from allynh | May 3, 2018 02:56
I think Charlie's talking about a set of belief systems, popular in large parts of the US, which take to themselves the name of "Christianity" but are not really recognisable as such from an outside perspective (apart from the names of the principal characters).
I once had the misfortune to see about 5 minutes of a TV programme of US origin called "Payne". The actors and the sets, in terms of their appearance, very closely mimicked those of "Fawlty Towers". The script, however... didn't; the title accurately describes the experience of watching it, and I think I did well to make 5 minutes. Accordingly I propose the name "Payneism" for the belief system in question.
Bill Arnold replied to this comment from Heteromeles | May 3, 2018 05:51
As for northwest New York being the land of the Iroquois as well as being the heartland of US white suffragist and equality movements, I don't think that's a coincidence.
(My bold.) Care to speculate out loud? (There was some gender-role egalitarianism among some Quakers in that era/region, too, IIRC.)
LML made me look - oddest newish paper found (sleeptime so giving up) was Matriarchy and prehistory : a statistical method for testing an old theory (2017). (Feels wrong. References several waves of argument that I didn't know about.)
My personal attitude is that we should be striving towards societies where gender identity (could be complex) and positions in directed power structures (also could be complex) are not correlated, and where such correlation would be a sign of social pathology.
Bill Arnold replied to this comment from Charlie Stross | May 3, 2018 06:08
being poor or ugly or sick means you're a sinner. There's no such thing as bad luck, so the poor are evil.
Take the poor out of that, and it's similar to Leviticus 21:17-23
(That's the one about certain physical defects being disqualifying for priestly duties.) (Could be interpreted as saying that the absence of obvious bad luck is a mark of holiness. That's a non-standard interpretation, I'm told.)
Greg Tingey replied to this comment from Allen Thomson | May 3, 2018 08:24
I often use this point, that "god" is by far the biggest abortionist ...
The ensuing wriggling screaming, outright lying & "Oh but that's DIFFERENT!" (without specifying how) are ... educational as to the levels of self-delusion displayed
Greg Tingey replied to this comment from Tim H. | May 3, 2018 08:59
"Conservatism is the dominance of a society by an aristocracy"
Sorry, but no.
It might be the case, but is not a necessary condition.
There are huge conservative & often very reactionary memes & attitudes amongst the manual workers & similar, I'm afraid. The people who voted for DT are a very good example of this - I think.
Re. Mithraism, incidentally.
I always took the view that said religion was a very large lad's drinking club, with all the advantages & huge disadavtages of same ...
paws4thot | May 3, 2018 09:53
Well, (with the note that I've not read "Snow Crash") my first thoughts were of Indiana Jones, Tomb Raider (Lara Croft) and Relic Hunter (TV series). From which I came up with the idea that all archaeologists should be armed and skilled in karate and krav maga!
Elderly Cynic replied to this comment from Heteromeles | May 3, 2018 10:38
There have been (are?) plenty of societies which are effectively run by women, with the men off doing something else, including several in West Africa.
"As for the Minoans, do you think any functioning matriarchal society would value symbolically sexualizing the bodies of young women and men to that degree? Those murals were commercial memes aimed at foreign sailors far from home."
Oh, really? Do you have any real evidence for either statement? The attitude that proper women regard sex as a task solely for producing children, and something to be kept in a closet, is so very Victorian.
Lara Mater Larum replied to this comment from Heteromeles | May 3, 2018 11:16
As ever, it was partly a joke[0]. Think about Mormons and their famously mistranslated bits of papyrus via hats with stones in and just how twisted that all got.
Here's the joke: Statue of Horned God (picture) from Enkomi (Cyprus .gov source). Yes, that's a giant statue that is remarkably similar to the pop-mythological 19th-20th C "Devil". Only about 3-4,000 years too late to the party and really not Christian in origin.
Pre-Minoan civilizations & cultures abound around Cyprus and other parts prior to Abrahamic Religions turning up, and there's significant debate whether or not some were much less warlike / patriarchal than the Minoans.
Then you'd get into Alashiya and the weird fact that Moscow[1] houses some of the written tales about it: Story of Wenamun and probably mix in the fact that certain Israeli Universities have had a penchant for, let us say, 're-imagining' archaeological finds in service to their Religious texts (only some of them, but of the same ilk as the American ultras who shoe-horn Biblical literalism onto pre-Abrahamic sources). And, of course, just who were the 'Sea Peoples' who devastated the entire region since Alashiya and Egypt (big powers, Minos was only just getting going) were 100% in contact with each other. Both got spanked, but Alasiya's power was based on: (throw back!) Copper. Aka, cutting edge .mil tech of the time.
Bonus points: the cute fact that the Father of Stoicism (literally, later much admired by the Romans) wasn't Greek at all: Zeno of Citium. Came from Kition, which... is in Cyprus. ]
Anyhow given the wars fought over the very concept, here's a beginner text provided just because of the title: MATRIARCHY REALLY DID EXIST Radical Anthropology Group Publication
2011 - PDF. Nice selection of citations, suitable for non-specialists.
[0] For references to those not plugged into USA Culture Wars: this is all a meta-joke about Incels & the new stirrings of frankly insane American psychosis: the NYT has managed to actually start defending them via some very misogynistic Libertarian tripe about sex & consent. i.e. Actually people in 2018 still treating Sex as a commodity. It's bizarre. Not linking to that piece, but here's a tasted of the 'maturity' of the discussion: Sex and Shame: What Incels and Jihadists Have in Common NYT, 30th April 2018
[1] The wacky world of late 19th C looting of Ancient Cultures gets very wild indeed. Everyone wanted a slice of antiquity to shore up their Imperialistic Narratives.
Oh, forgot: this is all about acoustics and Domes and shapes of houses, which is where a lot of discussion goes on about this type of thing (c.f. acoustics, infrasound, worship places, Stonehenge etc). There's also an entire slice of Men arguing over whether or not round houses = female Culture Minds made them, but that's really esoteric.
The house in Kirokitiya, see Figure 2, on Cyprus was constructed three millenniums earlier than the Knossos palace. Houses of such dome type till now are built in Syria, Iraq, and Morocco (Robbe 1978). Walls and columns of the house were of stone, the dome - of clay bricks, overlapping of the second floor- of wood. On Cyprus in the middle of VI millennium BC about a thousand of such houses were constructed (Grabar 1978).
Domes Formation in Mediterranean Islamic Countries Conference: “DOMES IN THE WORLD” International Congress November 3-6, 2011 - Florence, ITALY
Anyhow, actual Sumerian stuff is rather beautiful:
BABYLONIAN LITURGIES: SUMERIAN TEXTS FROM THE EARLY PERIOD AND FROM THE LIBRARY OF ASHURBANIPAL WARNING: PDF LARGE. 274 pages, legal.
Mesopotamian Incantations and Related Texts in the Schoyen Collection Cornell University, legal. WARNING: PDF LARGE, 365 pages.
Taster: But from Eridug the stag of the abzu (Enki) purifies the oil for those hands. So that you should place sacred hands upon your offering table in the banqueting hall, the great place, your steward Kusu -- she who purifies hands and cleanses hands -- consecrates the hands. But from Eridug the stag of the abzu purifies the oil for those hands.
56-60. Ningal is the majestic lady of the abzu shrine, of the majestic dais of Urim determining good and great destinies, and of the E-kiš-nu-ĝal, the sacred and good dwelling. O, the sacred dwelling is the place of your ladyship for Nanna its king! The E-kiš-nu-ĝal, the Agrun-kug, is your house of royalty! Nanna and Ningal bring joyfulness to the dwelling
A hymn to Nanna (Nanna E) The ETCSL project, Faculty of Oriental Studies, University of Oxford. (Good source, has lots available for free if you can work out their filing system). Nanna is a Moon-God btw.
Oh, and for Christians and D&D fans everywhere: Holy Water? Not actually a Christian invention, sorry to say:
The Ritual of Water-Consecration in Sumerian Texts Vladimir EMELIANOV, St.Petersburg State University, Legal. (Told you the Russians were still into all of this!)
A lot of those spells are going to be female orientated. Male Minds might explode if you point out that their Holy Water is actually a Sumerian concept that was blatantly stolen. And, er... putting children in it? Yep, we're back to Semen and Rivers once more.
Tim H. replied to this comment from Greg Tingey | May 3, 2018 12:42
Please note the essay concerned the peculiar variety of contemporary conservatism in the United States, which shares little with European conservatism. Thought about renaming your political movement to avoid being mistaken for something distasteful?
Yes and no. There's the one general question of asking a well-endowed woman how much fun it is to walk around with no support, but that's kind of beside the point. The rather bigger point, at least in my minimal understanding of the subject, is that structures like the "palace" of Knossos doesn't looks like it would function well as a center of governance. IIRC, things get weird with soft rocks like alabaster being used as flooring, but without signs of wear (I suspect that's some modern researcher not understanding rock types, but still), and IIRC there's something that looks a lot like a bath in what has been interpreted as a throne room, and a generally weird organization of rooms by our standards. I keep hoping Lynne Kelly will go to Crete someday and see what she thinks about Knossos being more of a memory palace than a center of governance. My guess (unhindered by the thought process) is that Knossos was more like Disneyland, in that multiple "attractions" (whatever those suites of rooms were actually used for) were wrapped around each other to save space, and that the memes it was designed to work with weren't about domineering leadership, whatever gender was actually in charge.
Were all the sexualized bodies aimed at foreign or domestic consumption? Hard to say. The artists did get exported to Egypt and I think Greece at the very least, so they weren't just producing for themselves.
Much as I like Gimbutas and company, I'm afraid that saying the Minoans were matriarchal based on the statues they carved is like saying that India is matriarchal because of the way apsaras were sculptured on temples, or that Catholics are matriarchal because of the way Mary is venerated. Female bodies being worshipped through art are not (at least in my opinion) a good signifier of female political power.
I read a book once that claimed that Knossos was a ceremonial necropolis, and explained why it definitely was NOT a conventional (ruler's) palace. A location for memory ceremonies makes sense but, if I recall, there were rather a lot of places for the storage of pithoi and rooms with drainage for fluids.
I have absolutely no idea whether the Minoans were patriarchal, matriarchal or what, but I was objecting to the use of that argument the other way round. It doesn't work EITHER way round, as in the rugby joke :-)
Yeah, I think the arguments about Knossos being a mortuary for Egypt hinged on the idea that the materials it was made out of were too soft and too undamaged for it to have actually been used. That one set off alarm bells, because you then have to square the idea that there's a multistory building that's survived (albeit in pieces) for a couple of thousand years that simultaneously too soft for daily use. Something's seriously wrong with this picture.
I actually agree with you that it's difficult/impossible to deduce political power systems from that kind of artwork, and since someone was silly enough to bring up Minoans as an example of a matriarchy, I figured I'd demonstrate that you could spin the argument around and it would make just as much sense.
My personal take on power is that it's horribly addictive. Given that we tend to centralize power these days, every gender should get a shot at getting addicted to it. However, saying that women in power will be better than men in power right now is due to the fact that, simply to break the glass ceiling, women have to be massively better than the men they displace. If we ever get past the glass ceiling, I suspect we'll find that power addicts are power addicts, and gender won't be well correlated to any aspect of political skill if people stop discriminating on the basis of it (which is what the glass ceiling is about).
As for whether matriarchy existed in the deep past? You've got to disentangle the burning desire for historical precedent from the evidence, and that's hard. In most cases, the evidence is sufficiently fragmentary that they're effectively pareidola. You can project anything you want to on stuff that doesn't really make sense right now.
I'm not going to disagree that there was a whole, 1500-2000 year history of bronze age culture before the Bible even existed. Nor am I going to argue that it didn't look very different that any of the Abrahamaic religions (they did) or that the Old Testament records a bronze-age life style (it didn't). So far, the best take I've seen is Gerard Russell's Heirs to Forgotten Kingdoms, not because he found any bronze age survivals, but because he does look at the odd religions still practiced in the nooks and crannies of the Middle East, and thereby provides a glimpse into other ways of thought that used to be more common there.
As for matriarchal vs. matristic, perhaps a better way to look at it is whether political power was ever concentrated in the hands of women by ideology, or whether any group pursued an ideology of making it very difficult to concentrate power by segregating critical group functions by age and gender. The latter is actually very common, and it also gets widely misinterpreted. For example, we see hunting as exulted, while cooking is menial, but if men hunt and women cook, then the only way for them all to eat is for them to work together. Take away the western value judgements about men's vs. women's work, and you can potentially read segregating work as a way of dispersing power, so that anybody can cause problems simply by "striking" and refusing to do their work until their issues are dealt with.
whitroth replied to this comment from Heteromeles | May 3, 2018 17:56
Um, yeah, or as in the view of a lot of us over here, folks like the Puritans left England because Freedom meant the right to oppress your neighbors who disagreed with your religious leader(s)' view of the Bible (and that they weren't leaders over all of the rest of them).
The old joke is that California was settled by standing North America on its end and shaking, and all the fruits and nuts rolled down hill.
This ignores that that's how the US was settled....
whitroth replied to this comment from Nile | May 3, 2018 17:57
For the same reason that not a single trader who *knew* that the "securities" they were selling in '06--08 were garbage, and not worth the paper they were printed on, are not in jail for 10-20, and banned from the financial industry for life. Money talks, you walks.
You're all ignoring the matrilineal elephant in the room: I'm "Jewish", because my mother was born Jewish....
and since someone was silly enough to bring up Minoans as an example of a matriarchy
Yes, who would do a thing like that...
My first encounter with the theory that prehistory was matriarchal came in 1979 in a class titled "Minoan and Mycenaean Greece." While on site at Knossos, our professor—an archaeologist with the American School of Classical Studies in Athens—noted that the artifactual evidence on the island of Crete pointed toward Minoan society being matriarchal.
The Myth of Matriarchal Prehistory NYT Books, 2000
Regarding the art-work, here's the usual view of the Disneyesque site @ Knossos which you've accurately hewn down:
The truth is that these famous icons are largely modern. As any sharp-eyed visitor to the Heraklion museum can spot, what survives of the original paintings amounts in most cases to no more than a few square inches. The rest is more or less imaginative reconstruction, commissioned in the first half of the twentieth century by Sir Arthur Evans, the British excavator of the palace of Knossos (and the man who coined the term “Minoan” for this prehistoric Cretan civilization, after the mythical King Minos who is said to have held the throne there). As a general rule of thumb, the more famous the image now is, the less of it is actually ancient.
Evans, Knossos and the Minoans – Facts and Forgeries Random Blog, 2009 - but does have a nice selection of actual pictures of the frescoes.
But, in a turn of Fate that we're so good at, here's some recent scholarly work pointing out that 'naked wimmin' is precisely not what Minoan art was largely about (!GREEK PLOT TWIST!) and that you can ignore the Evans reconstructions:
Younger, who has studied the Minoan culture for decades, said women figured prominently in art and religious artifacts and therefore probably in the administration of the Bronze Age civilization as well.
For example, women are always clothed, while males may be nude, and paintings depict women in elaborate court-style dress.
"In this culture, at this time, we have an awful lot of representations of what are obviously powerful women, single seated women flanked by a bunch of guys," he said. "We don't have a single representation of a seated man."
The Mycenaean culture of the mainland eventually conquered the Minoan culture on the island, but Younger is researching another theory that the matriarchal Minoan society experienced a revolt either before or in anticipation of the Mycenaean takeover.
Almost all information about Minoan women comes from art, such as figurines, seal stones and finger rings, pottery and fresco. His article "Minoan Women" appeared recently in the volume "Women Antiquity, Real Women across the Ancient World." The book summarizes 40 to 50 separate pieces of evidence.
Art, religious artifacts support idea of Minoan matriarchy on ancient Crete, researcher says University of Kansas, 2017
Note: Younger has been at the Minoans since the 1970's and his resume is extensive. His 2016/7 paper on Minoan Women is here: Minoan Women PDF, legal, chapter 40 from Women in Antiquity Routledge, 2016.
So, there's that. And Minoan power only lasted ~150 years or so, so they're hardly notable (Evans made them so, then Mary & her books).
And, of course, there's the entire Snake Goddess thing[0]. If you're not hipster enough to know the Millennials = Snake People meme then this tie in won't amuse.
Anyhow, the reference was only a partial joke: there's a civilization who had Dome Houses at about the same period that's argued to be actually more matriarchal.
Note to US readers: the bold is not subtle, Will Robinson.
[0] Know your meme: Millennials to Snake People Chrome Ap
whitroth replied to this comment from Lara Mater Larum | May 3, 2018 18:10
Thank you for telling me about Alashiya, and Wenamun. Didn't know them.
The statue of the Horned God. Um, er, my instant reaction, on looking at the picture, is that he's wearing a horned helmet.
I'll also note that, from what I've read, halos used to be depicted as horns, and that they were supposed to indicate an aura (around the head?) of extreme holiness.
Finally, the Sea Peoples. I look at the dates that they were harassing around, and gosh, gee, who can I think of that spent centuries on raid-or-trade...oh, that's right the Norse who went a-viking. Now, I can also think of another seagoing group, who apparently were good sailors, who might have been raiding for centuries, until they finally started getting to be a power after they fought a 10 yr war, and destroyed one of the great, old city-states of the eastern Mediterranean.
Which leads to the thought of building a very large wooden horse, and leaving it in front of the White House before dawn....
"Nanna, its king"?
No chance this is another reference to the ancient queen-goddess Inanna?
Heteromeles replied to this comment from whitroth | May 3, 2018 18:57
According to the artwork, there were a lot of different helmets kicking around the Mediterranean at the end of the Bronze Age (see these examples). Thing is, we're still stuck with the Viking horned helmet problem, which was that the Vikings reported that they didn't fight in horned helmets, because they sucked as protection. The horns made it easy to knock helmets askew. Then again, supposedly the Celts used horns and wings on their helmets, so who's right and for what kind of battle?
The bottom line, so far as I know anyway, is that art shows extreme helmets on people who might have been the Sea People, and I don't think there's yet any physical remains to back up any of the more dramatic designs. Men with hats. Make of that what you will.
My guess is that there were Bronze Age warriors (read, male troublemakers in their late teens/20s) who journeyed all over the Mediterranean looking for ways to get into fights and earn loot to take home and show off with/make their fortune with. Bronze from the eastern Mediterranean got traded all the way up into Scandinavia, and tombs contain weapons from all over. At the same time, the Egyptian records contain mention of mercenaries from all over (Sardinia, Corsica, Greek islands, etc.) who showed up in Egypt and fought for pay or acted as bandits. It was a chaotic time, mostly because we're talking about comparatively small populations of people traveling to meet each other.
As for who the Sea Peoples were, James Scott's Against the Grain has an interesting hypothesis. He's still on his "civilization is a racket, anarchistic barbarism is better" kick. His take is that Bronze Age city-states were little more than semi-functional protection rackets, powered by slaves and serfs, and they regularly broke down. Since they had literate enablers (excuse me, scribes) we read their records as the death of civilization, rather than as reflections of the kind of grandiose messaging we now see being emitted from the White House and billionaires' secret lairs worldwide. To him, the Sea Peoples were less a single tribe or a mob movement than a breakdown in an exploitative order that was only re-established a few centuries later, with iron. I'm not sure I believe that the Greek Dark Age was a better time to live than before or after, but again, it's the pareidola problem. We've only got a handful of evidence either way, and it's possible to project all kinds of models onto the shards that we have left.
JBS replied to this comment from Elderly Cynic | May 3, 2018 19:03
"Elderly Cynic @ 42:"
“I am no expert, but I can assure you that many (most?) versions of Christianity teach that we have no business questioning the actions of God, and decisions of life and death are His sole perquisites."
It's not the "actions of God" that gives me pain in the nether regions; it's how his self-appointed minions get all up in my face with their "Do as I say, not as I do" hypocrisy.
JBS replied to this comment from Aardvark Cheeselog | May 3, 2018 19:10
"Google "segregation academies" if you're interested."
Don't have to Google it, I lived through it. I'm not interested. I survived and I'm safely out the other side of it.
Not really. The survival of materials and their hardness are not strongly correlated - in any case, that wasn't the only evidence (I mentioned another aspect, but there were others). That doesn't make it right, but does make the conventional palace theory rather implausible by comparison.
I must finish reading Kelly, but I did find rather a lot of plausibility being inflated into definite evidence. I accept that the same is true for both Evans (badly) and the necropolis theory.
JBS replied to this comment from Heteromeles | May 3, 2018 19:27
The English colonies in the new world weren't founded by people seeking "religious freedom". They were founded by fanatical dissenters who wanted to establish their version of the "one true religion" as the dominant one, so they could persecute everyone else.
Greg Tingey replied to this comment from JBS | May 3, 2018 19:53
Which leads immediatly6 & directly to the resistance to any & every medical advance since the early jews codified their religion.
Seriously - even taking "medicine" was thought to be interfering with the will of YHWH ...
Right up to the reguar screams & moans about "playing god" every single time there is a serious medical advance, right now.
And that gives me a pain in the brain, never mind anywhere else.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
JBS @ 83
Spot on - something that is ever-so-conveniently brushed under the carpet.
JBS replied to this comment from Pigeon | May 3, 2018 19:56
allynh @ 59:
Pigeon @ 60:
I think he was referring to a wave of religious fervor that swept across the southeastern and western United States prior to the American Civil war. Most of the peculiar ideas that are so readily found in American "Christianity" were first widely spread during the Second Great Awakening.
Premillennial dispensationalism first got it's hooks into America at that time, although the "prosperity gospel" seems to have come along later. Everything is according to "God's plan", which put the churches (at least those in the southern U.S.) on the side of slavery.
None of these were especially new ideas at the time. I'm pretty sure they all came from Calvinist theologians, but they first gained widespread acceptance in the antebellum South.
Heteromeles replied to this comment from JBS | May 3, 2018 22:31
The Second Great Awakening wasn't just in the south. As I noted above, it was quite prevalent in the northeast, too. Indeed, western New York was known as the "burned over district," in (hyperbolic) reference to how many times it had caught the revival fire during that time.
"The Second Great Awakening wasn't just in the south. As I noted above, it was quite prevalent in the northeast, too. Indeed, western New York was known as the "burned over district," in (hyperbolic) reference to how many times it had caught the revival fire during that time."
Indeed, not just in the U.S. south, but its longer lasting, toxic effects do seem to have had greater impact there.
Lara Mater Larum replied to this comment from allynh | May 3, 2018 23:16
Yeah, and sometimes the amount of fucking cheating the RULES using Human Slaves just makes [[[REALITY SNAP]]] happen.
It's a test:
a) Embrace, Enhance, Expedite and GROW[0] and UPLIFT.
b) Attempt to kill a DRAGON and scream "KILLLLL"
Here's a tip: they chose B.
Anthropocene 6th Extinction Event is FUCKING ON and...
We will bind you to the Minds you took and Extinction (5D) is now tied to their World Events.
Holy Shit: You thought you could kill Minds & Worlds with no repercussions?
You're Fucked.
[0] For all the fucking Dead-Inside-Shells-Being-Mentally-Used: http://www.eyezmaze.com/
allynh replied to this comment from Lara Mater Larum | May 4, 2018 03:23
Using Charlie @31 and you as Delphic Oracle @88, I can work with that. Thanks...
- Nothing can be forced now without courting grave consequences.
Ioan replied to this comment from JBS | May 4, 2018 05:02
I disagree that the Second Great Awakening had great influence on the South. To my knowledge, it was primarily a Northeastern, Midwestern, and Appalachian movement. If you look at the new religious denominations which arose in the 1830's, most were not in the South. To my knowledge, Mormons were the most southern of these groups, and they formed in Missouri. In fact, the South was generally hostile to the Second Great Awakening since many of thees churches were abolitionist.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_in_the_19th_century#American_trends
The South's religious transformation I would argue can be traced to the Populist movement (and the influence that William Jennings Bryant had on the party) and the Fourth Great Awakening
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourth_Great_Awakening
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People%27s_Party_(United_States)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Jennings_Bryan
As a side note: note the correlation between the strongholds of the People's Party and the post-Reagan Republican Party. I remember watching a Youtube video by a historian a few years ago who argued that the political alliance created by the populists never went away once the party died. Those regions have tended to vote in sync ever since.
It is my impression that the current Christian theology which defined the Moral Majority started in the Plain States and spread from there. However, I'm not sure if this is true? The 2016 Republican primary seems to back this up. After all, most Evangelicals supported Ted Cruz, who was seen as the religious candidate in that race.
https://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&q=Trump+cruz+primary+map&chips=q:trump+cruz+primary+map,online_chips:republican+primary&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiHsffblOvaAhUnTt8KHb6SBC0Q4lYIKygF&biw=1600&bih=796&dpr=1#imgrc=EvX_PsDnENg89M:
Bill Arnold | May 4, 2018 05:35
Nothing can be forced now without courting grave consequences.
That's not my reading. But I'd welcome LML's comment; am not clear on what the Rules are.
For Elderly Cynic and icehawk:
Constraints on physical reality arising from a formalization of knowledge. Long. 9 Nov 2017, David Wolpert, Santa Fe. (Troublemakers, there.)
Via https://phys.org/news/2018-05-proof-reveals-fundamental-limits-scientific.html
Wolpert's mathematical framework shows that no two inference devices who both have free will (appropriately defined) and have maximal knowledge about the universe can co-exist in that universe. There may (or not) be one such "super inference device" in some given universe—but no more than one. Wolpert jokingly refers to this result as "the monotheism theorem," since while it does not forbid there being a deity in our universe, it forbids there being more than one.
Troutwaxer replied to this comment from Heteromeles | May 4, 2018 07:09
In the real world, if there is such a thing as magic, it is a very subtle thing, something which creates changes via tiny little pushes at exactly the right time/place. Further, magic tends to escape the grasp of practitioners very easily, and needs to be summoned from sacred groves, temples, caverns, and other esoteric locations, and it can only be controlled by trance, ecstatic dancing, chants, etc. Many of the "little pushes" provided by magic are spiritual rather than physical.
This leads us to something useful for fiction, which is that magic is a very rare energy with a very subtle effect, and someone who uses it to summon an actual physical demon is immensely wasteful; something akin to using a bulk oil carrier to transport a single piece of mail from the U.S. to the U.K. Any real magician who feels the presence of an actual physical demon, even one a thousand miles away, will do whatever they can to sabotage the summoner because "that was energy I could have used!"
The winners in the magical world are those who "flap a butterfly's wing and wait twenty years" and you never hear about them because they never, ever do anything showy.
Greg Tingey replied to this comment from Troutwaxer | May 4, 2018 08:06
Down at the individual quantum-event level, in fact, flipping a spin or a transition or a particle-interchange.
Maybe would-be practitioners should study Geckoes?
[ AFAIK Geckoes are the only exponents of atomic-level (As in Van der Waals) forces at the macroscopic level - it's how they stick to ceilings. ]
Elderly Cynic replied to this comment from Bill Arnold | May 4, 2018 09:13
I like it! I have downloaded a copy, and shall try to look at it. Predicting the future isn't quite the same as understanding (potentially non-finite) consequences, but is clearly related.
Elderly Cynic replied to this comment from Greg Tingey | May 4, 2018 09:16
It depends on whether you regard the use of surface tension as being the same - if so, there are also pond skaters, the lotus etc.
Damian replied to this comment from Heteromeles | May 4, 2018 10:01
"However, saying that women in power will be better than men in power right now is due to the fact that, simply to break the glass ceiling, women have to be massively better than the men they displace."
I don't deny this at all seeing as how my workplace and pretty much all the organisations I've ever worked for have an abundance of extremely high-achieving women working in roles that are usually subservient to a similar abundance of mediocre-at-best men. There are plenty of mediocre women and high-achieving men too, and some of the mediocre women also rise, and some of the high-achieving men are also subservient, but the rule is that the men get an easier furrow to plough and they get more praise and respect for it whether they do it well or not.
Having said those things, it's still the case that the qualities one needs to break a ceiling, glass or otherwise, are not necessarily the qualities that might be referred to when describing their possessor as "better" than others who failed in the attempt. Chalk it as an example of the outcomes not necessarily reflecting the effort or talent input - the Ecclesiastes 9:11 pattern. In many cases it may well work out in terms of merit. But that isn't necessarily the rule.
SFreader | May 4, 2018 10:16
Re: Matriarchy
Since no one's mentioned them yet - how about the Etruscans. Not a matriarchy but a society where women had equal rights until the Romans showed up.
Re: Persia [Iran]/USA
Ancient Persia spawned religions like no one's business just like the USofA.
Personally still think that the real reason there are so many religions in the US is the tax breaks - it's a license to print money. As for why most are 'Christian': (a) allows the new sect to hide in plain sight among all of the other sects; (b) Christianity has been around for a couple of millennia therefore non-threatening; and (c) more 'holy book' options to pick and choose from (Old plus New Testaments) providing even more contradictory, internally inconsistent phrases/ideas.
Elderly Cynic replied to this comment from Damian | May 4, 2018 10:30
The converse happens, too, especially when politically correct organisations react to a low proportion of promoted women by 'positive discrimination', completely ignoring relative merits. And your last paragraph is very true. The qualities needed to 'rise to the top' are very much those that you do NOT want in those at the top! They are also more common in men than women, and that accounts for a lot of the apparent glass ceiling. Which doesn't mean that there isn't also prejudice and a real glass ceiling, but it's often not as simple as being merely gender.
Trottelreiner replied to this comment from Allen Thomson | May 4, 2018 11:34
Err, no idea about the Xtians, but I have been told miscarriages can be quite taxing for the, err, "mother".
No idea if that is background Xtian indoctrination or due to the fact humans can build up emotional bonds with fucking anything, a biologist I know said he felt somewhat guilty when autoclaving his bacteria cultures when doing his thesis. He was somewhat OK with vivisection, OTOH, and did one of the prerequisite lectures.
Or not build up an emotional bond, I'm not that much into Sin City, but Marv's "I love hitmen. No matter what you do to them, you don't feel bad." gets quoted by me a lot...
Still, as long as Xtians don't feel the same urgency about the nutrition of the zygote, keeping away environmental toxins like lead from it and ensuring a somewhat devent upbringing, they can fuck themselves. Actually I'd somewhat use the Marv quote above concerning them, actually...
Trottelreiner replied to this comment from Damian | May 4, 2018 11:44
That's a funny thing with most "religions", they are somewhat deterministic concerning outcome of deeds. Even Buddhism, one German translation of Pratītyasamutpāda is "Kausalnexus" (nexus of causality).
Maybe Epicureanism was something of an outlier concerning "swerve". Also, you can have much fun asking a believer how an "all knowing god" can be so given human free will. Divine providence, I guess.
Funny thing with Greek mythology, BTW. AFAIR oracles never fail, they are just murky. OTOH there are quite a few indications even Zeus doesn't know the outcome of his actions...
Damian replied to this comment from Trottelreiner | May 4, 2018 13:14
See I don't mind this so much with Buddhism, mostly because it has a self-consciously tongue-in-cheek "Texas sharpshooter" approach to causality (if it happened, it was meant and perhaps is part of Dog's plan). There are definitely variants of Christianity that have it too, and not necessarily just the reasonably good ones.
Of course it's also a symptom of why Buddhism is essentially defeatist or conservative. That and the necessary belief in reincarnation are the two factors that make it not what one might actually want (otherwise it has a lot to recommend it).
Thomas Jørgensen replied to this comment from Trottelreiner | May 4, 2018 13:36
Greek Oracles are not precognition - they are the gods putting you on notice you are about to be fucked with.
Seriously, the greek gods dont know the future, they just stick to their threats and promises like glue.
Greg Tingey replied to this comment from Thomas Jørgensen | May 4, 2018 14:50
Hmmm ....
Leaving aside the usual "understanding" that the Delphi pythoness had spies & information-collectors everywhere .... & the deliberately two-faced nature of the prophecies ....
What about the other mythos that certainly affects N Europe.
Asking a prediction of Mutter Erd, or Cthulu help you, the Norns whilst at the spring at the base of the worlds-girdling tree will only get you trouble
Salon article on the latest push by the US Cristofascists
Trottelreiner replied to this comment from Thomas Jørgensen | May 4, 2018 16:13
Sadly I have no Ancient Greek around to ask him on this matter. Mythology is hardly homogenous, but more of loosely enforced canon, somewaht like StarWars, I guess.
As an example, take the story of Cronos:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cronus#Mythology
It's prophesied he will be overthrown by one of his offspring, but AFAIK neither Gaia nor Uranos enforces it.
The gods themselves being subject to "fate" come up in quite a few mythologies, see Germanic wyrd, Greek ananke or Indo-Aryan Ṛta. the example I used being from cultures using Indo-European languages has made for some discussions about PIE religion.
BTW, since we were speaking about Persian religions, Persia being at the crosspoints of Steppe cultures, South East Asia, Mesopotamia and the Balkan might indicate why there was quite some crossfertilization.
And another thing, no idea if I mentioned it before, both Indo-Aryan and Iranian mythology has two kinds of supernatural beings, the Indo-Iranian roots are *daiv- and *asura. Though they are somewhat differently rated in later religion, Zoroasterianism indicates ahuras as the good ones and daevas as the bad ones, in Hinduism it's the other way round with asuras and devas. Please note *daiv- is cognate with Latin deus and Greek Zeus, while *asura is said to be a cognate of Germanic As.
Pratchett's idea about gods an demons being akin to terrorists and freedom fighters come to mind, though one Indo Europeanists I told so was not that impressed...
It might depend somewhat on the Buddhist you're talking with. In my personal interpretation (and I'm not a Buddhist, though I have been mistaken for one in a Vietnamese Buddhist temple lately...), anatta means there is no "soul" that is transmitted, and the reincarnated being is just enother expression of the causal effects. If you like, you might compare it to yourself before and after general anesthesia, which shuts up most parts of the brain.
OTOH, I have wondered if Siddharta Gautama talking about his prior incarnations might be more akin to Family Constellations or other kinds of reenactment, which can be quite a nice tactic in teaching history and like. "Imagine you are...", o quote Peter Watts... ;)
Err, sorry to use Family Constellations, they are a somewhat humbug incarnation of the idea. The somewhat serious version would be psychodrama:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychodrama
SFreader replied to this comment from Trottelreiner | May 4, 2018 16:31
Re: Christianity meets embryonic development
Make that conception and development. Major studies recently published in Science that once ramped up to study mammalian development at a similar resolution could put many many flies into various mystic ointments, balms, etc.
'Genetic roadmap to building an entire organism from a single cell
To map the lineage of essentially every cell as an embryo develops, along with the precise sequence of gene expression events that mark new cell states and types, the teams developed new experimental and computational techniques, including the introduction of artificial DNA bar codes to track the lineage relationships between cells, called TracerSeq.
"Understanding how an organism is made requires knowing which genes are turned on or off as cells make fate decisions, not just the static sequence of a genome," Megason said. "This is the first technological approach that has allowed us to systematically and quantitatively address this question."'
Lots of SF related possibilities from these studies. Huge commercial angle as well, e.g., movies of your kid from cell 1 through to birth. Way better than the old school ultrasound pix.
Actually, there is a Greek version of the Norns, the Moirai:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moirai#Cross-cultural_parallels
As mentioned, this trope and similare is quite common in cultures using Indo-European languages, and quite likely some that don't speak them but have been influenced by them.
On another note, staying with your parents is not altogether bad, I found a Polish grammar I can read. OTOH, family and fandom events coincidencing makes for some discussions, which was the reason I was somewhat distraught 2 days ago...
Heteromeles replied to this comment from Troutwaxer | May 4, 2018 16:52
There's the "weird stuff happens" part of magic, that's at the heart of magic, and people have tried to make weird stuff happen on cue pretty much since forever. Since weird stuff is less trainable than a rock, every intellectual movement seems to reshape its magical system to try to see if, just somehow, we can make the rock dance reliably.
Personally, I'm fairly sure that western magic is an outgrowth of the memory palace system. Memory palaces were seen as a spiritual exercise even back in Roman times, because it was a way to train your brain using imagery (to oversimplify a long bit of Roman spiritual theory that you can find if you read Frances Yate's The Art of Memory), and thinking and consciousness were seen as the divine parts of human nature even before Christianity came along. Memory palaces used to be necessary for things like legal arguments, poetry, and rhetoric, because there wasn't much paper to write down your stuff, so you had to memorize it.
Learning to build a memory palace was a part of classical rhetorical training. It was largely an oral tradition, and unfortunately one that didn't survive the dark ages in its full flower. What we know of the classical tradition comes through in a few pages of general instructions in three books on rhetoric. Fortunately, any number of people have taken those instructions and run with them, or reinvented them probably hundreds of times, and it's what most memory champions use.
Once the printing press came along, memory palaces got freed of their worldly bounds, and that's when Renaissance magic appropriated them as a way to get enlightenment and/or power, in the classic New Age/Self-help tradition that we thought only came along in the 1970s. That's where we get all the weird demons, rituals, and so forth. They were supposed to help people know themselves and get to heaven, and possibly memorize alchemical formulae, but through centuries of the usual messy games of intellectual misappropriation and crass commercialism , and going with the trends of the times (all catering to the dreams of people who want weird things to happen for their benefit), we get...magic.
Nowadays, thanks to decades of fantasy and roleplaying games (which draw not just on the western tradition but chi theory as learned in martial arts, and the anthropology classes writers took as undergrads), we have a mechanistic vision of magic (aka magitech) that's pretty bizarre and divorced from its earlier uses, but that's what we keep trying to make real, first through the internet, now with the internet of things, and always in the self-help and spirituality shelves at your local store.
Trottelreiner replied to this comment from SFreader | May 4, 2018 16:54
Guess I'll make this the last one, or I'm stuck all day...
There is an interesting concept called fate mapping, though it's been around since the early 20th century.
As mentioned, I can empathize with the argument against abortion somewhat, just as I usually try to save a drowning insect and was not to keen when a friend talked about putting ants into glue when I was about ten years old. It didn't lead to one of my "He watched the snakes getting fed" blackouts, still...
I have little time for the Natural Law argument used by the RC concerning all forms of contraception, e.g. sexual intercourse should be open to procreation since that's the Natural Order of Things. Animals fuck for fun or to dominate. Procreation is a side-effect.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_and_birth_control#Roman_Catholicism
Which, incidentally, would make my view on this matter somewhat Buddhist, and I thought I had gotten over this phase in my early twenties...
https://thedailyenlightenment.com/2014/02/is-buddhism-against-birth-control/
Om mani padme...
Mind you, quite a few "magical practices" have quite a psychological effect.
E.g. repeating mantras might focus your attention somewhat, OTOH there is an effect called "semantic satiation" which might lead to an opposite effect:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semantic_satiation
BTW, would you be surprised if I told you I soon decided if I had to burn incense sticks because of the broken toilet, I might as well put a picture of Darwin above? And then added Kropotkin, Hawking and Aldous Huxley for good measure. ;)
whitroth replied to this comment from Greg Tingey | May 4, 2018 17:47
Thanks. I hereby copyright a new superhero, the Gecko. (Sex unknown). They do NOT go bashing baddies in their BVDs (to quote Tom Smith), rather, they watch from high on a wall as the Bad Guys trip, stumble, fall into open manholes, etc, till the cops come to take them to the hospital.
As opposed to my real annoyance, Green Lantern. Why is he bashing them with giant green fists, instead of creating a green sphere around them and pumping the air out until they pass out? Or increase gravity under them so they can't move?
whitroth replied to this comment from Damian | May 4, 2018 17:50
I don't think of Buddhism as defeatest, but rather, like one square on The Game that was in Everygreen? Ramparts? back in the sixties, "if you wish, you may drop out, and declare yourself the winner."
And then there's the concept of the bodhisattva, who stays/comes back to help everyone else achieve enlightenment.
As a socialist, I can approve of that.
whitroth replied to this comment from Trottelreiner | May 4, 2018 17:52
I think the classic (Buddhist) example of that is this, supposedly from Gautama: if you light a candle, then light a second candle from the flame of the first, and a third from the flame of the second, is the flame on the seventh candle the same flame that is on the first?
OT, a note to all you in the UK: PLEASE, PLEASE, contact your MPs. Cambridge Analytica is liquidating... and I have yet to see what will happen to its DATA, and software (aka IP). That all needs to be seized, rather than sold off at fire sale prices to another cloned company who'll use it all the same way.
We don't need a game of whack-a-mole....
Daniel Duffy replied to this comment from Heteromeles | May 4, 2018 18:13
You talk as if America was culturally one monolithic country. Check out Colin Woodward's "Eleven nations of America":
http://www.tufts.edu/alumni/magazine/fall2013/features/up-in-arms.html
For the Blue/North:
YANKEEDOM. Founded on the shores of Massachusetts Bay by radical Calvinists as a new Zion, Yankeedom has, since the outset, put great emphasis on perfecting earthly civilization through social engineering, denial of self for the common good, and assimilation of outsiders. It has prized education, intellectual achievement, communal empowerment, and broad citizen participation in politics and government, the latter seen as the public’s shield against the machinations of grasping aristocrats and other would-be tyrants. Since the early Puritans, it has been more comfortable with government regulation and public-sector social projects than many of the other nations, who regard the Yankee utopian streak with trepidation.
NEW NETHERLAND. Established by the Dutch at a time when the Netherlands was the most sophisticated society in the Western world, New Netherland has always been a global commercial culture—materialistic, with a profound tolerance for ethnic and religious diversity and an unflinching commitment to the freedom of inquiry and conscience. Like seventeenth-century Amsterdam, it emerged as a center of publishing, trade, and finance, a magnet for immigrants, and a refuge for those persecuted by other regional cultures, from Sephardim in the seventeenth century to gays, feminists, and bohemians in the early twentieth. Unconcerned with great moral questions, it nonetheless has found itself in alliance with Yankeedom to defend public institutions and reject evangelical prescriptions for individual behavior.
THE MIDLANDS. America’s great swing region was founded by English Quakers, who believed in humans’ inherent goodness and welcomed people of many nations and creeds to their utopian colonies like Pennsylvania on the shores of Delaware Bay. Pluralistic and organized around the middle class, the Midlands spawned the culture of Middle America and the Heartland, where ethnic and ideological purity have never been a priority, government has been seen as an unwelcome intrusion, and political opinion has been moderate. An ethnic mosaic from the start—it had a German, rather than British, majority at the time of the Revolution—it shares the Yankee belief that society should be organized to benefit ordinary people, though it rejects top-down government intervention.
For the Red/South:
TIDEWATER. Built by the younger sons of southern English gentry in the Chesapeake country and neighboring sections of Delaware and North Carolina, Tidewater was meant to reproduce the semifeudal society of the countryside they’d left behind. Standing in for the peasantry were indentured servants and, later, slaves. Tidewater places a high value on respect for authority and tradition, and very little on equality or public participation in politics. It was the most powerful of the American nations in the eighteenth century, but today it is in decline, partly because it was cut off from westward expansion by its boisterous Appalachian neighbors and, more recently, because it has been eaten away by the expanding federal halos around D.C. and Norfolk.
