pred_label
stringclasses 2
values | pred_label_prob
float64 0.5
1
| wiki_prob
float64 0.25
1
| text
stringlengths 137
1.03M
| source
stringlengths 37
43
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
__label__cc
| 0.630921
| 0.369079
|
Beach Jumper Marker on Loop Shack Hill
Irvin Garrish Highway, Ocracoke
When you are driving to the village from the lifeguard beach, look for a large black granite marker on the right side of N.C. Highway 12 just before you reach the village boundary. Behind the marker, up past the dunes is an area of the island called Loop Shack Hill, the site of a little known WWII U.S. Navy project called the Beach Jumpers. This marker was installed in the fall of 2009 at a reunion of the U.S. Navy Beach Jumper Association held at Ocracoke to commemorate the island’s participation in this top secret operation.
The story of the Beach Jumpers has only come to light in recent years. In 1943, during WWII before the Naval Station was built on the island, Ocracoke hosted an advanced amphibious training base where tactical cover and deception units, precursors to the celebrated Navy Seals, were organized and trained for the U.S. Navy. This undercover military project was known as the Beach Jumpers and existed not only on Ocracoke but also in other prime locations along the East Coast. In addition to training, these tactical cover and deception units monitored hidden German submarine activity off the eastern coast of the United States during the war. As part of the project a facility was established at Loop Shack Hill to receive pulses from a magnetic cable that ran from Ocracoke to Buxton that indicated when underwater vessels, possibly German submarines, were in the area.
The Ocracoke Preservation Museum has an exhibit with photos that tells the complete story of this remarkable project. Go check out this wonderful display and learn about the major role that well-known actor Douglas Fairbanks Jr. played in the development of the Beach Jumpers as well as other astounding facts that surround this operation.
Ocracoke Preservation Society and Museum
49 Water Plant Road, Ocracoke
For a peek into Ocracoke’s past, visit Ocracoke Preservation Society’s Museum. The nonprofit organization is dedicated to preserving the island’s history and cultural heritage and to protecting its environment. Housed in the turn-of-the-century home of Coast Guard Capt. David Williams, the museum lets visitors glimpse island life in the early to mid-1900s. Many of the architectural elements are intact, and a bedroom, living room and kitchen are decorated with period furnishings donated by island families. The museum has photographs, artifacts and exhibits that pertain to island life and culture. A favorite is a video on the Ocracoke brogue. The museum also houses special rotating exhibits and a gift shop. Upstairs is a small research library that can be used by appointment. In the yard of the museum you can find outdoor exhibits including an old-style cistern and the traditional fishing boat, Blanche, circa 1934. During the summer, OPS hosts free porch talks and museum tours with a variety of islanders sharing their knowledge, stories and history. The museum also offers a mid-week Create-a-Craft program for kids. This interactive program is fun and informative and the children leave with a handmade island souvenir. Stop at the OPS gift shop for a schedule of these events. It’s free to visit the museum, though donations are encouraged. It’s open from the end of March through the first week of December.
For a peek into Ocracoke’s past, visit Ocracoke Preservation Society’s Museum. The nonprofit organization is dedicated to preserving the island’s history and cultural heritage and to protecting its environment. Housed in the turn-of-the-century home of Coast Guard Capt. David Williams, the museum lets visitors glimpse island life in the early to mid-1900s. Many of the architectural elements are intact, and a bedroom, living room and... read more
For a peek into Ocracoke’s past, visit Ocracoke Preservation Society’s Museum. The nonprofit organization is... read more
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2683
|
__label__wiki
| 0.882691
| 0.882691
|
By Danessa Rivera – November 5, 2018 – 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — Aboitiz Power Corp. is proceeding with the rehabilitation of the 153.1-megawatt (MW) Naga Power Plant Complex (NPPC) in Cebu, with the first diesel unit operating at higher capacity by the first quarter of 2019 to boost capacity in the Visayas grid, a ranking company official said.
The study being done on the power complex is nearly completed which details the company’s plan to raise the power units’ output to its nameplate capacity, AboitizPower COO Emmanuel Rubio told The STAR.
“We’re almost done with the study. We’ll go ahead with the rehab,” he said. “We’d like to bring it to its nameplate capacity, that’s the plan,” Rubio said.
NPPC has a 43.8-MW Cebu diesel power plant composed of six 7.3-MW bunker oil power units.
“When we took over, it was contracted to provide 25 MW of reserves. We would like to go beyond that,” Rubio said.
For the rehabilitation plan, the first unit is targeted to start running at full capacity by the first quarter of next year, followed by the other units.
“We’re looking at the first unit to be available before the end of first quarter of 2019. We’ll be producing, we’ll be able to run, complete rehabilitation, at the latest the end of first quarter 2019,” Rubio said.
“We’ll rehab one unit at a time. Before the end of 2019, we’ll have all the units available,” he said.
Once completed, the output of NPPC’s diesel plant will be offered to the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) as ancillary service (AS) to ensure the stability and reliability of the Visayas power grid.
“We will be working with NGCP to actually have an agreement with them. Naga was providing ancillary before we [took over]. In fact, the units were certified by NGCP to provide dispatchable reserves,” Rubio said.
AS is necessary to support the transmission of capacity and energy from resources to loads while maintaining reliable operation of the transmission system in accordance with good utility practice and the grid code.
The Aboitiz group took over NPPC after state-run Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (PSALM) turned over NPPC to AboitizPower unit Therma Power Visayas Inc. (TPVI) earlier this year.
This was in accordance with the Supreme Court’s final decision in October 2016. The SC decision also reinstated the Notice of Award dated April 30, 2014 in favor of TPVI.
PSALM issued the Certificate of Effectivity of the Asset Purchase Agreement last May 18 which TPVI accepted on May 23. SPC returned NPPC to PSALM on July 13.
The NPPC contract is a 25-year lease over the land containing the Naga complex. Located in Colon, Naga City, the power facility consists of two thermal power plants and one diesel-fired power plant that use a combination of coal, bunker oil and diesel as fuel.
Apart from the diesel plant component, NPPC also consists of the 52.5-MW Cebu 1 and 56.8-MW Cebu 2 coal-fired thermal power plants.
However, AboitizPower said the coal plants were not operating anymore so they will focus on the diesel-fired power plant.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2686
|
__label__wiki
| 0.943926
| 0.943926
|
← Paul Evans
Trevor Benjamin →
Jamie Ashdown
Total appearances 19
(19 League)
15 November 2003 (Away Hartlepool United)
12 March 2004 (Away Bristol City)
Born in Reading, Jamie joined the Reading Youth set up at an early age and signed a professional contract with the club in February 1998. He made his debut for the Royals in February 2000, in a 5-0 win over Oldham Athletic, but with limited opportunities to play in the first team, he went out on several loan deals to provide experience of first team football. In March 2001, he went to Gravesend & Northfleet on a one month deal, followed by AFC Bournemouth in August 2002. Jamie arrived at Nene Park on 13 November 2003 following an injury to Billy Turley. Although initially on a one month deal, this was later extended until the end of the season however, he was recalled by Reading on 15 March 2004 due to injuries to their own keeper.
Jamie Ashdown made a major impression at Diamonds during his 19 games, earning him several ‘Player of the month’ awards during his stay. During the summer of 2004, he declined an extended contract with Reading, and joined Portsmouth although managerial changes saw him as second choice keeper. He went on loan to Norwich City in October 2006, but was sent off in his second game for the Canaries, and returned to Portsmouth. He made a total of 124 appearances for Pompey, but following continued financial problems at the south coast club, Jamie signed a two-year deal with Championship side Leeds United on 24 July 2012. He made just 8 appearances during his stay at Elland Road, before leaving in the summer of 2014. He signed a short term (half season) contract with League One side Crawley Town on 29 August 2014. In February 2015 he joined Oxford United, his final club before hanging up his gloves. His Wikipedia page is here.
2003/2004 – squad number 36
Hartlepool Utd(A)
Colchester Utd(H)
Port Vale (A)
Bristol City (H)
Peterborough U(A)
Swindon Town (H)
Wycombe Wdrs(A)
QPR (A)
Luton Town (H)
Plymouth Arg (A)
Oldham Ath (H)
Swindon Town (A)
Chesterfield (A)
Sheff Wed (H)
Tranmere Rvrs(H)
Wrexham (A)
Blackpool (H)
Peterborough U(H)
Bristol City (A)
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2689
|
__label__wiki
| 0.563597
| 0.563597
|
The Dramatic Growth of Open Access: March 31, 2006 Update
The Dramatic Growth of Open Access continues!
In the last quarter, over 780,000 records have been added to OAIster, suggesting that those open access archives are beginning to fill! There are 170 more titles in DOAJ, likely an understated increase due to a weeding project. 78 titles have been added to DOAJ in the past 30 days, a growth rate of more than 2 new titles per day. Disciplinary archives are showing remarkable growth. E-LIS has been increasing at the equivalent of 56% annually. Differences in growth rates suggest the possibility of a life-cycle factor in open access archives growth, perhaps initial slow growth, followed by very rapid growth, then a more steady growth as the archive matures.
Following is an overview and analysis of data examined. The data itself - a few indicators chosen primarily because they are relatively easy to determine - follows at the end.
The most notable increase is the addition of over 780,000 records to OAIster, the equivalent of a 50% annual increase. This rate of increase doubles that of 2005 (25%). This evidence suggests that those open access institutional archives are beginning to fill! Among the disciplinary archives examined, the highest growth rate was shown at E-LIS, with an equivalent of a 56% annual increase.
The longer-established disciplinary archives showed impressive but slower growth rates: RePEC, 25%, and arXiv, 12%. One possible explanation could be a life-cycle factor for successful disciplinary archives, with a relatively high percentage growth rate at an early stage, followed by slower percentage growth at a more mature phase. This will reflect, in part, the larger size of the repository. It takes more records to create a 12% increase in a large repository than a 50% increase in a small one.
Data from the Canadian Metadata Harvester may indicate another potential life-cycle effect. That is, the Canadian repositories showed a growth rate equivalent to less than 12% per year. The difference between the Canadian open access archives data increase and the OAIster increase (50%) may reflect the relative newness of many of the Canadian repositories.
While delayed free access is not true open access, the 200,000 articles added to the Highwire Free program - an equivalent of a 72% annual increase - does represent a dramatic increase in free access.
DOAJ includes 170 more titles now than on Dec. 31, 2006, an equivalent annual growth rate of 34%. This percentage is likely an understatement, as DOAJ has been undertaking a weeding project to remove titles no longer meeting DOAJ criteria.
Early figures are from my preprint, The Dramatic Growth of Open Access: Implications and Opportunities for Resource Sharing, Journal of Interlibrary Loan, Document Delivery & Electronic Reserve, 16, 3 (2006), and my Dec. 31, 2005 Update and 2006 Predictions.
Directory of Open Access Journals:
March 31, 2006: 2,158 journals (78 titles added in the last 30 days)
Dec. 31, 2005: 1,988 titles
February 2005 - over 1,400 titles
March 31, 2006: 594 journals searchable at article level -- 92,751 articles in DOAJ total
Dec. 31, 2004: 492 journals searchable at article level - 83,235
This is an 8.5% increase, or the equivalent of a 34% annual increase. Please note that this figure may underestimate the growth of OA journals, due to recent weeding by DOAJ of titles no longer meeting the criteria.
Note that the DOAJ list does not represent all open access journals, only the ones that have met DOAJ standards, and have gone through the DOAJ vetting process. Jan Szczepanski's list is much longer: over 4,705 titles total as of early December 2005.
March 22, 2006: 7,040,586 records from 610 institutions
Dec. 22, 2005: 6,255,599 records from 578 institutions
February 2005: over 5 million records, 405 institutions
This is a 12.5% increase in records in a quarter, or the equivalent of a 50% annual increase. This doubles the rate of increase noted Dec. 31 (25% increase in records in less than a year). The number of institutions has increased by 5.5%, or the equivalent of 22% annually, half of the increase reported in 2005. The latter may be an anomaly; that is, it is possible that this number could be artificially low, assuming that academic libraries would tend to wait until after the semester to implement a new repository.
Highwire Press Free Online Fulltext Articles
March 31, 2006: 1,335,546 free articles
Dec. 31, 2005: 1,131,135 free articles
early January 2005: over 800,000 free articles
This is an 18% increase in this quarter, or the equivalent of 72% annually.
March 31, 2006: 362,334 e-prints
Dec. 31, 2005: Open access to 350,745 e-prints in Physics, Mathematics, Computer Science and Quantitative Biology.
This is a 3% increase in this quarter, or the equivalent of 12% annually.
RePEC: Research Papers in Economics
March 31, 2006: over 367,000 items of interest, over 266,000 of which are available online
Dec. 31, 2005: over 350,000 items of interest, over 250,000 of which are available online.
February 2005: over 200,000 freely available items.
The rate of increase of items available online is 6.4%, or the equivalent of 25% annually, the same growth rate as last year. Recently, the American Economics Association began adding records directly from RePEC into EconLIT, as reported by Thomas Krichel - see Thomas Krichel: a man with vision - and drive!. This provides added incentive for authors to add their works to RePEC.
E-LIS
March 31, 2006: 3,539 documents
Dec. 31, 2005: 3,095 documents
This is a 14% increase, or the equivalent of 56% annually.
Open Access Publishers
The number of open access publishers and their journals is not being reported this time. There are too many, and I don't want to leave anyone out!
Canadian Association of Research Libraries : Metadata Harvester
March 31, 2006: 22,566 records from 12 archives
Dec. 31, 2005: 21,922 records from 11 archives.
This is a 2.9% increase, or the equivalent of 11.6% annually.
This post reflects my personal opinion only and does not represent the opinions or policy of the BC Electronic Library Network or the Simon Fraser University Library.