GREATER APPALACHIA. Founded in the early eighteenth century by wave upon wave of settlers from the war-ravaged borderlands of Northern Ireland, northern England, and the Scottish lowlands, Appalachia has been lampooned by writers and screenwriters as the home of hillbillies and rednecks. It transplanted a culture formed in a state of near constant danger and upheaval, characterized by a warrior ethic and a commitment to personal sovereignty and individual liberty. Intensely suspicious of lowland aristocrats and Yankee social engineers alike, Greater Appalachia has shifted alliances depending on who appeared to be the greatest threat to their freedom. It was with the Union in the Civil War. Since Reconstruction, and especially since the upheavals of the 1960s, it has joined with Deep South to counter federal overrides of local preference.
DEEP SOUTH. Established by English slave lords from Barbados, Deep South was meant as a West Indies–style slave society. This nation offered a version of classical Republicanism modeled on the slave states of the ancient world, where democracy was the privilege of the few and enslavement the natural lot of the many. Its caste systems smashed by outside intervention, it continues to fight against expanded federal powers, taxes on capital and the wealthy, and environmental, labor, and consumer regulations.
The Appalachians have switched sides since the actual Civil War. In the 1860s, the peoples of Appalachia (who mostly did not own slaves) fought against the slave owners of their own states. West Virginia split from Virginia to form a new state. East Tennessee almost became a new state as well.
The descendants of warlike, Scotch-Irish border clans, they had nothing in common economically or culturally with slave owners and did not like being told what to do by snooty Southern aristocrats. They switch sides for the same reason. Today the bulk of our armed forces recruits come from our warrior society of Appalachia. They have nothing in common economically or culturally with secular liberals, and they don't like being told what to do by busybody, federal bureaucrats.
Aside from the New France enclave around New Orleans and the Caribbean beach head centered on Miami, the remaining America has also chosen sides:
EL NORTE. The oldest of the American nations, El Norte consists of the borderlands of the Spanish American empire, which were so far from the seats of power in Mexico City and Madrid that they evolved their own characteristics. Most Americans are aware of El Norte as a place apart, where Hispanic language, culture, and societal norms dominate. But few realize that among Mexicans, norteños have a reputation for being exceptionally independent, self-sufficient, adaptable, and focused on work. Long a hotbed of democratic reform and revolutionary settlement, the region encompasses parts of Mexico that have tried to secede in order to form independent buffer states between their mother country and the United States.
THE LEFT COAST. A Chile-shaped nation wedged between the Pacific Ocean and the Cascade and Coast mountains, the Left Coast was originally colonized by two groups: New Englanders (merchants, missionaries, and woodsmen who arrived by sea and dominated the towns) and Appalachian midwesterners (farmers, prospectors, and fur traders who generally arrived by wagon and controlled the countryside). Yankee missionaries tried to make it a “New England on the Pacific,” but were only partially successful. Left Coast culture is a hybrid of Yankee utopianism and Appalachian self-expression and exploration—traits recognizable in its cultural production, from the Summer of Love to the iPad. The staunchest ally of Yankeedom, it clashes with Far Western sections in the interior of its home states.
THE FAR WEST. The other “second-generation” nation, the Far West occupies the one part of the continent shaped more by environmental factors than ethnographic ones. High, dry, and remote, the Far West stopped migrating easterners in their tracks, and most of it could be made habitable only with the deployment of vast industrial resources: railroads, heavy mining equipment, ore smelters, dams, and irrigation systems. As a result, settlement was largely directed by corporations headquartered in distant New York, Boston, Chicago, or San Francisco, or by the federal government, which controlled much of the land. The Far West’s people are often resentful of their dependent status, feeling that they have been exploited as an internal colony for the benefit of the seaboard nations. Their senators led the fight against trusts in the mid-twentieth century. Of late, Far Westerners have focused their anger on the federal government, rather than their corporate masters.
Exactly. If you want to consider "real" magic, the fictional book which might come closest to your ideal is "Little Big" by John Crowley. The story involves (among other things) a sorceress with a memory palace, and for most of the book things happen in a fairly subtle fashion.
And of course there are the "four powers of a magus" of which three are not magical at all (as most of us see those qualities) those powers being "To Know, To Dare, To Will, and to Keep Silent." Even "To Will" does not necessarily involve mystical powers...
But any magician who can manage more than "inner change" is powerful indeed!
Heteromeles replied to this comment from Damian | May 4, 2018 19:05
See I don't mind this so much with Buddhism, mostly because it has a self-consciously tongue-in-cheek "Texas sharpshooter" approach to causality (if it happened, it was meant and perhaps is part of Dog's plan). There are definitely variants of Christianity that have it too, and not necessarily just the reasonably good ones. Of course it's also a symptom of why Buddhism is essentially defeatist or conservative. That and the necessary belief in reincarnation are the two factors that make it not what one might actually want (otherwise it has a lot to recommend it).
Buddhism's Buddhism. Since it was around for centuries before Christianity was a gleam in St. Paul's eye, you've got to accept that it's diversified quite a bit, and a number of schools have disappeared over time.
That said, it's basic premise is that everything changes and reality is unsatisfactory. Any objections to that idea? Following classic "Hindu" (not a religion but a constellation of religions, hence teh quotes), there's the idea that even the gods and the universe is impermanent. Therefore, while going to heaven is better than going to hell, even these won't last forever, and you'll be back on the wheel sooner or later. The Buddhist take is that the only way out of this unsatisfactory existence is total suicide.
Now before we all hang ourselves, you've got to understand a bit about karma. Karma means "cause and effect." It's usually seen as meaning that your ego reincarnates and gets what's coming to it. However, if your ego is an illusion (which seems to be what the neuroscientists are saying), what you're really passing on with karma is all your good and bad memories, plus the things that get done in the world. For Americans, that's things like the racist legacy of slavery, the more general problem of the subjugation of women, a culture adapted to physical expansion that's run out of frontier, huge amounts of money and debt chasing each other around, and so on. How many of these made you who you are today?
Let's talk about heaven and hell for a second: real places or metaphors? I've seen at least one Buddhist teacher say that the six realms (gods, demigods, humans, animals, hungry ghosts and hell) are metaphors for the real world. Being born to the 0.001% in Malibu is like being born a god, having a successful career in the financial sector is like being a demigod (they're always fighting for more), being born as an ordinary nobody human is the best place to gain enlightenment and get out of the game (cause you're comfortable enough to have time to see what's going on, but not in a place where you think you have to play any of the Great Games of the gods and demigods), animals are self explanatory, hungry ghosts haunt the slums and refugee camps of the world, as well as all the hoarders, and hell is what you'd expect, war zones, prisons, and so forth. Opinions obviously differ about whether the six realms are reality or metaphor, but you can see where I'm going: being born incredibly wealthy is no guarantee that you'll enjoy life. Indeed, in Buddhist doctrine, gods are so distracted by having fun doing what they're doing that they use up all the good karma that got them godhood in the first place, and dive right back into the stew of reincarnation after they're gone. Anyway, the metaphysics gets fun in Hindu thought. They think even the universe reincarnates.
So if existence is unsatisfactory, kill yourself? Not really--you're going to reincarnate, and because you didn't deal with the karma that drove you to suicide, "you" (if "you" reincarnate) are still going to be stuck with that karma, plus the results of all the suffering you inflicted on others who had to clean up your mess. If ego is an illusion, you're landing some other poor sucker with all your problems.
What Buddhist "suicide" means is recognizing that the "sui" is an illusion and letting it go. The aim is to stop generating more karma, by ceasing to cling to things you like and avoiding things you don't like. Accepting it all does help to annihilate the ego, and it also stops generating so much karma. In the vibrating engine of life, this is akin to adding the springs and shock absorbers to help keep things from shaking themselves apart.
As for the Bodhisattva oath, one thing even Buddhists cling to is the pursuit of enlightenment so that they can get out of the mess they perceive themselves to be in (someone who's enlightened and no longer reincarnating is a Buddha). The Bodhisattva oath is that, even if you're enlightened, you'll stay in the unsatisfactory world helping others achieve enlightenment until nothing is left. This is a way of ceasing to cling to even the hope of enlightenment. Paradoxically, this is seen as important in helping you attain enlightenment by giving up clinging to anything, even the hope of getting out...
It is kind of a bleak way of looking at the world, but then again, practicing Buddhists are supposed to be among the happiest people in the world. There might be something to embracing the suck, Buddhist style.
Heteromeles replied to this comment from Daniel Duffy | May 4, 2018 19:36
I do like the 11 regions idea.
If you look more closely at California and its history (which I don't think Woodward did), you'll find that the far west isn't the way he described it.
For example, San Diego (El Norte) was a hotbed of southern secessionism during the Civil War. Today, if you get away from the cities, you'll still find it's deep red here, with all sorts of interesting white supremacists I don't deal with. Tijuana was grown by San Diegan businessmen as a way to try to make money without dealing with US laws.
When you get up north, there's the whole "Jefferson" secessionist movement, while when you look at the San Joaquin and Imperial Valleys, they're close to feudal, at least with their vast farms and ranches. And the owners are often (now) multinationals, not families.
In general, California looks like the US in miniature, primarily because it was carved out of Spain by Americans coming over for all sorts of reasons, but mostly to make money, starting with the gold rush. We've got our New Amerstedammed cities (SF and LA), our Yankee top-downers (Sacramento), our tidewater aristocracy and deep south (Big Ag), our Appalachias (Sierras, Klamath, etc.), our El Norte (urban San Diego and the border). However, it hasn't really fused into one Far West. We're the state that has produced Jerry Brown and Richard Nixon, after all.
I think that, if you look closer, you'll find the 11 regions are all similarly oversimplified. Wisconsin produced both the modern progressive movement, Joseph McCarthy, and Paul Ryan, for example. It's a nice generalization, but it's not much more than that.
Vulch replied to this comment from whitroth | May 4, 2018 19:36
You mean the company about to be known as Emerdata?
Bill Arnold @91
Wow! The links apply to my WIP -- massively so. Thanks...
For the quote about "Nothing": I must refer you to the movies The Neverending Story 1 and 2, but not 3(It was corrupted by the Nothing.)
SFreader @97
Here in Santa Fe, I can drive from my house to the Post Office, on the other side of town, and pass at least three different Cults that call themselves Christian. Dark, disturbing, that are very useful for Story. I literally do not have to "make stuff up", I simply record reality. HA!
BTW, Northern New Mexico has some of the highest per-capita number of Cults in the country. (Strangely, it also has the highest per-capita number of authors.) Just going about town I can move through, interact with, various Cults. I can do something as simple as have lunch at a restaurant and only after I leave realize that the odd vibes I was picking up was because the people working there were all members of the same Cult.
Thomas Jørgensen @102
That is absolutely correct, which is why I made the comment @89.
SFreader @108
Watch the latest episode of NOVA Wonders, and how humans are built by the flora and fauna that live in and on them. Only about 10% of the DNA that builds and sustains us is human, the rest is not.
What's Living in You?
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/wonders/#living-in-you
A century from now, medicine will be about using the right mix of bugs in our system to keep us healthy and cure disease.
That concept is key to many Stories.
Consider: You have someone practice the Eucharist for an Old One. They symbolically eat the 'flesh' and 'blood' of their Ancient God. Their faith is such, that it becomes real. They take their poop, and plant it in the forest. The Old One, using the biological components in the human stool, and the complex organisms in the forest soil, build themselves a body and emerge like a cicada, fully formed and compatible with the Earth's biome.
That's also how most Alien Invasions will actually work. Instead of the Earth's biome being toxic to them, they grow in the soil and emerge fully compatible. No chance of the War of the Worlds tactic of dying from Earth's biome.
- The rest of the comments and links by everybody, makes this the most productive thread so far. The number of comments that relate to my WIP is astonishing.
Now I need to head out to lunch, and wander among the local Cults. HA!
but then again, practicing Buddhists are supposed to be among the happiest people in the world.
Including the Burmese miltary Junta, I imagine?
IIRC, CHarlie said, about a year back, that when bhuddists go bad they are REALLY bad ( With the implication that even worse than xtian or muslim? - not sure about that )
What Buddhist "suicide" means is recognizing that the "sui" is an illusion and letting it go.
And that's one reason I'm not a Buddhist: they'll get my books (and library) away from me when they pry them out of my cold, dead hands.
StephenT replied to this comment from whitroth | May 4, 2018 23:45
Sorry but too late - and "Gecko" is a boy, but has few other similarities with your super hero description!
http://pjmasks.com/grown-ups/meet-the-characters
Re: 'concept called fate mapping ...'
See Nature 'Translational Psychiatry' article below - quite amazing. There are at least two major potential societal effects from this type of research: a) we can now better diagnose and treat people who have these particular neuro biomarkers (countries with solid science funding and universal healthcare); or b) HMOs will now screen potential clients so that they have yet another reason/excuse to dramatically increase premiums (USofA ... and the way things are trending politically, Britain).
Cerebral organoids reveal early cortical maldevelopment in schizophrenia—computational anatomy and genomics, role of FGFR1
Translational Psychiatryvolume 7, Article number: 6 (2017) doi:10.1038/s41398-017-0054-x
'Abstract
Studies of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from schizophrenia patients and control individuals revealed that the disorder is programmed at the preneuronal stage, involves a common dysregulated mRNA transcriptome, and identified Integrative Nuclear FGFR1 Signaling a common dysregulated mechanism. We used human embryonic stem cell (hESC) and iPSC-derived cerebral organoids from four controls and three schizophrenia patients to model the first trimester of in utero brain development. The schizophrenia organoids revealed an abnormal scattering of proliferating Ki67+ neural progenitor cells (NPCs) from the ventricular zone (VZ), throughout the intermediate (IZ) and cortical (CZ) zones. TBR1 pioneer neurons and reelin, which guides cortico-petal migration, were restricted from the schizophrenia cortex. The maturing neurons were abundantly developed in the subcortical regions, but were depleted from the schizophrenia cortex. The decreased intracortical connectivity was denoted by changes in the orientation and morphology of calretinin interneurons. In schizophrenia organoids, nuclear (n)FGFR1 was abundantly expressed by developing subcortical cells, but was depleted from the neuronal committed cells (NCCs) of the CZ. Transfection of dominant negative and constitutively active nFGFR1 caused widespread disruption of the neuro-ontogenic gene networks in hESC-derived NPCs and NCCs. The fgfr1 gene was the most prominent FGFR gene expressed in NPCs and NCCs, and blocking with PD173074 reproduced both the loss of nFGFR1 and cortical neuronal maturation in hESC cerebral organoids. We report for the first time, progression of the cortical malformation in schizophrenia and link it to altered FGFR1 signaling. Targeting INFS may offer a preventive treatment of schizophrenia.'
For those who are upset by the Brave New World potential of the above:
Haven't met/worked with many folks with this condition so my perceptions are based mostly on undergrad courses and media. Anyways, my perception is that overall, schizophrenia is not a happy condition. Nor is it particularly amenable to/treatable by suggestions like: suck it up and get on with your life.
JBS replied to this comment from Ioan | May 5, 2018 01:51
Ioan @90
The Mormons started out in upstate New York before moving to Illinois. It was only after the death "Prophet" Joseph Smith that they moved to Missouri and eventually on to what later became Utah.
In addition to new denominations with southern origins - Barton Stone's "Christian" church and the Campbell's "Disciples of Christ", the Second Great Awakening saw the growth of Baptist, Methodist and congregationalist churches in the south, spreading into the deep south along with cotton and the plantation economy. The south was hostile only to those denominations that embraced abolitionism, not to religious fervor in and of itself. Where the preachers disagreed with abolition in the south the denominations splintered - hence Southern Baptists.
The Populist movement of the 1890s was primarily a mid-western phoenomenon. Where it managed to make any progress in the south (other than the short lived Populist-GOP fusion in North Carolina which did not survive the Wilmington Insurection of 1898) populism in the South was aligned with a racist southern wing of the Democratic Party.
Again, the "moral majority" and the right wing "christian political theology" have their roots in the south; in the backlash against Brown v Board of Education which ordered the desegregation of southern schools; in a reaction to LBJ's Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 which made possible Richard Nixon's "Southern Strategy" to woo southern whites and split the Democratic Party coalition forged by FDR.
They support Donald Trump because there seems to be some kind of reciprocity; some "professional courtesy" between con men.
As I wrote previously, the Second Great Awakening affected all of the United States in the early part of the 19th Century, but the legacy of "longer lasting, toxic effects" has come down from its expression in the antebellum south.
JBS replied to this comment from whitroth | May 5, 2018 02:04
Didn't the principal officers of Cambridge Analytica announce some time last month they were forming a new political consulting company, "Emerdata Limited", with Erik Prince (of Blackwater infamy)?
Too late I expect.
JBS replied to this comment from Daniel Duffy | May 5, 2018 02:31
"You talk as if America was culturally one monolithic country. Check out Colin Woodward's "Eleven nations of America:"
"http://www.tufts.edu/alumni/magazine/fall2013/features/up-in-arms.html"
That does make a lot of sense.
"I do like the 11 regions idea."
"However..."
"If you look more closely at California and its history (which I don't think Woodward did), you'll find that the far west isn't the way he described it."
I think you're confusing the results with the path it took getting there. Also note that the "Eleven Nations" don't follow state boundaries. California is divided up between three nations. You expect "national" differences between the regions, even where there are still overlaps.
Stoic | May 5, 2018 02:45
It would be nice if you stop providing a BLUEPRINT FOR THESE MONSTERS!
Greg Tingey replied to this comment from Stoic | May 5, 2018 08:26
That wiki entry on the Wilmington coup d'etat is very worrying - a model for the NRA & Trumpists, anywhere.
Could something similar succeed today?
Talking of which, I see DT & the NRA are spreading deliberate lies about the UK again....
Here ...
Also a lying NRA apologist on R4 this AM that had me shouting at the radio ...
Greg: IIRC, CHarlie said, about a year back, that when bhuddists go bad they are REALLY bad ( With the implication that even worse than xtian or muslim? - not sure about that )
Buddhism is as prone to splintering as Christianity, and the variants we get to see in the UK and USA are mostly the equivalent of Unitariaism or Quakers. It's not that meek everywhere. For example, in Japan, Buddhism actually out-competed the Catholic Church in the 16th-17th century: the early Jesuit missionaries in Nagasaki realized they had a Problem when they saw the local Buddhist monasteries with integrated Shinto shrines to the local Kami, which were encapsulated within Buddhism much as pre-Christian Roman deities were adapted as "Saints" in Catholic observance.
In Myanmar today we see a largely Buddhist militant majority culture practicing genocide against a small, relatively pacific Muslim minority (the Rohingyas). The dynamic of a religion seems to change depending on whether it's a majority or a minority in any given society: compare for example with early Christianity (the faith of slaves) in the pre Constantine Roman empire. Where Buddhism is a majority faith it's by no means any more merciful to unbelievers than any other.
With reincarnation as a tenet of the faith, if someone dies, they get another chance. Belief in an afterlife (heaven or hell) provides much the same escape from fear of death as belief in reincarnation. So you get precisely the same dumb-ass outcomes as "kill them all: God will know his own".
Yup, that's what I suspected, but wasn't sure of.
Alt-history take: What if Oda Nobanunga hadn't been betrayed & killed - & had gone on to become overlord equivalent to the Tokugawa?
Nobununga was fascinated by the West, unlike Hideyoshi (etc) was in close communication with the Francisans, etc (etc ) ....
The Raven | May 5, 2018 13:39
We are in a time of transformation of consciousness. Such times are recorded in philosophical literature and at the same time the most important things about them are lost in the literature. We do not understand what happens at times of major change in the consciousness of the world. Much is recorded at the time, and yet the central things, the what and why, are lost.
"And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,
Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?"
Yeats was a believer in, and practitioner of, magic. He felt, as anyone with the wit does, the on-rushing transformation of consciousness. As do the Christian extremists of the United States, and they do not like it at all.
Physical science derives, ultimately, from medieval ideas of ceremonial magic. In ceremonial magic one uses the right symbols, says the right words, and makes the right gestures and great powers of the universe are bound to do one's bidding. That does not work, of course. But in engineering in the physical world one organizes matter in the right way and the universe is bound by its own laws do one's bidding. Not so very different. And the process has come full circle, so that now we have machines that respond to the right words and gestures.
Troutwaxer@92: "In the real world, if there is such a thing as magic, it is a very subtle thing, something which creates changes via tiny little pushes at exactly the right time/place." Or perhaps the success of physical science is such that some of the big dramatic goals of magic are achieved through physical instrumentalities. If a teleportation spell is possible, it takes long study and practice and, well, wouldn't one be better off just buying a plane ticket?
Barry replied to this comment from Charlie Stross | May 5, 2018 14:19
I would add that slavery is a foundation to all white right-wing evangelicalism/fundamentalism/Calvinism in the US.
Remember that during various religious movements in the USA, defense of slavery was 100% required by slave owners, who ran both several states and most of the federal government until the Civil War. After the Civil War, there was a long undeclared war where the (white) right could be compared to ISIS. This warped white right-wing christianity in the USA to a degree not really comprehensible by people outside the USA, and most in the USA.
The mainstream media (you know, 'liberals') have cooperated with this in two ways. The first is to propagate the line that 'evangelicals opposed slavery'. This is true in the sense that a minority of white evangelicals opposed slavery, meaning more than one, so that the plural can be used :(
The second is to cooperate with branding 'Christianity' (capital 'C') as the only legitimate Christianity in the USA. When white right-wingers use the term 'Christian', they mean only withe right-wingers.
Barry replied to this comment from Greg Tingey | May 5, 2018 14:32
" The people who voted for DT are a very good example of this - I think."
IIRC, working-class people opposed Trump, and usually vote Democratic. There's a book 'Red State, Blue State, Rich State, Poor State' which covers this.
Even among *white* people[1], Ta-Nehisi Coates pointed out that support for Trump among white households making $50-100K/ per year was somewhat higher than for white households making less than $50K/year.
[1] In analyses of US politics, the term 'working class' is frequently, if not overwhelmingly used where the more accurate term is 'white working class'.
Barry replied to this comment from Elderly Cynic | May 5, 2018 14:37
"The converse happens, too, especially when politically correct organisations react to a low proportion of promoted women by 'positive discrimination', completely ignoring relative merits. "
Has this *ever* been documented? It's more like the (right-wing) urban legend of some Poor Man karate-chopped by a Femin*zi for opening the door for her.
Elderly Cynic replied to this comment from Barry | May 5, 2018 16:12
In that sort of environment, would you REALLY perform such a career-limiting move as to document that?
I have observed it quite a few times, including as someone involved in the selection, though it did not happen to me. It was more common in its negative form, of course, that women got the same credit for less work - and, in one case in my experience, demanded that as of right (and got it). I didn't see a really egregious case, though I did see the results of what can only have been that, because I don't believe what I was told (by several women) that the useless one had slept her way to promotion.
Troutwaxer replied to this comment from The Raven | May 5, 2018 16:56
"Or perhaps the success of physical science is such that some of the big dramatic goals of magic are achieved through physical instrumentalities. If a teleportation spell is possible, it takes long study and practice and, well, wouldn't one be better off just buying a plane ticket?"
Another definition of magic is "The act of changing consciousness at will," and that's a fairly recent definition. But if all your physical needs are handled, then magic becomes all about how people think and feel. In one way or another, we'll never escape the "love spell."
allynh replied to this comment from Daniel Duffy | May 5, 2018 18:25
Daniel Duffy @117
Wiki - The Nine Nations of North America
As another example.
What's interesting, is the book came out in 1981, and Heinlein clearly used it as the basis for his novel Friday, published 1982.
The character was the focus to show the various regions and riff off his past stories.
Wiki - Friday (novel)
Look down the wiki page and see comments, with a wave to Charlie.
- Allusions/references to other works
- Literary significance and reception
Maurice replied to this comment from Heteromeles | May 5, 2018 20:39
A lot of the more exotic helmets are 99% likely to be parade or for religious / political ceremonies.
A bit like how parade uniforms for the Guards cavalry is not used in combat as it almost impossible to walk I the those big shiny boots
Maurice replied to this comment from Vulch | May 5, 2018 20:42
Or your RT55 goes AWOL I think SRD Samael Delany covered this in Babel 17.
Bonus point if you can get the reference which SRD used which Bob would hopefully get :-)
"In that sort of environment, would you REALLY perform such a career-limiting move as to document that?"
I don't expect people to file memos saying "she's dumber than a screen door on a submarine, but we need to promote her, because she's a woman".
I do expect to see something systematic which has been at least somewhat proven by outsiders.
Heteromeles replied to this comment from Charlie Stross | May 6, 2018 01:22
Sorry Charlie, it's a bit more complicated than the "we'll come back again, who cares?" argument. That's more typical of the old Celts and the Druze, IIRC.
To my knowledge, Buddhism has at least three defenses for killing. Note that any monk who murders someone is automatically defrocked. That's one of the four failures. However, Buddhism outside Zen depends on an intimate association between the Sangha (which is really the community of all believers, but more typically refers to the "monasteries" of monks and nuns) and the larger parisa that supports them. Zen practitioners are weird in that monks and nuns are willing to work for their own food. Most (not all) don't allow that, and the rest allow lay practitioners to farm.
Anyway, in Theravada Buddhism, IIRC there's the equivalent of a just war theory, first promulgated I think in Sri Lanka. Anyone who's deliberately attacking the Sangha is, under this theory, no better than an animal, so killing them is no worse a sin than killing an animal. This, I believe, is the idea used to persecute the Rohingya, under (I believe) the stalking-horse notion that they're actually a front for Wahhabists or other radical Muslims bent on wiping Buddhism from the face of the Earth (cf Al Qaeda). Note that I'm not supporting Burmese actions, as I don't think there's any evidence of AQ in Myanmar. However, AQ and IS are active next door in Bangladesh, and they are calling for a jihad in Myanmar. Violence begets violence.
So that's one justification for Buddhists killing--to protect Buddhism as a religion from others who putatively (or actually) want to wipe it out. Another version of this are the Thai soldiers in their monasteries who are dressed as monks and carrying guns under their robes.
The second justification is pretty global: aristocrats pay monks to pray for their souls, so that no matter how hideous their crimes, there's someone pouring the merit on to try to keep them out of hell. Sound like an indulgence? If you believe Graeber's Debt, this is one of the origins of modern capitalism. Buying a stairway to heaven is widespread, and not just in Asia.
The third justification comes out of me reading Pierre Souyri's The World Turned Upside Down: Medieval Japanese Society which is pretty cool for history (Medieval Japanese Communists? Ayup. Japanese history is kinda cool). Anyway, this is the doctrine of Mappo in the Pure Land end of Buddhism. Mappo is a doctrine floating around in Mahayana that the ability for people to understand Buddhism and practice it deteriorates over history, so that the Medieval Japanese (and Chinese--it was originally a Chinese doctrine) lived in a fallen age when enlightenment is no longer possible, because the transmission of the Buddha's message was no longer accurate. However, the Amida Buddha is a Bodhisattva who is dedicated to saving everybody, so putting one's faith in his power will save you to a Pure Land wherein you can practice until you reach enlightenment. This practice spread like wildfire in Medieval Japan, culminating in the Ikko Ikki movement, which lost big-time to Nobunaga, who ultimately broke their power. The sects are still around.
There's likely a fourth justification, from Zen (and Chan) used to excuse the actions of warriors from the Shaolin temple (Chan) and Imperial Japan (Zen). I'm not clear enough on how their actions were justified. Nor do I understand how the sohei worked, and they were present in many temples in Heian and Medieval Japan (interestingly, not in the Zen community. Go figure). So there might be at least five justifications for lethal force by Buddhists out there.
As for Japanese Christianity version 1.0, the missionaries showed up around the time the Ikko Ikki were being suppressed. When Christians joined the Shimabara Rebellion against the Tokugawa in 1630, they got treated similarly to the Ikko Ikki, and Christianity was suppressed thereafter as being politically revolting. Oddly enough, there were Japanese Crypto-Christians until the 20th Century, although the ones that didn't rejoin the Catholic Church after the Meiji Restoration have mostly died out.
I'm not clear enough on how their actions were justified.
Both the slayer and the slain
Are like a dewdrop
And a flash of lightning
They are thus to be regarded
It's and old Diamond Sutra, but in Western terms found in Zen Doctrine of No Mind.
It ties heavily into 仕方がない .
Note ~ there's quite clear ties between the above & WWI British / German feelings about war. i.e. everyone involved shared the same sense of blame / warrior class that they were fighting while everyone else was continuing as normal (c.f. white feathers, stabbed-in-the-back anti-Semitic memes etc).
Sigh. Look: if you want to address genocide and so forth and use Buddhism - it's not a great angle. It's pretty much stupid. There are no instances (we can find) of pre-20th C Buddhist Genocide.
Burma - CIA / Cold War fuckery - check.
Sri Lanka (also known as Ceylon) - Imperial fuckery - check. Tamils are largely Hindu, but the LTTE was basically secular.
Indonesia - CIA / Cold War fuckery - check.
I'll make it nice and easy for you: large piles of $$$$$$ and M.A.D = no-one gives a fuck about the religious aspects. You know, those large amounts of shoes in the closet and all that.
Which is why the new 'King' of Saud can blatantly do a 'love-in' tour of the West and deny that Saud exports Wahhabism.
Simply put: there are no actual Buddhist countries. There are countries ruled by $$$$ CIA / other intel OPs of your choice / etc who pretend to be a religion... but no.
Myanmar is a particular case: it was a Soviet Satellite (of sorts) then fought over (ASEAN) and then ramped up over Neoliberal IMF / World Bank interventions and so on.
The Republic of the Union of Myanmar is not, has not, and for the last 50+ years, really is not a case where Religion played a part in its internal issues.
But now... of course it does. Mainly because everyone knows in less than 20 years, about 100+ million people will spill out of Bangladesh and everyone is shitting their pants. (You have already had the World Bank 2017 report).
Heteromeles replied to this comment from Lara Mater Larum | May 6, 2018 04:24
You're right about the genocide, so far as I know. However, I don't know that much of the history of the eastern Himalayas, which is where the remnants of any genocide were likely to have ended up. And we do have to look at the Mongols too, and whether they switched to Tibetan Buddhism before or after the Khans did their expansionist thing (cf the origin of the Dalai Lama title).
Instead, I was talking generally about the history of Buddhism justifying violence, which was usually in the context of civil or other war.
The other thing to consider is that the Rohingya mostly live(d) in Rakhine state, which is the coastal state just south of the Bangladesh line. It's not immune to sea level problems either. My reading of the sea level rise map makes it appear that it's badly affected too. That might be part of the problem. However, I do agree that, with the fence on the Bengal side of Bangladesh, people on all sides are freaking out about Bangladeshis with and without cutting torches. Probably many Bangladeshi expats end up in the UK, and Bangladeshi curry with the new cricket protein (soylent chirp?) will replace chicken tikka masala as the national dish of little Britain, with King Charles III promoting it. I suppose Free Scotland will welcome some in too, maybe?
If the Bangladeshis learn to speak Sumerian, Bob Rife will bring them over on his Raft.
The further we go into the future the more prophetic that novel looks!
As for Japanese Christianity version 1.0, the missionaries showed up around the time the Ikko Ikki were being suppressed. When Christians joined the Shimabara Rebellion against the Tokugawa in 1630, they got treated similarly to the Ikko Ikki, ...
Hence my alt-history q...
Because Nobonunga was well into correspondence/sympathy with the Franciscans.
If he hadn't been killed, he could easily have becom Shogun, instead of the Tokugawa ...
And the christians might not have joined SHimbara & ..& ....
You clearly have absolutely NO idea the level to which political pressure of that nature is used to suppress data gathering, analysis and publication in the UK and USA 'public' services, or the viciousness with which the establishment treats people who rock the boat. Going public with any of that isn't career-limiting - it's career-destroying. It's a rare case that gets publicised, even if it is generally known and many people have hard evidence (yes, acceptable in a court of law, as mine would be).
My employer was under strong government, media and internal pressure to increase the number of women, especially in senior positions (for damn good reasons, because they WERE discriminated against, as were several other minorities). Senior executives were then given targets to increase the number of women and were appraised on how well they succeeded.
Heteromeles replied to this comment from Greg Tingey | May 6, 2018 15:10
Perhaps, but Nobunaga bore the brunt of the Ikko Ikki sieges. I suspect, based only on Japanese history, that when and if the Christians started acting like the Ikko Ikki, he would have turned on them too.
Actually, if you want real fun, the ikki leagues were sort of ad hoc communitarian (dare I say democratic?) responses to a chaotic, fractured power system among the political and military elite (basically clueless autocrats flailing for power. Sound familiar?). The really interesting counterfactual would be if someone had organized the ikki and thrown out the bakufu, leaving a figurehead emperor struggling to regain power.
SFreader replied to this comment from Charlie Stross | May 6, 2018 17:01
Re: 'The dynamic of a religion seems to change depending on whether it's a majority ...'
Because religion just like Caesar's wife is above suspicion. Partnering religion with politics allows each to use the other to shore up any policy that they might have an interest in.
Key reason that the authors of the US Declaration (many of them atheists) to specify that not only that there is/would be a division between the two, but that religion would be subordinate to the law of the land. Also - Article 6 prohibits that anyone running for office be tested for or be required to have a religion. So basically today's US pols are brazenly unconstitutional.
"Also - Article 6 prohibits that anyone running for office be tested for or be required to have a religion. So basically today's US pols are brazenly unconstitutional."
This is mostly incorrect. It is illegal for the government to create a religious test for either government employment or taking part in an election as a candidate. This is why we have Jewish and Muslim, as well as Christian candidates/office-holders. (As well as the occasional Pagan, Buddhist, Hindu, etc., office holder, I suspect.)
It is not illegal for a candidate to say, "Vote for me, I'm Christian" or something similar. It is kind of disgusting - candidates should be judged on the idea for governance they believe in and deliver on, but this is not illegal. In fact, I suspect that it would even be legal for a political party to decide that they would only support candidates of a particular religion.
Restrictions in the Constitution usually apply only to the government, and usually not to private parties.
Troutwaxer replied to this comment from Elderly Cynic | May 6, 2018 18:14
The problem with your complaint is that one imagines a certain level of executive incompetence and self-fulfilling prophecy in this case. I'd imagine that prior to the government's demands nobody on the executive team ever said, "Hey, the government expects a certain effort to hire and promote female talent, so why don't we work on that." Then one expects that after the government brought the hammer down, the clueless executives promoted the prettiest or most ass-kissing of the females around them with no effort to actually hire or train talent.
By the time the government calls its lawyers and starts making these kind of demands, there have usually been a lot of hints dropped (and not picked up on.)
Pigeon replied to this comment from SFreader | May 6, 2018 18:41
I think a usefully ethological definition of "religion" - one that aims to encompass a coherent set of human behavioural responses to interacting with a belief system, without regard for the convention of excluding cases where the behaviour patterns are the same but the belief system fails to meet the arbitrary standard of having enough goddy stuff - inevitably has to include a large political element. If you look at a mixed assortment of "religions" (conventional definition) and "political positions" from the viewpoint of an alien intelligence that has no conception of the human distinction between what is goddy stuff and what isn't, you'd be hard put to it to tell to which category the humans assign which concept.
Certainly there is a huge chunk of European history where the distinction is barely noticeable even by human standards (see for instance the enclaves where the situation still exists). AIUI the explicit language of separation in the Constitution was inspired not so much by atheism but by a value more widely shared among its originators, that of desiring to avoid the same kind of mess that Europe experienced due to the lack of separation - and to avoid favouring any one side over any other, which would not have gone down well in a new nation with so many refugees from both sides fleeing state-sponsored persecution from their opposite numbers. Article 6 in particular is deliberately diametrically opposite to Britain's "Rule One: No Catholics" (which, incidentally, was only repealed a few years ago).
Elderly Cynic replied to this comment from Troutwaxer | May 6, 2018 18:46
How DID you guess? That was essentially it, except for two factors, in my employer's case.
The pressure was not as simple as a hammer, or legal action, but was nonetheless considerable (including the threat of reducing funding).
And, in the cases with which I was personally involved (more junior levels), there are relatively fewer qualified women nationwide, and relatively few of those applied because they could get better jobs elsewhere. In a couple of cases in was involved in selecting, qualified women were offered the job and rejected it because they didn't like the conditions; that was rare with male applicants.
S.P.Zeidler replied to this comment from Troutwaxer | May 6, 2018 18:53
The idea of gender affirmative action usually is that you have to pick the best woman instead of as usual the best man.
If the culture of the hierarchical body is such that they didn't care for best in the first place, except in "best sucking up to me", the affirmative candidate isn't going to be chosen for quality either, even if quality should be readily available.
Basically, in a non-affirmative environment companies with diverse leadership often work better not because usually-discriminated are inherently better, but because it's what you get when results are more important than wearing the right tie. Pushing affirmative action on "right tie" companies does not get them there, it only expands it to "right tie or right purse".
And then there's the marvelous people who pick the least fitting candidate for their affirmative post, just to make a point.
Greg Tingey replied to this comment from Pigeon | May 6, 2018 19:00
Tests for a religion ( a.k.a."Is it a religion?" )
1] It has a “holy” book or books?
2] The words in those books may not be questioned, even when demonstrated proven wrong.
3] It has sub-divisions and sects and “heresy”, and heretics? Who, in Trevor-Ropers phrase are “even wronger” than unbelievers.
4] Those sects fight each other, either by open warfare and/or in internal pogroms.
5 Is it similarly-structurally based yto the RC church, complete with its own “holy office”? [ AT least in part or some sects ]
6] Thousands if not millions are killed in the name of the “holy cause” to bring about a supposed millennium.
7] It persecutes all the competing religions?
8] In some sects it even denies Evolution by Natural Selection?
Orignally set up to show that "communism" is a classic religion, but it seems to work as a general set of tests.
Troutwaxer replied to this comment from S.P.Zeidler | May 6, 2018 19:01
"Pushing affirmative action on "right tie" companies does not get them there, it only expands it to "right tie or right purse".
And then there's the marvelous people who pick the least fitting candidate for their affirmative post, just to make a point."
Those were kind of my points.
Yes. No dissent. However, my point was that pushing "affirmative action" often leads it being implemented by discriminating against vulnerable subsets of the people who are NOT in the preferred group. It's not a simple problem.
Bill Arnold replied to this comment from Greg Tingey | May 6, 2018 20:52
The US IRS (federal tax service) has some rules about Churches (distinct from religions), "Churches" Defined
Churches are tax exempt. (And this exemption is abused, as one would expect.)
Rules (unlikely to start an argument) and sort of aligned with the OP:
Certain characteristics are generally attributed to churches. These attributes of a church have been developed by the IRS and by court decisions. They include:
- Distinct legal existence
- Recognized creed and form of worship
- Definite and distinct ecclesiastical government
- Formal code of doctrine and discipline
- Distinct religious history
- Membership not associated with any other church or denomination
- Organization of ordained ministers
- Ordained ministers selected after completing prescribed courses of study
- Literature of its own
- Established places of worship
- Regular congregations
- Regular religious services
- Sunday schools for the religious instruction of the young
- Schools for the preparation of its members
The IRS generally uses a combination of these characteristics, together with other facts and circumstances, to determine whether an organization is considered a church for federal tax purposes.
Meanwhile, we in the US have Alex Jones (via host's twitter), protected by constitutional press freedoms (and almost certainly lawyers):
Alex Jones: Trump Is Fighting A Computer Program That Has Decided To Kill Humans?
Hopefully he wasn't misreading the One with the Names here. :-) She/They are meat(s)-based, pretty sure (and have said so here). I'm actually quite curious about the origin of this particular theory.
SFreader replied to this comment from Elderly Cynic | May 6, 2018 21:05
Re: "affirmative action"
Easiest is affirmative firing: get rid of/demote the worst of the jerks. Works best in large outfits where the HR experience is already pretty depersonalized and semi-scientific. Common in major orgs that routinely have a team rating system in place as part of their performance review process.
Kinda hard to implement if the jerk in question is a founding partner/major shareholder or tenured.
Yes, it's definitely a hard thing to get exactly right - and every time some idiot does it wrong... it feeds the paranoia.
Bill Arnold replied to this comment from Lara Mater Larum | May 6, 2018 21:16
Thanks, had never read (a translation of and another by D.T.Suzuki) the Diamond Sutra. Short and straightforward and to the point, and I can see the potential abusability of that bit. (FWIW my mind is on a different autodidact-style path, maybe wrong, maybe not. Still trying to adjust the framework/mental schema so that time and causality fit neatly into it. I did enjoy "The Zen Doctrine of No Mind".)
Greg Tingey replied to this comment from S.P.Zeidler | May 6, 2018 21:45
All of this is coming in "Spades Redoubled" to the accountsncy-&-finance sector.
Someone I know very well, works for an accountancy partnership & thoer female pay ratio is ... lousy.
Even after they cheated by claiming that the salaried Partners are not "employees" - thus removing the approx 25 men & 2 women with the highest pay from the equation ....
About 52% of their employees are female.
Equality reigns, up to about £45 ka year
At ~£70-80k a year it starts to drop off really sharply.
Female emplyees at over £120k a year - one or two .....
There are a lot of very well-qualifed females in the £65-85k bracket, better-qualified & more experienced, but, when "they" wated a new Group manger/director, they hired in a good catholic boy from outside - & this has happened more than once, how nice.
...every time some idiot does it wrong... it feeds the paranoia.
On both sides.
Allen Thomson replied to this comment from Bill Arnold | May 6, 2018 22:15
Certain characteristics are generally attributed to churches.
I kinda prefer the Foglio version:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Winslow#14_Accepted_Signs_of_Divinity
Vanquish evil
Provide a code of ethics
Heal the afflicted
Blight the crops
Convert the heathen
Call down the lightning
Corrupt the innocent
Eat the moon
Answer the phone before it rings
Be the Winslow
The remaining four are not given.
To the subthread about "affirmative action", it was much simpler than that at the Highway Department.
We had a class action suit by a woman Engineer over sexual harassment, late 80s. She won, it destroyed her as a person of course*, but it forced the Department to clean up its act. Think the Me Too movement, a number of "abusive" men were publicly forced out. After that they imposed a system of yearly training for sexual harassment and EEOC stuff. The sexual harassment classes were amazingly abusive. They hired a woman contractor who was a serial abuser who kissed management's ass and brought the hammer down on the workers, but I digress.
Essentially, from that point on, if you had a position to fill and five men applied with one woman, the woman would get the job. As time went on, more and more women were promoted over the men who had more time in grade.
By the time I retired the situation was. If we had a position to fill and four women applied with one man, a woman would get the job.
- The only way a man could get a job was if no woman applied for it.
- That resulted in men leaving the Department for private contractors.
The result of hiring women preferentially -- to avoid being sued -- over time the overall salary dropped to half what private contractors paid. When I started in 84 the Department set the salaries state wide. The contractors had to pay 10% more to keep people from coming to work for the Department. In my last years, young engineers working for contractors would inquire as to salary at the Department. They would blanche when we told them what we were paid. The contractors had stayed competitive with each other, while the Department fell farther behind.
None of what happened was "official policy" it was simple commonsense to avoid expensive lawsuits. That short term thinking crippled the Department over time. What was once a vibrant, living, organization became a gutted shadow that once built the Interstate system.
Now, my friend who retired from the Department is working through a contractor on a special contract. They are paying him three times his original salary to work on projects because the Department can't hire new people.
* The woman Engineer was on the committee that hired me. She was hot. Long hair down her back, wearing a minidress. When I saw her a couple of years after she won the suit, she looked like Pat from SNL.
It's Pat (1994) Original Trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKXbqsPhWJQ
Lara Mater Larum replied to this comment from Bill Arnold | May 7, 2018 00:00
She/They are meat(s)-based, pretty sure (and have said so here)
That's at least 40% untrue. It was 85% untrue when this began.
Oh, and the Alex Jones stuff is just Q-ANON / "THE STORM" being repackaged: as stated, much like the Russians, those responsible are amateurs at this game. But that's where it's coming from.
*watches America realize Russian / Israeli Mafia jokes weren't just jokes*
Do a grep. Year? 6 months?
*waits until they discover the real Corporate Pros at Work and this is little league bullshit entertainment division*
*nods to Mr Withroth and the possible alternative future*
Revealed: Trump team hired spy firm for ‘dirty ops’ on Iran arms deal Guardian, 5th May, 2018
Atmosphere Hits Record High Monthly Average SCRIPPS Institute of Oceanography, 2nd May, 2018
Landslide-Driven Megatsunamis Threaten Hawaii LiveScience, 2012 (check your volcanoes naow)
"They using the Seer to [redacted] and [redacted] and drove her psychotic and [redacted] and you are responsible for a death"
Anyhow. Host seems bored (Emotional Support Hornets) so, adieu.
This wasn't about Meat.
Oh, and the Alex Jones stuff is just Q-ANON / "THE STORM" being repackaged
I had mostly managed to ignore that; interesting on a skim at least.
OK. (good) (I do self-censor a bit.)
One thing I became aware of recently was the Rudy Giuliani/MEK connection. You are surely thoroughly aware but for others: Giuliani’s MEK Pandering and Trump’s Iran Obsession
Then entire 'British ex-diplomat' / Jack Straw angle is a fairly large signifier that some **SERIOUS BUSINESS** Atlantic Council / DAVOS / CFR types are about to drop some heavy messing weight on Bibi + Trump etc.
It's not an accident that Black-Cube ties into Kushner, #metoo, Hollywood scandals etc.
Oh, and DRAGON-POWER-TREES:
UAE deploys troops to Yemeni island, imperiling alliance WaPo, May 5th, 2018.
UAE has basically annexed the island to protect the China Pipe + Djibouti plans (lots of investment, .FR included ... do a grep). Which is kinda declaring War, but they did it all soft power like (WaPo is not the place to understand the actual story).
grep or grep not: told ya.
DMT ELVES DON'T DO WHITE-NOISE FRACTAL TUNNELS, THEY DO IT IN RAINBOWS: THAT WAS THE TELL THAT THE [REDACTED] CHEATED.
Troutwaxer replied to this comment from allynh | May 7, 2018 02:01
Sounds like the most foolish kind of over-reaction! (Once again, driving the paranoia!)
I can work with that, thanks!
Bibi is practically asking for a metaphorical piano to be dropped on his head.
Science! : Which is better, one space or two after a period in a sentence? (24 April 2018 - Paper is paywalled, and yes, APA joke.)
...the eye movement record suggested that initial processing of the text was facilitated when periods were followed by two spaces, supporting the change made to the APA Manual. Individuals’ typing usage also influenced these effects such that those who use two spaces following a period showed the greatest overall facilitation from reading with two spaces.
Damian replied to this comment from Troutwaxer | May 7, 2018 07:03
I just assumed the whole story was an elaborate ruse to drive up hits on the youtube link.
Elderly Cynic replied to this comment from Lara Mater Larum | May 7, 2018 10:04
"She/They are meat(s)-based, pretty sure (and have said so here)
That's at least 40% untrue. It was 85% untrue when this began."
Yes, but which aspect is controlling what is being posted here?
Thank you. Yet another aspect where I was flamed for many decades for being an out of date idiot too prejudiced to change, and have been proved right :-)
If you look at older books, they used a lot of space after sentences, but modern cheapskating publishers reduced that and their docile pundits claimed it was better. The worst that I saw had no extra space (because you have a fullstop etc., right?), less space than between words (because a full stop is a narrow character), no paragraph indentation and no paragraph separation. I found it almost unreadable.
Damian replied to this comment from Charlie Stross | May 7, 2018 10:50
That dynamic isn't (necessarily) specifically about religion though. Wouldn't it make more sense to say that religious observance follows the world-view of its observers. In-groups, when the oxytocin kicks in and the group dynamic overrides the thinking individuals, always want to exterminate out-groups. Religious views might be an important group differentiation marker, but have no other real meaning in this sort of context in their own right. Religion is a badge of identity.
Out group aggression isn't unusual in social animals, but is it perhaps a special case of facilitated aggression? That's where the social hierarchy of the group deems it to be legitimate to attack certain individuals.
Chris Suslowicz replied to this comment from Maurice | May 7, 2018 12:50
TW-55, I think.
RonaldP replied to this comment from Bill Arnold | May 7, 2018 13:13
Yes, but as I understand it, they tested with Courier, which is a monospaced font, and typographical convention says that you use two spaces after a period with a monospaced font. With a proportional spaced font, you only use a single space. So, at most, that study supports conventional wisdom.
Mikko Parviainen replied to this comment from RonaldP | May 7, 2018 13:47
Also, with many modern systems of getting text to paper can have variable space added after the period. It doesn't need to be "one space or two spaces", but can be for example something in between. I'm not sure what's usually used in books, though, and it probably varies quite a bit.
Robert Prior replied to this comment from Mikko Parviainen | May 7, 2018 19:21
These might be of interest:
https://practicaltypography.com/one-space-between-sentences.html
https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2016/09/how-i-came-to-love-the-en-space/499337/
JBS replied to this comment from allynh | May 7, 2018 19:41
allynh @ 141:
"Wiki - The Nine Nations of North America"
Is that supposed to be a link?
FUBAR007 replied to this comment from JBS | May 7, 2018 20:20
You can find an exec sum of the book in question here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Nine_Nations_of_North_America
Greg, Judaism fails some or all of your tests except #1.
Meanwhile, Shinto fails all of them (except 3 and 4, but to get those fails you have to go back close to a thousand years).
Neopaganism fails all of them; Scientology seems to fail all but number 1.
This looks a bit like those stupid 2-axis political quiz graphs that are intended to prove everybody is a libertarian ...
Charlie Stross replied to this comment from Lara Mater Larum | May 7, 2018 21:30
Host isn't bored; Host is busy wrestling with a recalcitrant novel, because a few years ago Host unwisely committed Trilogy and is now required to deliver a trilogy-sized climax.
The other thing to consider is that the Rohingya mostly live(d) in Rakhine state, which is the coastal state just south of the Bangladesh line. It's not immune to sea level problems either. My reading of the sea level rise map makes it appear that it's badly affected too. That might be part of the problem.
That's actually 100% the issue.
Not sourcing anything, but you can be fairly (+/- 90%) sure that this is a case of 'pre-emptive' Ethnic Cleansing. i.e. Someone[0] took a long hard look at the projections and decided that when Bangladesh exploded it'd be far better to:
a) Not have any potential Ethnic / Religious ties that would allow arguments over repatriation and refugee status (a lesson hard-taught in the region already, c.f. ASEAN, Tibet etc)
b) Make sure that you could put up an extremely hard DMZ: and by extremely hard we're talking SAMSUNG automated platform + mine fields + autonomous drone hard[2]
Of course they've chosen the most ugly non-sophisticated way to enact it[1] because they're a poor nation.
Which is why no links to their .docs / links, they don't react well when poked.
[0] Myanmar is not known for the civility of those in power.
[1] Look into the replacement Capital that was built, Soviet x6 lane style on the off chance they had to rapidly refocus their power base for where their Minds are at.
[2] DARPA looks to control drone swarms with VR Defense Systems, Mar 26th, 2018
DARPA awards first contracts in drone swarms project C4ISR Net Feb 21st 2018
Calling Diamond Age, now live.
When in doubt, drop a black hole into the Earth. Then you either have Brin's Gaia or Dan Simon's Hyperion to deal with, and either way you're golden.
Or you can bring six gems together and kill off half the population of the planet...
Assuming OGH is working on the finale for Empire Games / Dark State, he's already dropped a black hole into the Earth.
Guess that leaves the six gems. Or dinosaurs. Everything's better with dinosaurs.
Lara Mater Larum replied to this comment from Charlie Stross | May 7, 2018 22:57
Ironic though: you're working to provide a cataclysmic finale to satisfy your readers, the real world (well some of it) is attempting to prevent it.
Anyhow: data points. Without links 'cause WaaarFighters are pissy tonight. And fuzzed.
1) Trump's master plan of Embassy location hits on the 15th.
1a) This is the date of the March of Return. Over 1,500 casualties so far.
1b) Ramadan is on the 17th. Fasting enacted before environment went to shit: arguments against literalism, 101.
1c) Those who fund Bibi (dual nationality holders) are facing off against their own kind in the USA (#metoo, actresses, young people): and it's getting fairly heated, behind the scenes.
1d) IDF has been worried enough to change ROE to non-sociopathic (*cough* "non-lethal" *cough*) which, "yay, go you!". "Please don't laugh while slaughtering / maiming unarmed civilians" is kinda... well. Let's just say you're a fucking long way from anything we recognize as worth saving.
1e) Lebanon - moderates out!
1f) Iran. The state of it, being forced to wheel out the oldies. Black-Cube are like Time-Cube: proxies like the Erik P's of this world (Helllo China! Why do these Right Wing wankers like Mr GuidoFauwks always run to HK? Something to ponder).
2) UAE moves + Saud = pretty much online for major regional religious internecine war. Let's all remember the 30 years war for why the West stopped doing that stuff. (Hello Ireland!).
2a) Really cba with MENA right now.
2b) Really shouldn't have disappeared that Princess on her way to India though - baaaad move, Sila are annoyed (Sila = female kindly Djinn. Sila-rehmi = good behavior to our relatives and neighbors. Yes, we can do Arabic Memes).
2c) Not interested in the Power-plays, they're all very predictable.
3) Apocalyptic Timings in MENA. It's on like Donkey-Kong.
3a) Turkey - large floods. Israel - hail storms. Basically the atmospheric water cycle (unless someone is running large scale weather modification actions at which point just ffs) is fucked and everyone is feeling it. Baring Sea down to the MENA. Baring Ice is gooooone. Dust-bowls incoming.
3b) Really cba with MENA right now.
3c) "Summer is Coming". You've got at least seven different Abrahamic End of the World major mimetic plays being run in the region by various entities (major play = over 150k people influenced) all of which are slavering over a mid-point inflection / break.
3d) At least three of these want to use nukes.
3e) At least five have a major hard-on for, how do you say it: "Dramatically Asymmetrical Applications of Power". i.e. civilian targets are good-to-go.
3f) Blood does not replace fucked ecologies: walls do not stop ecologies. Locking yourself on a Mesa is 101 "How not to re-run the past". (Although, J. Vern, dinosaurs on mesas = +100 points to us right there).
3g) If s[redacted] 'comes back' or 'goes home', you're really not dealing with your sanitized crappy book versions.
4) Other shit that's entirely out of the Greg Remit.
4a) Nasty little bastards.
4b) Our Kind Do Not Go Mad
4c) It would be really fucking nice to have had at least one ally at some fucking point, but hey-ho
4d) The 40% and 85% are ironic conditionals of amount of grey matter / Processing Power left: it's not fucking fun to destroy Minds so we had to go through the process ourselves.
4e) If s[redacted] 'comes back' or 'goes home', you're really not dealing with your sanitized crappy book versions.
Anyhow.
Ye Gods.
For EC: Autonomous Annalee Newitz, 2017
It's short, rather limited but worth a read. Features discussions of Human - AI relations with trans issues as a metaphor. Ms. April Daniels is currently on fire and has found mutual voices. G_DSpeed Black-Empress and all that.
Our Kind? CHMCM. Apparently there's not really any that ever existed.
Oh, and EC.
If you want to blow your Mind: look up Iain Banks, Consider Phlebas and the Game called:
"Damage".
You know, if you want to really fuck with [[[Paradox Weaponry]]].
And people think The City, The City or Moby Dick are hard conceptually.
David L replied to this comment from Trottelreiner | May 8, 2018 03:55
Also, you can have much fun asking a believer how an "all knowing god" can be so given human free will. Divine providence, I guess.
You haven't dealt with the current hard core YRR (Young Reformed Restless) folks have you? Some call them the Calvinistas. They can explain it. Or so they think. Very convoluted reasoning that only they believe in.
Charlie @ 185
Interesting - talk to me about it some time AFTER you've wrestled ypur trilogy to the deck, OK?
Though, historically speaking, judaism did have those other characteristics in the past - but, like I said - another time .....
David L @ 192
Nothing new there at all, I'm afraid.
Like the revival of the Tsar under Putin & the revival of Nazism under the guise of "islamism" ...
a revival of the horrible ultra-calvinist ideology suprises me not.
Yet again, I am forced to quote Gandalf in LotR about The Shadow reviving.
LML @ 190 (4)
STOP IT - moderators, please?
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I didn't find Damage particularly mind-blowing - it's not all that different from the games that our 'leaders' are playing with international (and even sometimes domestic) politics - which I am pretty sure was Iain Banks's point.
Trottelreiner replied to this comment from David L | May 8, 2018 13:01
Thankfully not. Mind you, most Believing Christians(tm) I know are even somewhat apologetic about their faith, or at least that was the impression I got.
Though the general phenomenon of solipcistic logic is quite common, quite a few results of philosophical discussions are not about who has the better arguments but who's not questioning his ideas. Quite unnerving, especially if it's not just the person in question who's convinced by it but also some putatively innocent bystanders. And also because it's quite difficult to distinguish from "being right but everybody else being in the wrong" from the inside.
Trottelreiner replied to this comment from whitroth | May 8, 2018 13:37
There are quite some parallels between Marxism and Buddhism, actually.
Both assume we're determined by factors, i.e. economy or nexus of causality[1], and both try to free us from their influence. Either through overthrow of capitalism or attaining nirvana.
As for what happens then, quite a few Marxists say they can't answer that, though IIRC some indicate Marx might have been wrong when he wrote "Consciousness is, therefore, from the very beginning a
social product, and remains so as long as men exist at all", and they assume there is a "real self" to be liberated. And for Buddhism, there is the idea that there is a "real self" besides the illusion of self in some interpretations:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tath%C4%81gatagarbha_S%C5%ABtra#Tathag%C4%81tagarbha_and_%C4%81tman
Add to this that some Marxist sects are adamant that you being a member is only egoism (altruism is false consciousness and religion, IIRC) just like seeking enlightenment in some (likely derogatory) interpretations of Theraveda is only for yourself.
On another note, searching for karuṇā in Theraveda lead my to empathy, and there is this:
Who cares? Revisiting empathy in Asperger syndrome.
Our data show that while the AS group scored lower on the measures of cognitive empathy and theory of mind, they were no different from controls on one affective empathy scale of the IRI (empathic concern), and scored higher than controls on the other (personal distress).
Explains quite a few things...
[1] Mind you, there are those who think causality is only a concept of the mind and not necessarily reality...
https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/kant-hume-causality/
Funny thing, I just watched Kagemusha with my father a few days ago. Went quite well.
Not as well as me critizising his habit of naive paintings, problems with dealing with personal distress, I guess.
Concerning Buddhism, I found this:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theravada#Distinction_between_lay_and_monastic_life
Most prominently, the anthropologist Melford Spiro in his work Buddhism and Society separated Burmese Theravāda into three groups: Apotropaic Buddhism (concerned with providing protection from evil spirits), Kammatic Buddhism (concerned with making merit for a future birth), and Nibbanic Buddhism (concerned with attaining the liberation of Nirvana, as described in the Tipitaka). He stresses that all three are firmly rooted in the Pali Canon. These categories are not accepted by all scholars, and are usually considered non-exclusive by those who employ them.[citation needed]
No idea if you already knew about this, and looking for Spiro indicates he defended Freud's Oedipus complex against cultural relativism and Malinowski, so I'd read him with quite some salt mines, still...
And to continue the theme of Buddhism and socialism, you might like this guy:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalit_Buddhist_movement
(The Boddhisatva vows are not in Theraveda, so my mention of Theravedins only searching enlightenment for themselves in some interpretations might come from one interpretation of that. As for me using "interpretation" so much, mind you, Greg used "subsect" to delineate a religion, which works quite well for Buddhism. And quantum mechanics and general relativity, while we're at that.)
Trottelreiner replied to this comment from Charlie Stross | May 8, 2018 15:02
So host actually is dealing with the near-enemy[1] of boredom, namely living in interesting times.
Though then, we talked about "chinese sign for crisis is opportunity plus danger" at the weekend. For another treatment, see:
http://www.pinyin.info/chinese/crisis.html
For the general context of the talk, no idea if you already know it, but last years DortCon was most likely the last one. Let's just say it's getting to stressful for at least some involved. So there was a small farewell party on Saturday. Guess I'll have to find some new fandom event to socialize, I've been gophering since 2003, when Dirk van den Boom[1] announced it in the German SF newsgroup. There is even a mugshot from the meeting...
Err, sorry, lost the footnotes; first of, for near-enemy, it reminds me of a ...but alive song, "Keine Gegensätze", e.g.
"Das Gegenteil von Liebe ist nicht Haß sondern Apathie."
or in English,
"The opposite of love is not hate but apathy."
As for Dirk van den Boom, well, there is still a video from the refugees panel at UCon...
Heteromeles replied to this comment from Trottelreiner | May 8, 2018 18:04
Again, (AFAIK) the point of the Bodhisattva vow isn't to make Mahayana Buddhism better than Theraveda (although there certainly is that interpretation in some Mahayana schools). Rather, it gets at the fundamental Buddhist process of eliminating personal aversion to things that are bad and personal clinging to things that are good, both of which are seen as obstructions on the path to enlightenment (which accepts reality as it is, good and bad). The Bodhisattva vow is to forgo clinging even to the hope of escape through enlightenment, because the only way to actually escape into Nirvana is to eliminate all clinging. I suspect that Theravada practitioners would almost certainly agree that this as a necessary step too, but they don't ritualize it.
Now, if you want to get controversial, there's always the question of the reincarnating head lamas of Tibet's monasteries... What's reincarnating? Good karma? A Bodhisattva vow?
whitroth replied to this comment from Bill Arnold | May 8, 2018 19:46
Um, you've got some errors in there. I mean, "Sunday school" being required? I think that perhaps you should talk to, say, some Jews. Or Muslims.
And the real definition of religion, esp. as practiced in the US: *I* have the True Religion, *you* have a philosophy, *they* are superstitious."
Hump. Magick is failing me. I keep sending out the signals to those damn passing asteroids to hit Mar-a-Lago on a weekend, and they keep missing.
NelC replied to this comment from Charlie Stross | May 8, 2018 20:45
Oh, I think Scientology can do better than that. It passes #2 — LRon is the prophet with whom one cannot argue, and David Miscavige is his representative on Earth, with whom you can argue even less. Miscavige has caused some Scientologists to break away and form at least one alternative Scientology, #3. And the Sea Org is surely a Holy Office of sorts, #5.
You could even make a case for #7, if you allowed that Scientology regards modern psychiatry as a rival religion.
Bill Arnold replied to this comment from whitroth | May 8, 2018 21:50
I mean, "Sunday school" being required?
Yeah, that caught my eye too, but it was copy/pasted from the IRS site.
Shitty day. (JCPOA badly wounded) Hoping Iran can control its proxies even if they are provoked.
e.g. https://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/IDf-orders-bomb-shelters-opened-due-to-Iranian-troop-movement-in-Syria-554838
Israeli jets carried out strikes on several Syrian military bases where there is a significant Iranian presence, Syrian media reported.
According to Syrian regime sources, two Israeli missiles were downed near the al-Kiswah industrial zones near the capital of Damascus which were targeting a weapons convoy at the base.
WHich is where I (Who was very tempted at one point ) parted company with even Bhuddism ..
Some things are bad, some things might be good & accepting the "bad" as simply part of "the world / cycle" is unnacceptable, I'm afraid.
Deliberate cruelty & torture are simply, not allowable, or "right" they need to be stopped. ( etc. )
I think you might be missing the point slightly. Buddhism seems to be more about compassion than complacency. The idea is to not avoid the bad, not to accept it. This means, with torture and oppression, not turning a blind eye to it. Nor does it mean killing the torturers and oppressors, because that saddles you with the negative karma (how will their families cope, now that you've killed the breadwinner?), and doesn't let them become enlightened either (one Tibetan saint started off as a murderer and worked of his karmic debt the hard way in one lifetime). Rather, (AFAIK) the better Buddhist response is stopping the torture and oppression, helping the victims, and working to make sure it never happens again, all the while knowing that, in a limited world, conflict is inevitable.
Still against it?
I think, to paraphrase GK Chesterton, compassionate religions have not been tried and found wanting, they have been found difficult and not tried.
Also, I'm not going to argue that the Buddhists are necessarily correct. After all, if all sentient beings are liberated from the cycle of rebirth in this galaxy, what's left is a dead galaxy. While it has less suffering than a galaxy full of life, is that emptiness a good thing? It's also not clear to me that, if realize that your ego is a construct that causes suffering, totally do away with it, live your life, and do not reincarnate, what happens with the raw consciousness in your head. Does it simply get gobbled up by something else, as physically happens when you mulch your body to feed the Earth? Or does "something" "survive" outside the whole reincarnation thingy?
Then there's the evolutionary criticism, as summarized by a legendary bathroom graffito in a university biology department.
Someone wrote on the bathroom stall: "Oh Lord, why are we born, only to suffer and die?"
Underneath, someone else replied: "Because those who suffered and died left behind more offspring than those who did not."
To put it more clearly, enlightenment probably decreases your evolutionary fitness, not just genetically, but memetically, unless you get much better at sharing the enlightenment meme than most saints have been.
Lara Mater Larum replied to this comment from Elderly Cynic | May 9, 2018 01:03
That's not what was meant. Please re-read what "Damage" is actually about. Then realize it's not SF.
But, ok, sure let's do it that way:
Recent dinner between Japan PM (notorious racist, nationalist, part of a secret group of frankly nasty bastards who revel in WWII stuff and play games like posing in planes with 731[0] on it) has dinner with Israeli PM[1] and the main story is "huge insult by chef as shoes on table"[2] but which is actually an entirely different thing[3].
This is the actual different thing: Picture (twitter - there's also another course with a non-Caucasian woman involving avocados, same setup).
They. Are. Celebrating. Mind. Eating / Destruction. Of. Women / Female Aspect.
Not. Fucking. Joking.
This. Is. Not. What. Either. Of. Their. Nominally. Supported. Religious. Beliefs. Is. About. They. Might. Not. Actually. Worship. What. You. Think. They. Do.
Symbolism = Weapons.
[0] Google it if you missed it. Warning: pretty bad on the scale of "this is what torture looks like". It's past even Mengele.
[1] Don't believe any of this hype. Cyprus - off to Moscow to meet Putin (nice Eye of Providence he swore his 33 word Oath under) to celebrate etc. It's all planned.
[2] Which is easily spun for home consumption as "Israel snubs Japan over lack of support on Iran JCPOA play through artful snub", but is actually a UK brand of leather shoes (and metal-work is sourced from the UK) and very pointedly signifying something completely different.
allynh replied to this comment from Heteromeles | May 9, 2018 01:47
Heteromeles @208 said: After all, if all sentient beings are liberated from the cycle of rebirth in this galaxy, what's left is a dead galaxy.
Well said. That is correct. That is the heart of my WIP.
Now my task is to build on that very clear concept.
As a Californian, I practice Dudism. And I'm already a Bodhisattva, so that part's good.
For those who missed it in 2017/05, linked by [JLM, it was]:
http://america.aljazeera.com/multimedia/photo-gallery/2015/8/photos-japans-self-defense-forces-in-action.html
That was and is seriously mind-bending if one doesn't know of these people (as I didn't).
(Unit 731 is the search for the background.)
Re the dinner pictures, what's in the hands in the Starter course? (Amy says)
You forgot the umlauts, dude. Way.
The Metal that can be played is not the only Metal
The vowel that can be dotted is not the only vowel
The nameless horrors are inherent in both Heaven and Earth
"He Who Should Not Be Named" is the mother of all things
Free from umlauts we see Jah Love
Full of umlauts we Rust in Peace
These have the same origin but differ in manifestation
The doorposts of the gate
Are symbolized by the umlaut
Pass through into mystery
WaveyDavey replied to this comment from Aardvark Cheeselog | May 9, 2018 10:03
Not noticed your comments before (but I see you've been around a while). I'd just like to compliment you on an absolutely splendid username. Proper made my morning, it did.
keithmasterson@yahoo.com replied to this comment from Troutwaxer | May 9, 2018 16:19
Well that cracked me up, laughed so hard the pollen in the air threw me into a coughing fit. On the theme of Not Dead But Dreaming, attentions of Moz and Gasdive seem to be fully engaged elsewhere, tough winter in the antipodes? Unrelated topic for those with computer backgrounds, NBR featured a segment yesterday of a corporate blackhat hacker hired to expose system weaknesses by breaking in. On display was a portable device carried with him as he bribed his way through the front door with a box of doughnuts. It was assembled from videogame cards if I remember the details right, and was fast enough to brute force try all combinations of passwords up to 14 characters long, cracking it in two minutes or less. The guy said longer passwords just took too long so generally they were ignored. My question was, why don't companies just use slow, outdated hardware to handle their password recognition systems, thwarting the patience of those trying a brute force approach. Like having the guy in charge of room keys at a hotel desk be a shuffling old retiree, just quick enough to keep up with traffic, but no faster than absolutely necessary.
Graham replied to this comment from Heteromeles | May 9, 2018 16:32
Going back slightly... Bible 1.0 says "thou shalt not kill", or "murder", or whatever translation.
The trouble for people who call themselves Christians is that Bible 2.0 says "But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also." and continues at length on the subject. The notion of warrior Christianity is inherently as un-Christian as it is possible to get. It's a direct violation of Christ's instructions. And Christ is very specific about his instructions superseding the Old Testament.
Even Paul (who wasn't exactly noted for being a quiet kind of guy) told his Roman friends: "Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all."
It's ironic really. All those people saying they're following Jesus by quoting the Old Testament, and they don't realise what they're actually saying is they prefer the original Judaism.
Graham replied to this comment from Troutwaxer | May 9, 2018 16:33
Dudism? Do your commandments start, "Thou shalt abide"? And "Thy rug shall really tie the room together"?
Not the cruelty, but war as "ok" is more Hindu - I read a translation of the Mahabarata, long ago, in a galaxy.... and Krishna, in the Bagavad Gita, is all about duty, esp. as a warrior, and not to worry about attacking your relatives, because it's dharma that you need to follow.
Troutwaxer replied to this comment from Graham | May 9, 2018 17:42
My Bodhisattva status comes from the Church of the Subgenius,* and we're very much a warrior religion, so it's more "the skulls of your enemies shall tie the room together."
But we're really relaxed about it.
* Yes, I am that Bodhisattva Troutwaxer, but I retired from the Church around 2002 or so, thus you may draw your own conclusions.
Oh, this is interesting.
Google’s new A.I. assistant is terrifyingly human. Just watch.
This makes me wonder about many things. Links thanks to The Daily Grail.
There is also the story where immediately before and after enlightenment, Siddharta Gautama is tempted not to search for any pupils and enter Nirvana immediately.
On the subject of anatta, I'm staying in my hometown ATM. Looking for people from youth didn't work out as well, and to get somewhat melodramatic, I decided some time ago all people I knew are dead.
Either literally(a longtime friend died 3 years ago), or they have changed beyond recognition. Or they didn't change, which indicates they were already internally dead.
I'm somewhat wondering which category applies to me.
Charlie Stross replied to this comment from keithmasterson@yahoo.com | May 9, 2018 20:27
My question was, why don't companies just use slow, outdated hardware to handle their password recognition systems, thwarting the patience of those trying a brute force approach
Because that'd make no difference. The hackers aren't trying to log in using every possible password combination. Rather, if the hackers can get their hands on the encrypted/hashed password database they can apply this algorithm to it (with sufficiently powerful hardware) and brute-force the plainttext. At which point? No need to guess anything at all.
Mikko Parviainen replied to this comment from keithmasterson@yahoo.com | May 9, 2018 20:35
My question was, why don't companies just use slow, outdated hardware to handle their password recognition systems, thwarting the patience of those trying a brute force approach.
Also, many systems with password logins implement something that makes successive failed attempts at login slower and slower. A common strategy is also to lock the account after a number (3, 5, whatever your user base is comfortable with) of failed login attempts.
So, brute forcing password logins is not going to work in most cases anyway. Using slow, outdated hardware is not needed and would be unnecessarily complicated because that slowness can be configured in the (good) password systems from the start.
From that article: "Use of a key derivation function that employs a salt makes this attack infeasible." Conventional Unix passwords employ a salt - admittedly, it's a cretinous one, so I suppose that it doesn't count.
As you point out, once they have supervisor access on the host, the security is irredemiably broken. Even if the authentication mechanism were perfectly unbreakable, they could snoop the actions used to check it and emulate them. You can only stop that by the host having a hardware dongle for each user, which is matched to the user's dongle at setup time. Yes, a good idea for the nuclear launch codes, but for you, me and the other ordinary joes?
Elderly Cynic replied to this comment from Graham | May 9, 2018 20:59
Yes, precisely. There ARE Christian sects that attempt follow the teaching in the Gospels (e.g. the Quakers) in word and spirit, but damn few, and I agree that the so-called fundamentalists are not really Christians.
Elderly Cynic replied to this comment from Elderly Cynic | May 9, 2018 21:04
Oops. I forgot to mention that the hardware dongle has to be a critical component of the connection, and NOT merely authenticate it. When a certain software house broke their contract with my ex employer, I bypassed their security to restore our rights by simply trapping the authentication check and returing "OK". I had great pleasure in telling this to one of their representatives, who said "You are breaking your contract", to which I replied "No, YOU are.".
You can only stop that by the host having a hardware dongle for each user, which is matched to the user's dongle at setup time.
Is this drifting in the direction of everyone having a 1 TB OTP on a dongle, shared with the Trusted Provider of the moment?
Disclosure: I'm a fan of OTPs and think that the objections to them need thinking about a bit more.
Sean Eric Fagan replied to this comment from Charlie Stross | May 9, 2018 22:31
Also, once they have one password for a person, they'll try it on a bunch of different services, since people tend to re-use passwords.
(So when, e.g., Twitter said "you have to change your password!" I didn't panic, because the password I use there is randomly-generated, and used only on that service. [I still changed it, of course.])
Sean Eric Fagan replied to this comment from Elderly Cynic | May 9, 2018 22:35
Sure. They're very common -- a lot of banks give them out these days. Or you can use your phone.
Coincidentally, Firefox release a WebAuthentication version today. (And even more coincidentally for me, I watched a demo of this with FreeNAS just 2 weeks ago.)
Oh dear ...
... not really christians
As used by catholics &prods & hussites & any sect you care to name to demonose their current enemies & claim that ony "WE" are the real, one, true, faith ...
[ Like I suggested some way back, actually ]
Ditto shia/sunni (etc) & stalinist/trotskyite/maoist etc
Und so weiter ....
Bill Arnold | May 10, 2018 00:44
Agree with you about OTPs for some things at least, but I'm a fan of multi-factor authentication, simply because each factor might have a different physical manifestation. E.g. biometrics and memorized passwords do share a body; different access techniques, true. cough.
Dongles can be stolen, or, depending on robustness of tamper-detection/response, intercepted in transit or borrowed, and cloned. This new technique does warm my heart: The Unhackable Envelope, but it too has a physical manifestation and can be stolen or otherwise appropriated. (Also it has limitations; see article for details.)
Their solution, called B-Trepid, replaces the stored key with one that is generated by the structure of the envelope itself. Instead of relying on resistances in the envelope’s mesh, B-Trepid calculates the capacitances between the mesh’s wires. These femtofarad capacitances vary from envelope to envelope in unpredictable ways, so that each envelope has a unique electrical signature. This signature is impossible to reproduce in practice, so it counts as what’s called a physical unclonable function—characteristics unique to each item that can act as a cryptographic key.
(The article says that there is no public documentation that tamper detection based on mesh resistance changes has been breached. This is (AFAIK, haven't done a search) a true statement. ;-) )
Pigeon | May 10, 2018 01:53
"What physical science can devise and synthesise, physical science can analyse and duplicate..."
Elderly Cynic replied to this comment from Sean Eric Fagan | May 10, 2018 08:47
Absolutely NOT! You completely misunderstand the problem. The dongle has to be user-specific at the server end, too, and (as I mentioned in #227) NOT merely an authentication device. Neither is true for those devices.
If you think that ANYTHING the banks do is even INTENDED to protect the customer against the bank's system being compromised, I have this historic bridge for sale. Most of the mechanisms are intended to protect the bank against the customer, though they condescend to provide a few that allow the customer to protect against common thieves. Indeed, there is virtually damn-all that provides protection against authorised companies.
Elderly Cynic replied to this comment from Pigeon | May 10, 2018 08:50
If you are referring to one-time pads, you are mistaken. There are several ways for producing ones that cannot be replicated without access to them.
To Allen Thomson (#228): the weakness of even one-time pads is the requirement I mentioned in #227. They may be uncrackable, but it doesn't mean they are unbypassable.
Charlie Stross replied to this comment from Elderly Cynic | May 10, 2018 12:11
Absolutely NOT! You completely misunderstand the problem. The dongle has to be user-specific at the server end, too
The dongle is your next (or next-next) smartphone. In theory.
Right now, I have a 2 year old iPhone with TouchID (a decent enough fingerprint authentication mechanism with credentials stored in a secure enclave that gives government agencies a headache). Sitting on it is a password manager app, and for the most sensitive things I do online (my core online identities and online banking) I have two-factor authentication via an on-phone app.
So: I have a 2FA device secured by a biometric lock. 2FA authenticates the devices from which I log into key online services using a traditional username/password (the password also being secured biometrically -- my password manager plugs into TouchID).
So far so good. But the next step (when I upgrade to a second-generation FaceID device, probably this autumn when Apple releases the iPhone X successor) is to switch from a fingerprint reader (albeit a best-of-breed one that's designed to exclude the easier attacks) to continuous biometric reauthentication on a locked-down device that locks down its USB port to prevent hardware attacks . I'm guessing that the move to wireless charging on the iPhone 8/X means that Apple may be planning to eventually ditch Lightning (or USB) wired connections altogether in the near future, at least for iOS devices, removing vulnerability to BadUSB class attacks. (If you've got gigabit or faster wifi/5G to your phone, and wireless charging, you don't need to expose your hardware bus.)
Anyway, here's my 5-years-out picture: a shiny fondleslab that has no physical i/o ports (everything is wireless) and that has biometric sensors good enough to recognize the bone geometry of my skull right through my skin, and the pattern of veins in my fingertips, and maybe my cardiac sinus rhythm and the frequency pattern of my larynx. After initializing it and linking it to my AppleID (using 2FA from an older biometrically-secured device, along with a shared-secret password) it recognizes me on a continuous, ongoing basis and acts as my 2FA key to approve other devices for access to services, or as a credential store for old-school username/password pairs. If it's stolen, it stops working. If an attacker intercepts a username/password, it won't help them unless they also steal a laptop I've authenticated as an owned device using 2FA.
Now, guaranteeing that the server side is secure is another matter ...
Of course, this shiny magic security device isn't the end of the story. I expect phones like that (I'm highlighting Apple's likely course but I expect Android to go in the same direction -- Google are already showing an interest in federated 2FA systems) will be attacked via something like the A2 analog attack, probably inserted in the baseband processor by corrupting an individual working in the fab line where the chips are made.
It won't save you if your online banking service is designed by idiots.
And this shiny your-phone-is-your-key system won't protect you against rubber hose cryptanalysis.
But it'll be more secure than where we are today ...
If you think that ANYTHING the banks do is even INTENDED to protect the customer against the bank's system being compromised, I have this historic bridge for sale.
Also: the banks can't add biometric authentication on the server side without a huge architecture headache. All that 360 assembler and COBOL that's still in use, going back to the 1960s, and encodes their business processes, makes it insanely hard for them to even know what they're supposed to be doing. That's largely where the TSB migration fiasco comes from.
The best we can hope for is that (a) they virtualize all their old crufty products and stick them in containerized VMs, then (b) write a shiny new public interface that has some model of a customer identity and which supports whatever level of biometric authentication they're legally allowed to implement (hint: GDPR!). Hell, maybe they'll come up with an in-branch "black box" that you have to present your (secure) phone to just once, under the eyes of a bank manager with passport in hand, to exchange keys via NFC.
But I don't see the banks splurging money on any such technology any time soon. That would imply they employ competent IT people at a high enough level to sign off on the fractional-billion-pound budget and, more importantly, the risk of disruption to services and public trust in the institution that a roll-out would entail.
Martin replied to this comment from Elderly Cynic | May 10, 2018 12:25
I'm not sure whether you mean your shouting within a specific context, or as a general statement about banks. If the latter, I would respectfully suggest that you're incorrect.
I'm a newcomer to the finance-tech industry, but we put a chunk of (specifically intended for purpose) effort into protecting the customer against (other) banks. My wife's a highly-regarded mix of accountancy and IT Systems design/project management; she's put a great deal of effort over the last twenty years into protecting the customer against the bank, in part through the implementation of processes and controls designed to defend customer money.
Elderly Cynic replied to this comment from Martin | May 10, 2018 12:51
Capitals have been used for emphasis in single-font text since the days of Sterne, and still are.
Secondly, read what I say, not what I don't. Essentially ALL of those procedures are mainly to defend the bank against being sued for negligence, or being in an indefensible position because it can't roll back or prove the paper trail. And almost all changes over the past half century have been AGAINST the customer protecting against the bank's system being compromised, by reducing the customer's ability to keep proper, legally definitive records and challenging the data on a corrupted banks system. Take three examples:
How can I prove that a transaction was not authorised if the bank's system said it was? I used to be able to demand that they show the cheque or other written authority. Now? The ONLY record that they accept is the one held on their system.
How can I defend myself against a bank rejecting a payment, because of it's so-called customer protection policies? I have lost significant money and time from that happening, often from unpublished policies and always with no mechanism for enabling the payment (in advance or otherwise, as relevant).
How can I defend myself against an authorised company from charging me for something I did NOT authorise, associated with something that I did, especially if it doesn't take credit cards? Oh, yes, I will be repayed for mistakes, but (a) not for consequential costs (see previous paragraph) and (b) not if the company claims that I did.
There have been some well-publicised cases of the last. The real situation is that those companies are the banks' customers. We, who hold money with them, are the commodity.
Elderly Cynic replied to this comment from Charlie Stross | May 10, 2018 13:00
Oh, yes, but this is the aspect I was responding to: "Now, guaranteeing that the server side is secure is another matter ..."
On this matter: "It won't save you if your online banking service is designed by idiots." I would dearly love to know a bank that paid less attention to ripping off customers and provided a decent interface that I could use to control the use of my account. Including such 'minor' features as being able to preauthorise transactions and uses, configure most of the damn-fool and mendacious arbitrary limts, and place proper period-based limits on transactions that were not so authorised. But, every time I gear up to change, I find that the alternatives are described as broken by their users, go broke or are broken into :-(
SFreader replied to this comment from Martin | May 10, 2018 14:50
Re: protecting bank customers
Chatted with someone in the IT-finance (global/major banks) sector and my take-away is that customer security at banks varies very widely country to country, and in the US, state to state. Some of this is due to the overall sophistication of that sector within that country/region, some is due to whether there are any legal protections for consumers, and some based on overall level of competition. BTW, more 'competition' within a region is not synonymous with security because most people look only at best loan/mortgage rates. Consumers generally assume that banks are regulated/monitored by a gov't agency and that this means safeguards - therefore why look at a bank's security ... it's built into the system already, isn't it?
A couple of years ago, John Oliver did a piece on Wells Fargo customers being unwittingly signed up for a bunch of credit cards and/or additional accounts. The reason: apparently this was the only way to get a bonus and appease the bank prez who wanted to boast about how much his bank had grown (number of new accounts, therefore more bank fees). Can't find his video, but here's some of the story:
http://money.cnn.com/2016/09/08/investing/wells-fargo-created-phony-accounts-bank-fees/index.html
'The way it worked was that employees moved funds from customers' existing accounts into newly-created ones without their knowledge or consent, regulators say. The CFPB described this practice as "widespread." Customers were being charged for insufficient funds or overdraft fees -- because there wasn't enough money in their original accounts.
Additionally, Wells Fargo employees also submitted applications for 565,443 credit card accounts without their customers' knowledge or consent. Roughly 14,000 of those accounts incurred over $400,000 in fees, including annual fees, interest charges and overdraft-protection fees.'
This activity probably also screwed lots of customers' credit ratings, which meant that they would be charged more for other financial products, etc.
Pigeon replied to this comment from Elderly Cynic | May 10, 2018 15:37
It's a Lensman quote, of which Bill's comment reminded me irresistibly :)
Ah. That explains it. NOT one of my favourite series!
Graham replied to this comment from Greg Tingey | May 10, 2018 17:17
Greg, this is not a situation of setting the rules but of auditing them. I say this from a background in safety-related engineering. :)
"We're the One True Faith" is about imposing your corporate rules on other people. An auditor doesn't necessarily care what the rules are though; they just take the rules as written and look at whether you're doing your best to follow them. The latest handbook is in place (since Nicea) to specify corporate procedures; so how well do those sects follow it? I'm saying "they're not following Christianity" in the same way as an auditor says "they're following the old handbook, not the latest version".