Posted by Heather Morrison at 8:24 PM
Thank you for your comment. Comments on IJPE are moderated.
Sustaining the knowledge commons
For the latest on my research into the economics of transitioning scholarly works to open access, please see my research blog Sustaining the Knowledge Commons.
Heather Morrison
Heather Morrison is Associate Professor at the University of Ottawa's École des sciences de l'information / School of Information Studies and Principal Investigator on the SSHRC Insight Grant project Sustaining the Knowledge Commons. Heather's dissertation at Simon Fraser University School of Communication in 2012 is on Freedom for scholarship in the internet age.
The Dramatic Growth of Open Access
Creative Commons and Open Access Critique
Table of Contents (updated irregularly)
Copy and share with love
OA conference in Tunisia
Nov. 27-28, 2014. Details here
About IJPE (includes commenting policy)
http://poeticeconomics.blogspot.ca/2005/07/about-imaginary-journal-of-poetic.html
transitioning to open access (107)
Canadian leadership in the open access movement (92)
dramatic growth of open access (71)
open access policy (31)
essential efficiences (23)
publisher tips (21)
scholarly communication (10)
creative globalization (9)
economics 101 (9)
OA research (6)
copyright for canadians (6)
DOAJ (4)
FRPAA (4)
OAD (4)
access copyright (4)
aiming for obscurity (4)
OSTP (3)
SCOAP3 (2)
environmental poetic economics (2)
google.books (2)
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2692
|
__label__wiki
| 0.976967
| 0.976967
|
Top 100 Songs - Daily
Artists Top 40
Trends Top 40
Trending Top 50
NIGERIAN SUPERSTAR: WIZKID
Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun popularly known as Wizkid is a Nigerian singer.
Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun popularly known as Wizkid is a Nigerian singer, songwriter that is arguably the biggest superstar right now in African, often dubbed as the “next fela” not just for his style of music but to show the magnitude of the fame it has acquired and will soon acquire.
Wizkid was born 16 July 1990 in the capital city of Lagos, in the town of Surulere, from an early age he already knew that his future was in music. He started singing at the age of 11, which he formed a group that went by the name “Glorious Five” with some of his church friends. Before he embraced the name Wizkid he went by the name Lil prinz.
According to Wizkid his parents were initially skeptical about his music career and wanted him to go to school, but eventually, he worked hard to gain their trust. Before Wizkid dropped his solo Album in had been in and around the music industry, learning his craft. Wizkid cited that he was mentored and coached by popular rapper “Naeto c” and also worked with OJB Jezereel and M.I.
By 2009 Wizkid signed a major record deal with Empire Mates Entertainment led by Banky W, soon after he started working on his debut Album, Superstar. Just before that he dropped his first single “Holla at your boy” on 2nd January 2010, that song would see him being nominated for Best Pop Single at The Headies 2011, one of Nigeria most prized award ceremony, although he lost that award he won “the next rated” at the same show, this award is given to the best rising talent at the Time and with past winners like Asa, Wande Coal and Omawummi.
He finally dropped his first Album “Superstar” in 2009. Widely regarded as one of the best Nigerian album of recent times, it had hits songs like “Don’t dull”, “Wiz party” and “Love my Baby”. The Superstar album won Best Album of The Year at the 2012 Nigeria Entertainment Awards and at The Headies 2012, it was nominated for the same category.
Ayo was his second Album featuring Superstars like Tyga, Femi Kuti, Seyi Shay, Wale and Phyno. It was released on September 12, 2014, the long-awaited album featured hit singles like “Jaiye Jaiye”, ”Bombay”, “One question”, “show you the Money”.it received mixed views but was mostly accepted and won Album of the Year at both “The Headies” and “Nigeria Entertainment Awards” in 2015.
Part of the second Album “Ayo” was the song “Ojuelegba” that many say took him to the next stage of his career. The visuals of Ojuelegba was released on the 5 January 2105, a song that showed what he went through his earlier days of music and how he overcame his struggles.
The song would eventually be the start of his mini partnership with Canadian Superstar Drake, Ojuelegba was remixed by Drake and Nigerian-born British Star Skepta. After which Wizkid was featured on Drake’s one dance making him the first Nigeria artist to emerge on Billboard’s Twitter Last 24 hours Chart. One dance reached number-one on the Billboard HOT 100 and held on to that position for 10 straight weeks. Drake OVO sound Radio premiered Wizkid’s promotional single “like that” on 5 June 2016.
His last studio album is Sounds From The Other Side (STFOS), primarily a Caribbean-influenced record but was also included R&B, Afrobeat and House. On the tracklist are songs like African bad gyal, Daddy yo, Come Closer, Sweet Love and Naughty ride. The Album had appearances from established superstars like Drake, Trey Songz, Chris Brown, and Major Lazer. It also included other artists like Bucie and Efya. It debuted at number 58 and number 107 at the Canadian Album Chart and US Billboard 200 respectively. It was well received by critics.
Wizkid eventually left Empire Mates Entertainment to start his own Label Starboy Entertainment, a move that was reported to have caused troubles with then boss Banky W. under the Starboy label, Wizkid signed the likes of Maleek Berry, Legendary Beatz, L.A.X., Efya, Mr Eazi, and R2Bees.
Wizkid’s career it has not been short of accidents on 15 June 2013, he was involved in an accident and had to be hospitalized for what was said to be a minor concussion result from the wreck of his Porshe Panarema. There were reports that he bought another one soon after the crash, Wizkid even said so in one of his featured songs with Kay Switch and Olamide citing “I buy e porshe, I crash e porshe, in another week I get another porshe”.
Quite recently Wizkid was accused by one of his baby mamas, that he has neglected his fatherhood duties and she posted screenshots of their chats on social media, this is not the first time Wizkid have been involved with controversies in his personal life involving fatherhood.
At the Age of 21, it was reported that he was a father, which he denied. When the news broke out, it was said that there was no concrete proof that Wizkid was the father and DNA results were pending. In October 2013 Wizkid posted a picture of himself and his 2-year-old son, perhaps confirming the truth of those rumors. It is often said that Wizkid has three children, but there have been no confirmed reports.
Since the beginning of his career, Wizkid has had many shows and tours around the world, but some of the memorable ones include when he sold out Royal Album Hall in London making him one of the few African artists to do that. The concert was held on the 29th of September and had a guest appearance from British act Yxng Bane and Wande Coal.
He also became part of an elite team of artists to sell out the o2 arena, the concert that was held on May 26, 2018, featured stars like Tekno, Giggs and Naomi Campbell.
Wizkid has a plethora of awards in his arsenal, most notable ones include, 1 MTV Europe Music Awards, 4 MTV Africa Music Awards, 6 the Headies Awards and 2 channel O Music Video Awards.
Monday, 01/07/2019 59
Popnable / Popnable Media
31 10 8 7 5 4 4 4 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2694
|
__label__cc
| 0.532452
| 0.467548
|
Veranda Retreats
Author(s): Veranda; Mario López-Cordero
With all the style, quality, and elegance you've come to expect from VERANDA, this entry in the magazine's bestselling series of home decorating books invites you into the world's most stunning houses.
Lushly romantic or quietly minimalist, boasting verdant farmland or a beckoning pool, every one of these stunning homes is a unique, super-luxurious getaway, designed to please the eye and recharge the body, spirit, and mind. Veranda Retreats features the magazine's signature lavish photography, which allows readers to contemplate with pleasure even the smallest details of every breathtaking house and landscape. Enjoy the beauty and serenity of a North Carolina cabin, villas in Malibu and Ojai, a compound in Kennebunkport, a West Hollywood bungalow and Los Angeles house, as well as apartments in New York, Palm Beach, and Georgetown, and gorgeous properties in Dallas, Aspen, and more Or journey to spectacular locations in the Bahamas, St. Tropez, and the Dordogne. Includes a foreword by Clinton Smith.
Sales success with all the 'Veranda' titles, which have sold over 75,000 as a series. Stunning format: lavish colour photography, layout and design Covers a wide variety of properties, from North Carolina cabins to West Hollywood Bungalows.
The audience for "Veranda Retreats "mirrors that of the magazine: half-a-million affluent readers who are on a quest for the best. The magazine is unparalleled in its commitment to luxury living and delivering the finest in home decoration, style, jewelry, travel, culture, and more. Mario Lopez-Cordero is a journalist who writes about design, travel, fashion and culture. He is the senior editor of "Veranda "and his writing has also appeared in "New York," "Travel + Leisure" and "Metropolitan Home"; he s previously held staff positions at "ELLE Decor," "Harper s Bazaar" and "House Beautiful." He lives in New York City. "
Publisher : Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.
Imprint : Hearst Books
Produced in : United States
Dewey classification : 645
Illustrations : full colour photographs
Author : Veranda; Mario López-Cordero
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2695
|
__label__wiki
| 0.824928
| 0.824928
|
Xr650r Service Manual Repair 2000 2007 Xr650
Xr650r Service Manual Repair 2000 2007 Xr650 - For the most accurate technical information regarding features, specifications, installation and operation of your LG product, please refer to the Owner's Manual and other documents available for this product.. View and Download LG Optimus L90 user manual online. LG Optimus L90 Cell Phone pdf manual download.. The Android 4.4 KitKat version was recently announced and it is soon to be officially launched by Google when they would be coming up with the next version of Nexus, the Nexus 5 device. But it would always be a guessing game for the users, to see whether the 4.4 update would be coming to their.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2696
|
__label__wiki
| 0.857063
| 0.857063
|
Turn Down for What
Looking beyond lyrics, why is the overall sound of a song like Ariana Grande's "Break Free" so good at turning off our brains, while something like Sam Smith's "Stay With Me" or FKA twigs' "Two Weeks" is more conducive to contemplation?
by Jayson Greene
Overtones
Try memorizing a phone number—or following an anecdote, or filling out a spreadsheet, or remembering second-grade times tables—while listening to Ariana Grande's Top 5 hit "Break Free". It is an exercise in futility: Your thoughts are whiffle balls in a tornado. The song was co-written and co-produced by Max Martin, the Swedish guru who has been at the helm of pop music for two decades now, and it bears his stamp: You cannot, and will not, entertain non-"Break Free"-related thoughts during its runtime. Cue up "Break Free" and then read this paragraph again, just to prove my point.
This is what it means to not be able to hear yourself think. It's not just an expression: The sounds on Martin's songs—from "Oops!… I Did It Again" to "Since U Been Gone"—are compressed into weaponized high beams specifically designed to obliterate your focus. His productions, running back to his time as the go-to guy for boy-band smashes in the 1990s, tend to rely heavily on a brickwall limiter, a mastering tool often employed in the final stages of pop song recording. The brickwall limiter ensures that no sound in the mix "clips," and in doing so, smooshes out any ceiling or floor in the mix. It's a blunt-force instrument, and whoever named it chose well.
If you regularly read articles about music, you've probably come across someone grumbling about the loudness of modern records. This is the so-called “loudness war,” although the “compression war” may be more accurate. Loudness, like taste or smell, is tricky to measure—more perception than fact. In an extended inquiry for Sound on Sound in 2011, Emmanuel Deruty found that while music recordings in general increased about five decibels from 1970 to 2010, their perceived loudness—how loud they sound or feel to us relative to everything else—hasn't changed much at all. Loudness, like pain, plays out on a different time scale than other sensations; it can happen in an instant or it can sustain itself over minutes. Its hard to know which way is “up.”
Compression,which reduces the dynamic range of a recording, shrinking the space between the quietest and loudest sounds, is simpler. You can watch both sides of the loudness war play out in the upward swoop of a well-articulated sound wave. For people on the quietness side, a good producer or masterer is someone who respects the shape the audio signal is making. If you use a brickwall limiter, its opponents argue, you are, in essence, lowering the basketball hoop to dunk—the motion is the same, but, without the thrill of the leap, the meaning is gone.
So while music hasn’t gotten appreciably louder or flatter, it’s grown blockier, more modular: Decibel levels notch up and down according to a song's structure, creating emphasis. In this way, manipulating levels and waveforms is now a kind of songwriting, used the way an earlier generation might have relied on a key change.
This approach—the tweezers followed by the hammer—characterizes about 90 percent of mainstream pop radio. You can hear it on the chorus to Chris Young's country mega-ballad "Who I Am With You". You can hear it in Sia's "Chandelier", when the singer’s hiccupy, odd little voice doubles up until it feels like a jet plane. And you can hear it on "She Looks So Perfect", from 5 Seconds of Summer, a boy band with pop/punk affectations (or the other way around… it's confusing). The mix for these choruses is smooth and rounded and impenetrable, and the only thing you can do to prepare for them is duck.
While the massive success of last year's comparatively soft, richly dynamic Random Access Memories by Daft Punk pointed the path to a (potentially) quieter future for mainstream music, the truth is that garishly vivid production and mixing have a permanent place in pop, and producers turn to them when they want to accomplish specific goals. Like Michael Bay films or appletinis, they can be spurned or scorned, but they can never be vanquished.
The act of squeezing an arena's worth of information into an audio file doesn't belong to Max Martin, or to his protege, Dr. Luke. (There's no question, however, that they are the best at it.) Their secret weapon is their mixing engineer, Serban Ghenea, who has mixed over 100 #1 songs, from Ke$ha's "Timber", to Katy Perry's "Dark Horse", to Pink's "Raise Your Glass”. His mixes have no notches, no joints, no seams. They are the aural equivalent of a glassy wall.
And it is this towering, right-in-your-face style of mixing, as much as a given song's lyrics or message, that usually triggers our "mindless" filter. All these sounds pressed into a hard, impermeable block tend to make the higher brain—the part used to parse out smaller elements and puzzle over them—wince in mercy. It's a big factor in what makes those songs work so well in filling up huge spaces, and it dovetails with their overall message: Turn off your thinker, let's party.