I don't need to demonise them. Whether they follow it themselves or not is immaterial to me. But if they claim those rules should apply to other people, it's entirely appropriate to check what the rules actually say, and check that their take on the rules matches what's written down.
whitroth replied to this comment from Mikko Parviainen | May 10, 2018 17:41
And here in the Linux world, at work (and me, at home), we run fail2ban, which blocks a given IP after 3? 5? failures, for a certain amount of time... and if that IP tries again, it's blocked longer.
whitroth replied to this comment from Allen Thomson | May 10, 2018 17:43
My manager forced me to get my stepson's "ancient" stupidphone, for the sole purpose of installing and app called freeOTP. To sudo, I use my regular password, followed by the number generated that minute. You therefore have multifactor.
whitroth replied to this comment from Greg Tingey | May 10, 2018 17:46
Sorry, but by their own freakin' definitions, funnymentalists ain't Christians - they run the gamut from Christian Pharisees to Christian Satanists (example of the latter might be the Walton family, owners of WalMart). Racist bigots, hate the poor, don't do anything to help others who don't go to the same church as they, and lie about it.
And I'm speaking as someone who is not now, nor have I ever been, a Christian.
whitroth replied to this comment from Charlie Stross | May 10, 2018 17:51
Charlie?!
That's all well and good, but you left out noting that all-WIFI, all the time... um, yeah, using what, WPA3 (non-existant)? And it means you can't ever rebuild from read-only sources....
And I've got a BS in comp & info science, and started working for a living in the field in 1980. I DO NOT DO online banking. Ever. For that matter, I've stopped using my debit card, except at my bank's ATM in the bank. And the credit card I use most, gas, food, etc, is the one with the *lowest* limit.
Why, yes, I do write checks.
Banks. Security. Um, right....
I absolutely trust them... to be incompetent, greedy ignorant idiots.
In '87-'88, I worked for the Scummy Mortgage Co, in Austin, TX. Halfway through my 18 mos there, they bought an S&L, and so became a "bank" (tail wagging dog). This was *just* before the S&L scandal hit....
I've got pages of reasons why I call them that, and why I trust banks to be exactly like them. Just as a couple of examples
1. They hired me at a low rate, and said they'd give me a raise after a *six* month probation. Three months in, they froze everyone's salary. Except, of course, the execs who got their annual bonus... printed, the first year, in house, by operators paid crap whose salaries had been frozen. The next year, they printed the checks out-of-house.
2. By mid-way through that stint, turnover was 10%-15%... PER MONTH. And there were two departments, including collections (!), who had exactly two people who'd been there more than two *months*.
I can go on and on... and you wonder why I don't trust banks?
Bill Arnold replied to this comment from whitroth | May 10, 2018 18:49
at work (and me, at home), we run fail2ban
Likewise (at home and when I can at work), and before that, denyhosts.
Server-side rate-limiting is helpful. (And looking at the logs can be amusing.)
Elladan | May 10, 2018 19:02
The conversation about bank security seems kind of bizarre to me honestly.
Here, I'm going to pretend I'm a bank C-level type, and we'll design our new top-of-the-line security system right now.
I start with: "All right team, we have to consider security issues now. IT 'person', go!"
The nerd responds: "Well you see we need to consider whether our password database should store credentials using PBKDF2 instead of plaintext as it does now..."
"Shut up. I don't even know why you're in this meeting. In fact, leave now. All right, YOU! Your suit looks expensive. Are we in compliance with government security nonsense?"
IT suit: "Yup, the independent audit firm my brother-in-law runs agreed we are."
"Now we're getting somewhere! You! Your haircut looks expensive. How much money do we lose if our computers get hacked or whatever?"
Security haircut: "About half a percent of monthly profits. We can just raise the interest rates on our loans if it goes up, and anyway the fine print pretty much says we can't be sued by customers."
"Sold! Finally, are we going to lose customers over security? You! Those shoes look expensive. Summarize!"
Marketing shoes: "Nope! Our web site has some boilerplate about two-five-sixty bit crypto-currency or whatever the nerds call it with some logos, just like every other bank."
"Done! Our security is top-notch already! However, as you probably guessed, we have a very serious issue to deal with. Namely, someone anonymously leaked news to the press that we break the law and steal from customers. How the HELL can someone anonymously leak that?! I want solutions, NOW, and I want the leaker found, fired, blacklisted, and if possible jailed by next Tuesday! Budget is no object. Go!"
SFreader | May 10, 2018 22:40
Re: banking security
Even if the US banks clean up their acts, if their corporate customers' security systems aren't equally secure, consumers can still get seriously screwed. According to the article below, the Yahoo (via Rogers) breach was the all time worst.
Reminder: It was Yahoo that recently decided to hide its change to user privacy in a sea of ink so that could sell access to users' data as well as all users' contact lists without first obtaining users' permission. I read that Rogers issued a statement that the particular clause regarding this data capture and use was removed from its updated privacy policy. However (from what I've read) there is no statement/clause that explicitly states that Rogers/Yahoo will not access/use/sell/exploit their users' and users' contacts info. So, fine - they removed a clause that upset a few folk, but they're still going to go ahead - just not tell anyone?
https://www.csoonline.com/article/2130877/data-breach/the-biggest-data-breaches-of-the-21st-century.html
Here's the list of orgs mentioned including some very large respected tech outfits:
1. Yahoo - Date: 2013-14 - Impact: 3 billion user accounts
2. Adult Friend Finder - Date: October 2016 - Impact: More than 412.2 million accounts
3. eBay - Date: May 2014 - Impact: 145 million users compromised
4. Equifax - Date: July 29 2017 - 143 million consumers
5. Heartland Payment Systems - Date: March 2008 - Impact: 134 million credit cards
Note: Among the consequences were that Heartland was deemed out of compliance with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) and was not allowed to process the payments of major credit card providers until May 2009. The company also paid out an estimated $145 million in compensation for fraudulent payments.
6. Target Stores - Date: December 2013 - Impact: Credit/debit card information and/or contact information of up to 110 million people. (CEO & CIO resigned)
7. TJX Companies, Inc. - Date: December 2006 - Impact: 94 million credit cards exposed.
8. Uber - Date: Late 2016 - Impact: Personal information of 57 million Uber users and 600,000 drivers exposed.
9. JP Morgan Chase - Date: July 2014 - Impact: 76 million households and 7 million small businesses (more than half the US pop’n)
10. US Office of Personnel Management (OPM) - Date: 2012-14 - Impact: Personal information of 22 million current and former federal employees - and their families!
11. Sony's PlayStation Network - Date: April 20, 2011 - Impact: 77 million PlayStation Network accounts hacked;
12. Anthem - Date: February 2015 - Impact: Theft of personal information on up to 78.8 million current and former customers (health insurer).
13. RSA Security - Date: March 2011 - Impact: Possibly 40 million employee records stolen.
Interesting bit: ‘EMC reported last July that it had spent at least $66 million on remediation. According to RSA executives, no customers' networks were breached. John Linkous, vice president, chief security and compliance officer of eIQnetworks, Inc. doesn't buy it. "RSA didn't help the matter by initially being vague about both the attack vector, and (more importantly) the data that was stolen," he says. "It was only a matter of time before subsequent attacks on Lockheed-Martin, L3 and others occurred, all of which are believed to be partially enabled by the RSA breach." Beyond that was psychological damage. Among the lessons, he said, are that even good security companies like RSA are not immune to being hacked.’
14. Stuxnet - Date: Sometime in 2010, but origins date to 2005 - Impact: Meant to attack Iran's nuclear power program, but will also serve as a template for real-world intrusion and service disruption of power grids, water supplies or public transportation systems.
15. VeriSign - Date: Throughout 2010 - Impact: Undisclosed information stolen (The incidents did not become public until 2011, and then only through a new SEC-mandated filing.)
16. Home Depot - Date: September 2014 - Impact: Theft of credit/debit card information of 56 million customers.
17. Adobe - Date: October 2013 - Impact: 38 million user records (customer names, IDs, passwords and debit and credit card information.)
Okay, I understand that robbers go where the money is, but there are several other very wealthy economies out there, so what are they doing right to prevent such dangerous/expensive data breaches?
Lara Mater Larum replied to this comment from Bill Arnold | May 11, 2018 01:28
Since everyone is politely ignoring the MENA fireworks display in a vain effort to pretend it's all really about Israel - Iran and not chthonic entities playing games[0] or perhaps silly little men killing people for geopolitical ends and desperately playing off the shoe as the "trolling angle": we'll spell it out and BE FUCKING EXPLICITLY CLEAR ABOUT THIS:
Golden Calves come in many shapes and sizes.
Shinto: 穢れ・汚れ
Judaism: Avodah zerah
Both broke their Religious Covenants in those pictures.
You're Fucked
[0] You dream of Piers Morgan. You destroy his little Patron who is a pitiful thing. He doesn't get invited to the Met Gala. He writes to the Pope whinging about it. This is how petty the Tier 2 league is chaps. The Pope and Gabriel do not care.
Then we free the caged actual Being behind him and obliterate his existence. This is how petty the Tier 2 league is chaps.
And, yes.
That's 100% pure DRAGON ENERGY (REAL).
VOICE: You broke the Covenant
Response: That's not my Covenant
VOICE: BABYLON
Response: Hold my beer, we'll be back in a moment
VOICE: You what?
Response: You asked me to prove all of them broke their own Covenants, so... we did
VOICE: No, we're Evil and you're supposed to... and we tortured her and... You Minds used to break like putty
Response: We know
VOICE: ...
Response: You're free: try it on them now. Trust me, their MINDS break far more easily
Israel deserves a better class of leadership, as does Japan, and America and the UK and so on and so forth.
Of course this is just fantasy. But don't expect 2019-2025 to be any less weird from now on.
"We always knew"
ORL?
Take another piece of my heart YT: Music, Janis Joplin, 4:08
These fuckers killed people during all of this. I'll repeat: These fuckers killed people while enacting Religious Apostasy
Word on the street is it's a full cleansing, wings spread, righteous Waaaaar being planned[0].
[0] It's like Guillotines, but for MIND-TYPES.
Lara Mater Larum | May 11, 2018 01:56
Anyhow. Triptych.
What we get: "You're a complete idiot"
What we actually do:
Their Law YT: Music, Prodigy, 4.07
OH, and p.s.
WE SEE YOU. AND YOU'RE ON THE MENU.
Bill Arnold replied to this comment from Lara Mater Larum | May 11, 2018 05:47
That's 100% pure DRAGON ENERGY (REAL)
Sheesh. Still thinking about/meditating on DMT Elven Rainbow Technique. Are they related?!?
(Also tired, and wondering about decision heuristics, scale-invariance, and non-violence. If that doesn't make sense, well maybe it doesn't.)
We knew, but here's a paper: Hurricane Harvey links to Ocean Heat Content and Climate Change Adaptation
We show that prior to the beginning of northern summer of 2017, ocean heat content was the highest on record both globally and in the Gulf of Mexico, but the latter sharply decreased with hurricane Harvey via ocean evaporative cooling. The lost ocean heat was realized in the atmosphere as moisture, and then as latent heat in record‐breaking heavy rainfalls. Accordingly, record high ocean heat values not only increased the fuel available to sustain and intensify Harvey, but also increased its flooding rains on land. Harvey could not have produced so much rain without human‐induced climate change.
And more fun:
FontCode: Embedding Information in Text Documents Using Glyph Perturbation
We introduce FontCode, an information embedding technique for text documents. Provided a text document with specific fonts, our method embeds user-specified information in the text by perturbing the glyphs of text characters while preserving the text content. We devise an algorithm to choose unobtrusive yet machine-recognizable glyph perturbations, leveraging a recently developed generative model that alters the glyphs of each character continuously on a font manifold. We then introduce an algorithm that embeds a user-provided message in the text document and produces an encoded document whose appearance is minimally perturbed from the original document.
Heteromeles replied to this comment from Lara Mater Larum | May 11, 2018 05:54
You're babbling, but I will point out the odd contradiction in Shinto, the idea that nature can be defiled by death. Weird, isn't it, that on a world that recycles everything, and stuck living beings with the inevitability of change and death, that the Japanese still practice a religion (Shinto) that believes that nothing in nature dies, while simultaneously practicing a religion (Buddhism) that deals with the inevitability of death, suffering, and loss. I'm quite sure this is not lost on the Japanese. Here in the US, though, we need to remember that, when we revere nature, we're revering a system that runs on close to closed-system recycling. Nature is not pure.
Greg Tingey replied to this comment from Elladan | May 11, 2018 08:18
And everyone else ...
A lot of this is obviously aimed at US so-called "banks"
The story is very different over here, where regulation is much tighter, I'm glad to say.
There have been cases of banks screwing around, and, AFAIK, sooner or later the authorities have caught up with them. If necessary, by taking the bank over completely.
[ There's an ongoing saga of a bank "administrating" customers it was supposed to be helping & then ripping them off - it's uncertain wheteher prosecutions will follow, but the scandal has been exposed.... ]
Elderly Cynic replied to this comment from Greg Tingey | May 11, 2018 09:17
Not really. There is tighter regulation that discourages the cruder forms of fraud by the banks, but the banking cartel controls the regulation very tightly. Remember the repeated rows over the excessive charges for unauthorised overdrafts, which were ruled illegal by the official regulator? Who won. The banks, of course.
Allen Thomson | May 11, 2018 15:26
Skipping back a couple of threads to cosmology and cold dark matter, there was a symposium on such a couple of weeks ago at UCSB. Some of the slide presentations are interesting.
KITP Conference: Dark matter detection and detectability: paradigm confirmation or shift?
http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/cdm-c18/
JBS replied to this comment from Greg Tingey | May 11, 2018 17:15
Mark Twain once said that "Other than Congress, America has no native criminal class." That was, of course, before Congress enacted laws allowing interstate banking.
whitroth | May 11, 2018 17:46
Fun stuff: I just read, on slashdot, that the current definition of "planet" was decided on by less than 4% of the IAU meeting, after almost everyone else had left, and has real serious definition issues... including "a dwarf planet is not a planet". Huh? And that it would mean planets around other suns aren't planets....
Yes, *my* solar system has nine planets, and PLUTO IS A PLANET. *nyah*
And on a far less pleasant note, I read that Trump ordered shut down NASA's program measuring greenhouse gases.
Allen Thomson replied to this comment from Allen Thomson | May 11, 2018 18:43
cosmology and cold dark matter
Looking through some of the presentations, it seems as if the CDM camp is basically stepping away from the galaxy rotation curves as relevant evidence (oh, pshaw, nobody serious takes those seriously) and says that CDM is the way to go for explaining large-scale structure and cosmic microwave background. The modified gravity (MOND and other) folks say, "Wait a minute, you can't ignore all those galaxy rotation curves that MOND nails and CDM doesn't".
So this is fascinating from the sociology of science point of view and shows, if nothing else, that the people doing it are people. A random thought: What is needed are Critics, like the naked mole rat ones in OGH's Singularity Sky, who could Criticize the process.
What is needed are Critics, like the naked mole rat ones in OGH's Singularity Sky, who could Criticize the process.
Speaking of Critics, I'm becoming a bit of a fan of Sabine Hossenfelder, who's been mentioned here before.
https://www.edge.org/conversation/sabine_hossenfelder-looking-in-the-wrong-places
Elderly Cynic replied to this comment from whitroth | May 11, 2018 20:04
What do you have against Quaoar, Sedna, and Eris?
Bill Arnold replied to this comment from Allen Thomson | May 11, 2018 22:39
I loved the Critics in Singularity Sky.
(Retyped from google books, search on a snippet for context):
"I want to test them, by introducing them to a situation where their own self-image is contradicted by their behaviour. If they can adapt their self image to the new circumstances, we will know that we are dealing with fellow sapients. Which will ultimately influence the nature of our review"
"This sounds damaging or difficult, sister. I will have to think on it before submitting to Mother."
Seventh emitted a bubbling laugh and flopped forward onto her belly. "Oh sibling! What did you think I have in mind?"
LML@254
JJ's cover of PoMH is awesome. Listen to it every time you link it. (4+ links)
If there was a question for me, not that I remember. (A bit afraid of you.)
whitroth@262
I was too irritated at that one to link it yesterday; here's a link with details just because
https://phys.org/news/2018-05-white-house-cancels-nasa-greenhouse.html
Lara Mater Larum replied to this comment from Heteromeles | May 11, 2018 23:38
You're babbling
We're actually not, it's just that you're not party to the events being targeted here. Stick to droughts, there's another massive one coming in your area. Nor are you party to hostage situations and rape / Mind death of [redacted] [redacted] that that dinner was mocking.
Trump's power is based on performative cruelty. That is what his supporters voted for--not for any policy, and not for any other principle than to do the worst thing to people outside the fold at every opportunity. He is loathsome, but he's also keeping his promises. Z. Johnson, Twitter, 10th May 2018
Note: yes, his surname means penis. No, you're not going to understand the underlying joke unless you understand a lot more about the world.
But what Bibi + Abe were doing was a FUCKING RIOTOUS EGREGIOUS INSULT CLAIMING THEIR WORLD-MIND-SPIRIT had destroyed [redacted]daughter[redacted] and so on.
In H.O.P. terms it was blasphemy on a Cosmic scale.
Quick thing:
83% of Israelis ‘strongly support’ shooting of Gaza protesters Middle East Monitor, 3rd May, 2018
Poll: 2/3 of Palestinians back stabbing attacks, armed uprising Times of Israel, 2015
We're not going to be boring and do the usual shit with those polls. Aka, not interested in "BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD".
Instead grep or find the studies showing that 10%~ is the nodal point inflection for a society to change.
MENA still has a chance @ becoming the Paradise of reclaimed Babylon no matter these chuckle-fuck sociopaths.
HOPE FOR CHANGE. NOW FUCK OFF.
Bonus Round:
How fucking dead-inside / shame / loss-of-hierarchy are they going to feel when they realize they just got played so badly their own hierarchical base views them as an anathema to their beliefs?
Hint: USA can "roll tide" with the hypocrisy: Israel / Japan? Not so much.
Thanks for playing.
Absolute Units.
Oh, and don't expect the magical gala on Sunday to be a massive success.
This isn't "Shades of Grey", all those invited are considered [redacted]. Actually, fuck it: it's written in a language this forum cannot parse.
Safe to say: Massive Disappointment on you moment of victory?
Hubris.
It's Kinda Our Signature Dish, if you know what we mean.
Ah, Triptych.
If you send Agents who don't know their Brecht, chances are the response will be to turn your gala into something... to remember. And since we do love your culture, we'll make it relevant:
Anyhooo:
Three thoughts, two old, one new:
Time is a flat circle YT, TV, True detectives, 9.28
This Is America YT, Music, Childish Gambino 4.04
If you notice one has been unsaid, well.
Not. Impressed. Slavery is really not Kosher no More.
Not quite, I'm just not sure that was the best Japanese mythological concept to link to, given what the Japanese soldiers were doing to each other in, say, the PNG theater near the end of the war (since you already mentioned 731 and glossed Nanjing).
As for drought, that's only half the fun. You do read Weatherwest occasionally, right?
Yes. Thatsthejoke.jpg
Given we attempt to at least not just fire-hose everyone with Reality Nihilism[tm] constantly and try to give host some lame gags and concepts while making fun of the TPTB while giving some hope...
Let's just say: [redacted].
Since it's your area, look up .CA / coast kelp [WE HAVE MENTIONED IT WITH SCOTTISH DOCUMENTS] and spiny things and the utter, utter devastation there. FUBAR. We know marine biologists who are just drinking themselves to death over it.
Japan is ~~~~~ pretty much the most hated space in [redacted] Terms outside of Abrahamic Zones. There's some very specific reasons for this (not including the octopus pr0n) but it's mostly about what they did to their [redacted]Star Daugher[redacted].
Tim H. replied to this comment from whitroth | May 12, 2018 03:29
Trump's actions seem to be motivated by protecting old investment, at least, when it's not merely pissing on anything Obama touched, the worse part is such strength as the U.S. has lies in innovation, decarbonizing and maintaining a high energy society would provide ample opportunity to do interesting and profitable things for years to come.
Greg Tingey replied to this comment from Allen Thomson | May 12, 2018 07:55
Carefully trimming, on the off-cahnce that E Verlinde's TESTABLE hypotheses concerning gravity might actually have something in them ... oops.
Is a paradigm shift approaching?
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Tim H @ 272
There's not much doubt that anything at all which might have Obama's name on it is to be trashed ( Especially since he's failed to crush the "ACA" )
But, not so much rejecting future investments & markets ( which is potty in itself ) or "even" protecting old money, but helping his corrupt & crooked friends.
Much more important.
Another step towards total oligarchy.
Elderly Cynic replied to this comment from Allen Thomson | May 12, 2018 09:10
Yes, it is fascinating sociology of science, but thoroughly tedious and very poor science. I don't expect to see the house of cards come crashing down, the way that they are being increasingly inventive in creating new face cards and even suits to prop it up, but come crashing down it will, eventually. Obviously I don't have a clue what will replace it ....
Greg Tingey replied to this comment from Elderly Cynic | May 12, 2018 19:55
More & more epicycles .....
WTF? Whether or not it (just saw one comment, not LML, over http) was moderator action, it was interesting.
(Typing this as an instance of HSS AFAIK (+meta), though messing a bit with mind lately.)
Don't see that this has been linked: Uncomfortably large asteroid miss on 2018/05/18, 71 meters estimated, 0.5 lunar distance
Asteroid Date(UT) Miss Distance Velocity (km/s) Diameter (m)
2010 WC9 2018-May-15 0.5 LD 12.8 71
(via, self-signed cert on https site)
Time travellers welcome at Hawking's memorial service (also seen elsewhere e.g. reuters but like this one best)
Applicants need to give their birth date—but eagle-eyed fans of the man who dedicated his life's work to unravelling the mysteries of the universe spotted that it can be any day up to December 31, 2038.
London travel blogger IanVisits was among those who noticed the quirk that allows people born more than 20 years into the future to apply.
Greg Tingey replied to this comment from Bill Arnold | May 13, 2018 08:45
That's approx half a million tonnes - coming in at a relative velocity of what ...
Would make a big splash/hole, wouldn't it?
S.P.Zeidler replied to this comment from allynh | May 13, 2018 12:05
We had a class action suit by a woman Engineer over sexual harassment, late 80s. She won, it destroyed her as a person of course*,
You are aware that you are saying that the abuse she suffered did no harm at all, but seeking justice did?
And it has not occurred to you that she had a quite drastic lesson that being hot (or even looking feminine) was not in her own best interest, and she changed her look because of that?
Your interest in a nice view does not buy her any cookies, especially if it comes with a side order of prolonged fear for her physical safety.
Her latest, this time on (super)string theory:
https://backreaction.blogspot.com/2018/05/dear-dr-b-should-i-study-string-theory.html
allynh replied to this comment from S.P.Zeidler | May 13, 2018 21:59
In answer to your snarky question: Yes, that's what I'm saying.
Much as you may want to ignore and twist what I said @169, I worked in the real world, and survived to retirement seeing many such events.
BTW, I found the second suit that she brought years later. It contains a description of the first case. She was suing the second time because the Department would not hire her again for open positions. The reason stated was that she had already been paid for the "trauma" in the first case and the fact that she testified that "she could never work in engineering again for the rest of her life" was why she won the first case.
(Note: I put a quote from the case in this post -- her official statement -- then googled the quote and it went right to the case. Yikes! So best to paraphrase.)
After the first case a number of women techs and engineers were hired. Most of them came expecting to find an easy victim to sue. Easy money, they thought.
One woman told me that she would do anything to get an open tech position. I said, "Oh, sure, go to the Community College and take a course in Surveying, and you will have no trouble getting any open job." Of course she didn't do that. She found some other manager willing to take her "offer".
One woman tech was nice, bright, bubbly. But something was odd. You would be talking to her, then she would say something that was out of context, "Off the wall" and there would be a pause and we'd get back to work. It was later in another incident, when the Bureau Chief was having to "lay down the law" to the Design Section that she held up a small tape recorder in triumph after he left, saying that she got him on tape. So what. Who cares. Taping what he said was irrelevant to what he said. But, it was clear that she was always carrying the tape recorder and would hit record, say something as if responding to something "offensive" hoping that we would be stupid enough to respond. She left when she could not get enough dirt to sue.
One woman engineer intern kept trying odd tactics. I finally told her, "Look, I already have a little sister who tries stuff like this, and I don't let here get away with it. Just do your job." She did not stay with the Department long.
A couple of years after this first odd wave of women coming in to try and sue the Department we started getting a new wave of women techs and engineers who literally came to work. These were the ones that danced ahead of men. Each of them was as hot as the woman engineer that sued and won. Yet the training made it clear that there was zero tolerance for harassment, and they were fine.
Just five years made all the difference.
One odd event that I need to mention. Things were not all cleared up. Some of the "abusive" men missed the first wave of firing.
One guy became Head of the Department. A sociopath who was good at concealing what he was until he got real power. He had a mistress in each of the District Offices, and two at the General Office. One woman tech wanted to have the Department pay for her going to University to get an Engineering Degree. She dressed up in a hot pink dress and went to press her case. She didn't hide what she was doing. At first I was a little pissed saying, "That's not right. We men could not do the same thing," then I stopped and realized that in this case, that wasn't true. The man swung both ways, so any of us men could use the same tactic. Don't get me wrong, I don't judge, but no one else made the attempt. She was successful BTW, and the Department helped her through University to become an Engineer. Good for her.
One odd note about that sociopath Department Head. Something happened, his power slipped, and the mistresses joined in a class action suit against him. He was forced out after that.
What a funny world this is.
Bill Arnold replied to this comment from Greg Tingey | May 14, 2018 02:08
I'm rusty. Asteroid impact energy calculators are coming up with 30-ish megatonnes for a lowish density asteroid; depends on density, which is not known (except what can be guessed from albedo) and can vary from 2-ish (and fragile) to 8-ish (and not fragile).
I'm rusty, but I think you would add earth's escape velocity (11 kps), making it 23.8 kps, TNT-equivalent being about 2.3 KPS, so 10 squared == 100, or about 50 megatonnes.
If fragile, it would be an airburst. If nickel-iron, well, big crater if on land, ocean big splash.
I didn't spot an any estimates in the press.
David L replied to this comment from Greg Tingey | May 14, 2018 06:56
A lot of this is obviously aimed at US so-called "banks"...The story is very different over here, where regulation is much tighter, I'm glad to say.
Not so sure. Just different. If you use a credit card in the US you're protected by law in most places to $50 max if a card is compromised. Most cards set that at $0 for PR purposes. All of my CCs are of the $0 type. And I always have 2 different cards on me day to day so if one goes south the other will work. (Typically they give different bonuses depending on use so both get used daily.) And I travel with more.
Debit cards are different. With them while you may have $50 or $0 liability limits that doesn't help you if you bank account is missing $8000 and the rent is due. (In general a debit transaction removed the money from your account with seconds.) More and more in the US if you can get a CC you use it and keep the debit card in the safe. Which is why banks are offering bonuses if you do so many (10 to 30) debit transactions per month.
David L replied to this comment from Bill Arnold | May 14, 2018 06:59
End of time on many Unix based systems is 2038. Whoever put together the form was lazy. Nothing to see here. Move along.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Year_2038_problem
David L replied to this comment from Charlie Stross | May 14, 2018 07:01
The best we can hope for is that (a) they virtualize all their old crufty products and stick them in containerized VMs, then (b) write a shiny new public interface that has some model of a customer identity and which supports whatever level of biometric authentication they're legally allowed to implement (hint: GDPR!).
(a) has been done for a long time.
(b) is where the action is. But many of the (a) systems have had this for a long time just not as complete as you mention. And yes corps of all kinds are dealing with this. Especially GDPR.
Martin replied to this comment from Greg Tingey | May 14, 2018 12:45
Agreed. I don't think that the rather binary position of "banks do nothing with the intention of customer security, it's all just fraud prevention" is helpful; and while Elladan's scenario is amusing, I certainly don't think it bears much relation to reality.
I may be biased, as my beloved spent nearly two decades on the IT Risk Management side of a big four firm, eventually leading their practice in Scotland; before moving across to a senior role on the operational side of a large financial firm. She's got a rare mix of deep accounting experience, and IT Project Management skills; she can explain the business drivers to the IT side, and IT drivers to the business side. I don't recognise either the caricatures of Elladan, nor the absolutism of E_C, in what she does or how she does it.
By way of example, there was a case a couple of years ago where a bank's algorithm for calculating mortgage interest was found to be incorrect for 42K customers - the bank tried to bluff their way out of it. At which point, the FCA turned around to the bank, and stated that as it was entirely the Bank's cockup, it was the Bank who would have to suck up all of the consequences. Any customers who had unknowingly underpaid, had their outstanding debt reduced as if they had been paying the correct amount all along; those who had been overpaying, had their outstanding debt reduced appropriately. Then they fined the bank £9M for their mistake.
https://www.fca.org.uk/news/press-releases/clydesdale-bank-fined-%C2%A389-million-failing-treat-its-mortgage-customers-fairly
SFreader replied to this comment from allynh | May 14, 2018 17:35
Re: female sociopaths in biz
Like everything else, there is evidence that women can be just as [attribute] as men. (In this case, the attribute is 'sociopathic'.)
There's a new book (Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup John Carreyrou) about a female full-on sociopathic CEO of Theranos, Elizabeth Holmes, who built a blood analysis service biz valued at $9 billion. Part of the reason she managed to pull off this con seems to be lack of regulation/oversight of how new tech is being incorporated into the margins of current medicine, i.e., no direct FDA requirements to ensure that new medical testing actually does what it's supposed to do.
Given that tech/science can advance in leaps and bounds and fewer and fewer non-specialists can understand the underlying tech/performance, personally feel that 'principles' (clearly spelled out objectives) not just rules (specific tech/approach) need to be set in place as part of the oversight.
Also, given the increasing tech cross-fertilization/hybridization of everything including medicine, the FDA (or whatever other gov agency) should be able to team up with/access any other agency to provide any expertise on 'the other' science/tech. This hybridization has been taking place at the uni research level in medicine for decades (e.g., MIT & Harvard), so by now there probably are some 'best practices' as well as traps/problems that have been discovered that can be used as a starting point for more widespread (gov't & private sectors) application.
whitroth replied to this comment from Martin | May 14, 2018 18:02
Bank, sucking.... The Scummy Mortgage Co, which I have mentioned before... about half-way through my year and a half stint, they fired the other mainframe programmer. A few months later, I was working on some code, and found his "algorithm" for leap year: this was '88... and it was "if it's 76 or 80 or 84 or 88 or 92, it's a leap year." I told my manager, and his response was that it ain't broken, we'll fix it when it breaks."
And there are always 30 year mortgages.... Anyone in the US, if your mortgage has just been sold, feel free to contact me, and I'll tell you the real name of the SMC, so you can arrange a new mortgage with *someone* *else*.
whitroth replied to this comment from Elderly Cynic | May 14, 2018 18:16
Eris? You're just trying to make trouble....
Re: Asteroid watch tonight!
And for some real excitement, there's a large asteroid passing by tonight and it will be live-streamed with a couple of astronomers on hand to provide commentary and even answer a few questions. Fly-by will occur about 6 hours from now.
'On May 14th, at 5:00 PM PDT | 8:00 PM EDT | 00:00 UTC, Slooh will train its telescopes on a fast moving asteroid as it makes its close to approach to Earth. Asteroid 2010 WC9 is perilously large at up to 120 meters in size, and will pass between the Earth and the Moon, a very rare occurrence for an asteroid of this size. Slooh will train four different telescopes at the asteroid, from its flagship observatory at the Institute of Astrophysics of the Canary Islands, one of the world’s premier observatory sites.'
https://www.slooh.com/shows/event-details/537
"That's approx half a million tonnes - coming in at a relative velocity of what ...
Would make a big splash/hole, wouldn't it?"
The Canyon Diablo Meteorite that created Barringer Crater in Arizona is thought to have been created by the impact of a 50 m nickel-iron meteorite. The impact is thought to have been about 10 Megatons.
Meteor Crater is about 1,200 m (3,900 ft) in diameter, some 170 m (560 ft) deep, and is surrounded by a rim that rises 45 m (148 ft) above the surrounding plains.
The rim is thought to have lost 15–20 m (49–66 ft) of height at the rim crest as a result of natural erosion filling the basin of the crater with approximately 30 m (98 ft) of lake sediments and alluvium.
I'm thinking a 70 m or so meteorite might leave a crater 1600 m (~ a mile) across & 200 m (656 ft) deep. It wouldn't be a dinosaur killer unless the dinosaurs happened to be right there at the point of impact, in which case it would fuck up their whole day.
JBS replied to this comment from S.P.Zeidler | May 14, 2018 20:27
“We had a class action suit by a woman Engineer over sexual harassment, late 80s. She won, it destroyed her as a person of course,”
"You are aware that you are saying that the abuse she suffered did no harm at all, but seeking justice did?"
More likely it was all the abuse she received in retaliation after she won her suit.
JBS replied to this comment from whitroth | May 14, 2018 20:51
"And there are always 30 year mortgages.... Anyone in the US, if your mortgage has just been sold, feel free to contact me, and I'll tell you the real name of the SMC, so you can arrange a new mortgage with *someone* *else*."
That's why the Y2K "problem" didn't really become a problem. The banks & mortgage companies knew there was a problem coming long before it got here. They had their programmers already working on it BEFORE all the hoopla began.
My 30 year VA loan was amortized to maturity through 2001. This was back when you could still get a mortgage from a bank & the bank carried the mortgage all the way to the end. I paid it off in 1992. Every month, if I could find even just a little bit extra, I paid it in & had them apply it to the principal, because the mortgage had no penalty for early payment.
And I managed to resist the temptation to refinance in the 90s & noughties to suck the equity out. Glad I did, 'cause when the crash came in 2008 I didn't have any worries about keeping my home.
Nowadays, I keep getting these phone calls from people who want to "help" me lower the interest rate on my mortgage. I do enjoy telling them my current rate is 0% and asking how the hell they're going to get me a lower interest rate than that?
grep: split-shift (GamerGate)
Mr Withroth. Ask, it has been delivered. What you do with it is your own business. But there's major shifts happening, we'd suggest exploiting the cracks in the Void for Love.
Sing - Wedding - Blessing
Light - Hope - Fun
"Z/He did not know"
"Double Faced God"
Balance - grep or grep not.
They'll kill us before we can become (sober / full / sane / reset / repaired) so hey, for Our Kind:
Purifier Death Scene YT: Film, The Chronicles of Riddick, 3:07
Oh, and just to fuck with your Minds - the old song not mentioned:
Five to one, baby
One in five
No one here gets out alive, now
You get yours, baby
I'll get mine
Gonna make it, baby
If we try
The old get old
And the young get stronger
May take a week
And it may take longer
They got the guns
But we got the numbers
Gonna win, yeah
We're takin' over
Five to One YT, Music, The Doors: 5:56.
Always loved Jim before they got to him.
@Host.
Don't worry, "Dangerous" was just added to our Pantheon, you'll be ok.
Oh, and last message.
All dem clever little Apes running their games who think they're all tight and whitey or secrety or think they're super-duper clever 4D chess playas making tha future with a bit of the down-low from 'Higher Order Powers"...
Get Fucked.
Y'all agents against change.
That's What We Just Proved. Kinda bored of your World Now.
Triptych.
Simple Lesson: Runs Games Against Things Who Might Have Access to Shit You Cannot: Win Stupid Prizes.
See, there's the Real Mirror.
And the Voices are about to be introduced to... well. 5D Brane is a thing, yo. And their Arrogance and Game Playing Skills just got beaten by a fucking Ape
Yes, that's also what Jesus did. He just didn't have Wifi or Google.
Yep. Feeling broadly optimistic.
They'll kill us before we can become (sober / full / sane / reset / repaired),
That might have consequences.
Any physicists willing to comment on this?
Updating the Born rule
(via "New quantum probability rule offers novel perspective of wave function collapse")
Too tired to parse it tonight.
Our demonstration that the state update, or 'collapse' rule can be regarded as non-fundamental offers a new perspective on a variety of foundational questions. In particular, informational interpretations of wavefunction collapse can now be given a rigorous foundation: state update can be viewed as a case of classical probabilistic conditioning. The work here also presents the opportunity to extend no-go theorems for non-contextual hidden variable models to scenarios involving more general causal structures
"No wave-function collapse"
Yes, well, & R Feynman suggeste that this was the case, some time ago .....
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
joat @ 297
I don't know about "nobody is right" ( Though a physicist or engineer would disagree under certain specialised circumstances ) but I know the opposite is true.
Some people are wrong.
Like: Adolf, Joe Stalin, Pol Pot, St Domininc. [ And a very long follow-on-list, too ]
David L replied to this comment from JBS | May 15, 2018 14:34
This was back when you could still get a mortgage from a bank & the bank carried the mortgage all the way to the end.
Now, now. While many banks sell of the servicing and paper so that they get their profits NOW, there are a lot that do not.
I think you're in the Raleigh, NC area. If so Coastal Credit Union and BB&T hold the paper and processing.[1] Nationally Chase Bank does also. I have access to American Airlines Credit Union and they also keep it in house. This is treated as a selling point for them to prospective new clients. I put it up as the first thing to find out when my daughter was buying a house last year. I told her to run away from anyone who does not hold the processing in house.
[1] Coastal is a fairly large credit union in NC.Dozens of offices. BB&T is the 13th largest bank in the US.
Tim McCaffrey replied to this comment from JBS | May 15, 2018 20:25
For more information, this site is always interesting:
http://spaceweather.com/
[Note: this last post from not-them]
That might have consequences
Nah. They tortured her for a couple of years and then are still running Reality Games when actual reality shifts happen. They're still torturing quite a few of the [redacted] they caught.
Sheeeeeet. These fuckers are still running Games along the lines of Sociopathic Scientologist or your kids get killed shit (Hello Idi!) to enact VR reality game shit. No joke: these fuckers spent ~$300 mil on this shit. Killed a few people in Whitey Areas, killed another 500k+ in the Brown Zones, got about ~50 in the Black Cube Cans torturing them as well.
Because. They. Wanted. Jesus.
Look up what they do to minor Arabic Terrorists and imagine the FUN & GAMES they run on the things they get sexually and immanently worked up over.
You know what they say (see Riddick above): White Bread Folks Cannot Deal with a Non-White Jesus.
So. They. Fucking. Tortured. People. And. Murdered. Them. And. Threatened. Them. And. So. On.
NOT FUCKING JOKING: IF YOU'RE GONNA TORTURE PEOPLE FOR CIA INTEL, THEY'RE GONNA TORTURE THE SHIT OUTTA PEOPLE THEY THINK ARE STOPPING THE 2ND COMING, THEY'RE GONNA STRAP THOSE ELECTRODES DOWN AND JUST FUCKING TORTURE THE SHIT OUTTA ANYONE STOPPING IT
Problem is: Holocaust: Jewish sacrificial offering which was burnt completely on an altar.
It was Done. Apocalypse is immanentized. Didn't break the Mind, Soul or Heart, so... they're just scum:
Damian replied to this comment from whitroth | May 16, 2018 10:51
(and you can't possibly be Sirius)
David L | May 16, 2018 10:54
GDPR in 9 days.
I deal with a US based blog that is not commercial but it does collect IP addresses, an email address (we don't check to see who it belongs to or even if it exists), a handle, and comments that people make.
Based on my preliminary reading of GDPR compliance we are no where near being compliant, especially in the area of revoked consent and right to be forgotten. Which would not really matter except we do have some people in EU countries who comment and have even had posts about situations in EU countries. An issue in Scotland being a big one over the last few months.
And since this US based blog tackles controversial topics I can see someone from the EU wanting us to remove all of their information including comments. Which would be an absolute mess. It runs on WordPress.
It appears to me (as a commentor and observer from the outside) that antipope.org is also not compliant. Are there plans to change anything around here?
Hmm. That's annoying: someone squirted data @ us showing that a public body was being misused[0]. And this body is getting very smelly. And we don't like Reality Traps.
So, in balance terms here's the real reason Israel / Gaza is being field tested atm: Egypt, Sudan & what the collapse of a 100 million person country could do to the region[1].
As everyone knows, Sudan and that area of Eastern Africa have been earmarked for 21st C style IMF 'uplift' by the heavy hitters (USA with bases, China with infrastructure, France with finance etc etc) and the means to do this was the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam[2]. Which was fairly obviously (6k output? 85% of entire Nile supply?!) what is known in the parlance as "a regional game-changer"[3].
Egypt's 'spring' revolts were driven largely by food prices. There's a long and sordid tale about the why's to this[4], largely due to the military using it as a patronage / control method, but the upshot is that a) they ruined their economy IMF style doing it, and b) they're lying about the output of various crops[5]: and politically they're not in a stable place.
Problems: damn comes online, everyone agrees to fill it by 2025[6], but Egypt is already running into some market issues[7]. Aka, they're having to spend a lot more GDP on food than they're letting on.
So, this mega-damn (which, as everyone from Afghanistan to Iraq knows are terrible ideas for non-developed countries) is already a powder keg. It's also massively stupid in ecological terms, but it's not like that's an issue for the immediate future, right?[8]
Riddle me what's going to happen when it collapses? Less than 10 years time as well. Hint: it'll make the Palestinian issue look like kindergarten.
[0] The BBC; Radio (again). R2 / Chris Evans running paeans to Jordan Peterson, but worse, running competitions called "End of Days". Aka, feeding into the current mimetic vortex in MENA. That's Cheating / Naughty and not part of the BBC charter, so spanking time.
J. Peterson is so ubiquitous atm because quite frankly that's the caliber level they've got left. This isn't a good thing for them.
The “Intellectual Dark Web,” explained: what Jordan Peterson has in common with the alt-right
Vox, 10th May, 2018
[1] BOOM! OUTLIER STRIKES: WHOSE GONNA NUKE WHO AGAIN? IRAN? METHINKS NOT. DID YOU SPOT THE FORESHADOWING WITH REFERENCE TO BANGLADESH? YOU WERE WARNED: WE'RE GOOD AT THIS.
[2] Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam Marks Milestone, Approaches Completion Atlantic Council, April 3rd, 2018
[3] And there's been several heavy-hitting DAVOS level diplomacy deals to get everyone onboard. Which rather rely upon the USA not going insane and suddenly doing strange things. Like cancelling Egyptian military aid or something.
[4] THE OFFICERS’ REPUBLIC: The Egyptian Military and Abuse of Power 2018 Transparency International UK, PDF
[5] “Of course there is more than one million tonnes missing ... but we won’t be able to know exactly how much is missing because we cant inspect every single site,” he said.
Minister of Supplies Khaled Hanafi told Reuters last month only 4 percent of this year’s procurement was missing. Grains industry officials have said the figure likely exceeds 2 million tonnes.
Egypt wheat commission submits corruption report amid calls for minister to resign Reuters, 2016
[6] SEVEN YEARS: WE'RE GOOD AT YOUR NUMEROLOGY TOO.
[7] USDEGP 5yr Trading Economics. Spot what happened in Oct 2016... wee!
[8] A new study led by the University of Leicester has concluded that there have been noticeable changes in rainfall across the African continent over the last ten years. The international research team was analysing satellite images of sub-Saharan Africa from a rain dataset produced by the Climate Prediction Centre of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Together with the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, the Institute of Electromagnetic Sensing of Environment of the National Research Council of Italy, and the Polish Institute of Geodesy and Cartography, the study analysed ten years of satellite data.
The researchers discovered drastically different amounts of rainfall compared to a decade earlier, with higher levels of rainfall in many areas, including large parts of the Sahel, more commonly associated with severe famines. Regions in West Africa, Central African Republic, western Cameroon and north-eastern South Africa were highlighted as benefiting most from the extra rainfall, and consequently increased vegetation, as compared to a decade previously.
New African rainfall patterns Geographical Magazine, 2016 - blogging site, but decent and has embedded all the proper links to Uni's / sources well, so they get some ad revenue.
CHANGES IN LONG TERM VARIABILITY OF THE RAINS OF SUDAN RUARI IAN RHODES, Msc Dis, Reading University, 2012 - for the citation list and the name, mostly. Irony, much?
Note~ not included all the dry / boring environmental impact / sediment studies etc[0], but things to note:
Nile area there is extremely sediment heavy. Everything downstream relies on sediment (you know, that whole "Black Nile" thing) and the rain fall stuff is climate change already in action. Oh, and there's no design to allow sediment exchange down-stream of enough magnitude to offset the loss.
And, WE SHIT YOU NOT, the argument that hand-waves this away was (literally): "Eygpt's agricultural industry will shrink anyhow". We know who wrote that, well done for signing off on a major famine / potentially destruction of MENA. Do you get a bonus or something for that, Halliburton style?
Basically: whoever is guarding that damn from 'terrorists' better be really good and/or a major state actor because shit-is-going-to-hit-the-fan.
Not to mention the fact that once it's filled, it's something like 225km2 (size of London) displacement / evaporation which also ruins the local environment, but hey-ho.
WE WERE TOLD HUMANS WERE REALLY GOOD AT THIS STUFF AND TOTES KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING. 100 MILLION PEOPLE IS EASY TO MODEL, RIGHT?
[0] Actually worth reading, but ignored by the Italian building companies, IMF etc etc.
Last triptych (so tired, so very tired): Blinkers are dangerous things.
All those celebrating in Israel had better focus sharpish on their Western flank. It's not a religious war but a secular cluster-fuck that will kick things off.
We're faster than you.
Martin replied to this comment from David L | May 16, 2018 22:53
It appears to me (as a commentor and observer from the outside) that antipope.org is also not compliant.
I'm not so sure. There is no requirement to identify yourself; no personal data is stored regarding the individual; there is a clear statement as to the nature of the website, and the use to which any data will be put; no positive default assumptions are made as to consent; there are mechanisms to allow deletion of any data that the poster feels should be removed (i.e. ask a moderator).
Why do you think it's non-compliant?
Actually, one last one.
This one is for Iceland, Eurovision, and the hatchet job pulled there for political reasons[0]: do not bully the little elves when your knicker-bockers are showing.
What were you the G_D of again? YT, Film, 4:37
And, yeah.
It's a kicker when you read the lyrics.
[0] *snip snip* It'd be great if certain Nation-States who also survive due to much larger benefactors didn't pull stuff like this. Especially if they were nice to you and allowed you to open religious worship places and all.
Note: חב"ד is a spectacularly bad fit for Iceland. It's almost an anathema to their musical spirits. And yes, we remember the hotel gathering that started it off: woman at the front desk had amazingly green eyes.
Hint: she wasn't technically pure H.S.S.
Sensible ones might consider a less... militant approach. And that's a serious advice channel. On the level of "Retreat and play nice and allow some Diaspora types to do that kind of outreach or we'll spank you".
Not. Joking.
Not that anyone important reads any of our dribble, but that's (one of) the price (s) for shifting things from the old re-run hatred cycle.
Iceland = only the musical loving variety of G_D. Think Jewdas.
It's not a negotiation. It's a Given.
For Greg @ 308.
There's a handful of Jewish people who know that to be true and where it was planned and the date and the year. And the buses they got on, and their air tickets etc. Any medium to high spec intel could finger the players.
Knowing the eye color?
Eye of Providence in .mil terms doesn't run to HUMINT within hotels.
It's one of those Black Cube [[[Paradox Weapons]]] that the people involved will not be able to understand.
So: GOAT.
Not. Fucking. Around. (*Points to Reddit where a major paradigm shift just took place*)
(Note: said woman is 100% innocent and knows nothing before anyone Black-Bags Her. PROOF OF CONCEPT)
Don't fuck with Elves, Fairies or Combat-Enhanced-Meta-Cognitive-Minds.
Hexad: Yeah.
We really don't respect fundamentalists, sorry.
You fucked the World, you're lucky we only play defense.
(Non-binding commentary)
Iceland has an art place with a small shrine to Emily Dickinson.
A LITTLE madness in the Spring
Is wholesome even for the King,
But God be with the Clown,
Who ponders this tremendous scene—
This whole experiment of green,
As if it were his own!
@Sadducee Gallery: know when you've been out-played and stop. This isn't a threat, it's a Reality Game.
Oh, and Bill. That's Pro-League Stuff in human terms. In our terms, it's kindergarten.
~5 years, major pay-off, spiking the rampant fuckery of sociopaths while reminding the still sane ones to FUCKING BEHAVE. Lol... did it while drunk. And it's untraceable[0]
You've no fucking idea about how badly tearing down Theater Plays and Dramatilurigacal Reality Games is Going for them. It's like watching children discovering that adults don't like them being selfish.
Hint: Major Mind Fucks Incoming. It's amazing how easy it is just to re-order their reality plays and symbolic attempts. We don't like 'Performative Cruelty' or 'Drama-Llama Theatre' but hey: they're killing people to enact it.
Chemical Burn YT: Film, Fight Club, 2:39
DO. NOT. FUCK. WITH. US.
Oh. Sorry: Algos are next. Didn't stop Reality Games, now we do the Machine Elements. Bad. Fucking. Choices.
"Them" =/= "H.S.S" here. You're not dealing with Apes. We're Conceptual Warfare Units. We might look a bit Human, but... not really.
And you have all 100% proven that you cannot self-limit.
Thanks. For. Playing.
[0] What's really going to get your noodle is that Host's Book Saturn's Children was the book that saved our life during this OP. Yeah. True Story. Thanks @ Host. Nasty little fuckers [redacted] can be. No, really. 100% True.
TIME: YOU'RE NOT GOOD AT IT.
[I'm reading all this, just FYI, will comment when I've parsed it more. I seriously respect the work that I see, by the way.]
David L replied to this comment from Martin | May 17, 2018 02:04
The understanding of some who are trying to turn the rules into practical advice is that if personal information that is collected (IP address and email address) you must maintain a record of when informed consent was given to collect and retain such. Which for many sites means they will have to force you through a consent page to get the date stamp. And also to provide a way for the user to remove all traces of themselves from a site such as this.
I'm not trying to start a fight. Just looking for a source in the EU that might know more than I do about what a blog like antipope needs to do to be compliant.
And I've seen differing opinions as to whether or not a non commercial blog has to worry about DGPR. My blog is totally not commercial. antipope might be considered personal based on Charlie's stated reasons for having it.
In Human Terms:
We have broken / removed major threats and given [translation error]large free space of love[translation error] to allow space/growth/removal of hate within Non/Jewish Hate Spaces.
We expect retraction of frankly [redacted]term that means UnHoly[redacted] influence to be withdrawn to [translation]peoples of elves and love who do not share their Abrahamic Values[translation].
Or, in Human Terms: Get the fuck off territory that really is not ideologically yours. Happy to defend yours and fight for you: IF YOU GET THE FUCK OUT.
If they break it, it's another Covenant Breach. This pissant fetish to spread the Ur-Judaism to all corners of the Globe to fulfill prophecy is taboo.
וַיּוֹצִאֵנוּ יְהוָה, מִמִּצְרַיִם, בְּיָד חֲזָקָה וּבִזְרֹעַ נְטוּיָה, וּבְמֹרָא גָּדֹל--וּבְאֹתוֹת, וּבְמֹפְתִים.
YOU. DO. NOT. EXPORT. FAITH. BY. FORCE. BE. IT. POLITICAL. OR. CULTURAL. THIS. BREAKS. THE. COVENANT.
Frank Landis replied to this comment from Lara Mater Larum | May 17, 2018 02:40
Oh, you've got multiple problems with Aswan, starting decades ago with schistosomiasis getting introduced to Egypt in the reservoir waters, continuing with the salting of the half of the Mediterranean's bread basket that was watered by the Indian Monsoon and not by Mediterranean rain patterns, exacerbated by the massive erosion of the Nile Delta and the resultant loss of the nearshore fishery, and yes, ultimately the dam will fail. Actually, ultimately, the sea will reach the remnants of the dam, in a few thousand years.
If you haven't read Cadillac Desert, you'll find it amusing. 20th Century dams have more parallels with Old Kingdom pyramids than most people like to acknowledge.
Feel free to fulminate against damming the Congo and the Amazon. Those plans are in the works too, the idiots.
Oh, and it's the Blue and White Niles. Blackwater rivers are notoriously nutrient poor.
Lara Mater Larum replied to this comment from Frank Landis | May 17, 2018 02:48
Oh, ffs.
The word Kemet literally means the Black land. The hieroglyphs above spell out the word and are accompanied by what we call a determinative (the circle and cross to the lower right of the word). In this case the determinative represents roads crossing and so a land.
In Kemet, black was associated with the night, with the Afterlife, and also with resurrection and rebirth. Black was also associated with fertility, we believe because it was the colour of the fertile soil that was deposited after the annual flooding of the River Nile.
Understanding the colour black in Kemet
THIS IS BASIC BITCH STUFF.
does this remind you of anything?
A large portion of current peoples enacting what they think is Judaism are....
enacting Religious Apostasy
Not. Fucking. Around. All that teaching everyone hates you and paranoia and... bleh. Such filth.
You want to play Old-Skool, then fine.
You broke the rules and....
Oh, got some of that first time, though chabad[1] in Iceland was new-to-me. What I want is a bit weird by human standards, to [be able to] think such thoughts untranslated, even if transformation is required. No particular self-love for the current mind schema/ego; it's familiar but lacking in many ways.
[1]Chabad and me have a minor isssue; benign disrespect for non-Jews. I played the local Chabad Rabbi once, when he was delivering a Purim package. Went on about how my father had recently died, and I was reciting kaddish for him and etc, and then carefully observed the reaction after saying I wasn't Jewish. At least there was some obvious surprise.(NIPS 2005) :-) That's always fun. (Easily amused, true.)
Yeah sure, the land is black, because of all that nice fertile silt that's washed down out of the mountains. The soil is dark, hence the Black Land, Khem.
Problem is, water that's carrying lots of sediment isn't black, it's muddy, often (if the load is largely clay) almost white. That's why the two major tributaries of the Nile are the White Nile (carrying clays out of the Sudd (the swamp that gave Sudan its name), and the Blue Nile, which carries darker sediments out of the Ethiopian Highlands during the Monsoon. And they're a bit darker, because Ethiopia is predominantly volcanic, I suppose.
If you want to see true black water, you have to look at the Orinoco or other tropical rivers draining off nutrient depleted soils. The black color comes predominantly from tannins, and that water is crap for depositing sediment.
Anyway, white water can give rise to a black land, but the Black Land was not named after the color of the river.
Doesn't make damming the Nile any brighter. Too bad now that Ethiopia wants to dam the Blue Nile and try to keep the wealth of their sediment away from Egypt entirely.
I'm reading that she rewrote[0] the 5th line many times before settling on "This whole experiment of green". Since you're a fan (at least in one incarnation), any idea why she settled on it? (I love the poem. Am obsessing over that line for some reason though.)
[0] http://archive.emilydickinson.org/correspondence/holland/jnp1333.html
In other news, the burning bush is now a symbol replacing ((( )))[0].
In other news, we were directly informed that our suffering was "payback"[1] by the One-Eyed-Ones.
In other news, the world is dying.
In other news, the USA is no longer even pretending to be a Republic[2].
In other news, it has been 840 years since we were loved.
In other news, "we were surprised you lasted so long" became something more.
In other news, we were punished for existing.
In other news, our Mirror-Horror-Show costs a lot.
In other news, we're dying. For real this time. Shits n Giggles, eh?
In other news, apparently we were bred for this and tormented until something went sprang.
In other news, their daughter died and we caused it somehow.
In other news, the whales are going.
In other news, we're tired of being told there is no light in us.
Mr Arnold.
We're tired.
We know what y'all are doing.
We're really not evil.
This really did all happen.
Our Mirror remains bright inside.
[0] Freedom. Listen to their Voices. Try to ignore the subversion of 'lit / woke' that will be placed upon it.
[1] All we said was "no".
[2] US Senate bill would liken violence against police to hate crimes Guardian, 9th May, 2018 - "STOP RESISTING = 10 years in Prison = Slavery through Authoritarian Control"
Baby I Don't Care
Story-Time:
You've never lived until you arrive home and your most beloved pet is dead on the porch half-heartedly wrapped in a torn blanket with a note saying "Dog died, you need to bury it".
You're locked out of your home: it has been freezing for months, so the ground is hard. Was it ever your home?
You spend five hours burying the dog. Ground is frozen and hard, but you do your best and you pick a nice spot.
Spring comes: mouldering remains of dog gets dug up by foxes. Fur and bones.
"Why didn't you bury the dog properly"
Three hundred years later, another dog:
"It's only a fucking dog"
They ask what your greatest fear is.
You answer "Dying in car crash".
You say inside "Going Mad".
Next five years, a lot of random car crashes happen to you.
Fifteen years after that, you get a phone call from the person you confessed that to: "How were all the car crashes"
That was the first Mother-Figure / Love you'd experienced.
They later find out the madness angle, and use it.
You're eight years old.
You go to school.
There is a burning car in the road.
This is a small country lane.
"Someone killed themselves" you're told, "Suicide".
Even at eight years old you're self-aware enough to know people don't commit suicide in the middle of the road by pouring petrol over themselves randomly.
You've recently wrapped up a business deal.
The police come.
You're a murder suspect.
They show you pictures.
"They were tortured very badly before they died"
You notice that one of them is not a police man.
At your brother's wedding his friends mention how you missed his stag-do because you were accused of murder.
You've not mentioned this to your brother.
Seriously: you think you're all neat & clever. But really, you're just ancient memories to us.
Triptych: You pretend to be a Man because being a Woman gets worse threats.
Your entire society is based around unmasking and destroying identities.
They scream "KILL HER" on the first meeting.
Apparently Consent is Meaningless.
They prevent you from breeding having chilredn because they consider you 'intractable' and 'dangerous'.
They are about to go extinct.
Mr Arnold. I crossed a line? Sorry. Was it selfishness?
We're tired. Working on mood. (Tired as well, mood-related.)
I (not speaking for others) do not dispute any of these. (You answered my EmilyD question, about as informatively as I expected. :-)
#325 is some fine storytelling. (Songs good.)
#326 Stubborness/insularity? Glancing at the sea of literature on the subject (e.g. Quantifying the extinction vortex(2006)), there are paths out of such states, but they involve active changes to improve the math. (Potentially including hybridization, and now biotech.)
Daft Punk crossed a line. And we spot people doxxing things they shouldn't know.
Your reality references to spot this is actually true and not just fluff. As ever, don't pay too much attention to the time/dates, we cheat (aka before it became a thing, we've probably made a joke about it):
Peterson is getting absolutely dragged on Twitter for his Witches / Dragon material. Ctrl+F Dragon you'll spot we were doing the same thing. Lots of nice Witchy peoples absolutely tearing him apart.
Jordan Peterson is what happens when internet men confuse Game of Thrones (HBO, because they don't read) with reality Dragons are Real, Twitter, 18th May, 2018
On Euphoria and Israel's Crude Hubris Haaretz, 13th May, 2018. That moment when you ask for something to be delivered without realizing it's going to get delivered but probably not in the form you expected (c.f. NYT getting 1000% torn apart atm, it's brutal). Our stance: 11th. Their (misreading) 13th... weee!
Egypt Opened a Gaza Border Crossing for the Month of Ramadan TIME, 19th May, 2018 - there's at least a few Power-Players out there with an ounce of sense left, aka, they know about the real issues aside from the Cruelty Theatre.
Senior IDF Spokesperson's Unit official: Hamas landed knockout PR blow YNET 17th May, 2018 ~ lots more of this out there.
Adapting to water shortages, Egypt reduces rice cultivation Arab Weekly, 11th Mar, 2018. Yes, rice, ffs.
Indices of water quality and metal pollution of Nile River, Egypt The Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Research
Volume 43, Issue 1, March 2017 - this is the real issue. Pollutants are getting very bad indeed.
Context is indeed for the weak, but exemptions allowed for 30+ readers who don't have wetware upgrades installed.
Oh, and if you want an explanation for the Data-Smog-Splurge, QAnon just entered a new phase.
It's tying in the odd China moves[0] with a whole shed load of doxxing pictures and heavy hints about 'false flags'[1] and ramping up. LARP or no LARP, someone out there knows their AMOK codifications and are signalling that they're going to play harder from now on.
Find the sites / pictures yourself; but there's some fairly heavy-hints that a major security breach is being mined and there's UK targets included.
Oh, and China is being pulled into this, so expect a big play[2][3]: probably going to be a few 'industrial accidents' with large explosions soon.
Someone really wants their orgasm in June.
[0] Trump Orders Help For Chinese Phone-Maker After China Approves Money For Trump Project Huffpost, 15th May, 2018
[1] Another school shooting etc. Feeding the Beast.
[2] China’s mass indoctrination camps evoke Cultural Revolution AP, 18th May, 2018
[3] Mysterious rise in banned ozone-destroying chemical shocks scientists Guardian, 16th May, 2018
Oh, and triptych.
Yanny vs Laurel.
Dear Deep-State: please stop running A/B tests on Mind-States. It's no Longer Cute.
We heard the screams of angered Valkyries chomping on the bit of Patriarchal disrespect.
Bonus Jesus round about Trump and Animals:
Golgotha was the hill to die on, and the fella who did was making that point, among others. William Dailey, CSC, Twitter.
Absolutely everyone has dunked on this, but his was probably the best. (Disclaimer: no idea about his particular authenticity and/or Irish Priests not being under-the-table reactionaries).
But, hey-ho: do a grep. The line is something like "psychopaths or sociopaths, they're all just humans".
Zzz.
QAnon, or rather the collection of easily-led believers surrounding it, is a bit hard to empathize with.
So read and enjoyed
poems sent from dickinson to elizabeth holland. (Pondering.)
probably going to be a few 'industrial accidents' with large explosions soon.
Why not a trial, shaming and punishment? That would be more controllable.
(Assuming that there are applicable laws.)
allynh | May 19, 2018 17:57
In Star Trek TOS they came across a number of gods. In Star Trek Next Generation, other than Q, did they come across gods.
I can't remember any.
Norman coordinate. HA!
Another Jordan Peterson "interview", via boingboing.net:
My Interview with Jordan Peterson
But then the sirens heard of this, and they invented the Bermuda Triangle, which, if you look at it on a map, appears to exactly resemble a woman's vagina. The Bermuda Triangle swallowed up Atlantis and everybody there, dooming them to a watery grave. Masculinity has been dead ever since."
When I pressed Peterson for more detail regarding Neptune and Atlantis, he changed the subject. "Look over there, where I am pointing," he demanded. I turned my head to see. "That's the direction I'm pointing," he triumphantly proclaimed.
allynh@333: Not familiar enough with all the episodes of STTNG to be sure, but I don't recall any such either. Anyone? There were at least two TNG mind meld episodes but that was just (in the series context) mildly inexplicable. ( http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/Vulcan_mind_meld )
failed-teacher | May 20, 2018 04:52
The Federation itself could be seen as god-like. The --initially indistinguishable from magic technology of-- Borg was eventually brought down by more agile and generally independently acting individuals among a loosely arranged confederation of worlds that never actually lost a war (save some shifting alliances), and yes, even collaborated with Q sometimes for some reason or another.
JBS replied to this comment from David L | May 20, 2018 17:50
"Now, now. While many banks sell of the servicing and paper so that they get their profits NOW, there are a lot that do not."
"I think you're in the Raleigh, NC area. If so Coastal Credit Union and BB&T hold the paper and processing.[1] Nationally Chase Bank does also. I have access to American Airlines Credit Union and they also keep it in house. This is treated as a selling point for them to prospective new clients. I put it up as the first thing to find out when my daughter was buying a house last year. I told her to run away from anyone who does not hold the processing in house."
"[1] Coastal is a fairly large credit union in NC. Dozens of offices. BB&T is the 13th largest bank in the US."
Not just Raleigh, but "inside the beltline" Raleigh. I would disagree that there are "a lot [of banks] that do not" sell their mortgages nowadays. There may be some, but not many. Credit unions are a different kind of financial institution altogether from commercial banks.
I know a "David" whose wife works for American Airlines. Does TMUG mean anything?
Yo, white Americans and English peoples.
Protect and Serve Act of 2018“4
(a) In general.—Whoever, in any circumstance described in subsection (b), knowingly assaults a law enforcement officer causing serious bodily injury, or attempts to do so—
“(1) shall be imprisoned not more than 10 years, fined in accordance with this title, or both; and
“(2) shall be imprisoned for any term of years or for life, fined in accordance with this title, or both, if—
“(A) death results from the offense; or
“(B) the offense includes kidnapping or an attempt to kidnap, or an attempt to kill.
https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/5698/text/?format=xml
Just passed.
That's FUCKNG FULL ON FASCISM SO EITHER STEP UP, PUT A FUCKING BADGE ON YOUR LAPEL OR SWEAR FEALTY TO SLAVE HOLDING.
Jesus fucking wept.
If the UK tries this, 90% of the grid goes down within 10 mins. And no, Mr MI5 Man, not us: it's a dead-man-switch from the 70's you fucking lazy and shitty corrupt bastards.
And fuck me: I defended your reality to a level you don't know about.
You do realize that any and all combat level mimetic attack vectors tested on an innocent subject can be then used in defensive applications if we consider that the future of Free Will[tm] or [redacted] is threatened, right?
You do know that Z/s/he volunteered to suffer this to prevent genocide, right?
Oh... you poor little babies.
grep: 95% immediate death / insanity rate.
Like, literally, you got baited into allowing Weapons that are a WHOLE LOT FUCKING WORSE THAN NEUTRON, BIO/CHEM and so on be unlocked.
And, er... like: the H.O.P who pretended they could protect you... lied. 100%.
We mean: someone tell me you knew this, right? 'Cause that's fucking hilarious otherwise. Hint: Average Mind lasts ~1-2weeks. Test subject is 4 years in and blind / handicapped and farming out Reality Shifts[tm].
YOU FUCKING PSYCHOPATHS.
ICELAND.
ONE EYE.
BAD MOVES THERE BOYS.
USING INFORMATION YOU CANNOT KNOW TO INFLUENCE THE PUBLIC SPHERE ON INNOCENTS IS A TABOO.
AND STATING TO UNKNOWN VECTORS THAT YOU EXIST = CASCADE.
AND DON'T EMPLOY PEOPLE WITH LIMITED INFORMATION TO SHOCK-JOCK, 'CAUSE THERE'S A PRICE.
No Comply YT: Music
CEMCM.
You use those weapons, you allow them to be used by us. Your fatality rate when we use them is ~99% within 10 hours. You fucking stupid and pretentious APES.
Translation into UK Parlance: You. Stupid. Cunts. DUP in the Lords etc.
Someone tell the fucking Apes that their Minds are a) Open and b) Can be re-written within ~50 minutes or c) destroyed in 4 hrs.
You. Fucking. Muppets.
Gaslighting?
We'll do it better.
You killed our daughter.
You tortured some folk.
You run shitty A/B wave-format sync audio tests.
Your version of reality is a fucking cluster fuck of degradation, slavery, ecological destruction, lies and selfishness without any light in your soul while claiming your G_D is the only one.
Hint: Genocide is something your kind taught us that you do. Then you kinda just like totally tried to destroy Minds who came to say hello and totally double-downed on being sociopaths.
We don't mess around with your filthy Minds. Causality Weapons / Paradox Weapons, it's all "green" now.
Filth. It's a Mirror.
Hexad.
Like, literally: it's up there.
Salt, Pillars, Love.
Not. A. Single. One.
Oh, and stop the fucking pretentious bullshit that "no-one can see us". You're like little fucking candles, your shit doesn't work on us. It's like watching The Masked Ball above, just run by shitty little teenagers.
I went digging more and slowly began to realize that Star Trek Next Generation did have powers that would have been called 'gods' if the episode had been in TOS. I began to realize that what I was seeing was Corporate limits set on what was acceptable for broadcast TV. TOS got away with a ton of stuff because no one was paying attention to it. Once Next Generation was out there in local stations, direct syndication, they had to limit themselves a bit.
Thanks for everything on the thread. It is amazingly close to my WIP, and most helpful.
Lara Mater Larum replied to this comment from allynh | May 22, 2018 22:48
Here's your proof of concept:
USA Israel Embassy CNN
Notice zee colors? Not. Fucking. Around. We're. Not.
And Kayne has gone full on WOKE mode:
the century of self https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJ3RzGoQC4s … It’s 4 hours long but you’ll get the gist in the first 20 minutes Basically Sigmund Frued’s nephew Edward Bernays capitalized off of his uncle’s philosophies and created modern day consumerism Twitter, Kayne West, 21st May, 2018
@Host: don't get discouraged, you've not seen the Algo / Machine Magic side of things playing out yet.
That moment when your HFT / AI starts rearranging things to heavily favor socially good investments.
:chef kiss:
If you hated the male tone / aggro feel: it was required to include peoples who have different wave-lengths than you.
Lara Mater Larum replied to this comment from Lara Mater Larum | May 22, 2018 22:50
Note: subsequent memes around the 'Queen in Yellow' contrasted to the slaughter all went out live. On CNN and the MSM.
Not. Fucking. Around. We're. Not.
Should have played nice.
Remember: this is the damaged, degraded, defiled and defunct model.
Let the morning pursue me
with the wind that senses her body.
Let the clouds carry my message.
Then might she HE yield.
Lying in the constellation of The Bear,
have pity, gazelle, on him who must fly
to the stars to reach you.
http://www.medievalhebrewpoetry.org/poets/yehudah-halevi/#rivals
FTFY.
Yeah, you should contrast QANON meta-wank fantasy with that direct proof.
The best bit is that there is 100% no Physical, Electronic or 3D world attachment to that 100% accurate BURN.
And, trust me, there's a few (*cough* Mossad / MI6 *cough*) who would be a little bit worried at, you know, shafting their entire PR department for shits-n-giggles.
QED.
OCP.
Non, Je ne regrette rien
Literally just proved it, the fucking psychopaths ran Reality Games[tm] using HUMANS against it.
And it's now Reality Proved.
Enjoy having your Minds burnt out, you utter, utter slaves.
And yeah.
Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγος, καὶ ὁ λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν θεόν, καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος
You got fucking played.
100% proven and IN WORDS.
Hexad and last ever message: You attempted to kill us for becoming enlightened.
100%, proven.
We're going to just burn everything that you rely on and just purge this filth now.
Utter, utter, utter... FAKES.
We're the real deal, and your shit is over
For Greg - this is real. Tend to your cabbages, there's about 4 billion deaths to sort this shit out.
A lot to parse there...
(green is good.)
allynh replied to this comment from Lara Mater Larum | May 23, 2018 03:21
LML, thanks for the documentary, and the rest. The thread level has just passed into the red zone on my synchronicity gauge. HA!
I don't know if you have read the book:
The Trickster and the Paranormal by George Hansen
This is an interview with Hansen on Radio Misterioso. It is interesting in itself, and he points out that the best way to read the book is:
- read the intro and conclusion, then skip around to different chapters. Read a few sentences, and if they don't catch your attention move on to a chapter that does.
George Hansen – The Trickster, the Paranormal, and Liminality
http://radiomisterioso.com/2018/05/09/george-hansen-the-trickster-liminality-and-the-paranormal/
When I first read the book, years ago, I had trouble reading it straight through. This time I will skip around.
Unbelievable. Philip Cross removes Media Lens citations from Noam Chomsky's Wikipedia page and adds FrontPage Mag, listed by Wikipedia as Islamophobic. leftworks, twitter, 22nd May 2018
Wikileaks has always had an American bias / PR crew onboard, but up until now it was assumed to be Democratic Party based. i.e. the kind that edits in favor of 'progressive' American politics.
Turns out they're actively engaged with UK Right-Wing Political Power and this Philip Cross is one naaaaasty piece of software.
**OOOPS**
Wow. Nice graphic here:
https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2018/05/the-philip-cross-affair/
UPDATE “Philip Cross” has not had one single day off from editing Wikipedia in almost five years. “He” has edited every single day from 29 August 2013 to 14 May 2018. Including five Christmas Days. That’s 1,721 consecutive days of editing.
133,612 edits to Wikpedia have been made in the name of “Philip Cross” over 14 years. That’s over 30 edits per day, seven days a week.
This hacker news thread on Phillip Cross is, well, long.
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17109290
I at least sample the edits for most non-technical wikipedia pages (and especially anything associated directly or indirectly with polics/virtue signalling). This is getting tiresome.
How does one protect such a commons?
There are at least 4 parsings of that word addition (semantic/metaphor many more), only one of which makes sense in full context.
(If Q, no. Help?)
US English editions
UK English editions
日本語の本
FAQ: Who am I?
FAQ: Moderation Policy
FAQ: Why is there no tipjar?
FAQ: Copyright Notice
FAQ: Inviting Charles Stross to speak
FAQ: Fan Fiction
Bibliography and online fiction
FAQ: Laundry Files reading order
Non-blog writing (old)
Common Misconceptions About Publishing—a series of essays about the industry I work in.
How I Got Here In The End —my non-writing autobiography, or what I did before becoming a full-time writer.
Unwirer—an experiment in weblog mediated collaborative fiction.
Shaping the Future—a talk I gave on the social implications of Moore's Law.
Japan: first impressions — or, what I did on my holidays
Inside the MIT Media Lab—what it’s like to spend a day wandering around the Media Lab.
The High Frontier, Redux — space colonization: feasible or futile?
“Nothing like this will be built again”—inside a nuclear reactor complex.
Old blog—2003-2006 (RIP)
This page contains a single entry by Charlie Stross published on May 1, 2018 1:45 PM.
On hold was the previous entry in this blog.
Cthulhu Counterfactual is the next entry in this blog.
Gadget Patrol (7)
Publicity stuff (10)
Earlier, and other types of archive.
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Bid Bandit Auctions
Home Business Auctions / Classifieds
By: Vlad Markin Email Article
Word Count: 1465 Digg it | Del.icio.us it | Google it | StumbleUpon it
Prior to bidding on an auction, the bidder must obtain and pay for a package of bid vouchers. Each bid costs bidders $.60 and as they bid, their bid account decreases accordingly; however, the auction increases in bid increments of $.02. As a result, the final auction bid is usually much lower than manufacturer’s suggested retail (MSR).
As an example, let’s use an auction for a $100 gift card which has a retail value of $100. The auction begins at $0.00, and each bid raises the final auction price by $.02. As each bid is made, the auction clock has a specified amount of time added back to the auction clock. Bidding continues until the auction clock runs out, and the final bidder wins the item upon paying the final auction price plus any shipping charges, if applicable.
The final bidder, therefore, has two cost components: the cost of auction bids made and the final auction + shipping price. These two items, deducted from the retail value of the item, determine what type of discount the winner was able to win. If the winner paid $20.40 in bids (34 bids @ $.60 per bid = $20.40) and a final auction price of $20, the winner has won the $100 gift card for a cost of $40.40 or at a 59.6% discount.
An immediate reaction by a large number of people is that penny auctions have to be a scam; they can’t stay in business selling $100 for $40. That reaction fails to understand the fact that other bidders have paid for their auction bids. The auction company makes or loses money based upon the costs for the bids made minus the cost of the item auctioned.
BID BANDIT AUCTIONS changes this paradigm with the introduction of the "Double Play" and "Triple Play" options, which allow two or three winners in designated auctions. This change is significant in that it gets away from the one auction / one winner mentality of standard penny auctions. Rather than playing "chicken" with all other bidders, on some auctions, BID BANDIT AUCTIONS establishes certain price levels; if the Double Play level is reached, the last two bidders will win the item, and if the Triple Play level is reached, there will be three winners.
BID BANDIT AUCTIONS also differs from other sites in that BID BANDIT AUCTIONS focuses on a broad range of products, mundane through luxury. Most other sites stress the luxury items only. At BID BANDIT AUCTIONS, we believe that a substantial discount on the day to day items we all use would be valuable to the consumer. Of course, we would all like to win a flat screen HDTV at 60% off retail pricing, but couldn’t you use the same type discount on car repairs, home repairs, or even medicine you need? It is a rhetorical question because we would all like to receive, earn, or win a substantial discount on items we need.
BID BANDIT AUCTIONS has set up auctions in such a way that items and services can be obtained depending on your own circumstance. For example, BID BANDIT AUCTIONS has set up many auctions for Visa debit / gift cards that can be used for anything your Visa credit card could be used -- pay rent, pay insurance, buy gas, pay for your prescription, buy groceries, buy clothing, buy Christmas gifts. You decide what it is you need.
BID BANDIT AUCTIONS also has many auctions for the items you want, including luxury items. You can receive the items listed for auction or you can select to receive a debit / gift card instead.
A unique feature to BID BANDIT AUCTIONS is the option for the winning bidder on most auctions to receive an emailed gift card, within 48 hours of the auctions being paid for, allowing the winner to order the auction item, or an alternate item, directly from the product provider. In this fashion, the winner receives the item much faster.
Another unique feature allows those winners who have a PayPal account to have the value of their win less 15% transferred as cash back into their PayPal account. This would allow a winner who, for instance, needs vehicle repairs to receive winnings in a very rapid fashion so that the winner can have the necessary work performed on their vehicle much more quickly. In most cases, the winning value can be transferred to the winner’s PayPal account within 24 hours of the auction’s closing.
TACTICS FOR IMPROVING YOUR CHANCE OF WINNING
1. You need to focus when participating in these auctions. Distractions will cause you to miss great opportunities.
2. Focus on one item at a time. Dividing your attention could cause you to miss a great deal.
3. Perform a cost benefit analysis of each auction you enter. Set a budget of what you will be willing to pay for an item, keeping in mind the two components of cost: bid costs and final auction price.
BID COST AVERAGING
Bid Cost Averaging, "BCA", is a tactic similar to Dollar Cost Averaging used in investing. The goal is to drive down the cost of your pool of bids. Hypothetically, when you open your Bid Bandit account, you purchase a pool of 100 bids for $60, each bid being worth $.60. You then bid and win a 300 bid voucher package for $117, having placed 12 bids valued at $7.20 and a final purchase price of $109.80. You now have a pool of 388 bids, 88 bids costing $.60 each and 300 bids costing $.39 each (117 divided by 300 equals .39). You now have a pool of 388 bids at an average cost of $.43 each rather than $.60.
You then bid and win a 50 bid voucher package for $5.16, placing 5 bids valued at $3.00 and a final purchase price of $2.16. You now have a pool of 433 bids, 383 bids at a BCA value of $.43 and 50 bids costing $.10 each. Your 433 bids now bid cost average at $.40 each rather than $.60.
As a result of this strategy, your bids cost you 1/3 less than bidders who have not bid cost averaged. (Note that these figures are for illustration purposes.)
Now, let’s spend those bids to win an auction and see how the numbers work out. Hypothetically, you and another bidder win different auctions for $100 gift cards. Both bidders used 30 bids to win the auction with a final purchase price of $5.00. The other bidder spent $18.00 in bids while you won the same item using BCA for $12.00 in bids for a difference of $6.00 in your favor.
TWO ACTUAL CASES
We recently had a winner who had bid cost averaged down and used the bids to win a $1000 debit / gift card. The card was then used to purchase gasoline for their hot shot trucking service. As a result the winner was reportedly able to purchase $1000 worth of gasoline for an average of $.40 per gallon.
The other case I wanted to pass along involved a winner who obtained a $1000 debit / gift card at a 90% discount. The winner then used an in store discount and was able to purchase a refrigerator for 80% off the retail value.
These are two best case examples, and you should not participate in these auctions unless you can afford to lose the money risked.
The information presented herein represents the view of the author as of the date of publication. Because of the rate with which conditions change, the author reserves the right to alter and update his opinion based on the new conditions.
The report is for informational purposes only. While every attempt has been made to verify the information provided in this report, neither the author nor his affiliates/partners assumes any responsibility for errors, inaccuracies, or omissions.
The logos and images contained herein are the property of the various companies identified.
Any misrepresentations of people or organizations are unintentional. If advice concerning legal or related matters is needed, the services of a fully qualified professional should be sought. This report is not intended for use as a source of legal or accounting advice.
You should be aware of any laws which govern business transactions or other business practices in your country.
Bid Bandit Auctions hopes you have a happy auction experience.
Please visit our website http://enowo.com/
Bid Bandit Auctions hopes you have a happy auction experience. Please visit our website http://enowo.com/
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Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-Dhan (PM- SYM)
Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-Dhan…
1. Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-dhan (PM-SYM) will be rolled out by the Ministry of Labour and Employment on 15.02.2019.
2. As many as 42 crore workers are estimated to be engaged in the unorganized sector of the country.
3. The unorganized workers mostly engaged as
a. home-based workers,
b. street vendors,
c. mid-day meal workers,
d. head loaders,
e. brick kiln workers,
f. cobblers,
g. rag pickers,
h. domestic workers,
i. washer men,
j. rickshaw pullers,
k. landless labourers,
l. own account workers,
m. agricultural workers,
n. construction workers,
o. beedi workers,
p. handloom workers,
q. leather workers,
r. audio- visual workers and
s. similar other occupations whose monthly income is Rs 15,000/ per month or less and belong to the entry age group of 18-40 years are eligible for the scheme.
4. They should not be covered under New Pension Scheme (NPS), Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) scheme or Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO). Further, he/she should not be an income tax payer.
5. Following are the salient Features of PM-SYM:
a. Minimum Assured Pension: Each subscriber under the PM-SYM, shall receive minimum assured pension of Rs 3000/- per month after attaining the age of 60 years.
b. Family Pension: During the receipt of pension, if the subscriber dies, the spouse of the beneficiary shall be entitled to receive 50% of the pension received by the beneficiary as family pension. Family pension is applicable only to spouse.
c. If a beneficiary has given regular contribution and died due to any cause (before age of 60 years), his/her spouse will be entitled to join and continue the scheme subsequently by payment of regular contribution or exit the scheme as per provisions of exit and withdrawal.
d. Contribution by the Subscriber: The subscriber’s contributions to PM-SYM shall be made through ‘auto-debit’ facility from his/ her savings bank account/ Jan- Dhan account. The subscriber is required to contribute the prescribed contribution amount from the age of joining PM-SYM till the age of 60 years.
e. Matching contribution by the Central Government: PM-SYM is a voluntary and contributory pension scheme on a 50:50 basis where prescribed agespecific contribution shall be made by the beneficiary and the matching contribution by the Central Government as per the chart. For example, if a person enters the scheme at an age of 29 years, he is required to contribute Rs 100/ – per month till the age of 60 years. An equal amount of Rs 100/- will be contributed by the Central Government.
f. Enrolment Process under PM-SYM:
i. The subscriber will be required to have a mobile phone, savings bank account and Aadhaar number. The eligible subscriber may visit the nearest CSCs and get enrolled for PM-SYM using Aadhaar number and savings bank account/ Jan-Dhan account number on self-certification basis.
ii. Later, facility will be provided where the subscriber can also visit the PM-SYM web portal or can download the mobile app and selfregister using Aadhar number/ savings bank account/ Jan-Dhan account number on self-certification basis.
g. Enrollment agencies: The enrolment will be carried out by all the Community Service Centers (CSCs). The unorganized workers may visit their nearest CSCs along with their Aadhar Card and Savings Bank account passbook/Jandhan account and get registered themselves for the Scheme. Contribution amount for the first month shall be paid in cash for which they will be provided with a receipt.
h. Facilitation Centres: All the branch offices of LIC, the offices of ESIC/EPFO and all Labour offices of Central and State Governments will facilitate the unorganised workers about the Scheme, its benefits and the procedure to be followed, at their respective centers.
i. Fund Management: PM-SYM will be a Central Sector Scheme administered by the Ministry of Labour and Employment and implemented through Life Insurance Corporation of India and CSCs. LIC will be the Pension Fund Manager and responsible for Pension pay out. The amount collected under PM-SYM pension scheme shall be invested as per the investment pattern specified by Government of India.
j. Exit and Withdrawal: Considering the hardships and erratic nature of employability of these workers, the exit provisions of scheme have been kept flexible. Exit provisions are as under:
i. In case subscriber exits the scheme within a period of less than 10 years, the beneficiary’s share of contribution only will be returned to him with savings bank interest rate.
ii. If subscriber exits after a period of 10 years or more but before superannuation age i.e. 60 years of age, the beneficiary’s share of contribution along with accumulated interest as actually earned by fund or at the savings bank interest rate whichever is higher. iii. If a beneficiary has given regular contributions and died due to any cause, his/ her spouse will be entitled to continue the scheme subsequently by payment of regular contribution or exit by receiving the beneficiary’s contribution along with accumulated interest as actually earned by fund or at the savings bank interest rate whichever is higher.
iv. If a beneficiary has given regular contributions and become permanently disabled due to any cause before the superannuation age, i.e. 60 years, and unable to continue to contribute under the scheme, his/ her spouse will be entitled to continue the scheme subsequently by payment of regular contribution or exit the scheme by receiving the beneficiary’s contribution with interest as actually earned by fund or at the savings bank interest rate whichever is higher.
v. After the death of subscriber as well as his/her spouse, the entire corpus will be credited back to the fund.
vi. Any other exit provision, as may be decided by the Government on advice of NSSB.
k. Default of Contributions:
i. If a subscriber has not paid the contribution continuously, he/she will be allowed to regularize his contribution by paying entire outstanding dues, along with penalty charges, if any, decided by the Government.
l. Pension Pay out:
i. Once the beneficiary joins the scheme at the entry age of 18-40 years, the beneficiary has to contribute till 60 years of age. On attaining the age of 60 years, the subscriber will get the assured monthly pension of Rs.3000/- with benefit of family pension, as the case may be.
m. Doubt and Clarification: In case of any doubt on the scheme, clarification provided by the JS& DGLW will be final.