A quick way to signal to modern ears that you are a breed apart, then, is to surround yourself with a cavern of silence. It's a powerful shorthand: Lorde's “Royals”, a pop song about avoiding the glitz of other pop songs, would have its context capsized if a massive synth crashed in on the chorus. The finger snaps on the track, lightly touched with reverb, help make Lorde seem wry, wolfish, poised. Sam Smith's "Stay With Me", meanwhile, focuses our ears on some low-lit piano chords, a kick, a snare, and nothing else. Smith doubles down on the "above-it-all" signifiers with lyrics about "not being good at a one-night stand" and a gospel choir, which is sort of a nuclear respectability option for pop stars. He's not that kind of guy, Smith’s lyrics tell us, while the mix assures us that this is not that kind of song.
But wide open spaces don't magically bestow sophistication on performers. Sometimes, in fact, they do the opposite. Witness Robin Thicke, strutting around in a Beetlejuice suit and inviting the mockery of Western civilization with last year's "Blurred Lines". No one blames Pharrell's backing track, a perfect, glittering retool of Marvin Gaye's "Got To Give It Up", for the silliness, the hashtags, the unpleasant whiff of horny-high-school-principal. The music, seemingly made only of cowbell and Pharrell's shit-eating grin, is sly, sexy, and playful in all the places that Thicke is oafish, obvious, and clumsy: Sometimes a gorgeous sports car simply points out the inadequacy of the person driving it.
Nonetheless, music with a pronounced sense of space always stands out on the radio, because we can instantly sense that we are no longer listening to something seeking to maul us. Our agency returns, as does our capacity for thought. Very few words of this piece, in fact, were composed while listening to the bright, blasting songs it mentions—it was too difficult. For the analysis, I turned to FKA twigs, whose subdued, cavernous new album offers abundant room to accommodate daydreaming.
After a steady monthlong diet of Max Martin, though, I found myself examining the spaces in music more carefully, and with new appreciation. I tried to imagine what would happen to the fragile mood of twigs' music—bruised, carnal, profoundly alone—if these sonic openings closed. Imagine, for instance, that the synth for "Two Weeks" was pumped up to "Dark Horse" size. Would the song's line "higher than a motherfucker" suddenly sound like a night at Señor Frogs? Would her boast "I can fuck you better" feel less like something murmured from afar and more like a brassy declaration? The intimacy, the ache: It would all disappear like an overexposed photo. There's a reason we tend to instinctively say "give me space" when gripped by overwhelming feelings. Our messiest emotions require space, and music that offers it beckons like an invitation.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2697
|
__label__wiki
| 0.852086
| 0.852086
|
Demand more original films, not remakes, from Hollywood
Attendees sit in front of an illuminated Marvel sign during the second day of Comic-Con 2016. (Harrison Hill/Los Angeles Times/TNS)
By Thomas Wick | Columnist
Let’s look at the films coming out this year.
Guardians of the Galaxy — again. Thor — again. Spider-man, Cars, Beauty and the Beast and Star Wars — all again. If you need proof that Hollywood is struggling to make original content, look no farther than the box offices of the past few years.
By far, the worst movie I saw in 2016 was “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.” On top of unimpressive performances and poor pacing, its characters were painfully boring, generic archetypes. It wasn’t only a mediocre movie but a stain on one of the most beloved fantasy franchises in history. This type of shameless cash grab illustrates perfectly the current state of the film industry. Instead of remaking and reshaping characters, storylines and brands that have already been successful, it’s time to invest in original work.
There wouldn’t be as much to complain about if the vast majority of sequels, prequels and reboots didn’t fail to match the quality of their predecessors. Films such as “Ghostbusters,” “X-Men Apocalypse” and “Ben-Hur” — all of which came out in 2016 — failed to capture what made their original films great. Specifically, “Ghostbusters” lacked the quality wit and humor that made the old movies a hit, often trying too hard to reference the classic ’80s film instead of coming up with new material for today’s fanbase.
Good examples of sequels and spin-offs, such as “Captain America: Civil War” or “Deadpool” — which made $1.15 billion and $783 million, respectively — were enjoyable and well received. But for every successful blockbuster spin-off such as “Deadpool,” there’s always an “Assassin’s Creed” or a “World of Warcraft” — films that undoubtedly flopped at the box office. “World of Warcraft” raked in a mere $430 million and “Assassin’s Creed” didn’t even double its $125 million production budget, making less than $240 million worldwide.
“Deadpool” may be an X-Men spin-off, but it artfully confronted that fact in the film numerous times and defused it with realistic humor, contributing to its entertaining and imaginative tone throughout. Meanwhile “Assassin’s Creed” mixed horrendous acting with a convoluted plot and bland characters to make the film an even greater disappointment than I’d imagined.
If the box office numbers for these films don’t show it clearly enough, critics and fan ratings should. “Assassin’s Creed” holds a meager score of 3.9 out 10 among critics on Rotten Tomatoes while “Deadpool” can boast a 6.9 rating and two Golden Globe nominations.
Reboots, sequels and prequels are safe choices — they have a much better chance of making money because people will buy tickets just to see their favorite characters on the big screen again. Even when sequel films fail financially, they still make more money, on average, relative to newly made, original movies.
The average box office earnings for a sequel in 2015 was more than $160 million while the average for all movies was less than $20 million. So while a sequel is more likely to disappoint critically, the risk of making one as opposed to a new movie is much smaller — because even if the sequel is just down right bad, it will almost always make more money than a decent new movie.
But the potential for absolute disappointment is even greater than in an original film.
Take a much-loved character such as Dr. Doom in “Fantastic Four” and make him look like a bunch of crushed up Mountain Dew cans and you’ve done for Marvel fans what “Fuller House” has done to the ’90s generation.
And the power of making reboots and sequels lies, most essentially, in the idea of creating brands. A brand associated with a film also means the potential to not only sell tickets and DVDs but shirts, toys, posters and a plethora of other merchandise items as well — a goal much harder to achieve with solitary movies.
Star Wars is a prime example of how profitable a well-done remake can be. The films do well enough on their own solely through ticket sales — with “Rogue One” making more than $1 billion worldwide — but the entire Star Wars franchise is fueled in large part by merchandise. The franchise made more than $32 billion in merchandising sales in its history and that number is set to increase by $1.5 billion every year, according to both Lucasfilm and industry analysts at NPD Group.
This rebranding strategy doesn’t always equal success for Hollywood either. Box office results and critical reception from 2016 show how audiences are becoming exhausted with these movies too. Films using recycled stories and characters including “Zoolander 2,” “Inferno” and “Independence Day: Resurgence,” failed to perform well at the box office or receive positive scores on sites such as Rotten Tomatoes.
The effort put into squeezing every possible dollar out of a brand is becoming absurd, to the extent that Hollywood is now making movies about Tetris and emojis. Innovation pushes an industry forward, and Hollywood needs more of it. No one will fund original and creative movies if they think they can earn more money on another “Pitch Perfect” film.
We, as an audience, should support films that bring forth new and original stories, as opposed to ones just spinning the same tale. These are mostly art house films such as “Sing Street” and “Red Turtle” but almost anything with original characters, plotlines and content should be encouraged. “Split” and “Get Out” are recent successful films that show how innovative ideas can sell well and be critical darlings.
As for movie directors, it’s time to start taking more risks and invest in something new. Or at the very least, be willing to devote time, effort and money into making your sequels and reboots quality films. The truth is, with the huge profit incentive to make new movies associated with brands, Hollywood will probably never stop cranking them out. But we, as viewers, can at least voice our opinions about how bad a job they’re doing on outlets such as Rotten Tomatoes or Reddit to make sure if producers and directors are going to recycle old ideas, they at least do so well.
Before you go out and see the new “Power Rangers” or “Beauty and the Beast,” find something you haven’t already watched.
Thomas primarily writes about visual media and gaming for The Pitt News.
Write to him at tmw79@pitt.edu.
Opinion | Want to break the glass ceiling? Stop focusing on gender
Point-Counterpoint | Good riddance to PittStart
Point-Counterpoint | The case for PittStart
Opinion | 4 tips for prioritizing mental health in the transition to college
Opinion | Residence Hall Horoscopes
Opinion | The first year: What I wish I knew
Opinion | 5 reasons you shouldn’t worry about the freshman 15
Opinion | A double major isn’t always the right choice
Opinion | A leftist push won’t help Democrats
Opinion | June Horoscopes
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2698
|
__label__cc
| 0.732275
| 0.267725
|
• Pray for a wave of revival to once again sweep across every island.
• Pray for the Church to be a source of reconciliation after years of division and civil war.
• Pray for the Word of God to be translated into every tongue.
In 1568 the Spanish explorer Álvaro de Mendaña de Neira observed gold on the Solomon Islands, and, thinking it the source of King Solomon’s fabled wealth, he left the islands with their given name. This group of islands east of Papua New Guinea in the Pacific Ocean came under British rule in 1893 and received independence in 1978. The World War II Battle of Guadalcanal took place in the Solomon Islands, and that war became a key factor in unifying the divided peoples of the islands. In some corners of the nation, inheritances include non-material things such as knowledge, wisdom, and magical powers.
The economy is based on agriculture, fishing, and forestry, and many mineral resources are underdeveloped. Fish and lumber are the main exports, but the industries are mostly foreign owned. Ethnic tensions led to violence and a 2000 coup and resulted in an Australian-led police force arriving in 2003 to restore order. This violence, along with the closing of key businesses and a moneyless government, led to an economic collapse.
Over the past hundred years, the Church in the Solomon Islands has grown from around 30% of the population to over 95%, serving as a unifying factor for the nation, as well as providing many services to the people. Much syncretism takes place in the Church, with some islanders still praying to their ancestors or practicing animism or black magic. The Church played a key role in reconciliation throughout the recent ethnic conflict and is conducting a Truth and Reconciliation Commission as well. Despite a history of revivals, the Church has begun to stagnate and is in need of a fresh breath. However, because of this history, the Solomon Islands are still home to a group of dedicated prayer warriors.
If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it. - John 14:14
Download Low Res
Source: Sasari'i by B do C (Solomon Islands); Graham Carter
Capital City: Honiara
Government: Parliamentary Democracy and a Commonwealth realm
Major People Groups: Melanesian 90.2%,
Polynesian 4.2%, Micronesian 1.2%, other 4.6%
Religion: Christian 95.80%, other 2.50%, Ethno 1.10%, Baha'i 0.60%
GDP Per Capita: $2,100
Literacy Rate: 84.1%
UNREACHED: 0%
onewayministries | activating God’s people to exalt Jesus Christ and advance His gospel to the multitudes | ©2018
oneway ministries
prayercast@owm.org
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2702
|
__label__cc
| 0.639748
| 0.360252
|
The 112th District
The 112th district of the South Carolina House of Representatives includes the City of Isle of Palms, The Town of Sullivan's Island, and portions of the Town of Mount Pleasant. The shaded area in the above image represents the district boundaries.
The Town of Mount Pleasant
Mount Pleasant is a large suburban town in Charleston County, South Carolina, United States. It is the fourth-largest municipality in South Carolina, and for several years it was one of the state's fastest-growing areas, doubling in population between 1990 and 2000. The population was 67,843 at the 2010 census, and the estimated population in 2014 was 77,796.[2] It is the third-largest municipality in the Charleston – North Charleston – Summerville metropolitan area, behind Charleston and North Charleston. The area that largely falls into the 112th district is east of Highway 17, portions of the are known as the "Old Village" and the area dubbed as "North Mount Pleasant". For more information about the Town of Mount Pleasant visit their website at www.tompsc.com
The Town of Sullivan's Island
Sullivan's Island is a town and island in Charleston County, South Carolina, United States, at the entrance to Charleston Harbor, with a population of 1,791 at the 2010 census. The town is part of the Charleston metropolitan area. During the American Revolution, the island was the site of a major battle at Fort Sullivan on June 28, 1776, since renamed Fort Moultrie in honor of the American commander at the battle. For more information about the Town of Sullivan's Island, visit www.sullivansisland-sc.com/
The City of Isle of Palms
Isle of Palms is a city in Charleston County, South Carolina, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population of the city was 4,133. Isle of Palms is a barrier island on the South Carolina coast. The city is included within the Charleston-North Charleston-Summerville metropolitan area and the Charleston-North Charleston Urbanized Area. The town lies along a narrow strip of land, hugging the beach, separated from the mainland by the Intracoastal Waterway. It is an affluent community of both vacation home owners and year-round residents, with large beachfront homes, resorts, local restaurants, and is the location of the Wild Dunes resort. . Beach volleyball is popular in the summer, and the "Windjammer" club hosts several tournaments throughout the year. It is also where this candidate calls home. For more information on the City of Isle of Palms, visit www.iop.net
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2707
|
__label__wiki
| 0.585995
| 0.585995
|
Tag: proposed legislation
NH State Rep. Amanda Bouldin (D) harassed by Republican colleagues over nipple bill
AUTHOR’S NOTE: This will be my final blog post for the year 2015. I wish everyone a safe and happy 2016!
In the New Hampshire House of Representatives, a legislative chamber that has 400 seats and serves as the lower house of the state legislature of a state with slightly over 1.3 million people, you’re bound to find some interesting people serving as state legislators. One such interesting person is New Hampshire State Representative Amanda Bouldin (D-Manchester), who has earned national attention for criticizing a sexist Republican-backed bill that would prohibit women from going topless in public in New Hampshire:
Under current New Hampshire state law, both men and women may expose their nipples as they so please. Some Republicans want to change that. A recently proposed bill, sponsored exclusively by Republican men, would make it illegal for a woman to “purposely expos[e] the areola or nipple of her breast or breasts in a public place.” (The bill makes an exception for breastfeeding.) Men would still be permitted to expose their nipples in public with impunity.
In case you’re wondering what the areola is, it’s a donut-shaped area of skin immediately around each human nipple that is of a different color than most or all of the rest of a person’s skin.
Not surprisingly, Bouldin was not one bit happy about the hypocritical standard of banning women from exposing their breasts in public, while continuing to allow men to do so. So, she posted her opinion on Facebook, and at least two Republican state legislators responded with vile, sexist remarks.
One of the sexist Republican state legislators who confronted Bouldin online is Josh Moore (R-Merrimack), who essentially encouraged sexual assault:
…If it’s a woman’s natural inclination to pull her nipple out in public and you support that, than (sic) you should have no problem with a mans (sic) inclination to stare at it and grab it…
Grabbing a woman’s breasts without her consent is sexual assault, which is a criminal offense in every jurisdiction in the United States and something that nobody should encourage.
The other was Al Baldasaro (R-Londonderry), who essentially called Bouldin’s nipples ugly:
Amanada (sic), No disrespect, but your nipple would be the last one I would want to see…
If you’re calling a woman, or any part of her, ugly, you’re intending disrespect.
If Amanda Bouldin wants to go topless in public, that should be her choice and not anyone else’s. If Amanda Bouldin wants to wear a shirt, blouse, jacket, coat, or other type of top in public, that should be her choice and not anyone else’s. It’s worth noting that the sexist mindset of those Republicans isn’t all that different from the sexist mindset of Islamic fundamentalist men who think that women should be forced to wear clothing that completely covers their face. I’m glad that people like Amanda Bouldin are standing up and speaking out against sexist legislation like the New Hampshire Nipple Bill.
If you want to thank Ms. Bouldin for speaking out against the sexist hypocrisy in the New Hampshire Nipple Bill, here’s her Twitter page. Please be respectful to her!
Wednesday, December 30, 2015 Wednesday, December 30, 2015
Al Baldasaro
Amanda Bouldin
calling a woman ugly
encouraging sexual assault
grabbing breasts
Josh Moore
New Hampshire HB-1525
New Hampshire House
New Hampshire Nipple Bill
New Hampshire Republicans
NH-HD-Hillsborough-12
NH-HD-Rockingham-5
Nipple Bill
online comment
proposed legislation
topless ban
topless men
topless women
Bernie strongly supports paid family and medical leave…Hillary doesn’t
If you support federally-guaranteed paid family, medical, maternity, and paternity leave for American workers, then Bernie Sanders is the Democratic candidate for president that strongly supports what you believe in on this important issue:
(Bernie) Sanders also backs a bill pending in Congress that would mandate employers provide paid family leave time after a child is born. The bill would be funded by an increase in payroll taxes estimated to cost the average worker about $72 a year.
(Hillary) Clinton has spoken out forcefully for the concept of paid family leave but not embraced the particular measure because it violates a campaign pledge not to raise taxes on families making less than $250,000.
While Hillary Clinton is busy twisting her own campaign platform into a political pretzel because of her Grover Norquist-like campaign pledge to not raise taxes on the low-end wealthy, Bernie Sanders is strongly advocating for actual legislation designed to allow workers to care for their families in times of need. For Bernie, supporting guaranteed paid leave isn’t just talk, it’s something that he’s actually proposed in Congress. Earlier this year, Bernie co-sponsored legislation that would allow “mothers and fathers to receive 12 weeks of paid family leave to care for a baby” and allow “workers to take the same amount of paid time off if they are diagnosed with cancer or have other serious medical conditions or to take care of family members who are seriously ill” (fact sheet here).
Monday, November 23, 2015 Monday, November 23, 2015
campaign pledge
campaign promise
expanding workers' rights
FAMILY Act
family leave
guaranteed paid leave
NY-Sen
VT-Sen
47 House Dems side with ISIS and Nazi-like bigotry from the GOP
A total of 47 Democratic members of the U.S. House of Representatives voted for anti-Syrian refugee legislation straight out of a Nazi Germany mindset. Here are the House Democrats who voted for the legislation:
California 31st
Brad Ashford
Nebraska 2nd
Ami Bera
California 7th
Sanford Bishop, Jr.
Georgia 2nd
Julia Brownley
California 26th
Cheri Bustos
Illinois 17th
Delaware At-large
Virginia 11th
Jim Cooper
Tennessee 5th
Jim Costa
Joe Courtney
Connecticut 2nd
Texas 28th
Maryland 6th
Lloyd Doggett
Hawaii 2nd
California 3rd
Gwen Graham
Florida 2nd
Gene Green
Connecticut 4th
New York 3rd
Marcy Kaptur
Ohio 9th
Massachusetts 9th
Ron Kind
Wisconsin 3rd
New Hampshire 2nd
Jim Langevin
Rhode Island 2nd
Dan Lipinski
Illinois 3rd
Iowa 2nd
Sean Patrick Maloney
New York 18th
Patrick Murphy
Florida 18th
Rick Nolan
Minnesota 8th
New Jersey 1st
Scott Peters
California 52nd
Colorado 2nd
Kathleen Rice
New York 4th
Ohio 13th
Kurt Schrader
Oregon 5th
Georgia 13th
Terri Sewell
Alabama 7th
Arizona 9th
Marc Veasey
Texas 33rd
Filemon Vela
Tim Walz
Minnesota 1st
When I say that these 47 Democratic traitors sided with ISIS, I mean that they are effectively fueling ISIS propaganda by refusing to take in the very people who have been oppressed by ISIS and the Syrian dictatorship of Bashir al-Assad. When I say that this legislation is straight out of a Nazi Germany mindset, I’m referring to public opposition here in the U.S. to accepting Jewish refugees who were fleeing the Holocaust and the Nazi Germany regime of Adolf Hitler in the late 1930’s.
It’s not just moderate and conservative “Democrats” who are effectively siding with ISIS and repeating the history of the Nazis by opposing Syrian refugees. Republican presidential candidates Donald Trump and Ben Carson have used racist, Nazi-like language to stir up fear of Syrian refugees among white racist Americans.
Here’s what Trump recently said, courtesy of Yahoo! News:
“We’re going to have to do things that we never did before. And some people are going to be upset about it, but I think that now everybody is feeling that security is going to rule,” Trump said. “And certain things will be done that we never thought would happen in this country in terms of information and learning about the enemy. And so we’re going to have to do certain things that were frankly unthinkable a year ago.”
Yahoo News asked Trump whether this level of tracking might require registering Muslims in a database or giving them a form of special identification that noted their religion. He wouldn’t rule it out.
“We’re going to have to — we’re going to have to look at a lot of things very closely,” Trump said when presented with the idea. “We’re going to have to look at the mosques. We’re going to have to look very, very carefully.”
Here’s what Carson recently said, courtesy of NBC News:
Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson on Thursday suggested that concerns about Syrian refugees in the United States are akin to a parent’s concerns about “mad dogs.”
“If there’s a rabid dog running around in your neighborhood, you’re probably not going to assume something good about that dog, and you’re probably going to put your children out of the way,” he said during remarks in Mobile, Alabama. “[It] doesn’t mean that you hate all dogs, by any stretch of the imagination, but you’re putting your intellect into motion and you’re thinking ‘How do I protect my children? At the same time, I love dogs and I’m gonna call the humane society and hopefully they can come take this dog away and create a safe environment once again.'”
Any Democrat who voted for the anti-Syrian refugee legislation has effectively sided with right-wing racists like Donald Trump and Ben Carson, who are using Nazi Germany-like language in opposition to allowing Syrian refugees to enter the United States. Supporting requiring that Muslims have special identification is eerily reminiscent of the Nazis forcibly tattooing identification numbers onto Jewish people in concentration camps, and comparing Syrian refugees fleeing war and terrorism to mad dogs is eerily reminiscent of Nazi propaganda comparing Jewish people to rats (in fact, at least one British newspaper, the Daily Mail, actually compared Syrian refugees to rats). Normally, I’m not a fan of Nazi comparisons, but, if there’s actual historical context behind a Nazi comparison, then I’m all for it.
One last thing, I find it ironic that the number of House Democrats who voted for the anti-Syrian refugee bill (47) equals the number of Senate Republicans who signed a letter to Iranian leaders in an attempt to undermine diplomacy in efforts to stop a nuclear deal designed to keep Iran from producing nuclear weapons (47), as well as the percentage of Americans that 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney claimed were dependent on the government (47).
Thursday, November 19, 2015 Thursday, November 19, 2015
AL-7
Ann Kuster
anti-refugee bill
Assad regime
Bashir al-Assad
CO-2
DE-AL
fearmongering
FL-18
GA-13
GA-2
Gerald Connolly
history repeating itself
Islamic fundamentalism
Jewish people
MN-1
Nazi camps
Nazi tattoos
NH-2
NJ-1
NY-3
OH-13
OR-5
rabid dogs
RI-2
Sanford Bishop Jr.
special identification
TN-5
WI-3
I’ll admit that this is an idea that I hadn’t even thought of until I heard about it being proposed in Wisconsin, but Wisconsin State Rep. Melissa Sargent (D-Madison) has proposed legislation that, if enacted, would legally require “restroom facilities in buildings owned, leased, or occupied by the state have tampons and sanitary napkins at no charge.” In this case, “state” refers to the State of Wisconsin, and “sanitary napkins” refers to pads.
This prompted the latest right-wing outrage over a progressive idea, with two main arguments against free tampons in public building restrooms. First, the right-wingers are arguing that spending taxpayer money on tampons and pads are…well, a waste of taxpayer money. Second, the right-wingers are arguing that this does nothing to benefit men.
While Sargent’s bill has virtually zero chance of becoming law in Wisconsin with the current, Republican-controlled Wisconsin State Legislature, this is actually a very good idea. For example, many people, including many women, travel on Wisconsin’s Interstate highways on long-distance trips, and making tampons and pads available at Wisconsin rest areas would be of great convenience to women who, for whatever reason, forget to bring their tampons or pads along with them. Also, menstruation is something that men don’t have to deal with, although I’m guessing that most, if not all, women would find it very embarrassing to have to deal with menstruation without a tampon or pad.
This is something that legislators in other states should seriously support.
convinence
Interstate Highway
Interstate rest area
Melissa Sargent
state government building
state government restroom
PETITION: Tell President Obama and members of both houses of Congress to oppose the Campus Rapist Protection Act
AUTHOR’S NOTE: This blog post contains a link to an online petition; the link is located at the bottom of the blog post.
U.S. Rep. Matt Salmon, a Republican who represents the 5th Congressional District of Arizona, has proposed federal legislation, officially called the Safe Campus Act (H.R. 3403), that, if enacted, would require colleges and universities in this country to effectively cover up sexual assaults that occur on campus, unless police become involved with a particular case.
I’m not making this up at all…that is an actual bill that has been proposed in Congress.
While the bill is officially called the Safe Campus Act, it might as well be called the Campus Rapist Protection Act, as that’s a more accurate description of what the proposed legislation would do. The legislation would make it a lot easier for college students to get away with the criminal act of rape, and, therefore, make college campuses far more dangerous than they currently are. Furthermore, the legislation would, if enacted, result in fewer people attending college out of fear that they might be raped on campus.
The legislation is backed by numerous fraternity groups, which apparently think that their members have an unfettered right to have sex with every woman they can find, even if the women don’t consent to sexual activity. No person in this country has an unfettered right to sexually assault anyone. In fact, sexual assault is a crime, and it should be treated seriously, not swept under the rug.
I’ve created a petition calling for President Barack Obama and members of both houses of Congress to oppose H.R. 3403. You can sign the petition here.
Campus Rapist Protection Act
college rape
Matt Salmon
Safe Campus Act
universitities
Republican proposal to gut Wisconsin GAB appears to allow for Republican majorities on seperate elections and ethics commissions
AUTHOR’S NOTE: The author of this blog post is not an attorney and does not claim to be one.
Having read the relevant part of this Republican-backed legislative proposal that, if enacted, would create two new partisan commissions to replace the non-partisan Wisconsin Government Accountability Board (GAB), I can state definitively, that, based on my interpretation of the language of the proposed statute, that Republicans would be effectively guaranteed a 4-2 majority on each of the two replacement commissions with Republican Scott Walker currently in the Wisconsin governor’s office.
In Wisconsin, the GAB is the state-level body that administers elections and handles ethics complaints, among other things. Republicans that control Wisconsin’s state government are moving to replace the officially non-partisan GAB with two separate and officially-partisan state election and ethics commissions.
How the Wisconsin Elections Commission would be selected
Under the Republicans’ proposal, Wisconsin’s state-level elections commission, which would be responsible for state-level administration of Wisconsin’s elections, would consist of six members. Four of the members would be selected by Democratic and Republican state legislative leaders (Assembly Speaker, Assembly Minority Leader, Senate Majority Leader, and Senate Minority Leader getting one appointment each), with no other statutory qualifications that I can find. The other two members would be former county and/or municipal clerks appointed by the governor (currently Scott Walker, a Republican) from a list of six recommendations, with Democratic legislative leaders getting three recommendations and Republican legislative leaders getting three recommendations. There is no explicit statutory requirement that Walker pick one recommendation from each party. Should a political party that does not have a majority or official minority in either house of the state legislature (i.e., a third-party) field a candidate who receives at least 10% of the vote in a Wisconsin gubernatorial election, that party’s chief officer (i.e., state party chairperson) would get to recommend three people to the governor, and the governor would appoint an additional member to the commission from that list.
Current state legislative leaders in Wisconsin that would be responsible for four of the six appointments to the elections commission are as follows:
State Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (Republican)
State Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (Republican)
State Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca (Democratic)
State Senate Minority Leader Jennifer Shilling (Democratic)
Here’s what is horrible about the proposed state elections commission:
Under this proposal, there is nothing prohibiting state legislative leaders from appointing themselves, other elected officials (up to and including Scott Walker himself), active candidates for public office, lobbyists, and/or campaign donors to the state elections board, with elected officials serving as both an elections board member and an elected official, candidate, lobbyist, and/or campaign donor simultaneously.