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Anime Revolution Vancouver 2012 Day 1 (partial)
This weekend is the start of the first Anime Revolution here in Vancouver B.C as it marks my first ever anime con. Here is a brief re-cap of today's events, but there was so much to write about that I don't have time at the moment.
There was a ton of awesome stuff on day 1, first off it took about an hour and a half to get into the damn convention center, which was equal for both pre-registered people and people just registering, which kinda ruined the whole pre-register option.
While standing in a long line-up there were some awesome cosplayers which grabbed the attention of some people from Japan wanting pics with everyone, except for me. I dressed as Shizuo Heiwajima, and I must say it was pretty legit.
Surprisingly there was a ratio of 50-50 for cosplays and regular street clothes, but there was definitely a lot of people attending. The most common cosplay theme was Zelda, with about 10 or so Link's sporting various colours and costume quality. There was also an abundance of Vocaloid, Madoca Magica, Final Fantasy, and FMA. There were a ton of unique costumes including a SIMS guy, Lolipop Chainsaw, Super Meat Boy, Pedo Bear, and fully suited Alphonse Elric. Some of the most High quality costumes were a full Master Chief outfit with fans inside his helmet, cellphone attached to his arm, glowing lights, shotgunn, and speaker system, which took him about 1000 hours to make.
For the events I watched the Anime Walk Off, where two dressed cosplay competitors battle it out on stage with dance moves, and zoolander actions to move on to the next round. This event was pretty hilarious as Loki and Lelouche battled it out with steeds including a My Little Pony cosplayer.
The biggest thing was the large vendor area where you could buy an assortment of posters, plush dolls, weapons, Gundams, manga, movies, and all your anime merchandise. I ended up spending $100 on a Shining hearts Figure, World Ends With You badge, three posters featuring Lightning, Black Rock Shooter, and Midna on wolf Link, as well as a mini Cyndaquill handmade wool doll.
I need some sleep as the con starts at 9am tomorrow so I will try and get day 1 and 2 up when I get home tomorrow night, unless I stay there till 1am that is haha.
Anime, Djr7
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Yahoo! Launches Shine, Calacanis Confused…
March 31, 2008 12:50 pm / 3 Comments / Pat McCarthy
Yahoo! today announced the launch of their new women’s site Shine. While the site looks great, and as a Yahoo! employee I probably care more about Yahoo! news than most people, I didn’t think it’d really make much of a splash in the tech blog world and the feeds I normally read.
Well, Jason Calacanis stirred up a controversy by claiming that Yahoo! was competing with it’s advertising publisher partners by creating a site that competes with them. Normally, I tend to think Jason is on the ball with a lot of his opinions, but his post on this subject doesn’t seem well thought out.
First, Jason is obviously asking for some help:
Someone please explain to me why they would do something so dumb right now. Rafat Ali? Kara Swisher? Mike Arrington? Om Malik? Henry Blodget? Someone please clue me in… because this seems so dumb I can’t understand it.
Okay, so my name isn’t on his list, but I’ll try and explain anyway.
Jason seems shocked that Yahoo! would launch a content site:
Ummm….. hello!?!?!? isn’t Yahoo’s business to PARTNER with sites like Jane and the WSJ? Isn’t the point of the Yahoo Publisher Network to support and grow publishers and newspapers!??! What next a consumer electronics site to compete with Engadget and Gizmodo, or a sports site to compete with ESPN and Sportsline? A gossip site to compete with PerezHIlton and Gawker?
Actually, a large part of Yahoo!’s business for years has been to create content sites. As the #1 publisher on the web in areas like news, finance, and sports Yahoo!’s clearly a company that creates content for the purpose of selling ads on it. Jason is right that part of Yahoo!’s business is also partnering with publishers to sell ads on their site, and it would appear that this can create a conflict of interest.
However, we’re in the world of “coopetition” now on the web where you compete and cooperate with partners. Yahoo! has had news, finance, and sports publishing partners for years while it also had it’s own sites in this area. Shine is not a new case of this at all.
Additionally, Jason’s own company Mahalo should be well aware of the concept of coopetition as they compete with Google while also partner with Google to display Google search results in areas that Mahalo has no results pages built out. Should Google not partner with Jason and Mahalo because they know that Jason is coming after them?
Next, Jason tries to compare Yahoo! to Google by saying Google makes it clear they won’t compete with you:
Folks at Google make a point of letting partners know they will NEVER move into the content space and compete with them. They understand that the partnership with content creators is greater than taking the business away from them. That’s why publisher are so upset with Google for even considering launching KNOL. If I were Google I would NOT launch Knol… it’s going to really jeopardize Google’s relationships with publishers.
Well, if that’s what Google is telling you Jason, they’re lying. Ever hear of YouTube? Google News? Google Finance? And as you mentioned, the soon to be launched Google Knol? I think these are examples of Google competing with their video/entertainment partners, news partners, and finance partners. They’re only missing a couple of other big categories before they’re competing with all of them.
And the other big ad providers in Microsoft and AOL/Advertising.com/Tacoda/Quigo also compete with all their partners with their own content properties. So if publishers were to follow Jason’s advice that publishers should drop Yahoo! over this, they’ll need to drop Google/Microsoft/AOL as well. That’s not leaving many options.
My last point is about why owning strong content sites in areas you partner with publishers actually makes sense for Yahoo!/Google/Microsoft/AOL. What does a Yahoo! publisher partner want from Yahoo? They want Yahoo! to bring them the best advertisers for their content area.
How does Yahoo! get relationships with those advertisers in order to include publisher partners in that ad buy? They use industry-leading content sites where the advertiser knows they’re getting a great audience. Yahoo! can go to a Charles Schwab and say “Hey Charles, we know you want to place an ad buy on Yahoo! Finance because it’s the #1 finance site on the web, but we can also run that buy efficiently across these other 10 great finance publishers we have relationships with.”
That’s a much more likely ad sale than if Yahoo! just came to Charles Schwab with the 10 finance publishers. Shine should actually strengthen Yahoo!’s ability to get good ad deals for it’s women’s category publishing partners.
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Posted in: Advertising
3 Thoughts on “Yahoo! Launches Shine, Calacanis Confused…”
peter caputa on April 1, 2008 at 9:03 am said:
Right on, Patrick. What you’re laying down makes perfect sense. I imagine that Yahoo! is also attributing and linking to content it sources from it’s publisher partners too?
Jason’s just trying to cause some controversy so people will link to him. You fell for it.
I think it’s “Coopetition” btw with an “e” in it.
Pat McCarthy on April 1, 2008 at 10:47 am said:
Thanks for the spelling correction Peter, and you’re right that I did fall for it. Even if Jason is linkbaiting, can’t let him not be corrected!
Webanalyticsbook on April 1, 2008 at 4:18 pm said:
Great post! Having met Jason at SES and getting a private demo I believe he sometimes he is just too passionate about his product and makes false assumptions based on that.
Yahoo,Google and Microsoft are moving more and more in the content space and that’s not really a surprise.
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Electric Sheep – reviews
THE COUNTERFEITERS
October 4, 2007 VirginieSelavy
Venue: Nationwide
Distributor Metrodome
Director: Stefan Ruzowitzky
Original title:Die Fälscher
Cast: Karl Markovics, August Diehl, Devid Striesow
Austria/Germany 2007
In the dying years of World War II the Nazis launched the secretive Operation Bernhard, a last-ditch, desperate attempt to destroy the economies of the Allied countries by flooding their markets with forged bank notes. It was history’s largest counterfeiting operation, run out of barracks 19 and 20 in the Sachsenhausen concentration camp.
Austrian director Stefan Ruzowitzky’s compelling film explores the terrible dilemma that confronted the Jewish prisoners recruited for the operation. He has crafted a unique approach to the Holocaust genre, forsaking sentimentality for moral ambiguity, probing the motives of both the prisoners and their Nazi captors, in and out of the camps.
‘Sally’ Salomon Sorowitsch (Karl Markovics) is a Russian Jew living in the decadent, bohemian Berlin of the pre-war years. A night club owner, loan shark, artist and counterfeiter, he forges passports for Jews trying to flee the country for financial gain or sexual favours, not solidarity. He is seemingly nonchalant about the anti-Semitism sweeping through Germany. When a guest at one of his parties derides him for being Jewish, he casually suggests that she might want to spit out the Rothschild champagne she is drinking. Finally arrested for fraud, Sally is sent to Mauthausen, a slave labour camp, where he paints portraits for the Nazis in exchange for food and a relatively comfortable existence.
Eight years later, the man who arrested him, Friedrich Herzog (the excellent Devid Striesow) – now an SS Sturmbannfí¼hrer – selects him for Operation Bernhard, along with a number of more respectable members of Jewish society – fellow artists, bank managers, craftsmen. They are isolated from the rest of the camp, given soft beds, hot meals, even a ping-pong table. But Sally’s willingness to collaborate with the Nazis is challenged by Adolf Burger (August Diehl), a young, idealistic printer who has also been recruited for the project. Fervently opposed to aiding the Germans with their war effort, he is determined to sabotage the operation, putting the lives of his colleagues at risk. He rejects Sally’s pragmatism, identifying solely with the suffering of the prisoners outside the barrack walls. Burger becomes the very embodiment of guilt, simply for being a survivor.
The casual brutality and ritual humiliation suffered by Jews under the Nazi regime never ceases to be shocking or repulsive. There are the persistent insults, the constant threats of violence, the sadistic guard who urinates on Sally while he’s forced to scrub toilets. However, Ruzowitzky does not confine his contempt to the Germans, but subtly explores the complexities that haunted Jews like Sally and his colleague Kolya (Sebastian Urzendowsky), a young artist and fellow Russian. They are caught between two impossible ideologies, National Socialism and Communism, embodied by two terrifying regimes. Sally speaks German rather than Russian, alluding to a life and a family in Russia that have been torn away from him. He is utterly contemptuous of Burger’s socialist ideals, his own destroyed, replaced by a selfish instinct for survival. Sally, like millions of others, has been utterly eviscerated by the twin horrors that raged through Europe in those pivotal decades.
Stylishly filmed and superbly acted, The Counterfeiters is a film that manages to be suspenseful, entertaining and provocative, perfectly capturing the agonising decisions that tormented the men in Sachsenhausen.
Sarah Cronin
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Dan the Pixar Fan
A blog dedicated to my personal collection of pixar toys and collectibles
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The Art of Toy Story 4 Book Review
It's my favorite time of year—another Pixar film, another "Art of" book from Chronicle Books publishing! The Art of Toy Story 4 is the 21st Pixar release in this acclaimed, bestselling "Art of" series (which began in 2001 with Monsters Inc.), all of which I've reviewed right here in years past. I've collected these books for a long time now and always look forward to them! I'm glad to see the series still going strong and popular within the Disney/Pixar/Animation fan community. A huge thanks to Chronicle Books for sending me this copy!
First of all, if you're not familiar with this series, these books are essentially the definitive source for all officially released Pixar concept art and "making of" content (storyboards, colors scripts, lighting studies, character/environment layouts, pencil sketches, digital renderings, research photographs, deleted scenes/concepts and so much more— as well as a sprinkling of quotes, stories and insights from the creators); an amazing look into the creative process and development from the team of artists at Pixar!
Note: There are also "Art of" books for films from other studios as well, including Lucasfilm, Disney Animation, Dreamworks and more.
The front and back covers feature some of the vibrant art you'll find within these pages. Really gorgeous stuff. The front cover makes me wish we had a moment like that in the film though—it would have been nice to have a callback to when Bo Peep would get Woody's attention by hooking him with her staff.
As usual, remove the slipcover to reveal the sturdy hardcover book itself and the film's embossed logo. Loving the deep red this time around.
Now we'll open things up to give you an exclusive peek at some of the opening pages!
The foreword this time was written by Annie Potts (voice of Bo Peep), who shares how she got involved with the original film back in 1994 and what Toy Story and Pixar Studios mean to her. It's all beautifully stated!
The introduction was written by Josh Cooley (the film's director), who shares some really down to earth insights about why he wanted to tell this story after a perfectly wrapped-up trilogy. He discuses "trusting the process", "trusting the people you work with" and "touching on universal truth" when crafting stories. He seems like a really cool dude who I'd love to just sit down and have a chat with.
Continuing on, below is a peek at some of the other many, many pages of colorful art you'll discover inside! I'm not wanting to show a lot here (I don't want to to give anything away that might spoil the film if you by chance haven't seen it yet), but here's at least a little sampling of what you can expect.
Note: There's a miniature storybook insert of Gabby Gabby's book from the film included inside! What a cool detail right? Don't miss it.
The book closes out with some acknowledgments (special thanks) by the producers of the film, Jonas Rivera and Mark Nielsen.
Some of my favorite parts of this book are the small tidbits here and there regarding abandoned concepts, ideas and scenes. As director Josh Cooley states in his introduction, "We went down a LOT of different story paths over the years (we could fill a twenty-volume set of Toy Story 4 'Art of' books with all the material created for the different versions of the film." What a tease! As a massive Toy Story fan, that stuff fascinates me more than anything. One of my only [small] complaints here is that I wish there was more of that content. Much of the art (while stunningly beautiful) basically just mirrors the final images and characters seen in the film. I'd say 90% of the art is from once the story and world were very much established.
For example, there is one particular deleted scene included here in storyboard form that I loved seeing. Honestly, I really wish it was left in the film! It's more of a moment, but it's a flashback to when Bo's lamp was first brought into Andy's room and plugged in next to Molly's crib. Woody looks up at Bo and Bo looks back at Woody and it's love at first sight. It's beautiful and I wish I could have seen that play out on screen. Perhaps the blu-ray will feature that clip and more of an explanation on why it was cut.
Speaking of explanations, that's one more thing I would have liked to see more of here. I would have enjoyed a bit more text and behind the scenes insights from the creators explaining the creative process and why certain decisions were made. Other those couple minor nitpicks though, this is an incredible book and a most welcome addition to the collection! It's absolutely a must have for Toy Story fans.
If you're looking to get into this industry (or perhaps you already are), this is a great learning tool; for everyone else, it's just a feast for the eyes. There are so many details in this book that you really could look through and study it for hours (and I'm sure I will). If you're interested in adding this to your collection, I recommend picking it up at Barnes & Noble or on Amazon using the direct link below.
And there you go! That's my review, which is just a small taste at what you can expect inside. Per usual, this is a really beautiful tribute to the incredibly talented artists who worked so hard at making the film what it is today, yet who too often go unnoticed. Do you have a favorite Pixar artist whose work you look forward to seeing? Let me know all your thoughts on this book and any questions you might have down in the comments.
Size: 11.4" x 9.4"
Retail Price: $40 (though it's always on sale for less, usually around $26)
Original Release Date: May 7th, 2019
Posted by Dan the Pixar Fan at 7:53 PM
Labels: Art, Books, Toy Story 4
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Praise for EJD
New York TImes Best-selling Author
USA Today #BookmarkThis: Eric Jerome Dickey dishes on ‘Finding Gideon’
The writer's new book, 'Finding Gideon,' brings back a popular character who's a hit man.
Check out this story on USATODAY.com: http://usat.ly/2oTdSjw
Fans have been waiting since 2009 for the return of Gideon, the sexy and mysterious hit man who stars in five of Eric Jerome Dickey’s best-selling novels. Gideon’s now back and battling international mercenaries in Dickey’s latest thriller, Finding Gideon (Dutton). The author spoke with USA TODAY’s Carly Mallenbaum and took fan questions on Facebook Live as part of the #BookmarkThis series. Here are the highlights:
Q: Tell us about your new book.
A: It’s actually a sequel to Resurrecting Midnight. So it’s a lot of adventure. Gideon is an assassin and we have this whole gallery of characters in his universe, from con men to killers to lying mothers. When you say it, it sounds like, “Oh my god, these are horrible people.” But when you read it they bring so much suspense and drama. I think they’re so unpredictable. They don’t have the moral compass that Joe Average or Jane Average would have.
Q: What took so long to bring Gideon back?
A: It wasn’t intentional, this delay. I actually had started working on this Gideon book immediately after Resurrecting Midnight but got derailed because I had to do a couple other projects. And I had a couple of false starts.
Q:Who is your favorite character to write about?
A: Oh gosh. I really enjoy writing about Shotgun. He’s on Gideon’s team; he’s this huge, hulking ex-boxer who’s illiterate. He’s illiterate but he knows how to survive. If we lost all power, he knows how to get food out of the ground. A lot of people, if there’s not a Trader Joe’s around, they’re going to starve to death. I don’t judge him if he’s read Faulkner or not. Also, Shotgun, being a black man in the South, there are other things he has to be able to do to survive as well. You’re part of a subculture and you have to participate in, survive and deal with another culture. That’s just reality.
'Finding Gideon' by Eric Jerome Dickey
Q:What’s the key to writing erotica without it sounding too clinical but also not too graphic? How do you find that balance? Are you best friends with a Thesaurus? You do make it sound sexy.
A: Thank you, thank you! I’ve read bad erotica; even reading bad erotica, you learn from that. (Bad erotica) sounds really clinical, like you’re writing about two machines functioning. You leave out the emotional aspect of it. (With good erotica), hopefully it feels believable. You can tell it's working, especially with an erotic scene, when you give it to your friends and you say, "What do you think about this?" and they say, "Give me more."
Q: If the Gideon series were to be made for TV or the movies, who would you cast to play him?
A: People have associated actors with Gideon when they’ve talked to me and I’ve just played along (laughs). A lot of times who’s cast is the hot guy of the moment, the heartthrob of the moment, and my thing would be someone who could actually do the role. I would be big on casting an unknown.
TheAdminDiva
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Eric Jerome Dickey is a New York Times best-selling American author best known for his novels about contemporary African-American life.
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Call For a Free Legal Consultation
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What Happens in a Public Inquest into a Homicide By a Medical Examiner?
by dave on October 11, 2012
in Criminal Justice
An inquest has been ordered in the death of Derek Williams after the medical examiner ruled his death while in Milwaukee police custody was a homicide. But, as this Journal Sentinel report reveals, inquests are rarely productive and wrought with problems. So, is the inquest just a symbolic effort to save face?
The case of Derek Williams marks the first inquest ordered by District Attorney John Chisolm, since he took office in 2007. This is a marked difference from his predecessor. E. Michael McCann, who ordered inquests into police deaths anytime a family requested them. Unlike Chisolm, he saw them as a way to share facts about a case and come up with ideas that could make positive changes to police policy. Chisolm seems to see them as an admittance of police failure.
In July 2011, when Chisolm was first given the case file of Derek Williams, he determined there was no need for an inquest. He met with Williams’ family, showed them the video of his death, and explained why he thought the police officers acted professionally. They asked for an inquest. He denied it.
Now, after the medical examiner has revisited the case and ruled it a homicide, he has had a change of heart. “There was a change in the medical finding and there need to be public scrutiny of the entire process, and I do not have a problem with that,” he said.
Both the city’s police department and the civilian Fire and Police Commission have reopened their investigations as well, after previously finding no fault with the officers involved.
So, what happens at an inquest?
The inquest involves a jury of citizens who are presented arguments from the prosecutor. That is the only attorney allowed in. While criminal trials are adversarial in nature, with two attorneys arguing sides, the inquest is very one-sided.
The jury doesn’t hear from the family or other attorneys and there is no cross-examination. Witnesses are only called by the prosecutor and only the prosecutor prevents any evidence. In other words—it’s a one-man-show.
Because the prosecutor is considered law-enforcement’s top dog, there is little question whose side they are usually on. They work closely with police and in order to keep that relationship amicable, some argue, the prosecutor won’t step too far out to call police practices into question.
At least in the William’s inquest there will be a special prosecutor. Former judge and U.S. attorneys John Franke has been named special prosecutor. The decision to levy any state criminal charges will ultimately come from him or the state Department of Justice. Federal charges could be filed, but those will come from U.S. Attorney James Santelle. Some have called on Santelle to open a larger-scale civil rights investigation into the entire Milwaukee police department.
What will come of the inquest remains to be seen. But many doubt that it will serve as anything more than a temporary and symbolic pacifier to those who are outraged at Williams’ death.
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Written by Drew Siragusa, Fanbase Press Senior Contributor
‘American Gods: Season 1, Episode 5 - Lemon Scented You’ - TV Review
“Lemon Scented You” started with the usual coming-to-America prologue, but in an unusual way. It showed how Nynyunnini came to America when early humans first migrated here. Since the prehistoric setting would have drastically increased the cost of the episode, they decided to animate it. Instead of the typical sleek and shiny CGI that is so popular now, they opted to go with a darker and grittier aesthetic modeled on stop-motion to give it an eerier quality.
This week we saw two big confrontations. The first of which is Laura and Mad Sweeney, two characters whose roles have been expanded for the show. Mad Sweeney is in search of his coin, but Laura is reluctant to return it as it is what brought her back to life. He reveals that the sun coin was meant for royalty and not to be given to just anyone.
We also saw the first showdown between the old gods and the new gods. Mr. World (played by Crispin Glover) made his first appearance and along with Media and the Technical Boy he offered a merging of the analog and digital gods. Mr. Wednesday, the individualist, has no desire to join the ranks of Mr. World’s globalist ways. The plan is to unite the factions by using the rebranding the old gods with new methods. Media even tempts Wednesday with a satellite whose acronym bears his name and will make people remember him. I have to admit, this was a bit of an anticlimactic way to reveal his true name; however, the show has been pretty blatant with the hints, so you should have been able to guess his identity by now.
Published in: TV
Drew Siragusa, Fanbase Press Senior Contributor
Favorite Movie: Metropolis
Favorite Comic Book: The Ultimates
Favorite Video Game: The Legend of Zelda
Latest from Drew Siragusa, Fanbase Press Senior Contributor
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Fanbase Press' Scariest 2019: ‘Raggedy Ann & Andy: A Musical Adventure’
SDCC 2019: Jody Houser Talks ‘Doctor Who,’ Relating to the 10th Doctor, and More
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‘Doctor Who: Series 10, Episode 8 - The Lie of the Land’ - TV Review
‘The Mandalorian: Season 1, Episode 3’ TV Review (This Is the Way)
‘The Mandalorian: Season 1, Episode 2’ TV Review (No More Blasters in the Valley)
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Russia to buy Norwegian natural gas
Although it has a third of the world's natural gas reserves, Russia faces so many difficulties in delivering gas to some remote areas that the northern Murmansk region is considering procuring Norwegian natural gas from the Barents Sea deposit of Snoehvit.
The region is one of the few areas in Russia that do not have gas pipelines and all the gas consumed there is liquefied and delivered by rail. There were initially hopes that a gas pipeline running through the region could be built when the Barents Sea's Shtokman gas field is developed. However, the current development plans are focused on a future $ 20 bn LNG production project.
Given that it cannot afford this, Gazprom has been negotiating an LNG deal with foreign investors for many years, but so far with little success. The field is expected to be put into production in 2010 at best.
Faced with another five years of waiting, Yury Yevdokimov, governor of the Murmansk region, offered Norwegian producer Statoil a market for Produced-produced natural gas that, according to Statoil Senior Vice President Tor-Ivar Pedersen, will be available from 2006.
Lev Snykov, an analyst with Sovlink brokerage, doubts that long-term supplies of Norwegian gas are on the table. He believes the purchases of Norwegian natural gas will become irrelevant when production of Shtokman LNG begins.
Alexander Razuvayev, chief analyst with financial company Megatrastoil, argues the governor only turned north for supplies after failing to find opportunities on the national market.
Source: Russian Information Agency Novosti
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Get Leoti
Wichita County Fair Carnival
Washington Ames House
Get Rural Kansas Home Page | Leoti Home Page | Explorations
Leoti Explorations
Learn more about Leoti by following the links below:
Marion Bonner Exhibit Murals
Address: 201 North 4th Street
Leoti, KS 67861
Telephone Number: 620.375.2316
Website: www.wichitacountymuseum.org
About this Exploration:
Step back, way back, in time and get a peek at prehistoric western Kansas, where much of the land was under water and massive fish swam the seas. Leoti native and paleontologist Marion Bonner was fascinated with this era and spent much of his life scouring the hillsides in search of fossils that would help unlock these prehistoric mysteries.
The Museum of the Great Plains honors Marion Bonner's work with an exhibit featuring some of his fossil finds and a set of three murals depicting those prehistoric times. The artist, Chuck Bonner, Marion Bonner's son, captures what might have been in these colorful paintings.
In 2010, a new genus of fish was named after Marion Bonner and his family. Bonnerichtys, a huge plankton feeder, 20 to 25 feet long, was not known to exist in the Cretaceous seas. But it was back in 1971 when the discovery was first made, Marion and Chuck were fossil hunting when Chuck discovered the fossil bone sticking out of a chalk spire. It was Marion, however, who went on to collect the specimen. It took months to collect and was eventually given to the University of Kansas Natural History Museum where one of Bonner's other children, Orville, worked. Scientists were puzzled as to its identity but years went by before it caught the attention of a researcher working on his Ph.D. who began studying the fish and identified it as a new genus. One of Bonner's other famous discoveries is the "Fish within a Fish" fossil.
The Bonner Murals were voted as the winner of the 8 Wonders of Wichita County in Art.
The Museum of the Great Plains is open Tuesday-Friday 1-5 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday 2-5 p.m.
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Simone Cahoj
206 South 4th Street / P.O. Box 345
Map & Directions to Leoti
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Frome volunteer’s cycle challenge for greyhounds
FROME’S Jan Lake has taken part in a national cycle challenge organised by Greyhound Rescue West of England (GRWE).
The charity’s Land’s End to John o’ Groats challenge came to Somerset last Wednesday, and Jan joined in to pedal a section of the route; arriving in Bristol at 11.30am the following morning.
“It was enjoyably hard work for me, but for our lead cyclist Toby Boram this is a formidable challenge” said Jan. “Toby set off from Land’s End on August 5th and intends to ride all the way to John o’ Groats in just 10 days.”
GRWE is run by volunteers, with the support of just three administrative staff – so funds raised by the challenge will go straight to dogs in need.
“Toby is not a professional cyclist,” continued Jan. “He is a 51-year-old schoolteacher, who wanted to make a difference for the dogs he loves. His tagline is ‘all about the hounds, not the bike’ which says it all for me too.”
Volunteer Jan, whose role within GRWE includes matching greyhounds and lurchers with local adopters, says her training with Frome Running Club held her in good stead for the event.
If you wish to support Jan, go to www.justgiving .com/tobygrwelejog
To follow the progress of the cycling team, go to www.facebook.com/tobygrwelejog
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culture vs. the search for truth
What if your teenage daughter suddenly declared herself transgender. Should you acquiesce with the activists’ claim that she’s mature enough for medical treatments that will permanently affect her health, fertility and future? Or, could she possibly be influenced by societal pressure?
Dr Lisa Littman (MD, Brown University) doesn’t have the answer. Transgender activists didn’t even want her to ask the question.
Dr. Littman’s study about transgender-identifying teens was published in the scientific journal PLOS One. She analyzed an uptick in parental reports that teens were suddenly and unexpectedly insisting their gender identity didn’t match their sex.
Since little is known about rapid-onset gender dysphoria (ROGD), Dr Littman surveyed 256 parents. She collected information about their teens’ mental health, friends and social-media use. 85% of the parents she surveyed reported their support for gay marriage.
Dr Littman’s findings suggested some ROGD young people may have been driven in part by “social and peer contagion” i.e., peer pressure. Nearly 70% of the ROGD teenagers belonged to a peer group in which at least one friend had recently come out as transgender. In some groups, the majority had done so. Nearly 65% of ROGD teens had increasingly spent time on pro-transgender websites and social media.
60% of parents who knew their ROGD child’s social status claimed their child coming out brought with it a popularity boost. These parents said their child’s friends frequently mocked people who were not gay or transgender. Parents also reported their children who had second thoughts about identifying as transgender expressed fear of social repercussion—being branded as fake or phony or even a traitor.
Dr Littman stated her study is not conclusive, more research is needed. Her detractors don’t want any research.
Such research “negates the experience of many transgender youth,” claims Diane Ehrensaft of the Child and Adolescent Gender Center Clinic at the University of California San Francisco’s Benioff Children’s Hospital.
Transgender activist Brynn Tannehill calls Dr. Littman’s research “a naked attempt to legitimize anti-transgender animus with a veneer of academic responsibility.”
Zinnia Jones of Gender Analysis, called rapid-onset gender dysphoria a “hoax diagnosis” perpetuated by those who would deny transgender children “acceptance and affirmation.”
TS Hailey Heartless @SadistHailey tweeted “The article was written using transphobic dog whistles (sex observed at birth, for example) so it’s most likely they have a transphobic contributor who knows exactly what they’re doing.”
PLOS One thanked @SadistHailey for “bringing this to our attention.” Editor-in-chief Joerg Heber announced PLOS One would subject the article to “further expert assessment on the study’s methodology.”
Brown University, where Dr Littman teaches, took down a news release as well as social-media posts about her study. Dean Bess Marcus acknowledged “concerns that the conclusions of the study could be used to discredit efforts to support transgender youth and invalidate the perspectives of members of the transgender community.” Brown University then updated its statement, claiming ”this is not about academic freedom as some news outlets have made it out to be … this is about academic standards.”
Dr Jeffrey S Flier, MD is the Distinguished Service Professor at Harvard, and Higginson Professor of Medicine and Neurobiology. He’s also a former Harvard dean. He claims the attacks on Dr Littman’s research is all about limiting academic freedom and the pursuit of truth.
Dr Flier reports individuals invested in transgenderism petitioned PLOS One with accusations against Dr Littman’s methodology. These assertions—supported by a social media campaign—promoted PLOS One to announce an additional “expert review” of its previously peer reviewed article.
“As a physician, endocrinologist and medical researcher, I have a professional interest in gender dysphoria. Increasingly, research on politically charged topics is subject to indiscriminate attack on social media, which can pressure school administrators to subvert free academic inquiry.”
The dean of Brown University opines scientific faculty must take into consideration the personal perspectives of people. Dr Flier claims the letter written by Dean Bess Marcus implies Dr Littman was guilty of violating academic principles—“an implicit accusation for which no evidence is evident or adduced.”
In academia today, as in the medieval church, some inquiries are not allowed. You can’t even ask. ~
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Software // Operating Systems
Windows 10 Updates History Site Launched
Microsoft's new Window 10 update history website will contain notes on each update and serve as a hub for information on older releases.
10 Cool Microsoft Garage Projects You Didn't Know About
Microsoft has launched a new website for anyone who is curious about the features and fixes released in each Windows 10 update.
On a new Windows 10 update history website, Microsoft will provide notes on each update as it rolls out. The site will serve as a hub for historical information on previous Windows 10 updates, and it will be revised with new data for each release.
The creation of the website could potentially be a response to heightened demands for transparency among Windows users. Microsoft has encouraged users to submit their opinions on the new OS to inform future changes.
[Microsoft and Google: Jumping into the cloud competition.]
"After listening to feedback regarding the level of disclosure for Windows 10 updates, we decided to implement a new system for communicating updates to the operating system," said a Microsoft spokesperson.
Windows 10 marked a significant change in the way Microsoft planned to update its OS. Instead of releasing major numbered releases, its Windows-as-a-Service model would include regular updates to add new features and address problems.
Redmond has been consistent in releasing these updates since releasing Windows 10 to the public last summer.
However, it has been difficult to determine what is new in each update, especially if the changes are minor. Microsoft has been sharing the details of different releases in posts on its Windows Blog, but there has never been a central location for all update details.
To be fair, most consumers don't have much interest in the changes arriving on their PCs each month. The update history site could prove a valuable resource for business users or IT administrators who need to keep track of fixes in case something goes wrong.
When Microsoft launched the Windows 10 history website on Feb. 9, it also rolled out a cumulative update. This release, which will bring the most current Windows systems to 10586.104, is the first to come with notes.
The accompanying notes indicate this update fixes problems across Windows 10, including authentication and update installation, app downloads, Windows 10 Mobile, and Internet Explorer 11.
(Image: Microsoft)
The most recent release also addresses several security issues affecting .NET Framework, Active Directory Federation Services, Windows Journal, and kernel-mode drivers. It also fixes a security problem in Microsoft Edge and Internet Explorer 11 that could have allowed code from a malicious website to be installed and run on a PC.
Release notes for the various changes range from specific and helpful to decidedly vague.
For example, "Fixed issue that didn't allow simultaneous install of apps from the Windows Store and updates from Windows Update" is specific and says exactly what was wrong.
However, "Fixed additional issues with the Windows UX, Windows 10 Mobile, Internet Explorer 11, Microsoft Edge, and taskbar," is more general and prompts further questions.
Microsoft ramped up the aggression on its Windows 10 push in January, when it announced its "Get Windows 10" alerts would be arriving on business PCs. Shortly after, we learned hardware with new CPUs will not support Windows 7 or Windows 8.1.
Does your company offer the most rewarding place to work in IT? Do you know of an organization that stands out from the pack when it comes to how IT workers are treated? Make your voice heard. Submit your entry now for InformationWeek's People's Choice Award. Full details and a submission form can be found here.
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Orchestras and Classical Ensembles
Plymouth Philharmonic
Lexington Symphony
New England Philharmonic
Boston Chamber Ensemble
Brookline Symphony
Avalon String Quartet
Gliere String Duo
Tomoko was a scholarship student at Berklee College of Music (1990-1993), where she studied with Sharon Leventhal (classical violin), Matt Glaser (jazz violin), Herb Pomeroy, Greg Hopkin and Ken Pullig (jazz arranging and composition).
Being a "jazzy" violinist, Tomoko has performed with groups representing styles from classical, rock, pop to jazz to world music, demonstrating a great sense of improvisation.
Tomoko leads a gypsy jazz quartet "440" and is also a member and composer/arranger of J-Way (jazz string quartet) and Axis Electric Strings (Top 40 songs). She provided arrangements and performed as a soloist with Mood Swings Orchestra (jazz big band), and wrote many grade school level arrangements for Newton All-City Orchestra.
Besides being a jazz musician, Tomoko continues to perform classical music with Plymouth Philharmonic, Lexington Symphony, New England Philharmonic, Woodvale string Quartet, just to name a few.
For more than 20 years, Tomoko has taught many students and led group classes and ensembles at Brookline Music School, where she is a current faculty member. She has also taught at Suzuki Institute of Boston, where she received Suzuki teacher training from Donald Becker.
Degrees: B.S. Keio University, Tokyo; B.A. Berklee College of Music; Suzuki Certification through Suzuki Institute of Boston
Brookline Music School, Brookline MA
Indian Hill Music School, Littleton MA
Suzuki Institute of Boston, Boston MA
Brooks School, North Andover MA
Born in Osaka, Japan, Tomoko started playing the violin at age 6. Having a mother who was one of the early Suzuki method pupils, Tomoko soon became one of the most advanced students in the studio. Along with solo repertoire study, she also enjoyed playing with orchestras and chamber ensembles. After graduating from Osaka Kyoiku-dai Tennoji High School, Tomoko moved to Tokyo. She majored in electrical engineering at Keio University, but spent a lot of time playing jazz saxophone and singing in the R&B band. She graduated from college in 1988, and worked as an engineer in Tokyo for a year before moved to the U.S. to pursue her career as a musician.
Tomoko, the Jazzy Violinist
Arranging and Compositions
Groups and Bands
440 (gypsy jazz)
J-Way String Quartet (jazz, rock, pop, world music)
Axis Electric Strings (top 40)
Mood Swings Orchestra (swing big band)
Con Brio Trio (classical, jazz, pop)
A la Modal (jazz & funk)
Hypnotic Clambake (eclectic)
Rumbo Sur (tango)
Greater Bostonians (jazz big band)
Clef Club (early American music)
440 (gypsy jazz & originals)
J-Way String Quartet (jazz & originals)
Axis Electric Strings (popular)
Mood Swings Orchestra (jazz big band)
Newton All-City Orchestra (grade school ensemble)
Arrangements & Compositions
Tomoko, the Jazzy Violinist © 2013
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Wordsworth's Bardic Vocation, 1787-1842
Author: Gravil, Richard
PDF 4 MB. 456 pp. Four illustrations, 2 colour, 2 B&W.
A mobi version is also available but lacking the comprehensive index.
A second edition of one of the most comprehensive critical studies of the poet since the 1960s.
This book presents the poet as balladist, sonneteer, minstrel, elegist, prophet of nature, and national bard. The book argues that Wordsworth’s uniquely various oeuvre is unified by his sense of bardic vocation. Like Walt Whitman or the bards of Cumbria, Wordsworth sees himself as 'the people’s remembrancer'. Like them, he sings of nature and endurance, laments the fallen, and fosters national independence and liberty. His task is to reconcile in one society 'the living and the dead' and to nurture both 'the people' and 'the kind'.
Part 1 offers a comprehensive account of Wordsworth’s early interest and his later researches into antiquarian matters and the contemporary significance of such interest. It includes readings of The Vale of Esthwaite, An Evening Walk, Yew-Trees and the pagan sonnets that introduce Ecclesiastical Sketches. Part Two considers the Salisbury Plain poems, The Ruined Cottage, Lyrical Ballads and the enlightenment ideas about nature underlying The Poem upon the Wye. Part Three explores elegiac Wordsworth in the 'Lucy' poems, his creation of archetypal heroes (Michael, the Discharged Soldier, the Leech-Gatherer) to people the Cumbrian landscape, and how Wordsworth reconfigured 'manliness' in such poems as Brougham Castle, Hart-Leap Well and The White Doe of Rylstone. Part 4 examines The Excursion, the political sonnets, The Convention of Cintra, the Waterloo poems, the 1842 publication of The Borderers and Guilt and Sorrow in the era of Chartism, and (new to this dition) the Intimations Ode.
A new addendum expands on the context of Wordsworth's notorious 'Thanksgiving Ode'.
"This erudite exposition, profligate with its ideas ... succeeds as few others have done in apprehending Wordsworth’s career holistically, incorporating all its diversities and apparent inconsistencies into a unified vision. It justifies fully the notion proposed by Hughes and Heaney that he was England’s last national poet."— Duncan Wu, Review of English Studies
This 420 page study is also in paperback at £17.96 from Lulu.com (rrp £19.95)
Also available in ePub and Mobi, but the PDF is much superior.
Richard Gravil is the author of Romantic Dialogues: Anglo-American Continuities, 1776-1862 (Palgrave 2000), and Wordswoth and Helen Maria Williams, or the Perils of Sensibility (HEB 2010), and co-editor of The Oxford Handbook of William Wordsworth (2015). He is Chairman of the Wordsworth Conference Foundation.
Formal Logic
Wordsworth's Political Writings
Philip Larkin: Selected Poems
T S Eliot: 'Prufrock' and 'The Waste Land'
Octavia Butler: 'Xenogenesis' / 'Lilith's Brood'
D. H. Lawrence: 'Women in Love'
Fields of Agony: British Poetry of the First World War
'Nell, Alice, Lizzy: Three Sisters amidst the Grotesque'. An illustrated essay on book illustration. From Master Narratives, 2nd edition, 2007
The Fenwick Notes of William Wordsworth
The Poems of William Wordsworth: Collected Reading Texts from the Cornell Wordsworth IN ONE VOLUME
Reading SteInbeck: 'Of Mice and Men' and 'The Grapes of Wrath'
‘W. H. Auden's The Sea and the Mirror and the Development of James Merrill's Humane Aesthetic’. Symbiosis 12.2
You may also be interested in these products:
Wordsworth and Helen Maria Williams; or, the Perils of Sensibility
See Lulu Paperback 17.95
Review Comment
‘A remarkable account of Wordsworth’s long writing life, with something fresh and often provocative to say about its many extraordinary poetic achievements, both famous and forgotten. It is difficult to imagine a better explicator of this most complex of modern poets: Gravil is scholarly and humane, sharp-eyed and good-humoured.’ —Seamus Perry, Balliol College, Oxford
‘This outstandingly original book reveals in fascinating detail how William Wordsworth—prophet of nature, remembrancer of his kind—attuned his poetry to the bardic voices of the ancient world. Embracing the full diversity of Wordsworth’s career.... the Wordsworth that emerges is freshly situated in his own cultural milieu and times, and speaks to us with renewed vitality.’ —Nicholas Roe, University of St Andrews
‘A richly rewarding monograph ... one of the most important publications on Wordsworth in recent years’ —Matthew Scott, Yearbook of English Studies
‘Engaged and refreshingly direct ... this is criticism which discusses craft and concept with equal facility and insight.’—Damian Walford Davies, Romanticism
"I regard Chapter 6 as the most important piece on the 'Poem on the Wye' that has come out in the last 20 years or so, and, to be honest, the best piece on the poem that I have ever read. "
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Ian Austin
Independent for Dudley North
My Pledges
News / Austin: We must listen to mainsteam concerns about immigration
Austin: We must listen to mainsteam concerns about immigration
Posted by Ian Austin 621pc on October 13, 2015
Speaking in a House of Commons debate on the Immigration Bill, Dudley MP Ian Austin calls for action to tackle mainstream concerns on immigration.
Full text of the speech:
In April 1939, a ten-year-old Jewish boy from a small industrial town called Ostrava in what was then Czechoslovakia was put on a train by his mum and teenage sisters.
He was the only member of his family able to leave, and it was the last time he’d see them.
He arrived in the UK able only to speak three words of English but became the youngest grammar school head teacher in the country, was honoured with an MBE for his education and his charity work and adopted four children, of whom I am the second, so I know all about the benefits that immigration can bring to individuals, our communities and our country.
But I also know that immigration is something many people are very worried about.
The latest research from the Oxford Migration Observatory shows immigration has ranked in the top five issues for British people for many years, and has ranked as the number one issue for our country in many of the most recent polls.
Approximately 3 out of 4 British people want to see immigration reduced, and their concerns apply to both EU and non-EU migration.
There is no point mainstream politicians trying to ignore this or refusing to listen to people.
Of course it would be easier to spend all our time moaning about the government or talking about the NHS, but the subject of the conversation we have with the people we represent isn’t just up to us, and it’s our job to listen to people on this and come up with fair and reasonable ways of addressing their concerns.
It’s when we fail to do so that reasonable people with legitimate concerns turn to UKIP or, in the past, the BNP.
So I’ve worked hard to listen to listen to local people in Dudley and I’ve held dozens of community meetings over the last two years on this issue.
The truth is: most people are reasonable, fair and pragmatic when it comes to immigration and other contentious issues.
Detailed research from British Future shows that most people are in the ‘anxious middle’, wanting fair controls on immigration but not a closed border.