There doesn’t appear to be a statutory requirement that the elections commission members be Wisconsinites. In fact, one could even interpret the clause requiring Walker to appoint two former county and/or municipal clerks as allowing Walker to appoint people who formerly served county and/or municipal clerks in other states.
The clause authorizing Walker to appoint two former county and/or municipal clerks to the election commission appears to be worded in a manner that would allow Walker to appoint two of the Republican recommendations, instead of one recommendation from each party, as the requirement that “no members of the same political party select, collectively, more than 3 individuals” appears to apply to the list of recommendations for the gubernatorial appointments, not all appointees to the elections commission.
How the Wisconsin Ethics Commission would be selected
Under the Republicans’ proposal, Wisconsin’s state-level ethics commission, which would be responsible for hearing ethics complaints filed against state elected officials (governor, other elected state executives, state legislators, etc.), would, like the elections commission, consist of six members, four selected by state legislative leaders in both major parties and two appointed by the governor from a list of recommendations from state legislative leaders in both major parties. Additionally, should a third-party field a gubernatorial candidate who receives at least 10% of the vote, that party’s Wisconsin state chairperson would get to recommend three people to the governor, and the governor would select one of those to serve as an additional member of the commission. However, there are two main differences in regards to the qualifications of ethics commission members compared to elections commission members. First, for the gubernatorial appointments, there’s no requirement that the appointees be former county and/or municipal clerks. Second, all members of the ethics commission cannot be a lobbyist, an elected official other than a federal elected official, state circuit judge, or state appellate judge, and/or an active candidate for state or local office in Wisconsin.
Here’s what’s horrible about the proposed state ethics commission:
Under this proposal, not only are state circuit judges or state appellate judges explicitly allowed to serve on the ethics commission and on the judicial bench simultaneously, there’s no explicit prohibition on federal elected officials, candidates for federal office, or campaign donors from being on the ethics commission, provided that they aren’t lobbyists, active candidates for state or local office in Wisconsin, and/or holders of elected offices other than a federal office, state circuit judgeship, or state appellate judgeship.
Like with the elections commission, there’s no statutory requirement that I could find requiring ethics commission members to be Wisconsinites.
Like with the elections commission, the clause authorizing Walker to appoint two individuals to the ethics commission appears to be worded in a manner that would allow Walker to appoint two of the Republican recommendations, instead of one recommendation from each party, as the requirement that “no members of the same political party select, collectively, more than 3 individuals” appears to apply to the list of recommendations for the gubernatorial appointments, not all appointees to the elections commission.
Relevant text of legislative proposal (pages 66-69 of proposal)
15.61 (title) Elections commission; creation.
SECTION 172. 15.61 (1) (a) 1. to 6. of the statutes are created to read:
15.61 (1) (a) 1. One member appointed by the senate majority leader.
2. One member appointed by the senate minority leader.
3. One member appointed by the speaker of the assembly.
4. One member appointed by the assembly minority leader.
5. Two members who formerly served as county or municipal clerks and who
are nominated by the governor, with the advice and consent of a majority of the members of the senate confirmed. The governor shall choose the nominees from a list of 6 individuals selected by the senate majority leader, the senate minority leader, the speaker of the assembly, and the assembly minority leader and in such manner that no members of the same political party select, collectively, more than 3 individuals.
6. For each political party qualifying for a separate ballot under s. 5.62 (1) (b) or (2) whose candidate for governor received at least 10 percent of the vote in the most recent gubernatorial election, one member, nominated by the governor from a list of 3 individuals selected by the chief officer of that political party and with the advice and consent of a majority of the members of the senate confirmed.
SECTION 173. 15.61 (5) of the statutes is created to read:
15.61 (5) (a) If a vacancy occurs for a member appointed under sub. (1) (a) 1.
to 4., the individual responsible for making the appointment shall appoint a new member no later than 45 days after the date of the vacancy.
(b) If a vacancy occurs for a member appointed under sub. (1) (a) 5. or 6., a new member shall be selected, nominated, and submitted to the senate for confirmation no later than 45 days after the date of the vacancy.
SECTION 174. 15.62 of the statutes is created to read:
15.62 Ethics commission; creation. (1) (a) There is created an ethics
commission consisting of the following members who shall serve for 5−year terms:
1. One member appointed by the senate majority leader.
5. Two members, nominated by the governor and with the advice and consent of a majority of the members of the senate confirmed. The governor shall choose the nominees from a list of 6 individuals, one each selected by the senate majority leader, the senate minority leader, the speaker of the assembly, and the assembly minority leader and in such manner that no members of the same political party select, collectively, more than 3 individuals.
(2) No member of the commission may hold another office or position that is a state public office or a local public office, as defined in s. 19.42, except the office of circuit judge or court of appeals judge under s. 753.075.
(3) No member, while serving on the commission, may become a candidate, as defined in s. 11.01 (1), for state office or local office, as defined in s. 5.02.
(4) No member may be a lobbyist, as defined in s. 13.62 (11), or an employee of a principal, as defined in s. 13.62 (12), except that a member may serve as a circuit judge or court of appeals judge under s. 753.075.
(5) (a) If a vacancy occurs for a member appointed under sub. (1) (a) 1. to 4., the individual responsible for making the appointment shall appoint a new member no later than 45 days after the date of the vacancy.
Not only is the idea of replacing one non-partisan board responsible for administering elections and handling ethics complaints in Wisconsin with two partisan commissions, one for administering elections and another for handling ethics complaints, an inherently awful idea, the two partisan commissions would be guaranteed to be controlled by the Republican Party, based on my interpretation of the wording of proposed legislation. The thought of a single political party having majority control of an state elections commission and a state ethics commission in any state, let alone the state that will probably decide the 2016 presidential election, is absolutely frightening. Republicans could easily use the Wisconsin Elections Commission to change election administration procedures to benefit Republicans, and they could also use the Wisconsin Ethics Commission to wage baseless, Joe McCarthy-style witchhunts against Democrats for purely political reasons.
Friday, October 9, 2015 Friday, October 9, 2015
apparent loophole
elections commission
guaranteed majority
legal loophole
legislative proposal
political power grab
power grab
Wisconsin Government Accountability Board
Wisconsin Republicans want to take the opportunity for cures away from people across America
In response to the recent release of heavily-edited videos by a right-wing smear group as part of a political witchhunt against Planned Parenthood, Wisconsin Republicans are pushing to enact an outright ban on the use of tissue from aborted fetuses in medical research.
Make no mistake about it, banning fetal tissue from being used in medical research would be disastrous, not just for Wisconsin, but the entire country. Not only would Wisconsin lose jobs if this legislation were to be enacted, the entire country would lose out on research, conducted by the University of Wisconsin System, that seeks to find cures for serious ailments like Parkinson’s disease, heart defects, various forms of cancer, and multiple sclerosis, just to name a few. This would make it far more difficult for researchers to find cures for serious ailments that affect millions of people in this country. I don’t think that there are any colleges or universities outside of Wisconsin that do medical research with fetal tissue, but I could be wrong about that.
The right-wing political witchhunt against Planned Parenthood and other pro-women groups is incredibly short-sighted. In Wisconsin, the right-wing witchhunt against Planned Parenthood has officially turned into a full-on attack against sick people and medical research.
Friday, August 14, 2015 Friday, August 14, 2015
edited videos
fetal tissue
fetal tissue research
outright ban
political witchhunt
research for cures
secret videos
UW System
War on Research
Wisconsin Republicans
witchhunt
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2709
|
__label__cc
| 0.558235
| 0.441765
|
T. David Gordon’s Foreword to By the Waters of Babylon
Administrator | May 22nd, 2015 | 0 Comments
The following is the foreword to By the Waters of Babylon: Worship in a Post Christian Culture by Scott Aniol.
The surprising acrimony that sometimes attended the “worship wars” of the last several decades suggested that we were talking past each other; that what we were talking about was somehow the tip of a larger, undiscussed iceberg beneath the surface. Almost all of us who have written about it have encountered opponents who misrepresented us substantially, if not entirely—not because they intended to do so, but because there are and were blindspots in the conversation, omissions that made it very difficult to hear what people actually were and were not saying. In this volume, Scott Aniol introduces us to the iceberg beneath the surface.
On first glance, some readers will wonder why a book about worship includes a discussion of the distinction between “emerging,” “emergent,” and “missional” churches. But Aniol demonstrates convincingly that behind these labels are different understandings not only of the relative priority of worship and mission, but even more profoundly different understandings of “culture” and cultural forms/norms. The first six chapters discuss these matters clearly, fairly, thoroughly, and judiciously; even readers who resolve some of the matters differently than the author will agree that he has represented their view justly, and has evaluated it dispassionately. The book would be valuable for these six chapters alone; and they would be useful as an introduction to cultural analysis and aesthetics on their own merits.
In these first six chapters, Aniol challenges the notion of cultural neutrality, a notion upon which much of contemporary Christian worship depends. He rightly argues that if individual sinners sometimes do unholy things, groups of such individual sinners also sometimes do unholy things, and what we call “culture” is merely the behavior that characterizessuch groups of individuals. While of course God’s original created order was/is “good,” the works of rebellious sinners are not always good; and therefore God’s works and ours should not be confused: “Wolters fails to distinguish between God’s creation and man’s creation. He often conflates the two categories, equating the intrinsic goodness of God’s handiwork with what mankind produces” (79). In the sixth chapter, Aniol presents a lucid, biblical, alternative to false, secular understandings of culture.
The remaining five chapters present a biblical theology of worship as a gathering/meeting of God’s people in His presence, by His invitation, according to His precepts, through the redemptive work of His Son. These chapters comprehend a survey of the entire biblical understanding of worship—from the original state of innocence to the consummated state in the life to come, indicating both the similarities and differences in the major moments of redemptive history along the way. In these chapters, Aniol presents a cogent argument that mission serves the greater value of worship; not the other way around. He also suggests in these chapters that Christian worship, far from imitating secular/unholy cultures’ supposedly neutral habits, establishes and nurtures a holy culture, that even in its present imperfection anticipates the coming holy culture in its consummated state.
The subtitle of the book—Worship in a Post-Christian Culture—not only concurs in employing what may be a more accurate understanding of our moment than “post-modern”; it also gently suggests that we would be ill-advised to conform our liturgy to any merely human culture, and surely not to one that is post-Christian.
Some Goldilockses will say this book is “too much”: too much discussion of culture and its impact on our assumptions about worship. Other Goldilockses will say it is “too little,” too rapid a survey of both Christian concepts of culture and of Christian worship. I think it’s just right; previous conversations about worship have been less likely to discuss the two in their relations to each other. A significant bibliography (pp. 185–199) and indices will assist those who desire to study either matter at greater length.
Articles on Culture, Articles on Worship, book
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2714
|
__label__wiki
| 0.938133
| 0.938133
|
You are here: Parliament home page > Parliamentary business > Business Papers > Public Bills before Parliament > Bill home page
Welfare Reform Bill (HL Bill 124)
PART 5 continued
Contents page 1-9 10-18 20-29 30-39 40-49 50-59 60-69 70-79 80-89 90-99 100-109 110-119 120-129 130-139 140-149 150-183 Last page
Welfare Reform BillPage 70
(4) Regulations may provide that amounts recoverable under this section
are to be calculated or estimated in a prescribed manner.
(5) Where an amount of universal credit is paid for the sole reason that a
payment by way of prescribed income is made after the date which is
5the prescribed date for payment of that income, that amount is for the
purposes of this section paid in excess of entitlement.
(6) In the case of a benefit referred to in subsection (1) which is awarded to
persons jointly, an amount paid to one of those persons may for the
purposes of this section be regarded as paid to the other.
(7) 10An amount recoverable under this section may (without prejudice to
any other means of recovery) be recovered—
(a) by deduction from benefit (section 71ZC);
(b) by deduction from earnings (section 71ZD);
(c) through the courts etc (section 71ZE);
(d) 15by adjustment of benefit (section 71ZF).
71ZC Deduction from benefit
(1) An amount recoverable from a person under section 71ZB may be
recovered by deducting the amount from payments of prescribed
(2) 20Where an amount recoverable from a person under section 71ZB was
paid to the person on behalf of another, subsection (1) authorises its
recovery from the person by deduction—
(a) from prescribed benefits to which the person is entitled,
(b) from prescribed benefits paid to the person to discharge (in
25whole or in part) an obligation owed to that person by the
person on whose behalf the recoverable amount was paid, or
(c) from prescribed benefits paid to the person to discharge (in
whole or in part) an obligation owed to that person by any other
(3) 30Where an amount is recovered as mentioned in paragraph (b) of
subsection (2), the obligation specified in that paragraph shall in
prescribed circumstances be taken to be discharged by the amount of
the deduction.
(4) Where an amount is recovered as mentioned in paragraph (c) of
35subsection (2), the obligation specified in that paragraph shall in all
cases be taken to be so discharged.
71ZD Deduction from earnings
(1) Regulations may provide for amounts recoverable under section 71ZB
to be recovered by deductions from earnings.
(2) 40In this section “earnings” has such meaning as may be prescribed.
(3) Regulations under subsection (1) may include provision—
(a) requiring the person from whom an amount is recoverable (“the
beneficiary”) to disclose details of their employer, and any
change of employer, to the Secretary of State;
(b) 45requiring the employer, on being served with a notice by the
Secretary of State, to make deductions from the earnings of the
beneficiary and to pay corresponding amounts to the Secretary
of State;
(c) as to the matters to be contained in such a notice and the period
for which a notice is to have effect;
(d) 5as to how payment is to be made to the Secretary of State;
(e) as to a level of earnings below which earnings must not be
reduced;
(f) allowing the employer, where the employer makes deductions,
to deduct a prescribed sum from the beneficiary’s earnings in
10respect of the employer’s administrative costs;
(g) requiring the employer to keep records of deductions;
(h) requiring the employer to notify the Secretary of State if the
beneficiary is not, or ceases to be, employed by the employer;
(i) creating a criminal offence for non-compliance with the
15regulations, punishable on summary conviction by a fine not
exceeding level 3 on the standard scale;
(j) with respect to the priority as between a requirement to deduct
from earnings under this section and—
(i) any other such requirement;
(ii) 20an order under any other enactment relating to England
and Wales which requires deduction from the
beneficiary’s earnings;
(iii) any diligence against earnings.
71ZE Court action etc
(1) 25Where an amount is recoverable under section 71ZB from a person
residing in England and Wales, the amount is, if a county court so
orders, recoverable—
(a) under section 85 of the County Courts Act 1984, or
(b) otherwise as if it were payable under an order of the court.
residing in Scotland, the amount recoverable may be enforced as if it
were payable under an extract registered decree arbitral bearing a
warrant for execution issued by the sheriff court of any sheriffdom in
(3) 35Any costs of the Secretary of State in recovering an amount of benefit
under this section may be recovered by him as if they were amounts
recoverable under section 71ZB.
(4) In any period after the coming into force of this section and before the
coming into force of section 62 of the Tribunals, Courts and
40Enforcement Act 2007, subsection (1)(a) has effect as if it read “by
execution issued from the county court”.
71ZF Adjustment of benefit
Regulations may for the purpose of the recovery of amounts
recoverable under section 71ZB make provision—
(a) 45for treating any amount paid to a person under an award which
it is subsequently determined was not payable—
(i) as properly paid, or
(ii) as paid on account of a payment which it is determined
should be or should have been made,
and for reducing or withholding arrears payable by virtue of the
subsequent determination;
(b) 5for treating any amount paid to one person in respect of another
as properly paid for any period for which it is not payable in
cases where in consequence of a subsequent determination—
(i) the other person is entitled to a payment for that period,
(ii) 10a third person is entitled in priority to the payee to a
payment for that period in respect of the other person,
and by reducing or withholding any arrears payable for that
period by virtue of the subsequent determination.
71ZG Recovery of payments on account
(1) 15The Secretary of State may recover any amount paid under section
5(1)(r) (payments on account).
(2) An amount recoverable under this section is recoverable from—
(a) the person to whom it was paid, or
(b) such other person (in addition to or instead of the person to
20whom it was paid) as may be prescribed.
(4) In the case of a payment on account of a benefit which is awarded to
25purposes of this section be regarded as paid to the other.
(5) Sections 71ZC, 71ZD and 71ZE apply in relation to amounts
recoverable under this section as to amounts recoverable under section
71ZB.
71ZH Recovery of hardship payments etc
(1) 30The Secretary of State may recover any amount paid by way of—
(a) a payment under section 28 of the Welfare Reform Act 2012
(universal credit hardship payments) which is recoverable
under that section,
(b) a payment under section 19C of the Jobseekers Act 1995
35(jobseeker’s allowance hardship payments) which is
recoverable under that section,
(c) a payment of a jobseeker’s allowance under paragraph 8 or 8A
of Schedule 1 to that Act (exemptions), where the allowance is
payable at a prescribed rate under paragraph 9 of that Schedule
40and is recoverable under that paragraph,
(d) a payment of a jobseeker’s allowance under paragraph 10 of
that Schedule (claims yet to be determined etc) which is
recoverable under that paragraph, or
(e) a payment which is recoverable under section 6B(5A)(d) or
45(7)(d), 7(2A)(d) or (4)(d), 8(3)(aa), (4)(d) or 9(2A)(d) or (4)(d) of
the Social Security Fraud Act 2001.
whom it was paid) as may be prescribed.
5are to be calculated or estimated in a prescribed manner.
(4) Where universal credit or a jobseeker’s allowance is claimed by persons
jointly, an amount paid to one claimant may for the purposes of this
section be regarded as paid to the other.
(5) Sections 71ZC to 71ZF apply in relation to amounts recoverable under
10this section as to amounts recoverable under section 71ZB.”
(2) In section 71 of that Act (overpayments - general), in subsection (11)(ab), at the
end there is inserted “excluding housing credit (see section 71ZB)”.
(3) In section 115A of that Act (penalty as alternative to prosecution), in subsection
(1), after “71” there is inserted “71ZB”.
(4) 15In section 115B of that Act (penalty as alternative to prosecution: colluding
employers etc)—
(a) for subsection (4) there is substituted—
“(4) If the recipient of a notice under subsection (3) above agrees, in
the specified manner, to pay the penalty—
(a) 20the amount of the penalty shall be recoverable from the
recipient by the Secretary of State or authority; and
(b) no criminal proceedings shall be instituted against the
recipient in respect of the conduct to which the notice
relates.
(4A) 25Sections 71ZC, 71ZD and 71ZE above apply in relation to
amounts recoverable under subsection (4)(a) above as to
amounts recoverable by the Secretary of State under section
71ZB above (and, where the notice is given by an authority
administering housing benefit or council tax benefit, those
30sections so apply as if references to the Secretary of State were
to that authority).”;
(b) in subsection (9), the definition of “relevant benefit” is repealed.
(5) In Schedule 1 to the Jobseekers Act 1995 (supplementary provision)—
(a) in paragraph 9, at the end there is inserted—
“(c) 35as to whether the whole or part of any amount of a
jobseeker’s allowance which is payable as specified in
paragraph (a) is recoverable.”;
(b) in paragraph 10, for sub-paragraph (5)(a) there is substituted—
“(a) as to whether the whole or part of any amount paid
40by virtue of sub-paragraph (1) or (2) is recoverable;”.
(6) In section 12 of the Social Security Act 1998 (appeal to First-tier Tribunal), in
subsection (4), after “71” there is inserted “, 71ZB, 71ZG, 71ZH,”.
(7) In Schedule 3 to that Act (decisions against which an appeal lies), after
paragraph 6 there is inserted—
“6A A decision as to whether payment of housing credit (within the
meaning of the State Pension Credit Act 2002) is recoverable under
section 71ZB of the Administration Act.
6B 5A decision as to the amount of payment recoverable under section
71ZB, 71ZG or 71ZH of the Administration Act.”
107 Deduction from earnings: other cases
(1) In section 71 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 (overpayments -
general), after subsection (9) there is inserted—
“(9A) 10Regulations may provide for amounts recoverable under the
provisions mentioned in subsection (8) above to be recovered by
deductions from earnings.
(9B) In subsection (9A) above “earnings” has such meaning as may be
prescribed.
(9C) 15Regulations under subsection (9A) above may include provision—
(b) requiring the employer, on being served with a notice by the
20Secretary of State, to make deductions from the earnings of the
(d) 25as to how payment is to be made to the Secretary of State;
(2) In section 71ZA of that Act (overpayments out of social fund), before
subsection (3) there is inserted—
“(2A) Subsection (9A) of section 71 above as it so applies shall have effect as
if the reference to amounts recoverable under the provisions mentioned
in subsection (8) of that section were to amounts recoverable under
5subsections (1) and (4) of that section by virtue of subsection (1) above.”
(3) In section 75 of that Act (overpayments of housing benefit), at the end there is
“(8) Regulations may provide for amounts recoverable under this section to
be recovered by deductions from earnings.
(9) 10In subsection (8) above “earnings” has such meaning as may be
(10) Regulations under subsection (8) above may include provision—
15change of employer, to the Secretary of State or the authority
which paid the benefit;
Secretary of State or the authority which paid the benefit, to
make deductions from the earnings of the beneficiary and to
20pay corresponding amounts to the Secretary of State or that
authority;
(d) as to how payment is to be made to the Secretary of State or the
25authority which paid the benefit;
(h) requiring the employer to notify the Secretary of State or the
authority which paid the benefit if the beneficiary is not, or
ceases to be, employed by the employer;
(i) 35creating a criminal offence for non-compliance with the
regulations, punishable on summary conviction by a fine not
(i) 40any other such requirement;
(ii) an order under any other enactment relating to England
(4) 45In section 78 of that Act (recovery of social fund awards), after subsection (3B)
there is inserted—
“(3C) Regulations may provide for amounts recoverable under subsection (1)
above from a person specified in subsection (3) above to be recovered
by deductions from earnings.
(3D) 5In subsection (3C) above “earnings” has such meaning as may be
(3E) Regulations under subsection (3C) above may include provision
referred to in section 71(9C) above.”
108 Recovery of child benefit and guardian’s allowance
(1) 10In section 71(8) of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 (recovery of
benefits by deduction from prescribed benefits), the words “, other than an
amount paid in respect of child benefit or guardian’s allowance,” are repealed.
(2) In section 69(8) of the Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act
1992 (recovery of benefits by deduction from prescribed benefits), the words “,
15other than an amount paid in respect of child benefit or guardian’s allowance,”
are repealed.
(3) In the Tax Credits Act 2002, in Schedule 4, paragraphs 2 and 8 are repealed.
109 Application of Limitation Act 1980
(1) Section 38 of the Limitation Act 1980 (interpretation) is amended as follows.
(2) 20In subsection (1), in the definition of “action”, at the end there is inserted “(and
see subsection (11) below)”.
(3) At the end there is inserted—
“(11) References in this Act to an action do not include any method of
recovery of a sum recoverable under—
(a) 25Part 3 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992,
(b) section 127(c) of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits
Act 1992, or
(c) Part 1 of the Tax Credits Act 2002,
other than a proceeding in a court of law.”
(4) 30The amendments made by this section have effect as if they had come into force
at the same time as section 38 of the Limitation Act 1980, except for the
purposes of proceedings brought before the coming into force of this section.
Recovery of fines from benefit
110 Recovery of fines etc by deductions from employment and support allowance
(1) 35In section 24 of the Criminal Justice Act 1991 (recovery of fines etc by
deductions from benefits)—
(a) in subsections (1) and (2)(d) the words “income-related” are repealed;
(b) in subsection (4) the definition of “income-related employment and
support allowance” is repealed.
(2) In Schedule 3 to the Welfare Reform Act 2007 (consequential amendments
relating to Part 1), paragraph 8(b) is repealed.
(3) The repeals made by this section have effect as if they had come into force on
27 October 2008.
5Investigation and prosecution of offences
111 Powers to require information relating to investigations
In section 109B of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 (power to
require information), in subsection (2)—
(a) after paragraph (i) (but before the final “and”) there is inserted—
“(ia) 10a person of a prescribed description;”
(b) in paragraph (j), for “(i)” there is substituted “(ia)”.
112 Time limits for legal proceedings
In section 116 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 (legal
proceedings), in subsection (2)—
(a) 15in paragraph (a), for “other than an offence relating to housing benefit
or council tax benefit” there is substituted “(other than proceedings to
which paragraph (b) applies)”;
(b) in paragraph (b), after “proceedings” there is inserted “brought by the
appropriate authority”.
113 20Prosecution powers of local authorities
(1) The Social Security Administration Act 1992 is amended as follows.
(2) After section 116 there is inserted—
“116ZA Local authority powers to prosecute housing benefit and council tax
(1) 25This section applies to an authority administering housing benefit or
council tax benefit.
(2) The authority may not bring proceedings against a person for a benefit
offence relating to either of those benefits unless—
(a) the authority has already started an investigation in relation to
30that person in respect of the offence,
(b) in a case where the proceedings relate to housing benefit, the
authority has already started an investigation in relation to the
person in respect of a benefit offence relating to council tax
benefit, or has already brought proceedings against the person
35in respect of such an offence,
(c) in a case where the proceedings relate to council tax benefit, the
person in respect of a benefit offence relating to housing benefit,
or has already brought proceedings against the person in
40respect of such an offence,
(d) the proceedings arise in prescribed circumstances or are of a
prescribed description, or
(e) the Secretary of State has directed that the authority may bring
the proceedings.
(3) The Secretary of State may direct that in prescribed circumstances, an
authority may not bring proceedings by virtue of subsection (2)(a), (b)
5or (c) despite the requirements in those provisions being met.
(4) A direction under subsection (2)(e) or (3) may relate to a particular
authority or description of authority or to particular proceedings or any
description of proceedings.
(5) If the Secretary of State prescribes conditions for the purposes of this
10section, an authority may bring proceedings in accordance with this
section only if any such condition is satisfied.
(6) The Secretary of State may continue proceedings which have been
brought by an authority in accordance with this section as if the
proceedings had been brought in his name or he may discontinue the
15proceedings if—
(a) the proceedings were brought by virtue of subsection (2)(a), (b)
or (c),
(b) he makes provision under subsection (2)(d) which has the effect
that the authority would no longer be entitled to bring the
20proceedings in accordance with this section,
(c) he withdraws a direction under subsection (2)(e) in relation to
the proceedings, or
(d) a condition prescribed under subsection (5) ceases to be
satisfied in relation to the proceedings.
(7) 25In exercising a power to bring proceedings in accordance with this
section, a local authority must have regard to the Code for Crown
Prosecutors issued by the Director of Public Prosecutions under section
10 of the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985—
(a) in determining whether the proceedings should be instituted;
(b) 30in determining what charges should be preferred;
(c) in considering what representations to make to a magistrates’
court about mode of trial;
(d) in determining whether to discontinue proceedings.
(8) Regulations shall define “an investigation in respect of a benefit
35offence” for the purposes of this section.
(9) This section does not apply to Scotland.”
(3) Section 116A (local authority powers to prosecute benefit fraud) is amended as
follows.
(4) In the heading, after “prosecute” there is inserted “other”.
(5) 40In subsection (2)—
(a) for “unless” there is substituted “only if”;
(b) in paragraph (b), for “must not”, there is substituted “may”.
(6) In subsection (4)(b), for “gives” there is substituted “withdraws”.