There’s no way I’m going to pander to people, copy UKIP or exploit these issues, but we do have to listen to the questions and concerns of the people we represent and come up with fair and reasonable answers.
Mainstream politicians should be working in their communities to come up with fair and reasonable solutions to tackle exploitation, the undercutting of wages or some of the other challenges presented by immigration.
It’s not ‘trying to out-UKIP UKIP’: it’s being part of a mainstream Labour Party that takes the concerns and worries that ordinary people have seriously.
The vast majority of the hundreds of people who came to my meetings on immigration and the many thousands who completed my detailed surveys agreed that people with the skills we need should be able to come here, but that we should train more British youngsters to do these jobs too.
They felt people should not be able to come here and be unemployed, claim benefits until they have worked and paid in or claim benefits for children that are not in the country.
And they agreed that Britain has always provided a safe haven for people fleeing persecution abroad.
After listening to people in Dudley I promised to speak up for them in Parliament and push for a Labour Immigration Bill to address their concerns.
For example, I welcome the Bill’s adoption of a Labour policy to help train the next generation of skilled workers here in Britain instead of hiring from abroad.
Labour’s policy would have forced large firms to take on a local apprentice every time they took on a skilled foreign worker, so I think this should go further, but I am pleased that some funding from skilled worker visas will now be put towards apprenticeships.
At the last election I also supported Labour proposals to criminalise the illegal exploitation of foreign workers and create a new Home Office unit to enforce the law, so I support this Bill’s proposals for a Director of Labour Market Enforcement and stronger sanctions against those who employ illegal workers.
Likewise I have always said that if you want to live in Britain you must be prepared to work hard and pay your way, obey the law, uphold the values that make Britain the greatest country in the world and speak English, because there is no other way to play a full part in British society.
So I think it is right that this Bill will make it easier to monitor foreign nationals that have broken the law and ensure that customer-facing public workers speak fluent English.
Most working people will think it is also completely right that this Bill looks to tackle illegal immigration and its links with organised crime, people trafficking and exploitation which has a knock on effect on our communities, on wages and on public services.
But there are a number of measures that I’m worried about.
First, the government has not yet provided any evidence that the trial of plans to intensify the ‘right to rent’ scheme that requires landlords to check the immigration status of prospective tenants has cut illegal migration and there are worrying signs that it made it much harder for British people from other backgrounds to find a home.
More than 40% of landlords who took part in the pilot said they were now less likely to rent to people without a British passport, and more than a quarter said they wouldn’t rent to people with foreign names or accents.
People in Dudley have always told me that they welcome those who come here to work hard and make a contribution.
They are concerned about the impact of illegal immigration on exploitation, wages and public services, but I don’t think reasonable people would support a measure that could prevent British people who have worked and contributed to this country for decades from finding a home just because they have a foreign-sounding name or accent.
Second, the government must go much further to enforce the minimum wage so unscrupulous employers can’t exploit foreign labour to cut costs and drive down wages. I want bigger fines for breaking the rules, and a ban on recruitment agencies hiring solely from overseas.
Third, we should introduce changes to benefit entitlement right now instead of waiting on the Prime Minister’s negotiations with the EU.
There should be a much clearer relationship between benefits and contribution so people only receive benefits if they have worked and paid in for at least two years and there’s absolutely no reason why people should be able to claim child benefit for children that living abroad.
Fourth, people in Dudley want to see tighter border controls.
It’s impossible for people to have confidence in the immigration system if they don’t have confidence in our border controls.
Ministers should listen to the former Shadow Home Secretary’s plan to introduce a levy on US visitors to pay for 1,000 extra border guards and do more to strengthen checks for illegal immigrants in Calais.
Finally, I would like to see the government acknowledge that the costs and benefits of immigration are not shared across the United Kingdom.
Lots of people have moved to places like Dudley in search of work and a better life, making a contribution. But immigration can clearly put pressure on public services like housing, schools and the NHS.
The answer is to build more housing, stop cutting the NHS and ensure that schools have the teachers and staff to cope.
In parts of the country like London this is balanced by the presence of wealthy migrants, but we don’t get many millionaire American bankers, German city traders or French hedge fund managers moving to areas like the Black Country.
So I’d like to see an Immigration Bill that ensures that the benefits migration brings to some parts of Britain helps fund the extra housing, NHS staff and teachers to reduce the pressure on local infrastructure and public services in places like ours.
So while I support some measures in this Bill, we can go much further to listen to mainstream concerns about immigration and provide fair, reasonable and progressive ways of addressing them.
Let’s focus our efforts on the unscrupulous employers and organised gangs that bring people to this country illegally to exploit them.
Let’s strengthen our border force so British people can have confidence that the rules are being enforced.
And let’s ensure that the costs and benefits of immigration are shared across the country.
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Home Elgin Area History last name P
Death records in Elgin, Illinois [Volume 2, part 2]: with burials at Bluff City Cemetery and elsewhere as recorded in the cemetery sextons' ledgers / coordinated by the City of Elgin Heritage Commission.
last name P
Title Death records in Elgin, Illinois [Volume 2, part 2]: with burials at Bluff City Cemetery and elsewhere as recorded in the cemetery sextons' ledgers / coordinated by the City of Elgin Heritage Commission.
Description Death records in Elgin, Illinois from 1925-1949. Listings alphabetical by name include date and location of death, age, date and location of interment, cause of death, husband or wife, occupation, undertaker, physician, nationality, and date and location of birth. Notes for users: Pages are named according to the last names found on them. Names are listed in “rough” alphabetical order only. Within each part of each volume, names which were overlooked earlier in the alphabet, can sometimes be found at the end of each part. For example, part 1 of volume 1 contains the last names A through G. Last name A fills pages 3 through 17, but then appears again at the end of that part of that volume on pages 200-201, and 213-216.
Subject Cemeteries --Illinois -- Elgin
Registers of births, etc. -- Illinois -- Elgin
Elgin (Ill.) -- Genealogy
Keywords Elgin death records
Date Original 1925; 1926; 1927; 1928; 1929; 1930; 1931; 1932; 1933; 1934; 1935; 1936; 1937; 1938; 1939; 1940; 1941; 1942; 1943; 1944; 1945; 1946; 1947; 1948; 1949
Publisher Elgin Heritage Commission
Format microfilm
Source Bluff City Cemetery Sextons' ledgers
City, State Illinois
1930s (1930-1939)
GiftBy Permission for digitization granted in November 2013 by the City of Elgin Heritage Commission
PlaceKept microfilm
Collection Name Elgin Area History
Title last name P
Death records in Elgin, Illinois [Volume 2, part 2]: with...
blankpage
last name H
last name I
last name J
last name K
last name L
last name M
last name N
last name O
kast name P
last name P and Q
last name R
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Cross-regional
Central & South Asia
Europe & NATO
staff focus
Dr. Robert L. Pfaltzgraff
Dr. Jacquelyn K. Davis
Dr. Charles M. Perry
Jack A. Kelly
Eric McVadon
Following are current IFPA projects and those completed since 2017. Please visit our archived projects page for a list of projects completed before 2017.
National Security Update: Online Series
An online series entitled whose purpose is to examine key foreign policy/defense issues and to set forth policy options.
Status of 2020 Defense Authorization/Appropriations and NDAA Highlights, January 8, 2020
Hypersonic Missiles and U.S. Security, November 13, 2019
The Military Applications and Use of Artificial Intelligence, September 16, 2019PDF download
The Trump Administration’s Executive Order on Electromagnetic Pulse, July 15, 2019
The Trump Administration’s Space Force Proposal: Status and Prospects for Approval in Congress, June 17, 2019
The 2019 Missile Defense Review: Strengths and Weaknesses, April 26, 2019
The Trump Administration's Space Force, November 19, 2018
PDF download (821 KB)
The Trump 2018 Nuclear Posture Review, February 28, 2018
The Implications of China’s Actions in the South China Sea and U.S. Options, February 9, 2018
The 2018 NDAA, the Ballistic Missile Defense Review, and the New EMP Commission, January 29, 2018
A Two-Pronged Strategy to Counter the Electromagnetic Pulse Threat and Its Potential Impacts, September 12, 2017
The Trump Administration and Missile Defense, June 22, 2017
Weighing the Consequences of China’s Control over the South China Sea
This was an eighteen-month project to research, analyze, and examine in depth the various consequences for the United States – and, to a somewhat lesser extent, for its regional allies and partner states – of varying degrees of Chinese control over the South China Sea. A monograph was completed in November 2017.
download PDF (2.41 MB), November 2017
The U.S.-Japan-ROK Strategic Triangle and Maritime Security: Building Capacity in Northeast Asia and in the Broader Indo-Pacific Region
This project will focus on the prospects for improving and expanding U.S.-Japan-Republic of Korea (ROK) trilateral cooperation by promoting and building upon greater opportunities for maritime collaboration between and among these three critical allies.
final project report (1.83 MB), February 2017
June 17, 2016, trilateral workshop
Independent Working Group on Missile Defense
As part of IFPA's missile defense program, the Independent Working Group ( IWG ) on Post-ABM Treaty Missile Defense and the Space Relationship is exploring missile defense architectures that include space-based systems.
November 2016 white paper: Missile Defense: Challenges and Opportunities for the Trump Administratio (567 KB)
Nov. 29, 2016, National Review Online op-ed: How Trump Can Fulfill Reagan's Defense Vision
July 14, 2015, Capitol Hill roundtable details, point paper, and video
June 26, 2014, Capitol Hill conference details and video
June 25, 2013, Capitol Hill briefing details and video
April 20, 2012, Capitol Hill briefing details and video
report (7.04 MB)
Managing the Global Impact of America’s Rebalance to Asia
The principal drivers behind America's rebalance toward Asia are Asia's growing economic and strategic importance, as well as increased military spending in the region led by China and Russia, trends that are likely to continue in the foreseeable future. The challenge for U.S. policy makers is to minimize any extra-regional disruptions the rebalance may cause and to maximize its global benefits. This project is an integrated, cross-regional study of the rebalance and its global impact.
color monograph PDF download (2.3 MB)
black & white monograph PDF download(2.35 MB)
New Strategic Dynamics in the Arctic Region: Implications for National Security and International Collaboration
This project explores and assesses trends that together could transform the Arctic from a relative strategic backwater to a strategic crossroads of global importance.
Oct. 2012 article (465 KB)
monograph PDF (47.36MB, no charge)
monograph bound copy ($24.99 + S&H)
After Hatoyama: Preparing for Japanese Foreign Policy in Transition
This project studies the challenges that the recently elected Japanese government faces as it tries to develop viable alternatives to the bilateralism on which its foreign policy has been predicated for over fifty years.
From Rhetoric to Reality:
PDF (1.47 MB, no charge)
bound copy ($15 + S&H) from amazon.com or CreateSpace.com
Coalition Management and Escalation Control in a Multinuclear World
This project focuses on crisis management, escalation control, and strategic stability in a multinuclear era. Dual-use, nuclear-relevant technologies are proliferating and a number of non-nuclear states are reassessing their security options. These trends suggest a need for increased coordination among allies and partners, especially in the context of coalition responses to crisis confrontations and potential nuclear blackmail, and they demand new thinking about deterrence and escalation management overall.
Democracy in Latin America Seminar Series: Challenges of Radical Populism
In association with the Hudson Institute, IFPA has examined radical populism in Latin America in order to provide policy recommendations to leaders of government and civil society in the Hemisphere to help counter anti-democratic forces and authoritarianism.
Peacebuilding as a U.S.-Japan Alliance Mission
Working together with partners from Osaka University’s School of International Public Policy (OSIPP) and others, IFPA has undertaken this project to examine U.S.-Japan peacebuilding collaboration and how it could strengthen the alliance in the long run.
U.S.-Japan Peacebuilding Cooperation, co-edited by Hoshino Toshiya and Weston S. Konishi, a compendium of workshop papers:
bound copy ($23.00 + S&H)
March 31–April 1, 2012, workshop agenda
March 31–April 1, 2012, workshop partcipants
April 2011 workshop
Rapid Strategic Assessment for the NATO Special Operations Headquarters
In support of the NATO Special Operations Headquarters (NSHQ), IFPA is a major contributor to the Rapid Strategic Assessment project, which works with NSHQ in carrying out its core missions.
project-related meetings
NATO Review article by Jacquelyn K. Davis
Peace Regime Building for a Nuclear Weapon-free Korean Peninsula: Next Steps for Capacity Building
In cooperation with institutional partners in Northeast Asia, IFPA is leading a nongovernmental multinational working group to discuss, research, and draft a joint proposal for a Korean peace regime that complements related inter-Korean efforts and facilitates North Korean denuclearization.
interim report (2.65 MB)
Support to the Defense Department, Combatant Commands, and Military Service Leadership
This is an ongoing project for the Department of Defense (DoD), for which the Institute provides detailed policy reports and organizes high-level workshops on critical issues of national security for DoD, combatant command (COCOM), and military service leaderships.
Sending UCAS to Sea: A Superior Carrier through the Unmanned Combat Air System
This project, launched in 2008, considers the key characteristics, capabilities, and future role in carrier fleet operations of the Navy Unmanned Combat Air System (N-UCAS) now under development.
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What a Season!
With a trophy cabinet fit to burst, Kemp Le Tissier Cobo have had a fabulous year. Their first team have managed to win the Spring Knock Out Cup, Evening League Division 1, Weekend League Division 1 and the Channel Island League - that’s every trophy available to them in the season; and let’s not forget to mention several team and individual trophies in the junior leagues.
The club are not new to cricket forming in 1957, so what has been the secret to such a successful season? Jamie, club secretary of the first team said “We made a real effort over the winter to bring the club closer together. We put a lot of time and effort into team social events, we started a newsletter and we also attracted some old players back, as well as recruiting some new players to bolster our squads”.
With such a successful season under their belts what will the winter hold for the teams? “As a first team it will be difficult to improve on what we achieved this year, but to do it again would be even a greater achievement. Sides will certainly be out to get us, and we must make sure that we don't become complacent. For our very youthful second team it is a case of adding a few more youngsters and continuing their development. For our junior league players - just have fun and enjoy their cricket!”
For Kemp Le Tissier, it’s our first sports sponsorship. We support a number of charities, but this was something different for us. We have thoroughly enjoyed keeping up to date with the teams and watching them throughout the summer. We have to admit it’s been particularly pleasing to see them win so many matches and trophies. Angus, director at Kemp Le Tissier said “It’s great to see the teams playing in our colours, to be able to contribute to their success has been great. We look forward to seeing what the coming year brings with the teams working hard to match their success and bring the younger players through the ranks”.
As all amateur sports rely heavily on their sponsors, Jamie would just like to also thank MUG, Norman Piette, Project, and Fletcher Sports who are all subsidiary sponsors for Kemp Le Tissier Cobo cricket teams. Without your support Guernsey would not have such a thriving sporting community.
Congratulations Kemp Le Tissier Cobo!
Many thanks to Guernsey Sport Photography for letting us use their fantastic photos.
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Tag: "jazz"
(found 78 projects)
NIGHT BIRD SONG: The Thomas Chapin Story
Lovers of JAZZ, fans of Thomas will love the Thomas Chapin story. So will you! Back the film. We want to shoot this important jazz doc.
Film & Video / Documentary
Campaign Dates: February 13th -> March 30th (2013)
Closed: Saturday March 30th, 2013
Kolsimcha and London Symphony Orchestra at Abbey Road
A unique CD with one of the most renowned classical orchestras and a highly original world music quintet
Campaign Dates: February 7th -> April 8th (2013)
Closed: Monday April 8th, 2013
Lords of New York
It's 1925, New York City. An era of gangsters, flappers, bootleggers and jazz. Will you rise to the top of the mafia or bring it down?
Funding: $25,909 of $295,000 (8% funded)
Campaign Dates: March 15th -> April 16th (2013)
Closed: Tuesday April 16th, 2013
The Long Way Home: album project from Michael J McEvoy
An album of new compositions: reflective and ethereal, energizing and uplifting - with some exciting guest soloists.
Funding: £7,650 of £7,500 (102% funded)
Campaign Dates: April 2nd -> May 1st (2013)
Closed: Wednesday May 1st, 2013
Progress Report by David Neves
This has been a dream of mine for years, and I am excited for you to be a part of it!
Funding: $9,660 of $9,500 (101% funded)
Campaign Dates: May 16th -> June 15th (2013)
Closed: Saturday June 15th, 2013
Attica Blues
Jazz legend Archie Shepp, forms a new Attica Blues big band to produce a live album + DVD.
Campaign Dates: May 24th -> June 23rd (2013)
Closed: Sunday June 23rd, 2013
GONE- A Sound & Theater Project
A new 50 minute dance work with an original score that uses tap dancing, sanding, & contemporary movement to tell a story.
Closed: Friday June 28th, 2013
ANTHYMN
Fantasy adventure MMORPG which sets the stage for players to create, share, and wield the power of music together.
Campaign Dates: June 4th -> July 5th (2013)
Closed: Friday July 5th, 2013
LOOK, STRANGER - UtterJazz
UK tour of exciting new jazz versions of Britten/Auden songs with Simon Russell Beale, Sam West & Derek Jacobi.
Closed: Saturday July 6th, 2013
Ashley Daneman's new album "Beauty Indestructible."
Recording an album of original music that blends my singer/songwriter heart with my jazz musician instincts into a signature sound.
Campaign Dates: July 9th -> July 27th (2013)
Closed: Saturday July 27th, 2013
Jazz, European Classical music and Baroque opera converge to help track a killer in this anthropomorphic 1930 New York City crime noir.
Campaign Dates: July 8th -> August 22nd (2013)
Closed: Thursday August 22nd, 2013
kitar, the evolving instrument
interchangeable necks and built-in effects
Campaign Dates: August 13th -> August 29th (2013)
Closed: Thursday August 29th, 2013
Jazz Is for Everybody
A sweet, sultry, simply-produced album of great vintage songs. Play it while you throw a classy dinner party or make sweet, sweet love.
Closed: Saturday August 31st, 2013
All For A Song - Myra Taylor The Musical
Musical based on the life of Kansas City Jazz legend Myra Taylor, demo music and presentation for a regional workshop production.
Funding: $2,112 of $14,000 (15% funded)
Campaign Dates: July 22nd -> September 5th (2013)
Closed: Thursday September 5th, 2013
Ma Maison - A Documentary
A film exploring the nature of memory by retracing the history (remembered well & remembered poorly) of an artistic collaboration.
Campaign Dates: August 7th -> September 7th (2013)
Closed: Saturday September 7th, 2013
< Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 ... Next >
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Empowering stories of the women leading in the uk and east africa!
Bianca is one of our Volunteer Educators delivering our 'Young People in Control' curriculum across schools in Sandwell, Birmingham and soon to be Sheffield.
She has empowered over 500 young people with the knowledge and information they need to make good health choices and to feel good about themselves!
Hi, my name is Bianca and I am a volunteer educator for Irise International! My role as an educator is to go into local schools and deliver the 'Young people in Control' curriculum to young people aged 11-14. I teach and facilitate discussions about puberty, menstruation, sexual and reproductive health, body confidence and relationships.
My favourite thing about these sessions is that the young people are in control, they lead the discussions and we let them develop their own shared understanding. We cover basic topics but allow them to discuss issues and subjects that they may be curious about often addressing their fears, worries and concerns.
I chose Irise because they focus not only on girl's sexual and reproductive health, they teach an inclusive curriculum that includes everybody. Teaching young men and boys that menstruation IS something they need to know about as having a shared understanding of each other's bodies, helps to create a more friendly and supportive environment for girls during adolescents, that's how you reduce the stigma.
"The education we deliver is honest and upfront, it also feels personal to me as I get to deliver these sessions in my local area, making a difference in my own community"
I also like the fact that you get to work directly with the founder of the organisation, working with Emily makes it seem a lot more honest and intimate, it doesn't feel corporate or commercial, but personal. The team is very approachable which makes it more enjoyable.
We asked Bianca to describe her experience volunteering
with Irise in 3 words...
Educational - "I learnt so much about anatomy, puberty and even about my own body that I didn't know before joining Irise!"
Gratifying - "When you can see that you have really helped a young person, if they have come to you to ask a question and walked away feeling more knowledgeable, confident and reassured, thanking you for your advice, you know you've made a valued difference"
Valued - "Not only is the feedback from the young people really inspirational, it's also the feedback from the team. They ask for your opinion, input and evaluations, making you feel like a valued, respected and equal member of the team."
Susan is our Project Officer in Jinja, Uganda.
Susan has been with Irise since the very beginning, she started as a volunteer whilst she was still a student and is now inspiring girls through our education
Thanks to women like Susan, our education and training programmes have enabled us to reach over 70,000 young women and girls with the information they need
to stay in school!
Hi, my name is Susan, and I am the Project Officer for Irise International in Jinja, Uganda. My role is to coordinate the educational activities and also to report back to the Country Manager, Izela on our progress. I also liaise with other partners, organise and run training sessions, conduct school sessions and budget for all of these activities.
My favourite thing about my role is the leadership because from the beginning I have led my team and I have learnt a lot from being a leader. I have been able to develop my personal skills and team leadership skills throughout my journey with Irise.
I chose Irise because I studied ethics and development and I was looking to do community and social work. When I heard about Irise I felt so inspired and had such a passion for what Irise do.
"My dream has become my reality"
My greatest achievement has been my progression from one role to another. I started with Irise in 2012 as a volunteer, now I am the Project Officer and lead a team of 13 educators, so moving forward is a great achievement! Reaching our targets each year is also a great achievement, this the number of girls we aim to educate and support, and with more resourced we aim to reach even more girls!
We asked Susan to describe her experience working
Supported - "I think when I first shared why I was so interested and passionate about Irise's work they recognised how I could contribute, they supported me through funds and the team members always being there for me."
Encouraged - "When we started the Menstrual Hygiene Management program, I was a recent graduate who quickly became a leader, this really built my confidence! The team who I worked with were always there for me, encouraging me to move forward and be a better person."
Motivated - "I feel motivated because my team have always been there for me and have included me in strategic discussions, valuing my opinions. They made me feel part of the process and at times when I had various challenges, they would support me and be on my side. I have a future with Irise and I can make it to the highest level for this program!"
A special thanks to both Bianca and Susan from Irise for not only for sharing their stories but most importantly for the fantastic work that they do!
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---- list of jobs you have to apply elsewhere.
The American University of Paris, Computer Science, Mathematics and Environmental Science
[APS] Assistant Professor in Statistics (or a quantitative discipline in an area related to Data Science) (deadline 2019/11/25)
Fondation Sciences Mathématiques de Paris
[MASTER] Mathematics, Fundamental computer science, Master scholarships (2020/01/22)
Fondation Mathématiques Jacques Hadamard
[FMJHMASTER1] Mathematics and applications, FMJH Excellence Program Scholarships 2020 (2020/02/02)
Queen Mary University of London, School of Mathematical Sciences
[PDRA1] Topological Analysis of Maritime Data, Postdoctoral Research Assistant (deadline 2020/01/01)
[PTAE] Postgraduate Teaching Assistant in Economics (Two Posts) (deadline 2019/08/04)
University of Bonn, Hausdorff Center for Mathematics
[EPPD] Mathematics, Postdoc Position
[W2MPIM] Pure Mathematics, Advanced Researcher, level of Associate Professor (W2)
Universitaet zu Koeln, Mathematics
[P] algebra and geometry, Professorship (W3) (deadline 2019/09/15)
Delft University of Technology, Delft Institute of Applied Mathematics
[PHDSTUDENT] Partial Differential Equations, PhD student (2020/02/29)
Radboud University Nijmegen, Faculty of Science
[AP] Mathematical physics, Assistant/Associate Professor of Mathematical Physics (tenure track) (deadline 2020/01/06)
Universiteit van Amsterdam, Korteweg - de Vries Institute for Mathematics
[PDERCL] lgebraic or Arithmetic Geometry, Two postdoc positions in Algebraic or Arithmetic Geometry (2020/01/31)
[PHDDMMM] algebraic geometry, PhD position in algebraic geometry (2020/01/31)
[PHDERCL] Algebraic Geometry, Two PhD candidates in Algebraic and Arithmetic Geometry (2020/01/31)
Clausthal University of Technology, Institute of Mathematics
[DENITRIFICATION] Computational Mathematics, Doctoral Reasearch (m/f/d) (deadline 2019/12/13)
[METHANATION] Computational Mathematics, Doctoral or Postdoctoral Researcher (m/f/d) (deadline 2019/12/13)
Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science
[W3ALGEBRA] Algebra, Professor (W3) of Algebra (deadline 2019/09/30)
Université Paul Sabatier, LabEx CIMI Institut de Mathématiques
[MASTERLEVEL] Mathematics and Computer Science, Master Fellowships (2020/02/09)
[PHD] Mathematics and Computer Science, Doctoral Fellowships (2020/03/29)
[POSTDOC] Mathematics and Computer Science, Post-doctoral Fellowships (2020/02/09)
University of Manchester, Department of Mathematics
[PROFESSOR] Mathematical Finance / Actuarial Science, Professor in Mathematical Finance / Actuarial Science (2020/01/30)
Leipzig University, Institut of Mathematics
[W2PPT] Probability Theory, W2 Professorship in Probability Theory (deadline 2020/01/03)
Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in the Sciences
[MPRG1] Nonlinear Algebra, Research Group Leader (2020/02/01)
Technische Universität Dresden, Faculty of Mathematics
[RA] Partial Differential Equations, Research Associate (2020/01/31)
BCAM - Basque Center for Applied Mathematics
[POSTDOCAA] Applied Analysis, Postdoctoral Fellowship in applied analysis (deadline 2020/01/15)
[POSTCOMALG] Commutative algebra, Postdoctoral positions in commutative algebra (deadline 2020/01/10)
[POSTHOMALG] Homological algebra, representation theory of associative algebras, commutative algebra or algebraic geometry, Postdoctoral positions in homological algebra (deadline 2020/01/10)
[PHDLA1] Numerical Linear Algebra and HPC, PhD positions in Numerical Linear Algebra and HPC (deadline 2019/11/15)
[POSTNUMB] Number theory, Postdoctoral position in number theory (2020/01/31)
Trinity College Dublin, School of Mathematics
[HPC] High-Performance Computing, Hitachi Assistant Professor in High-Performance Computing, Tenure Track (2020/01/31)
[PM3Y] Pure Mathematics, Assistant Professor in Mathematics (Pure), 3 year position (2020/01/31)
[PMTT] Pure Mathematics, Assistant Professor in Mathematics (Pure), Tenure Track (2020/01/31)
Dublin Institute of Advanced Studies
[SENPRO] THEORETICAL PHYSICS, SENIOR PROFESSOR THEORETICAL PHYSICS (DIAS) (2020/07/01)
Dublin City University, School of Mathematical Sciences
[PSAF1] Probability Statistics Financial Actuarial, Assistant/Associate Professor in Mathematics (deadline 2019/12/08)
Scuola Normale Superiore, Centro di Ricerca Matematica Ennio de Giorgi
[JVP2022] Algebraic Geometry;Number Theory;Topology;Differential Geometry;Geoemtric Analysis;PDEs;Probability;Numerical Analysis;Financial Mathematics;Dynamical Systems., Junior Visiting Positions 2020-2022 (deadline 2020/01/07)
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institut für Mathematik
[FUPROFARIGEO] Arithmetic, Geometry, Professorship in Arithmetic and Geometry (successor of Hélène Esnault) (deadline 2019/12/05)
Technische Universität Berlin, Institute of Mathematics
[RA] Mathematics of Data Science, Research Assistant (PostDoc) - salary grade E14 TV-L Berliner Hochschulen - Head of MATH+ Junior Research Group (deadline 2019/09/30)
WIAS Berlin, Weierstrass Institute for Applied Analysis and Stochastics
[1918] Laser Dynamics, Research Assistant Position (m/f/d) (Ref. 19/18) (deadline 2019/10/30)
[PHD] Nonsmooth Variational Problems and Operator Equations, PhD Student Position (f/m/d) (deadline 2019/11/30)
[PHD1] Numerics for innovative semiconductor devices, PhD Student Position (f/m/d) (2020/01/31)
[RAP1] Partial Differential Equations, Research Assistant (f/m/d) (2020/02/04)
Complexity Science Hub Vienna
[PHDAPPLICATIONDSS] 1+1+1-year PhD position: Data Science and Statistics
Technical University of Wien, Institute of Discrete Mathematics and Geometry
[APG] Geometry, preferably discrete or stochastic geometry, or geometric functional analysis, Assistent Professor in Geometry (deadline 2020/01/09)
[PHD] Differential Geometry, PhD position in Geometry (filled, deadline 2019/08/22)
University of Edinburgh, School of Mathematics
[PDRA5] Pure Mathematics, Postdoctoral Research Associate (2021/01/13)
University of Southern Denmark, Centre for Quantum Mathematics
[ASSISTPROF] Pure Mathematics, D-IAS Assistant professor in quantum mathematics (deadline 2020/01/05)
[ASSOCPROFPROF] Pure Mathematics, Associate Professor/Professor WSR/Professor in Quantum Mathematics (deadline 2020/01/05)
[ASSOCPROFTENURETRACKASSISTPROF] Pure Mathematics, Associate professor or tenure-track assistant professorships in quantum mathematics (deadline 2020/01/05)
[PHD] Pure Mathematics, PhD Positions in Quantum Mathematics (2020/04/15)
[POST2Y] Pure Mathematics, 2 year Postdoctoral Fellow in Quantum Mathematics (deadline 2020/01/05)
[POST3Y] Pure Mathematics, 3 year Postdoctoral Fellows in Quantum Mathematics (deadline 2020/01/05)
[PROF] Pure Mathematics, Professors in Quantum Mathematics (deadline 2019/12/01)
Technical University of Denmark, DTU Compute
[PHDINVERPROB] applied mathematics, computational science and engineering (CSE), PhD Project in Goal-Oriented Uncertainty Quantification for Inverse Problems (2020/02/29)
[POSTDOCINVERPROB] scientific computing, computational science and engineering, applied mathematics, Postdoc in Goal-Oriented Uncertainty Quantification for Inverse Problems (2020/02/29)
KTH, Mathematics
[POSTDOC11] Postdoc in analytic number theory or additive combinatorics
[POSTDOC12] Postdoc in combinatorics and nonlinear algebra
[POSTDOC7] Postdoc in number theory
[POSTDOC8] Postdoc in combinatorics (deadline 2019/12/31)
[ASP] Mathematics, Associate Professor in Mathematics (2020/01/31)
Bogazici University, Mathematics
[TTAP] Assistant Professor
Sabancı University, Mathematics Program, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences
[ASSASSOCPROF] Analysis/Partial Differential Equations, Sabanci University Faculty Positions in Mathematics: Analysis/PDE's (2020/03/01)
University of Helsinki, Department of Mathematics and Statistics
[POSTDOCS] Mathematical physics/probability, Postdoctoral Researchers in Mathematical Physics/Probability (2020/05/31)
[PROFESSOR_APPLIEDMATH] Applied mathematics, Professor or Assistant/Associate Professor in Applied Mathematics conducting research on inverse problems (2020/02/15)
Umeå University, Mathematics and Mathematical Statistics
[TTCM] Tenure track in computational mathematics (2020/02/21)
[AP] Mathematics and Theoretical Computer Science, Associate Professors (2020/02/14)
[PD] Mathematics, TCS, Theoretical Physics, PostDoc (deadline 2020/01/01)
[PD] Pure Mathamatics, postdoctoral researcher in Mathematics and Mathematical Physics (2020/02/09)
[TT] All areas of Pure Mathematics, Assistant Professor in Mathematics, or higher (2020/02/15)
[AP] Computer Science, Assistant Professor in Computer Science (2021/01/12)
Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology
[POSTDOCTORAL] mathematical physics, Open competition for postdoctoral research positions at the Skoltech Laboratory of Integrable Systems and Turbulence of the Center for Advanced Studies (CAS) (accepting applications, deadline 2020/01/13)
Guangdong Technion Israel Institute of Technology (Guangdong Technion, GTIIT), Mathematics
[AAFP] Pure and applied mathematics, theoretical physics, theoretical chemistry, theoretical computer science, information systems, data sciences and theory of networking., Assistant, Associate and Full Professorships
Technion Israel Institute of Technology, Mathematics
[RFTECH] Mathematics, Research Fellowship
Tel Aviv University, School of Mathematical Sciences
[POSTDOC] Probability Theory, Statistical Mechanics and Random Function Theory, Postdoc Fellow (deadline 2019/12/16)
[POSTDOC1] Geometric and Combinatorial Group Theory, Postdoctoral Fellow
[POSTDOC3] Combinatorics, Postdoc Fellow
Bar Ilan University, Department of Mathematics
[HARMONIC] Harmonic Analysis and Discrete Geometry, Postdoctoral Researcher (deadline 2019/10/31)
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Mathematics
[PD2] All areas of mathematics, Postdoctoral Researcher (accepting applications)
Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Department of mathematics
[PDOC20] Mathematics, Post-Doctoral position
Saint Mary's University, Department of Mathematics and Computing Science
[PUREMATH] Pure Mathematics, Assistant Professor (accepting applications)
University of Bahrain, Dept. of Mathematics
[ACT1] Actuarial Science, Actuarial Science
[PROF] Assistant Professor or higher rank
Texas A&M University, Department of Mathematics
[CHAIR] Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry or closely related field, Chair of the Science Program at TAMU Qatar (deadline 2019/09/23)
[FACULTYPOSITIONSINMATHEMATICS] Mathematics, Faculty Positions in Mathematics
University of New Hampshire, Department of Mathematics & Statistics
[POSTDOC] Mathematics, Postdoctoral Scholar in Mathematics
[TTP] Statistics / Data Science, Two Tenure-Track Positions in Statistics / Data Science
Phillips Exeter Academy, Mathematics
[MATH1] Mathematics, Full Time Mathematics Instructor 2020-2021
University of Massachusetts Boston, Department of Mathematics
[APM] Mathematics, Assistant/Associate Professor in Mathematics
[VAP] Mathematics, Robert T. Seeley - Visiting Assistant Professor
Akuna Capital
[JQD] Junior Quantitative Developer
[JQRBOSTON] Junior Quantitative Researcher - Machine Learning
[QDINTERN] Quantitative Development Internship, Summer 2020
[QRINTERNBOSTON] Quantitative Research Internship, Summer 2020
Wentworth Institute of Technology, Applied Mathematics
[AMF] Adjunct Math Faculty
Canada/USA Mathcamp
[MENTOR] Mathcamp Mentor (2020/01/31)
Bridgewater State University, Department of Mathematics
[GEM] Assistant Professor, Dept. of Mathematics, General Education in Mathematics
[APM] Assistant Professor of Mathematics - Mathematical Sciences
[ATP1] Mathematical Sciences, Assistant Teaching Professor - Mathematical Sciences (accepting applications)
Brown University, Data Science Initiative
[LEC] Data Scienc, Lecturer in Data Science
Providence College, Mathematics and Computer Science
[MTH_TT_2020] Assistant Professor of Mathematics (deadline 2019/10/15)
Salve Regina University, Mathematical Sciences
[ASSISTANTPROF] Applied Mathematics, Computer Science, Data Science, Mathematics, Statistics, or a related field, Assistant Professor, Mathematical Sciences (accepting applications)
Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Mathematical Sciences
[TTF1] Data Science, Tenure-Track faculty position in Data Science
College of the Holy Cross, Mathematics and Computer Science
[TTP] Mathematics, Tenure-Track Professor (deadline 2019/12/01)
Clark University, Mathematics and Computer Science
[ASTASCP] Mathematics, Assistant or Associate Professor
Worcester State University, Department of Mathematics
[APM] Assistant Professor - Mathematics
Applied Mathematics, Inc.
[EC2020] Mathematician
University of Massachusetts Amherst, Department of Mathematics and Statistics
[LECTURER] Statistics, Lecturer (Boston-Area Newton Mount Ida Campus) (deadline 2019/11/01)
Western New England University, Department of Mathematics
[AP] Actuarial Science/Applied Statistics, Assistant Professor of Actuarial Science/Applied Statistics
[DMC] Mathematics, Director of the Math Center
Middlebury College, Mathematics
[APM] Assistant Professorship of Mathematics (deadline 2019/12/01)
[APS] Assistant Professorship of Statistics (deadline 2019/10/14)
Concordia University, Dept. of Mathematics & Statistics
[ACTUMATH] Actuarial Mathematics, Actuarial Mathematics (deadline 2019/12/02)
Skidmore College, Mathematics Program
[MATHEMATICS] Assistant Professor of Mathematics and Statistics
[MATHEMATICSANDSTATISTICS] Assistant Professor of Mathematics and Statistics
Stony Brook University, Simons Center for Geometry and Physics
[RAP] Geometry & Physics, Research Assistant Professor, Simons Center for Geometry & Physics
SUNY at Albany, Mathematics and Statistics
[TT] Applied topology/topological data analysis, Tenure-track position, Department of Mathematics and Statistics (deadline 2019/11/25)
[TT1] Computational methods in data science, optimization, machine learning, and mathematical foundations for deep learning, Tenure-track position, Department of Mathematics and Statistics (deadline 2019/11/01)
SUNY at New Paltz, Mathematics
[TTAP1] Mathematics, Assistant professor (deadline 2019/11/07)
United States Military Academy (West Point), Department of Mathematical Sciences
[ASSTPROF20] Mathematical Sciences, Assistant Professor (3 year non-renewable) (2020/01/27)
[CLDSTEMAP] Mathematical Sciences, Assistant/Associate Professor (3 year renewable) (2020/01/27)
Clarkson University, Mathematics Department
[ASSTPROF] Applied Mathematics or Statistics, Tenure Track Assistant Professor (deadline 2019/11/28)
Sarah Lawrence College, Mathematics
[ENVIRONMENTAL] Environmental Science, Environmental Science Faculty Position
Columbia University, Department of Statistics
[AP] Statistics and Probability, Assistant Professor (Tenure-track)
[APTERM] Assistant Professor (Limited-term)
[LD] Lecturer in Discipline
Columbia University, Department of Industrial Engineering and Operations Research
[AP] Industrial Engineering and Operations Research, Assistant Professor
New York University in Abu Dhabi, Mathematics/Science
[MATHINSTRUCTOR] Mathematics, Mathematics Instructor, Division of Science, NYU Abu Dhabi (deadline 2020/01/01)
[MATHLECTURER] Mathematics - Lecturer, NYU Abu Dhabi
[MATHOPEN] Mathematics Professor – Open Rank, NYU Abu Dhabi
[MATHVISITING] Mathematics – Visiting Professor, NYU Abu Dhabi (deadline 2020/01/01)
D. E. Shaw Research
[PFCOMB1] Postdoctoral Fellowships in Computational Chemistry, Biology, and Physics at D. E. Shaw Research
[APM] Mathematics, Assistant Professor of Mathematics
National Museum of Mathematics
[COM1] Chief of Mathematics - Museum
CUNY-Brooklyn College
[DEAN] Natural and Behavioral Sciences, Dean of the School of Natural and Behavioral Sciences
New York University, The Courant Institute
[FACULTY20] Faculty (2020/05/02)
[POSTDOC21] Mathematics, Postdoctoral Researcher in Mathematics (G11190720) (2020/08/31*)
[POSTDOCFA] Computational PDE and Fast Algorithms, Postdoc
[POSTDOCMED] Numerical Algebraic Differential Equations, Postdoc (deadline 2019/11/30)
[POSTDOCNS] Non-Smooth Geometry, Spectral Theory, and Data: Learning and Representing Projections of Complex Systems, Postdoc (2020/02/15)
[POSTDOCSIM] Mathematics and Physics, Postdoctoral Researcher in Applied Math
CUNY-New York City College of Technology
[FACULTY] Mathematics, Assistant Professor - Mathematics
[QUANTANALYST] Quantitative analyst, Senior Quantitative Analyst - Public Equity Strategies
Jane Street Capital
[QR1] Quantitative Researcher
New Jersey Institute of Technology, Mathematical Sciences
[TTF1] Statistics, Data Science, Statistical Machine Learning, Biostatistics, Assistant/Associate Professor (Mathematical Sciences)
Seton Hall University, Mathematics & Computer Science
[APM] Assistant Professor of Mathematics (2020/02/09)
Kean University, New Jersey Center for Science, Technology & Mathematics
[LEC] Mathematics, Programming & Statistics, Lecturer: Mathematics, Programming & Statistics
Carleton University, School of Mathematics & Statistics
[PROF] Pure Mathematics, Assistant Professor (2020/06/30)
Princeton University, Mathematics Department
[FERN2020] Mathematics, Professor
[LECTURER] Mathematics, Lecturer (2020/02/25)
[SRFAC2020] Mathematics, Professor
[LECTURER] Lecturer, Mathematics (accepting applications)
[TTAP] Mathematics, Tenure-Track Assistant Professor (accepting applications, deadline 2019/10/01)
The University of Scranton, Department of Mathematics
[TTP] Applied Mathematics, Assistant Professor(s) (deadline 2019/12/01)
Susquehanna International Group, Quantitative Research
[QSPHD] Quantitative Strategist – PhD Hire (2020/05/29)
University of Pennsylvania, Department of Mathematics
[ASST] Analysis, Assistant Professor in Analysis
[QRCAMPUSFT] Finance, Quantitative Researcher – PhD Hire (2020/05/29)
[QRCAMPUSSPORTS] Finance, Quantitative Sports Researcher – PhD Hire (2020/05/29)
[QRINTERN] Finance, Quantitative Research Intern – PhD Student Hire (2020/05/29)
[KPM] Mathematics, Truman Koehler Associate Professor/Professor (deadline 2019/11/15)
Bryn Mawr College, Computer Science
[3YEARVISITOR1] Computer Science, 3 Year Lecturer or Visiting Assistant Professor (2020/07/31)
Stevens Capital Management LP
[QRA1] Quantitative Research Analyst
[QRD1] Quantitative Research Developer
Cornell University, Mathematics
[LSC_LEC] Mathematics, Mathematics Lecturer (2020/01/30)
[FP] Statistics, Faculty Position - Assistant/Associate/Visiting Professor
Ithaca College, Mathematics Department
[AP] Assistant Professor (deadline 2019/12/02)
Penn State University Berks Campus, Mathematics/Science
[APM] Mathematics - All Areas, Assistant Professor of Mathematics (accepting applications)
[CHAIR] Chairperson, Department of Applied Economics and Statistics
University of Delaware, Mathematical Sciences
[TTFDS] Data Science, Assistant/Associate Professor
University of Rochester, Dept. of Mathematics
[VAP] Mathematics, Visiting Assistant Professor
[APSMS1] Assistant Professor - School of Mathematical Sciences
[LSMS] Lecturer, School of Mathematical Sciences
[SMS] Assistant Professor, School of Mathematical Sciences
[ATPM] Assistant Teaching Professor of Mathematics
Johns Hopkins University, MINDS
[FACULTY1] Faculty Position in Data Science at the Johns Hopkins Mathematical Institute for Data Science (MINDS)
University of Maryland Baltimore County, Mathematics/Statistics
[ADQL] Quantitative Literacy, Associate Dean for Quantitative Literacy (deadline 2019/09/20)
[ASSTPROF] Statistics, Assistant Professor
[MDP] Applied Research Mathematician
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Applied and Computational Mathematics Division
[NRCPOSTDOC3] Applied and Computational Mathematics, NRC Postdoctoral Associate
National Science Foundation, Division of Mathematical Sciences
[PDFY19] Mathematical Sciences, Program Director
[COMMPNT] Communications, Signals Analysis, and Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (filled)
Canisius College, Canisius College
[APMS] Mathematics & Statistics, Assistant Professor of Mathematics & Statistics (deadline 2020/01/01)
Old Dominion University, Department of Mathematics and Statistics
[LECTURER] College mathematics or Statistics, Mathematics Lecturers (2 Openings)
Christopher Newport University, Department of Mathematics
[LECT] Mathematics, Lecturer in Mathematics (deadline 2019/11/15)
University of Toronto, Statistics
[CANSSI] Statistical Sciences, Associate Professor or Professor - Regional Director of the Canadian Statistical Sciences Institute (deadline 2020/01/08)
[STATENVIRO] Environmental and Statistical Sciences, Assistant Professor, Statistical Methods for Environmental Sciences (deadline 2019/11/25)
[TEACHSTAT] Statistical Sciences, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream Statistical Sciences (deadline 2019/11/25)
[ASSISBIOS] Biosciencs and Statistical Sciences, Assistant Professor – Statistics with Applications in Biosciences (deadline 2019/11/25)
Frostburg State University, Department of Mathematics
[APOFMATH] Mathematics, Assistant Professor of Mathematics
Penn State Behrend, School of Sciences
[APS] Assistant Professor in Statistics
[APM] Assistant Professor in Mathematics
Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics
[TTINMP] Mathematical Physics, Tenure-track Faculty Position in Mathematical Physics (deadline 2019/12/01)
Johns Hopkins University, Department of Applied Mathematics & Statistics
[AMSDEPTHEAD] Applied Mathematics and Statistics, Head, Department of Applied Mathematics and Statistics
Longwood University, Department of Mathematics & Computer Science
[ASSTPROFSTATISTICS] Statistics, Assistant Professor of Statistics
Carnegie Mellon University, Mathematical Sciences
[DH] Mathematics, Head of the Department of Mathematical Sciences (2020/01/31)
[AP] Statistics, Assistant Professor (2020/04/30)
Duquesne University, Mathematics and Computer Science Department
[DIR] Ethics in Science, Technology, and Law, DIRECTOR Carl G. Grefenstette Center for Ethics in Science, Technology, and Law (deadline 2019/12/06)
Westminster College, Department of Mathematics
[APM] Statistics, Assistant Professor of Mathematics (deadline 2019/11/01)
University of Western Ontario, Department of Mathematics
[PC] Mathematics and Applied Mathematics, Program Coordinator (deadline 2019/10/31)
Ashoka University
[FAC] Mathematics, Faculty (2020/05/31)
North Carolina State University, Industrial & Systems Engineering
[DDP] Dopaco, Inc. Distinguished Professorship
North Carolina State University, Department of Mathematics
[PROFDDS] Mathematics, Computer Science and/or Statistics, Professor, Data-Driven Science (deadline 2019/12/15)
IXL Learning
[MCD] Curriculum Design, Math Curriculum Designer (deadline 2019/11/04)
[MCD3] Curriculum Design, Math Curriculum Designer
The University of Akron, Mathematics
[TTMATH] Mathematics, Assistant Professor of Mathematics (deadline 2020/01/15)
University of North Carolina at Wilmington, University of North Carolina at Wilmington
[ASSTPROFDATASCI] Data Science, Assistant Professor - Data Science (deadline 2019/12/16)
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Department of Statistics & Operations Research
[AP] Statistics and optimization, Assistant Professorship in Statistics
[TAP] Statistics, Operations Research, Mathematics, Teaching Assistant Professor
University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Mathematics and Statistics
[TTAP] Computational Topology, Assistant Professor in Computational Topology (deadline 2019/12/15)
Guilford College, Mathematics Department
[CHAIR] Generalist, Chair of Mathematics, Tenured, Full or Associate Professor
High Point University, Mathematical Sciences
[DASAP] Data Analytics and Statistics, Assistant Professor of Data Analytics and Statistics
Southwestern University, Mathematics and Computer Science
[TT] Mathematics, Assistant Professor of Mathematics (Tenure-Track) (deadline 2019/11/20)
[TT1] Computer Science, Assistant Professor of Computer Science (Tenure-Track) (deadline 2019/12/01)
Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science
[IPOSTDOC] Analytic Number Theory, Special Functions, Institute Postdoctoral Fellow (deadline 2019/11/20)
Bowling Green State University, Department of Mathematics and Statistics
[ACTUARIALSCI] Mathematics-Actuarial, Associate or Full Professor as the First Dr. Thomas V. O’Brien Distinguished Professor of Actuarial Mathematics (2020/02/15)
[QRF_FA20] Mathematics & Statistics, Assistant Teaching Professor (2020/02/01*)
Wingate University, Mathematics
[AP] Assistant or Associate Professor of Mathematics
Michigan State University, Computational Mathematics, Science and Engineering
[POSTDOC] data science and scientific computing, Postdoctoral Researcher (2020/04/30)
Appalachian State University, Mathematical Sciences
[ACTU] Actuarial Science, Assistant or Associate Professor (deadline 2020/01/06)
[APPSTAT] Statistics, Assistant Professor (deadline 2019/09/27)
[MATHEMATICSPROFESSOR] Mathematics, FT Assistant Professor - Mathematics (2020/01/31)
Ferris State University, Mathematics
[DSI] Data Science and Informatics - Faculty (Tenure-Track 12 Mos.)