Penalties as alternative to prosecution
114 Penalty in respect of benefit fraud not resulting in overpayment
(1) Section 115A of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 (penalty as
alternative to prosecution) is amended as follows.
(2) 5After subsection (1) there is inserted—
“(1A) This section also applies where —
(a) it appears to the Secretary of State or an authority that there are
grounds for instituting proceedings against a person for an
offence (under this Act or any other enactment) relating to an
10act or omission on the part of that person in relation to any
benefit, and
(b) if an overpayment attributable to the act or omission had been
made, the overpayment would have been recoverable from the
person by, or due from the person to, the Secretary of State or an
15authority under or by virtue of section 71, 71ZB, 71A, 75 or 76
(3) In subsection (2)(a) for “such proceedings” there is substituted “proceedings
referred to in subsection (1) or (1A) above”.
(4) In subsection (4)—
(a) 20in paragraph (a), after “is” there is inserted “or would have been”;
(b) in paragraph (b), at the end there is inserted “or to the act or omission
referred to in subsection (1A)(a).”
(5) In subsections (6) and (7), at the beginning there is inserted “In a case referred
to in subsection (1)”.
(6) 25In subsection (7B)(a), after “is”, in both places, there is inserted “or would have
(7) In subsection (8) after “subsection (1)(a)” there is inserted “or (1A)(b)”.
(8) In the Social Security Fraud Act 2001—
(a) in section 6B(1)(b), the words “by reference to any overpayment” are
30repealed and for “the offence mentioned in subsection (1)(b) of the
appropriate penalty provision” there is substituted “the offence to
which the notice relates”;
(b) in sections 6C(2)(b) and (3), 8(7)(b) and (8) and 9(7)(b) and (8), for “the
overpayment” there is substituted “any overpayment made”.
115 35Amount of penalty
(1) In section 115A of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 (penalty as
alternative to prosecution), for subsection (3) there is substituted—
“(3) The amount of the penalty in a case falling within subsection (1) is 50%
of the amount of the overpayment (rounded down to the nearest whole
40penny), subject to—
(a) a minimum amount of £350, and
(b) a maximum amount of £2000.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2715
|
__label__wiki
| 0.505028
| 0.505028
|
Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: My Lords, the Commission wants a single sky initiative following serious aviation delays last year. The high level group is concentrating its efforts on improved performance through co-ordination of the existing, somewhat fragmented systems across Europe. The inefficiency is caused by the large number of control centres, largely dictated by land frontiers. It seems inevitable that we must move towards consolidating air traffic services in Europe through a process of gradual rationalisation. That will take many years to complete but there are signs that it is under way. It will provide opportunities to bring commercial expertise and resources while safeguarding safety and the public interest. The rapid growth in air travel and related developments are likely to produce in Europe opportunities for a powerful British-based NATS company. The prospect is clearly unsettling for staff and it is desirable for management to involve staff as frequently as possible in the process of change. The high level group has been in dialogue with European controllers and its
18 Jul 2000 : Column 771
proposals reflect their concerns. The controllers are very much part of the solution and our skies will be better managed with their co-operation.
Lord Pearson of Rannoch: My Lords, I apologise to the House and the noble Lord for my earlier intervention.
Can the Minister tell the House whether the single European sky will cover NATO aircraft in British airspace and in British bases? If so, do the Government believe that our US allies will be entirely happy if their aircraft are thus subject to the brilliant strategists in Brussels?
Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: My Lords, NATS and the Ministry of Defence have always enjoyed a good working relationship at managerial and operational levels. They provide a joint and integrated service to the aviation industry. That will continue post-PPP. The Ministry of Defence relationship works well as both organisations are at present in the public sector. However, when the PPP is in place it is important that NATS and the MoD have a proper contractual relationship. They are currently negotiating a contract, which should be concluded in the next few weeks, and I am sure it will take account of the issues the noble Lord raises.
Lord Clarke of Hampstead: My Lords, is my noble friend satisfied with the number and quality of expressions of interest that have been shown from potential strategic partners in the NATS PPP?
Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: My Lords, we are pleased with the quality and level of response and the expressions of interest from potential strategic partners for the NATS PPP. We will have to evaluate those further and decide which might be taken forward in the process. We do not want to release the names of those involved, for reasons of confidentiality, though some have already declared. We should finish the evaluation exercise and hope to be in a position to pre-qualify bidders in a matter of weeks. We intend to complete the PPP--after bidders put in their preliminary offers in September--by the end of March 2001. Those noble Lords who were up until 2.30 this morning will know that the progress of the Transport Bill through your Lordships' House should support us in that aim.
Lord Brabazon of Tara: My Lords, does the Minister agree that one of the principal causes of delay in European skies is the fact that some countries--notably France--still prohibit civil aircraft over vast swathes of their airspace? What representations are the Government making to those countries to ask them to minimise the areas involved?
Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: My Lords, as I said, this will be a gradual process. We are in discussions with our French counterparts on this issue, as on many others in the field of transport. The exercise in which we are engaged is an attempt to try to rationalise both
commercial and military use of the skies. There have certainly been delays in Europe in countries such as France. The delays in the European countries are running at twice the level of those in the UK. We obviously had a set-back with the problems we experienced in June, but in general over the past few years our air traffic services have had only half the delays experienced by mainland Europe.
Baroness Thomas of Walliswood: My Lords, can the Minister clarify some of the stories in the press recently about a major breakdown in the contracting process for new equipment for NATS? Can he tell us what effect that will have on the need to modernise our part of the European airspace traffic control system?
Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: My Lords, one of the reasons we want to take forward the PPP solution for air traffic services is to involve expertise from other quarters, particularly from the private sector. We have had experiences which are regrettable in the development of the Swanwick centre, which is some six years delayed and very much over budget. We had delays in the new Scottish centre at Prestwick. Again, that involved difficulties with budgets and with project management. And the most recent example of the problem we had with the development of a computer system in Scotland underscores the need to try to bring in a new way of making things happen more quickly in the air traffic services area. The NATS management is now very much behind the initiative. We look forward to a solution to the problem that was identified in Scotland in good time for it to meet the requirements of the system for which it is being designed.
Helicopter ZD576: Mull of Kintyre Accident
Lord Chalfont asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have any doubts about the cause of the accident involving helicopter ZD576 on the Mull of Kintyre on 2nd June 1994.
The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence (Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean): My Lords, the investigation into this tragic accident was very thorough. It involved the independent Air Accidents Investigation Branch and the aircraft components manufacturers, as well as MoD specialists. All possible causes were examined, but no evidence of technical malfunctioning was found. The RAF board of inquiry did establish that the Chinook was travelling too fast and too low and, crucially, outside both visual and instrument flight rules. However, I assure the noble Lord, that Her Majesty's Government are ready to consider any new evidence; but, without such new evidence, it is very difficult to justify reopening the inquiry.
Lord Chalfont: My Lords, I was going to thank the Minister for her Answer, but my Question has not
been answered. The facts that the noble Baroness just gave to the House are well known. The question is whether there is any doubt. Is the Minister aware--indeed, will she accept--that the regulations of the Royal Air Force that were in force at the time of the accident required that, in order to find dead pilots guilty of gross negligence--I quote from the regulations--there must be "absolutely no doubt whatsoever" about the cause of the accident? That is why I tabled this Question. I should be grateful to receive an Answer.
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: My Lords, as the noble Lord, Lord Chalfont, knows, I am aware of the regulations; indeed, we have discussed them in your Lordships' House before. Moreover, I hope that the noble Lord will not mind me telling the House that both he and I have also discussed the matter privately. I must point out to the noble Lord that, under the regulations, it is the reviewing officers who must be in no doubt. Ministers, properly, are not a part of that process. Those who investigated the accident at the most senior level examined literally hundreds of pages of evidence. They had the expertise to make the judgment and were in no doubt about their conclusion.
If the noble Lord presses me personally, he knows--I have already said it, so I will say it again--that I find his Question philosophically impossible to answer. However, I can tell him that I believe that I have been honestly briefed. Sadly, I also believe that the conclusions of the board of inquiry were right.
Lord Eden of Winton: My Lords, can the Minister confirm that, before being released into service, this aircraft was fully checked out and properly tested?
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: My Lords, I can confirm that the aircraft was serviceable. The noble Lord may be thinking of an incident that occurred some years before in relation to the FADEC system, which has been the cause of some concern not only in your Lordships' House but also elsewhere. I must say that the FADEC software, which was the subject of litigation, was software in a test aircraft that was a pre-production version. It was comprehensively re-designed prior to the introduction of the Mark 2 Chinook into service in 1994. I hope that that covers the noble Lord's point.
Lord Mackay of Ardbrecknish: My Lords, does it give the Minister any cause for concern that the Secretary of State at the time, Sir Malcolm Rifkind, now thinks that there ought to be another look at this accident and at the findings of the inquiry?
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: My Lords, I can tell the noble Lord that I have had enormous concerns over this matter. Indeed, I do not believe that anyone with a conscience, knowing what is at stake for the families of the two pilots involved, would have anything other than concern. But Sir Malcolm expressed his concern some two-and-half years ago
when he said that he and Ministers in his administration might not have been fully briefed about certain aspects of the crash. The MoD's Permanent Secretary wrote to him at that time and invited him to come back into the department, if he wished, to refresh his memory. I understand that Sir Malcolm did not repeat those concerns when he met the Secretary of State and the Permanent Secretary last month.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2716
|
__label__cc
| 0.59446
| 0.40554
|
Edi Hila | YEAR 11
29 March 2011 24 November 2018 valizeta
Edi Hila
March 29 2011 – April 16, 2011
Exhibition Opening: Tuesday, March 29, 2011, at 07:00 pm
Formal and Informal Objects under the Influence of a Destructive Virus In this cycle of paintings by Edi Hila, the viewer is confronted with an image inherently possessing a gnashing pigment which the painter claims to often encounter in his surroundings, specifically used for painting walls or to characterize excesses everywhere, from the manner of speaking and dressing, to eating. It is a sense of color that betrays an unusual, injured mood. The image has undergone a process of denaturalization just like a screen affected by magnetic currents. In his attentive reverie (in the present reality but also in memory), he captures images from the city’s center and its periphery with their constructions, interventions, presences and absences. The painter stops and represents several edifices, some institutional and others not so, but both kinds recognizable by us. He paints the first type by using a solemn central compositional placement which he does not use for the second category. More precisely, he paints the second type of buildings as they are, possess a sense of the transient, kitsch but also intimacy. The fabrics are painted as a result of the emotional burden of present reality, a weight created by political discussions, television, rallies, the brutally invasive and involving campaigns, all of which leave traces in our thoughts, conversations, dinners and are reflected in the economy, architecture, urban planning, our entire lives. All these concerns regarding the complex visual structure of our society’s appearance are present in his work. Both types of buildings risk becoming extinct. All these objects are destined to be destroyed (the private ones because of their own transient nature and the public ones for the sake of an unstoppable replacement mania). It is also the story of a country in a continuous state of doing and undoing. Undoubtedly, the values of a country, any country, are fed by memory and what has remained, all transmitted by the nation’s cultural material. His artistic “complaint” presents the fate of a country without concrete socio-cultural evidence of its different periods, lacking the different architectural stratifications and, therefore, lacking traces of history.
Zef Paci, curator, art historian, professor at Art University, Tirane
Collaboration permalink
Ellas/PhotoArtProject
ARDHJE Award 2011
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2717
|
__label__cc
| 0.577209
| 0.422791
|
Deborah Tannen
“... all communication is more or less cross-cultural. We learn to use language as we grow up, and growing up in different parts of the country, having different ethnic, religious, or class backgrounds, even just being male or female — all result in different ways of talking ...”
Deborah Tannen,
That's Not What I Meant!
“All conversation, in addition to whatever else it does, displays, and asks for recognition of, our competence.”
“The one who decides who goes ahead has the upper hand, regardless of who gets to go. This is why many women do not feel empowered by such privileges as having doors held open for them. The advantage of going first through the door is less salient to them than the disadvantage of being granted the right to walk through a door by someone who is framed, by his magnanimous gesture, as the arbiter of the right-of-way.”
“In an ongoing relationship, each current criticism packs the punches of all the others that have gone before.”
“... any criticism heard secondhand sounds worse than it would face to face. Words spoken out of our presence strike us as more powerful, just as people we know only by reputation seem larger than life.”
“Each person's life is lived as a series of conversations.”
You Just Don't Understand: Women and Men in Conversation
“We all know we are unique individuals, but we tend to see others as representatives of groups.”
“When those closest to us respond to events differently than we do, when they seem to see the same scene as part of a different play, when they say things that we could not imagine saying in the same circumstances, the ground on which we stand seems to tremble and our footing is suddenly unsure.”
“The biggest mistake is believing that there is one right way to listen, to talk, to have a conversation — or a relationship.”
“This book is about a pervasive warlike atmosphere that makes us approach public dialogue, and just about anything we need to accomplish, as if it were a fight. It is a tendency in Western culture in general, and in the United States in particular, that has a long history and a deep, thick, and far-ranging root system. It has served us well in many ways but in recent years has become so exaggerated that it is getting in the way of solving our problems. Our spirits are corroded by living in an atmosphere of unrelenting contention — an argument culture.”
The Argument Culture: Stopping America's War of Words
“The argument culture urges us to approach the world — and the people in it — in an adversarial frame of mind. It rests on the assumption that opposition is the best way to get anything done: The best way to discuss an idea is to set up a debate; the best way to cover news is to find spokespeople who express the most extreme, polarized views and present them as 'both sides'; the best way to settle disputes is litigation that pits one party against the other; the best way to begin an essay is to attack someone; and the best way to show you're really thinking is to criticize.”
“Public discourse requires making an argument for a point of view, not having an argument — as in having a fight.”
“In dialogue, there is opposition, yes, but no head-on collision. Smashing heads does not open minds.”