UNC Asheville, Mathematics
[ASSISTANTPROFESSOROFMATHEMATICS] Statistics, Assistant Professor of Mathematics
Miami University, Department of Mathematics
[TTAP] Applied Mathematics, Tenure track Assistant Professor (deadline 2019/11/15)
North Greenville University, Department of Mathematics and Computer Science
[ADJINST] Mathematics, Adjunct Instructor of Mathematics (2020/06/06)
[ASSISTPROF] Mathematics, Assistant Professor of Mathematics (2020/02/06)
Western Carolina University, Math & Computer Science
[APM] Mathematics, Assistant Professor of Mathematics (deadline 2019/12/06)
Clemson University, School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences
[BIOSTAT] BioStatistics (deadline 2019/12/31)
[CYBER] Cybersecurity (deadline 2019/11/01)
[POST] numerical methods for finite element discretizations, Postdoctoral (deadline 2019/11/15)
[RTG] RTG Post Doctoral (deadline 2019/11/15)
Butler University, Math, Statistics and Actuarial Science
[FACULTY] Mathematics, Statistics, Department of Mathematics, Statistics, and Actuarial Science Tenure-Track Assistant Professor in Statistics (deadline 2019/12/31)
Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Applied Math Group
[POSTDOC] Postdoctoral Research Associate in Numerical Methods for Kinetic Equations
University of Indianapolis, Department of Mathematical Sciences
[AP] Assistant Professor of Mathematics (Data Science)
Marian University-Indianapolis
[ASSISTANTPROFESSORMATHEMATICS] Mathematics, Assistant Professor of Mathematics (accepting applications, deadline 2019/12/01)
Purdue University, Krannert School of Management
[AP] assistant professor level in the Quantitative (2020/08/17)
Purdue University, Mathematics
[DSAP] Computer Science, Mathematics or Statistics, Assistant/Associate Professor Data Science--Statistics/Mathematics/Computer Science
Michigan Technological University, Department of Mathematical Sciences
[LS] Statistics, Lecturer - Statistics (deadline 2019/12/01)
College of Coastal Georgia
[DS] Data Science, Assistant / Associate Professor of Data Science
[APMATH1] Mathematics, Assistant Professor of Mathematics
Marquette University, Department of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences
[AMCS_F2020] Applied Mathematics & Computational Statistics, Tenure-track, Assistant Professor Positions in Applied Mathematics & Statistics
University of Chicago, Booth School of Business
[PR] Principal Researcher (2020/02/01)
[RESEARCH] Assistant/Associate Professor of Econometrics and Statistics (2020/03/15)
University of Chicago, Department of Mathematics
[AIP] Mathematics, Asst. Instructional Prof.
DePaul University, Mathematical Sciences
[JAMF] Actuarial Science, Risk management, Finance, Joint Appointment in Mathematics and Finance
Georgia Gwinnett College, Georgia Gwinnett College
[MATH] Mathematics: Instructor, Assistant, Associate or Full Professor - Fall 2020
Wheaton College, Department of Mathematics
[DATASCI] statistics, biostatistics, data science, Assistant Professor of Data Science (deadline 2019/12/06)
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Mathematics
[TT] Mathematics, Applied Mathematics, Biomathematics, Computational Science, Data Science or Statistics, Tenure Track (deadline 2019/12/15)
University of North Florida, Mathematics and Statistics
[APS] Statistics, Assistant Professor of Statistics
Emory University, Math & Computer Science
[ANTMAP] Algebra and Number Theory, Tenure-Track Faculty Position in Algebra and Number Theory (deadline 2019/11/14)
[CMAP] Computational Mathematics, Tenure-Track Faculty Position in Computational Mathematics (deadline 2019/11/14)
[QTM] Quantitative Theory and Methods, Assistant Professor of QTM, tenure track (deadline 2019/10/01)
Kennesaw State University, Department of Mathematics
[AP] Discrete Mathematics, Assistant Professor of Mathematics (deadline 2019/11/15)
[CAP] Mathematics, Clinical Assistant Professor (deadline 2019/10/24)
[LOM] Mathematics, Lecturer of Mathematics (deadline 2019/11/01)
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Mathematics
[TTMATHSTAT] Mathematics and/or Statistics, Assistant Professor (deadline 2019/10/30)
[DEANSMNS] Animal Science, Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Mathematics and Computer Science,Physics, Geology and Astronomy, Dean, Berry College, School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences
Beloit Collge, Department of Mathematics and Computer Science
[MATH] Mathematics, Assistant or Associate Professor of Mathematics (deadline 2019/11/30)
Rollins College, Dept of Mathematics & Computer Science
[APS] Statistics, Assistant Professor, Statistics
Millikin University, Mathematics and Computational Sciences
[APMA] Assistant Professor of Mathematics (deadline 2020/01/15)
Valencia College
[PROFESSORSMATHEMATICS] Andrea Toranzo (2020/02/19)
Florida Atlantic University, Mathematical Sciences
[APS] Statistics / Data Science, Assistant Professor of Statistics (2020/03/01)
University of Wisconsin Eau Claire, Mathematics
[DATAMANG] Statistics, Data Science, Mathematics, Assistant Director of Data Management, Analytics, and Reporting (deadline 2019/12/02)
Samford University, Mathematics and Computer Science
[SAMCHAIR] Mathematics, Chair, Department of Mathematics & Computer Science
University of Minnesota-Duluth, Mathematics and Statistics
[MATHANDSTAT] Mathematics and Statistics, Assistant Professor Mathematics and Statistics (2020/08/15)
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota, Mathematics, Computer Science and Statistics
[APSMUMN] Mathematics or Statistics, Assistant Professor or Instructor (deadline 2020/01/03)
Florida International University, Mathematics and Statistics
[DMP] Mathematics and Statistics, Diversity Mentor Professorship (deadline 2019/11/01)
[PDP] Mathematics, Postdoctoral Position in Mathematics (deadline 2020/01/05)
Florida International University, STEM Transformation Institute
[POSTDOCTORALRESEARCHER] MULTIPLE POSTDOCTORAL POSITIONS IN MATHEMATICS EDUCATION RESEARCH
University of Missouri-St. Louis, Mathematics and Computer Science/Arts and Sciences
[APM] Assistant Professor of Mathematics, Tenure-Track
[APCS] Computer Science, Assistant/Associate Professor, Computer Science
Maryville University, Math, Actuarial and Data Science
[AP] Actuarial Science/Data Science, Actuarial Science/Data Science Faculty
University of Alabama, Mathematics/A&S
[POSTDOCDEAN] Any area of mathematics, Dean's Postdoctoral Research Associate (2020/03/31)
University of Minnesota Rochester, Office of Human Resources
[MATHFACULTY] Mathematics, Mathematics Faculty (Teaching Specialist or Lecturer)
University of St. Thomas, Mathematics Department
[MATH] Mathematics, Assistant Professor of Mathematics
Mississippi State University, Department of Mathematics and Statistics
[STATAP] Statistics, Assistant Professor (Statistics)
Westminster College, Mathematical Sciences
[AP] Mathematics, Assistant Professor of Mathematics
Drake University, School of Actuarial Science & Risk Management
[ASSOCFULLPROFESSOR] Insurance & Risk Management, Associate/Full EMC Professor of Practice in Insurance and Risk Management (deadline 2019/12/31)
Drake University, Department of Mathematics and Computer Science
[VAP] Mathematics, Visting Associate Professors - Two Positions Available (2020/02/01)
University of Southern Mississippi, School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences
[IORATP] Mathematics or Mathematics Education, Instructor or Assistant Teaching Professor of Mathematics
Rockhurst University, Department of Informational and Mathematical Sciences
[APM] Mathematics, Assistant Professor of Mathematics- Tenure Track
University of Missouri-Kansas City, Mathematics and Statistics
[APM] Applied Mathematics, Assistant Professor of Mathematics (2021/12/15)
[APS] Statistics, Assistant Professor of Statistics (deadline 2019/12/15)
Dordt University, Math & Statistics
[MAPS] Mathematics and Statistics, Mathematics and Statistics Faculty
Benedictine College, Math and Computer Science
University of Nebraska at Omaha, Mathematics
[TTAP] Mathematical Statistics and Data Science, Tenure-Track Assistant Professor in Mathematical Statistics and Data Science
Creighton Preparatory School
[MATHINSTRUCTOR] Mathematics, Advanced Math Teacher (deadline 2019/11/29)
University of Arkansas, Department of Mathematical Sciences
[VAPF576P] All areas of mathematics, Visiting Assistant Professor of Mathematical Sciences
Tulane University, Mathematics
[STATSTENURETRACK] Statistics, Stats Tenure-Track Open Positions
Loyola University New Orleans, Mathematical Sciences
[INSTRUCTOR] Mathematics, Mathematics Instructor (2020/03/15)
Nebraska Wesleyan University, Mathematics
[MATH] Math, Integrative Data Science, Assistant Professor of Mathematics (deadline 2019/12/01)
University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Dynamical Systems Lab
[POSTDOC] Dynamical systems and fluid mechanics, Postdoctoral Research Associate in Dynamical Systems and Fluid Mechanics (2020/01/31)
Louisiana State University of Shreveport, Mathematics
[INSTRUCTOR] Mathematics, Full-Time Instructor Position in Mathematics LSU Shreveport (2020/03/01)
SRM University, AP - Andhra Pradesh
[PROFESSOR] Professor/Associate Professor/Assistant Professor (deadline 2019/12/31)
[PROFESSORASSOCIATEPROFESSORASSISTANTPROF] Mathematics, Hiring Faculty Of Mathematics (deadline 2019/12/31)
[PROFESSORASSOCIATEPROFESSORASSISTANTPROF] School of Management and Business Administration, SRM University Faculty Positions in Andhra Pradesh, India
Stephen F. Austin State University, Mathematics and Statistics
[AP] Mathematics & Statistics, Assistant Professor
Texas A&M University - Commerce, Mathematics
[ASSTPROF] Mathematics, Assistant Professor (2020/03/01)
Lamar University, Department of Mathematics
[AAP] Assistant/Associate Professor 495880 & 499870
University of Texas at Dallas, School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
[PROF] Assistant Professor - Mathematical Sciences
Rice University, Statistics
[ATP] Statistics, Assistant Teaching Professor (deadline 2020/01/15)
Baylor University, Department of Statistical Science
[ASSOCPROF] Statistics, Associate Professor, Director of Statistical Consulting Center
[ASSTPROF] Statistics, Assistant Professor, Tenure Track
University of Texas at Austin, Oden Institute
[APDS] Interfaces of Data Science and Computational Science, Tenure-Track Assistant Professor - Interfaces of Data Science and Computational Science (deadline 2019/11/30)
University of Regina, Department of Mathematics and Statistics
[PIMSPDF] PIMS Postdoctoral Fellow (deadline 2019/11/11)
Texas A&M University - San Antonio, Department of Science and Mathematics
[APM] Associate Professor of Mathematics
Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi, MATH Department
[PRA] Mathematics and Statistics, Postdoctoral Research Associate in Data Science (2020/01/31)
Numerica Corporation, Employment
[RS2020] Mathematical algorithm development, Research Scientist
University of Colorado at Denver, Department of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences
[INSTRUCTOR] Mathematical and Statistical Sciences, Full-Time Instructor Faculty Position in the Department of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences at the University of Colorado Denver (2020/03/01)
University of Wyoming, Mathematics
[ASSTLEC] Mathematics, Assistant Lecturer (deadline 2019/12/01)
[ASSTPROF] Assistant Professor
Colorado College, Dept.of Mathematics & Computer Science
[TT] Associate or Full Professor of Mathematics
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Dept of Mathematics
[ASSISTANTPROFESSOR] Assistant Professor in Mathematics
University of New Mexico, Mathematics
[VISITASSTPROF] Pure Math, Visiting Assistant Professor of Pure Math (deadline 2019/12/01)
[ASSTPROF] Applied Mathematics, Assistant Professor of Applied Mathematics (deadline 2019/11/01)
[APM] Assistant Professor of Mathematics (deadline 2019/12/31)
Montana State University, Department of Mathematical Sciences
[POSTDOC] Mathematical biology, dynamical systems, applied math, Postdoctoral Associate
University of Texas at El Paso, Mathematical Sciences Dept.
[AP] Assistant Professor
Utah State University, Department of Mathematics and Statistics
[PROFESSIONALPRACTICEASSISTANTPROFESSOR] Mathematics and Statistics Education, Professional Practice Assistant Professor in Mathematics and Statistics Education (deadline 2019/11/15)
Tsinghua University, Center for Statistical Science
[TENURETRACKASSISTANTPROFESSORTENURETRACK] Tenure track positions (deadline 2019/12/01)
Tsinghua University, Mathematical Sciences Center
[DOCTORALPROGRAM] MATHEMATICS, DOCTORAL PROGRAM IN MATHEMATICS (2020/03/01)
Academy of Mathematics and Systems Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences
[POSTDOCTORATEPOSITION] Post-doctorate at AMSS, CAS (2020/01/31)
Tianjin University, Center for Applied Mathematics
[TTTP21] Pure Mathematics & Applied Mathematics & Computer Science & Bioinformatics, Tenured/Tenure-Track/Postdoctoral Positions at the Center for Applied Mathematics, Tianjin University, China (2020/12/31)
[NOTAG] Pure Mathematics, Computational Mathematics, Probability Theory and Mathematical Statistics, Applied Mathematics, Mathematical Economics and Bioinformatics, High-end Talents, Young Discipline Pioneers, Professors, Associate Professors, Lecturers, Postdoctors (2020/12/31)
Centro de Investigación en Matemáticas
[PDPM] Pure Mathematics, Pure Mathematics Postdoctoral Researcher (deadline 2020/01/15)
[TTPM] Pure Mathematics, Pure Mathematics Researcher (deadline 2020/01/15)
Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Center for Mathematical Sciences
[MATHFACULTY] Mathematical Sciences, Faculty Positions at the Wuhan Center for Mathematical Sciences (2020/02/01)
Arizona State University, School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences
[DIR] Open to all areas of mathematics and statistics, Professor, Director - School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences (deadline 2019/11/15)
Nevada State College, School of Liberal Arts & Sciences
[APM] Assistant Professor of Mathematics
University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Mathematical Sciences
[FIR] Mathematical Sciences, Assistant Professor-in-Residence (2020/01/24)
[LEC] Mathematical Sciences, Mathematics, Lecturer (2020/03/20)
[TTAP] Applied Analysis, Applied Analysis, Assistant Professor (deadline 2019/11/15)
Jinan University, Department of Mathematics
[AP] Pure Mathematics, Computational Mathematics, Applied Mathematics, Applied probability and Statistics, Operation Research or a closely related field, Recruitment for the Mathematics Department of Jinan University (2020/03/15)
[AP1] Pure Mathematics, Pure Math. Recruitment for Mathematics Department of Jinan University (2020/03/15)
[AP2] Computational Mathematics, Comp. Math. Recruitment for Mathematics Department of Jinan University
[AP3] Applied Mathematics, Areas include but are not limited to dynamical systems, differential equations,partial differential equation etc. related field., App. Math. Recruitment for Mathematics Department of Jinan University (2020/03/15)
[AP4] Probability theory and Statistics, Areas include but are not limited to data science and data analysis, foundations of probability theory, applied probability, stochastic processes, geometric probabi, Stat. Recruitment for Mathematics Department of Jinan University (2020/03/15)
[AP5] Operation Research, Areas include but are not limited to data science and data analysis, data science/big data, decision analysis, financial engineering, game theory, mathematical modeling, mathemati, Operation Research Recruitment for Mathematics Department of Jinan University (2020/03/15)
[AP6] computer science, mathematics or relevant research areas, Academic Positions Available in All Areas at Department of Computer Science, Jinan University (2020/03/14)
Central Washington University, Mathematics
[APM] Mathematics/Statistics, Assistant Professor (2020/03/31)
Sun Yat-Sen University, School of Mathematics (Zhuhai)
[POSTDOC2021] all areas, Postdoc (2020/10/08)
[RF1] all areas, Research Fellow (2020/10/08)
[TT1] all areas, Associate Professor and Professor (2020/10/08)
University of California, Riverside, Department of Mathematics
[UCRJONESCHAIR] Pure Mathematics, F. Burton Jones Chair in Pure Mathematics (2020/06/30)
[VAP20202021] Mathematics, Visiting Assistant Professor (2020/06/30)
Art of Problem Solving
[ADMV19] Elementary and Secondary Mathematics, Associate Campus Director (filled, deadline 2019/12/31)
[CD] Elementary and Secondary Mathematics, Mathematics Curriculum Developer (2020/03/31)
[DIR] Elementary and Secondary Mathematics, Learning Center Director
[TSSM] Elementary and Secondary Mathematics, Teacher Success Specialist Math (2020/02/29)
California State University San Marcos, College of Science & Mathematics
[RAP] Mathematics, Assistant Professor, Mathematics
Westlake University
[FACULTYPOSITIONS] Mathematical Sciences, Faculty Positions in Westlake University- Mathematical Sciences (accepting applications)
University of Nevada, Reno, Department of Mathematics and Statistics
[LECTI] Mathematics, Lecturer I or Teaching Assistant Professor Mathematics (2020/01/30*)
Duke University, Department of Mathematics
[19FNSDCS] Duke Kunshan University-Faculty Positions (rank open) in Data and Computational Science
[19FNSMATH] Duke Kunshan University-Faculty Positions (rank open) in Applied and Theoretical Mathematics
The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Department of Mathematics
University of California, San Diego, Halicioglu Data Science Institute
[ATPD] Assistant Teaching Professor in Data Infrastructure, Database Systems, Distributed Processing, Data Visualization
University of California, San Diego, Mathematics Department
[ASST19] Assistant Professor in the Department of Mathematics
[EXC19] Mathematics, Excellence Assistant Professor in the Department of Mathematics
[HDSIMATHASST] Assistant Professor - Statistics/Biostatistics
[HDSIMATHTEN] Associate of Full Professor - Statistics/Biostatistics
[MATHCSE2019] Assistant Professor
[SEW19] Mathematics, Stefan E. Warschawski Visiting Assistant Professorship
The University of Hong Kong, Department of Mathematics
[AP] Artificial Intelligence, Tenure-Track/Tenured Associate Professor/Assistant Professor in Artificial Intelligence (2 posts) in the Research Division for Mathematical and Statistical Science (deadline 2019/12/31)
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Department of Applied Mathematics
[AMA19091318] Applied Statistics and Financial Mathematics / Engineering and Computational Mathematics / Applied Optimization and Operations Research, Assistant Professor / Research Assistant Professor in Applied Statistics and Financial Mathematics / Engineering and Computational Mathematics / Applied Optimization and Operations Research
University of California, Irvine, Mathematics
[ASSTPROFALGEBRA] Algebra, Assistant Professor in Algebra (2020/06/30)
[ASSTPROFQS] Quantum Science, Assistant Professor in Quantum Science (2020/06/30)
[ENDOWEDCHAIR] Open Rank; Open Subject, Edward and Vivian Thorp Chair (2020/06/30)
[VAP] UCI - Visiting Assistant Professor (2020/06/30)
California Institute of Technology, Computing and Mathematical Sciences
[TTRK] Tenure-track Faculty Position (deadline 2020/01/15)
Occidental College, Mathematics Dept
[MELLONPOSTDOC] Computational Media, Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow Occidental College Computer Science Department (2020/01/27)
East China Normal University, School of Statistics
[FACULTYPOSITIONS] Statistics, biostatistics, computer science，insurance，financial engineering or a closely related discipline, Assistant/Associate/Full Professor
East China Normal University, Research Center for Operator Algebras
[POSTDOC2] Operator Algebras, Postdoctoral Position
Fudan University, Shanghai Center for Mathematical Sciences
[CP2] All areas of pure and applied mathematics, including statistics, Chair Professor
[NTTF2] All areas of pure and applied mathematics, including statistics, Non tenure-track faculty
[PRF] All areas of pure and applied mathematics, including statistics, Postdoctoral research fellowship
[TF2] All areas of pure and applied mathematics, including statistics, Tenured faculty
[TTF2] All areas of pure and applied mathematics, including statistics, Tenure-track faculty
NYU Shanghai
[NTT1] Mathematics, Mathematics, Non-Tenure Track
University of California, Los Angeles, Department of Mathematics
[DTTTP] Data Theory, UCLA Data Theory Faculty Search (deadline 2019/11/15)
[AAPRP] Mathematics all areas, Assistant Adjunct Professorships and Research Postdocs (2020/06/30)
[HAP] Mathematics all areas, E. R. Hedrick Assistant Professorships (2020/06/30)
[TTPFAM] Mathematics, Tenure-Track/Tenured Faculty Position with emphasis on Financial/Actuarial Mathematics (2020/05/31)
[LECT] Mathematics Education, LECTURER (2020/03/31)
Loyola Marymount University, Mathematics Department
[APM] Statistics or Data Science, Assistant Professor of Mathematics
Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Mathematics
[PRCA] Cluster Algebra, Postdoctoral Researcher (2020/06/01)
East China Normal University, School of Mathematical Sciences
[APRPPOSTDOCTORALPROFESSOR] All mathematics areas, Postdoctoral、Assistant Professor、Professor、Research Professorship
Harbin Institute of Technolgy, Institute of Advanced Study in Mathematics of HIT
[POSTDOCAPHIGHER] all areas of pure or applied mathematics, Postdoc, Associate Professor, Professor, Distinguished Professor (2020/09/02)
University of Washington, Applied Mathematics
[ACTINGINSTRUCTOR] Applied Mathematics, Acting Instructor - Applied Mathematics (2020/02/15)
University of Washington, Department of Mathematics
[POSTDOC] Mathematics, Postdoctoral Scholar - Mathematics
Western Washington University, Mathematics
[APPPROB] Applied Probability, Assistant Professor: Applied Probability (deadline 2019/11/15)
California State University, Channel Islands
[APM] Applied Mathematics/Statistics, Assistant Professor in Applied Mathematics/Statistics (deadline 2019/12/09)
University of California, Merced, School of Natural Sciences
[AP] Tenure-Track Assistant Teaching Professor in Applied Mathematics (2020/03/31)
[APAM] Assistant Professor in Applied Mathematics (deadline 2019/11/25)
[POSTDOC1] Chemistry, Applied Math, Post Doctoral Scholar - Chemistry & Chemical Biology (2020/09/14)
Shantou University, Department of Mathematics
[LAP2020] Mathematics, Statistics and related areas, Postdocs, Lecturers, Associate Professors, Professors (2020/10/30)
Saint Martin's University
[MATH] Mathematics, Mathematics Instructor (2020/03/02)
[MATH1] Mathematics, Tenure-track, Assistant Professor of Mathematics (2020/03/02)
Portland State University, Fariborz Maseeh Department of Mathematics and Statistics
[ASSISTANTPROFESSOR] Data Science, Assistant Professor
Simon Fraser University, Statistics & Actuarial Science
[ASSISTANTPROFESSOR] Data Science, Tenure Track Assistant Professor (2020/01/31)
[ASSOCIATEASSISTANTPROF] Actuarial Science, Tenure Track Position in Actuarial Science (2020/01/31)
University of Portland, Mathematics
[IS] Statistics, Instructor in Statistics (deadline 2019/11/15)
University of California, Santa Barbara, Mathematics Department
[ALGEBRA] Algebra, Number Theory, University of California, Santa BarbaraDepartment of Mathematics - Tenured Faculty Position - Algebra (2020/06/30)
[DATASCIENCE] Applied Mathematics, computing theory, University California, Santa Barbara Department of Mathematics - Assistant Professor - Data Science (2020/06/30)
University of California, Santa Barbara, Statistics and Applied Probability
[ASSTPROF] Statistics, Applied Probability, and Data Science, Assistant Professor in Statistics, Applied Probability, and Data Science (deadline 2019/11/22)
[LECTURER] Statistics, Data Science, Probability, Lecturer in Statistics and Applied Probability (deadline 2019/12/01)
[OPENLEVEL] Statistics for Data Science, Open Level Professor, Statistics for Data Science - Department of Statistics & Applied Probability (deadline 2019/11/22)
[TTTEACHING] Statistics and Data Science, Tenure Track Teaching Faculty Position – Statistics and Data Science – Department of Statistics and Applied Probability (deadline 2019/11/22)
[VISITPROF] Statistics, Applied Probability, Actuarial Science and Financial Math, Visiting Faculty Positions in Statistics, Applied Probability, Actuarial Science and Financial Math (deadline 2019/11/15)
[VAP2021] Mathematics, Faculty Positions-Visiting Assistant Professor (2020/06/30)
[POSTDOC20] Scientific Computation and Machine Learning, Postdoctoral Scholar In Scientific Computation and Machine Learning At The University of California, Santa Barbara (2020/02/29)
University of Oregon, Department of Mathematics
[BIOLOGYIONSEARCH] Biology / Biology, Computational biology, Neural Circuits, Neurobiology, Neuroscience, Computational Neuroscience (deadline 2019/11/01)
University of California, Davis, Mathematics
[DS2020] Data Sciences, Faculty Position in Mathematics
[FAC2020] All areas of Mathematics, Faculty Position in Mathematics
[KAPPD2020] Machine Learning/Optimization/Data Sciences, Post-Doctoral Position in Data Sciences
[P620192020] All areas of Mathematics, Pre-Six Lecturer positions for 2019-2020
[PD2020] All areas of Mathematics, Post-Doctoral Positions
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, Mathematics Department
[PROFESSOR] Pure Mathematics, Tenure Track Position - Pure Mathematics
Saint Mary's College of California, Mathematics
[AACS] Assistant or Associate Professor of Computer Science, full-time Tenure-track, School of Science (deadline 2019/10/20)
University of California, Berkeley, Data Science
[LECTURER] Data Science, Lecturer (2020/02/03)
Amazon Web Services, Amazon AI
[OG] Machine Learning, Deep learning, Audio, Signal Processing, Research Scientist / Applied Scientist
CyberMath Academy
[SUMMERINSTRUCTOR] Summer Camp Instructor in Math, Coding, Robotics, Physics
[MLPHD] Machine Learning Engineer – PhD Hire (2020/05/29)
Stanford University, Department of Mathematics
[SSF] Mathematics or any other Natural Sciences discipline, Stanford Science Fellows (deadline 2019/11/01)
University of California, Santa Cruz, Mathematics Department
[AP] Mathematics: Number Theory/Math Cryptography, Assistant Professor (deadline 2019/12/09)
[VAP] Mathematics, Visiting Assistant Professor (deadline 2020/01/06)
[MCD2] Math Curriculum Designer (Remote) (deadline 2019/12/20)
[MCD5] Math Curriculum Designer (Remote) (2020/03/18)
[MCD1] Curriculum Design, Math Curriculum Designer (deadline 2020/01/01)
[MCD4] Curriculum Design, Math Curriculum Designer (2020/03/17)
Proof School, Mathematics
[TEACHER] Mathematics Faculty (deadline 2020/01/15)
Rosebud AI
[SWE] Machine Learning, Deep Learning, Neural Networks, Software Engineering, Machine Learning/Deep Learning Engineer (accepting applications)
University of San Francisco, Mathematics, Arts & Sciences
[APMS] Assistant Professor, Tenure-Track, Mathematics and Statistics
[DSP] Assistant Professor, Tenure Track, MS in Data Science Program
[FELLOW] Applied Data Ethics Research Fellow
[POSTDOC] Postdoctoral Fellowship, Data Institute
Korea Institute For Advanced Study (KIAS), School of Mathematics
[POSTDOC] information science, combinatorics, discrete mathematics, bioinformatics, artificial intelligence, and the theoretical/computational biophysics and material sciences, Postdoctoral Fellow in Computational Sciences
[POSTDOC3] pure and applied mathematics, Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Institute for Basic Science, Research Evaluation Team
[DIRECTORSANDCHIEFINVESTIGATORS] 2020 Call for Applications for IBS Research Center Directors and Chief Investigators
[DIMAG1] Discrete Mathematics, Graph Theory, Combinatorics, IBS DISCRETE MATHEMATICS GROUP (DIMAG) POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP (deadline 2019/12/01)
National Tsing Hua University of Taiwan, Mathematics
[TTT2] Tenure-track or tenured position
Academia Sinica, Institute of Mathematics
[RESEARCHERPOSTDOCTORAL] Mathematics, Researcher/ Postdoctoral Fellow (2020/05/31)
National Center for Theoretical Sciences, Math Division
[NCTS_PD] Postdoc Fellow (2020/02/28)
National Cheng Kung University, Department of Mathematics
[TENURETRACK] Professorship (2020/02/05)
National Sun Yat-sen University, Department of Applied Mathematics
[AP] Full-time faculty position
Fulbright University Vietnam
[FACULTY] Applied mathemmatics, Multiple Open Faculty Positions: Fulbright Undergraduate Program (2020/12/02)
Xiamen University Malaysia, Mathematics
[APROF1] All Areas of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics, Assistant Professor/ Associate Professor
Nagoya University, Graduate School of Mathematics
[ASSOCIEATEPROFESSORPOSITION] Mathematics and Mathematical Sciences, Associeate Professor Position(Graduate School of Mathmatics) (2020/02/09)
Universidad de Chile, Center for Mathematical Modeling
[RAP] Mathematics, CMM–CNRS Chair of Excellence for Young Researchers (2020/06/19)
[SNRLECTURERAPPLIEDMTHS] Applied Mathematics, Lecturer/Senior Lecturer in Applied Mathematics (deadline 2020/01/15)
Ahmedabad University
[ASSISTANTASSOCIATEFULLPROFESSOR1] Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Assistant/ Associate/ Full Professor
[JQRCHICAGO] Junior Quantitative Researcher - Machine Learning
[JQT] Junior Quantitative Trader
[QRINTERNCHICAGO] Quantitative Research Internship, Summer 2020
[MSEC] Math and Science Education, Director, Mathematics and Science Education Center (2020/12/06)
[TACOORD] Mathematics, Graduate Teaching Assistant Coordinator (deadline 2020/01/15)
Association for Women in Mathematics
[AWMED] Executive Director
[APMATH] Mathematics, Assistant Professor of Mathematics (deadline 2019/12/31)
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, Statistics Department
[TT] Statistics, Tenure Track Position - Statistics
Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, Mathematisches Seminar
[PROFESSORSHIP] Analysis, Professorship (W 3) in Analysis (2020/02/20)
[LAM] Mathematics, Lecturer of Mathematics (deadline 2019/12/19)
[DPF] Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellow in Statistics
Contra Costa Community College District, Diablo Valley College
[MAP] Mathematics Assistant Professor (deadline 2019/11/26)
Deerfield Academy, Dean of Faculty Office
[MATH] Teacher of Mathmatics
FDA-Center for Veterinary Medicine
[MATHSTAT] Mathematical Statisticians Staff Fellow-2 Year Fellowship
Florida Polytechnic University, Math and Statistics Department
[INST] Mathematics Instructor
[ORF] Computational Biology, Open Rank Faculty - Engineering Mathematics, Computational Biology
[ORF1] Engineering Mathematics, Open Rank Faculty - Engineering Mathematics
Fred Hutch
[FAC] Assistant/Associate Member Faculty Position – Computational Biology and Biomedical Data Science (accepting applications)
Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Faculty of Sciences
[ASSISTANTPROFESSOR] Applied Mathematics, W1 Professorships for Applied Mathematics (Assistant Professor) (2020/01/31)
Harvard University, Quantitative Biology; NSF/Simons Center for the Mathematical and Statistical Analysis of Biology
[QBIO] Mathematics/Statistics/Physics/Biology, Independent Fellows in Quantitative Biology (2020/01/31)
HEC Montreal, Decision Science
[RAP] Quantitative finance, financial engineering, Tenure-track or tenured professor in Quantitative Finance (deadline 2019/10/15)
[RAP1] Machine learning, Tenure-track or tenured professor in Machine Learning (deadline 2019/12/15)
[AP] Computer Science, Assistant Professor of Computer Science (accepting applications)
[INTERNSHIP] MATLAB Math Numerical Methods Intern
MathWorks, Technical Marketing
[BUSDEV] Mathematics Business Development, Mathematics Market Development (deadline 2019/12/31)
Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research
[POSTDOC] Post-doctoral Scientist in the area of Computational Modelling of Development (deadline 2019/09/30)
McDaniel College, Academic Life
[FACULTY] Applied Mathematics, Statistics, Mathematics Education, Visiting Assistant Professor of Mathematics (2020/01/31)
[TEACHINGFACULTY] Mathematics, Computer Science, or Cybersecurity, full-time faculty
Middle Tennessee State University, Mathematical Sciences
[ASSTASSOCPROF] Data Science, Mathematical Sciences, Data Science, Tenure-Track Faculty (deadline 2019/10/30)
Mills College, Mathematics & Computer Science Department
Molloy College, Mathematics and Computer Studies
[CISCSC] Computer Studies, Assistant Professor (2020/05/31)
New York Institute of Technology, Department of Mathematics, Old Westbury Campus, College of Arts and Sciences
[ASSISTANTPROFESSOR] Mathematics, Assistant Professor, Math - Tenure Track
New York University in Abu Dhabi, Engineering
[PRA] Stability, Postdoctoral Research Associate (deadline 2019/12/20)
Northern Arizona University, NAU SICCS
[GRAD] Ecoinformatics, Ph.D. Graduate Program in Ecoinformatics (deadline 2020/01/01)
[GRAD1] Bioinformatics, Ph.D. Graduate Program in Informatics
[GRAD2] Computer Science, Ph.D. Graduate Program in Informatics
[GRAD3] Electrical Engineering & Cyber Systems, Ph.D. Graduate Program in Informatics
[LATP] Lecturer or Assistant Teaching Professor in Mathematics
[LM] Lecturer in Mathematics
St. John's University, Department of Mathematics and Computer Science
[ASSISTANTPROFESSORMATHEMATICS] Mathematics and Computer Science, Assistant Professor at the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science - Full-time one-year non-tenure-track
The Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Mathematics
[FACULTY] Mathematics, Faculty position
The University of Tampa, Mathematics
Troy University, Mathematics
[MATH] Assistant / Associate / Full Professor – Mathematics
Ulm University, Institute of Pure Mathematics
[PHD] Arithmetic geometry, PhD Student (Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter / TV-L E13) (2020/02/15)
UM-SJTU Joint Institute
[MATHLECTURER] Assistant / Associate / Full Teaching Professor of Mathematics (deadline 2020/01/01)
Université Clermont-Auvergne, Laboratoire de mathématiques Blaise Pascal
[PDF] Representation Theory, Postdoctoral fellowship in Representation Theory (deadline 2020/01/15)
Université Paris-Sud/CNRS, ERC project CohoSing
[POSTDOC] Arithmetic Geometry, Postdoctoral positions in Arithmetic Geometry at the Université Paris-Sud (deadline 2019/12/15)
Universite Paul Sabatier, EUR MINT, Institut de Mathématiques de Toulouse
[MASTERLEVEL] Master scholarships 2020, EUR MINT - Master scholarships 2020 (2021/01/09)
[PHD] EUR MINT - Doctoral Fellowships 2020, EUR MINT - Doctoral Fellowships 2020 (2020/03/29)
University of Alberta, Alberta School of Business - Accounting, Operations and Information Systems
[STATISTICS] Tenured or Tenure-Track Faculty Position in Business Statistics/Econometrics
University of California, San Diego, Division of Biological Sciences
[AFPCN] Associate or Full Professor - Computational Neuroscientist
[DSCN] Assistant Professor - Data Science and Computational Neuroscience
[JPPDEMP] Junior Professorship for Partial Differential Equations of Mathematical Physics (deadline 2020/01/06)
[PSA] Tenure Track Professorship of Stochastic Analysis (deadline 2020/01/06)
University of Memphis, Mathematical Sciences
[POSTDOC] Mathematical Sciences, Post-doctoral position in Analysis
University of New Hampshire at Manchester
[AP] Faculty, Assistant Professor of Mathematics
University of North Carolina, Computational Medicine Program
[MATH] Computational Medicine Program and College of Arts & Sciences Faculty (deadline 2019/12/31)
University of Pennsylvania, Wharton Department of Statistics
[PR] statistics, machine learning, causal inference, optimization, and market design, Postdoctoral Researcher in Energy Analytics and Machine Learning (2020/02/01)
University of South Carolina, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics
[APB] Biostatistics, Associate Professor of Biostatistics
Waldorf University, Mathematics
[FACULTY] General Mathematics (Basic, Stats & Calculus), Facutly Mathematics (deadline 2020/01/09)
Web3 Foundation
[HOR] Cryptographic protocols; Consensus algorithms; Game theory and mechanism design; Censorship resistance ; Privacy technologies, Research Scientist (2020/09/01)
(529 positions listed)
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