“Words can be like weapons of destruction: It takes so much effort, and the cooperation of so many people, to build something — and so little effort of so few to tear it down.”
“Cooperation isn't the absence of conflict but a means of managing conflict.”
Deborah Tannen, U.S. sociolinguist, writer
Full name: Deborah Frances Tannen.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2720
|
__label__cc
| 0.531442
| 0.468558
|
Alan Aitken
Dr, PhD Monash
Goodeve Fellow, Faculty of Science, School of Earth Sciences
Emailalan.aitken@uwa.edu.au
1 Other output
Thermal, rheological and kinematic conditions for channelized lower crustal flow in a threshold example
Aitken, A. R. A., Quentin de Gromard, R., Joly, A., Howard, H. M. & Smithies, R. H., 20 Feb 2019, In : Tectonophysics. 753, p. 63-78 16 p.
lower crust
crusts
potential energy
A role for data richness mapping in exploration decision making
Aitken, A. R. A., Occhipinti, S. A., Lindsay, M. D. & Trench, A., 1 Aug 2018, In : Ore Geology Reviews. 99, p. 398-410 13 p.
New Magnetic Anomaly Map of the Antarctic
Golynsky, A. V., Ferraccioli, F., Hong, J. K., Golynsky, D. A., von Frese, R. R. B., Young, D. A., Blankenship, D. D., Holt, J. W., Ivanov, S. V., Kiselev, A. V., Masolov, V. N., Eagles, G., Gohl, K., Jokat, W., Damaske, D., Finn, C., Aitken, A., Bell, R. E., Armadillo, E., Jordan, T. A. & 12 othersGreenbaum, J. S., Bozzo, E., Caneva, G., Forsberg, R., Ghidella, M., Galindo-Zaldivar, J., Bohoyo, F., Martos, Y. M., Nogi, Y., Quartini, E., Kim, H. R. & Roberts, J. L., 16 Jul 2018, In : Geophysical Research Letters. 45, 13, p. 6437-6449 13 p.
magnetic anomaly
Antarctic regions
International Geomagnetic Reference Field
The composition and structure of the deep crust of the Capricorn Orogen
Alghamdi, A. H., Aitken, A. R. A. & Dentith, M. C., 2 Jan 2018, In : Australian Journal of Earth Sciences. 65, 1, p. 9-24 16 p.
seismic reflection
craton
Proterozoic
The deep crustal structure of the Warakurna LIP, and insights on Proterozoic LIP processes and mineralisation
Alghamdi, A. H., Aitken, A. R. A. & Dentith, M. C., 1 Apr 2018, In : Gondwana Research. 56, p. 1-11 11 p.
large igneous province
The tectonics and mineral systems of Proterozoic Western Australia: Relationships with supercontinents and global secular change
Aitken, A. R. A., Occhipinti, S. A., Lindsay, M. D., Joly, A., Howard, H. M., Johnson, S. P., Hollis, J. A., Spaggiari, C. V., Tyler, I. M., McCuaig, T. C. & Dentith, M. C., 1 Mar 2018, In : Geoscience Frontiers. 9, 2, p. 431-439 9 p.
supercontinent
ore deposit
Rodinia
tectonic setting
Geology and metallogeny of the Kimberley Province
Occhipinti, S. A., Lindsay, M. D., Tyler, I. M. & Aitken, A. R., 2017, Australian ore deposits. Carlton South, Vic.: AusIMM The Minerals Institute, Vol. 32. 6 p.
Research output: Chapter in Book/Conference paper › Chapter
Identifying mineral prospectivity using 3D magnetotelluric, potential field and geological data in the east Kimberley, Australia
Lindsay, M. D., Spratt, J., Occhipinti, S. A., Aitken, A. R. A., Dentith, M. C., Hollis, J. A. & Tyler, I. M., 2017, In : Geological Society Special Publication. 453, p. SP453.8
Paleoproterozoic basin development on the northern Yilgarn Craton, Western Australia
Occhipinti, S., Hocking, R., Lindsay, M., Aitken, A., Copp, I., Jones, J., Sheppard, S., Pirajno, F. & Metelka, V., 1 Oct 2017, In : Precambrian Research. 300, p. 121-140 20 p.
basin evolution
A geophysical investigation of the east Kimberley region, northern Western Australia
Lindsay, M., Occhipinti, S. A., Hollis, J., Aitken, A., Metelka, V., Dentith, M., Miller, J. & Tyler, I. M., 20 Jun 2016, Department of Mines and Petroleum Government of Western Australia.
An extensive subglacial lake and canyon system in Princess Elizabeth Land, East Antarctica
Jamieson, S. S. R. S. R., Ross, N., Greenbaum, J. S. S., Young, D. A. A., Aitken, A. R. A., Roberts, J. L. L., Blankenship, D. D. D., Bo, S. & Siegert, M. J. J., 2016, In : Geology. 44, 2, p. 87-90 4 p.
ice sheet
echo sounding
drainage network
Australia and Nuna
Betts, P. G., Armit, R. J., Stewart, J., Aitken, A., Ailleres, L., Donchak, P., Hutton, L., Withnall, I. & Giles, D., 2016, In : Geological Society Special Publication. 424, p. 47-81
Multicommodity mineral systems analysis highlighting mineral prospectivity in the Halls Creek Orogen
Occhipinti, S. A., Metelka, V., Lindsay, M. D., Hollis, J. A., Aitken, A. R. A., Tyler, I. M., Miller, J. M. & McCuaig, C. C., 2016, In : Ore Geology Reviews. 72, P1, p. 86-113 28 p.
Prospectivity analysis of the Halls Creek orogen, Western Australia: using a mineral systems approach
Occhipinti, S. A., Metelka, V., Lindsay, M., Hollis, J. A., Aitken, A., Sheppard, S., Orth, K., Tyler, I. M., Beardsmore, T., Hutchinson, M. & Miller, J., 29 Jun 2016, Department of Mines and Petroleum Government of Western Australia.
Proterozoic accretionary tectonics in the east Kimberley region, Australia
Lindsay, M. D., Occhipinti, S., Aitken, A. R. A., Metelka, V., Hollis, J. & Tyler, I., 2016, In : Precambrian Research. 278, p. 265-282 18 p.
Reducing subjectivity in multi-commodity mineral prospectivity analyses: Modelling the west Kimberley, Australia
Lindsay, M., Aitken, A., Ford, A., Dentith, M., Hollis, J. & Tyler, I., 2016, In : Ore Geology Reviews. 76, p. 395-413 19 p.
Repeated large-scale retreat and advance of Totten Glacier indicated by inland bed erosion
Aitken, A., Roberts, J. L., Van Ommen, T. D., Young, D. A., Golledge, N. R., Greenbaum, J. S., Blankenship, D. D. & Siegert, M. J., 2016, In : Nature. 533, p. 385-389
Electric grounding
The Australo-Antarctic Columbia to Gondwana transition
Aitken, A., Betts, P. G., Young, D. A., Blankenship, D. D., Roberts, J. L. & Siegert, M. J., 2016, In : Gondwana Research. 29, 1, p. 136-152
Gondwana
shear zone
The tectonic development and erosion of the Knox Subglacial Sedimentary Basin, East Antarctica
Maritati, A., Aitken, A. R. A., Young, D. A., Roberts, J. L., Blankenship, D. D. & Siegert, M. J., 28 Oct 2016, In : Geophysical Research Letters. 43, 20, p. 10,728-10,737 717 p.
sedimentary basin
Australia's lithospheric density field, and its isostatic equilibration
Aitken, A., Altinay, C. & Gross, L., 2015, In : Geophysical Journal International. 203, 3, p. 1961-1976
Corrigendum to The burning heart - The Proterozoic geology and geological evolution of the west Musgrave Region, central Australia [Gondwana Research, 27, 1, (2015), 64-94] DOI: 10.1016/j.gr.2014.09.001
Howard, H. M., Smithies, R. H., Kirkland, C. L., KELSEY, DAVID. E., Aitken, A., Wingate, M. T. D., Quentin De Gromard, R., Spaggiari, C. V. & Maier, W. D., 1 Oct 2015, In : Gondwana Research. 28, 3, p. 1255 1 p.
Mineral systems approach applied to GIS-based 2D-prospectivity modelling of geological regions: Insights from Western Australia
Joly, A., Porwal, A., Mccuaig, C., Chudasama, B., Dentith, M. & Aitken, A., 2015, In : Ore Geology Reviews. 71, p. 673-702
Ocean access to a cavity beneath Totten Glacier in East Antarctica
Greenbaum, J. S., Blankenship, D. D., Young, D., Richter, T. G., Roberts, J. L., Aitken, A., Legrésy, B., Schroeder, D. M., Warner, R. C., Van Ommen, T. D. & Siegert, M. J., 2015, In : Nature Geoscience. 8, 4, p. 294-298
ice shelf
The burning heart - The Proterozoic geology and geological evolution of the west Musgrave Region, central Australia
Howard, H. M., Smithies, R. H., Kirkland, C. L., Kelsey, D. E., Aitken, A., Wingate, M. T. D., Quentin De Gromard, R., Spaggiari, C. V. & Maier, W. D., Jan 2015, In : Gondwana Research. 27, 1, p. 64-94 31 p.
magmatism
The Mesoproterozoic thermal evolution of the Musgrave Province in central Australia - Plume vs. the geological record
Smithies, R. H., Kirkland, C. L., Korhonen, F. J., Aitken, A., Howard, H. M., Maier, W. D., Wingate, M. T. D., Quentin De Gromard, R. & Gessner, K., 2015, In : Gondwana Research. 27, 4, p. 1419-1429
thermal evolution
geological record
mantle plume
A magnetotelluric survey across the Kimberley Craton, northern Western Australia
Spratt, J., Dentith, M., Evans, S., Aitken, A., Lindsay, M., Hollis, J. A., Tyler, I. M., Joly, A. & Shragge, J., 2014, Western Australia: Geological Survey of Western Australia. 98 p.
Research output: Book/Report › Other output
The subglacial geology of Wilkes Land, East Antarctica
Aitken, A., Young, D. A., Ferraccioli, F., Betts, P. G., Greenbaum, J. S., Richter, T. G., Roberts, J. L., Blankenship, D. D. & Siegert, M. J., 2014, In : Geophysical Research Letters. 41, 7, p. 2390-2400
tectonic feature
A geophysically constrained multi-scale litho-structural analysis of the Trans-Tanami Fault, Granites-Tanami Orogen, Western Australia
Stevenson, D. B., Bagas, L., Aitken, A. & Mccuaig, C., 2013, In : Australian Journal of Earth Sciences. 60, 8, p. 745-768
thrust fault
wrench fault
potential field
Australia's Moho: A test of the usefulness of gravity modelling for the determination of Moho depth
Aitken, A., Salmon, M. L. & Kennett, B. L. N., 2013, In : Tectonophysics. 609, p. 468-479
Crustal architecture of the Capricorn Orogen, Western Australia and associated metallogeny
Johnson, S. P., Thorne, A. M., Tyler, I. M., Korsch, R. J., Kennett, B. L. N., Cutten, H. N. C., Goodwin, J., Blay, O., Blewett, R. S., Joly, A., Dentith, M., Aitken, A., Holzschuh, J., Salmon, M. L., Reading, A. M., Heinson, G. S., Boren, G., Ross, J., Costelloe, R. D. & Fomin, T., 2013, In : Australian Journal of Earth Sciences. 60, 6-7, p. 681-705
suture zone
terrane
vibroseis
Formation mechanism of steep convergent intracontinental margins: Insights from numerical modeling
Chen, L., Gerya, T. V., Zhang, Z., Aitken, A., Li, Z. & Liang, X., 2013, In : Geophysical Research Letters. 40, 10, p. 2000-2005
convergent margin
formation mechanism
Magmatism-dominated intracontinental rifting in the Mesoproterozoic: The Ngaanyatjarra Rift, central Australia
Aitken, A., Smithies, R. H., Dentith, M., Joly, A., Evans, S. & Howard, H. M., 2013, In : Gondwana Research. 24, 3-4, p. 886-901
crustal thickening
Phanerozoic
Semiautomated quantification of the influence of data richness on confidence in the geologic interpretation of aeromagnetic maps
Aitken, A., Holden, E-J. & Dentith, M., 2013, In : Geophysics. 78, 2, p. J1-J13
kriging
The intraplate character of supercontinent tectonics
Aitken, A., Raimondo, T. & Capitanio, F. A., 2013, In : Gondwana Research. 24, 3-4, p. 807-814
geophysical method
The Moho in Australia and New Zealand
Salmon, M., Kennett, B. L. N., Stern, T. & Aitken, A., 2013, In : Tectonophysics. 609, p. 288-298
plate boundary
Flexural controls on late Neogene basin evolution in southern McMurdo Sound, Antarctica
Aitken, A., Wilson, G. S., Jordan, T., Tinto, K. & Blakemore, H., 2012, In : Global and Planetary Change. 80-81, p. 99-112
Palaeoproterozoic accretion processes of Australia and comparisons with Laurentia
Betts, P. G., Giles, D. & Aitken, A., 2011, In : International Geology Review. 53, 11-12, p. 1357-1376
Moho geometry gravity inversion experiment (MoGGIE): A refined model of the Australian Moho, and its tectonic and isostatic implications
Aitken, A., 2010, In : Earth and Planetary Science Letters. 297, p. 71-83
Constrained potential field modeling of the crustal architecture of the Musgrave Province in central Australia: Evidence for lithospheric strengthening due to crust-mantle boundary uplift
Aitken, A., Betts, P. G., Weinberg, R. F. & Gray, D., 2009, In : Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth . 114, B12405, p. 1-23
Constraints on the Proterozoic supercontinent cycle from the structural evolution of the south-central Musgrave Province, central Australia
Aitken, A. & Betts, P. G., 2009, In : Precambrian Research. 168, p. 284-300
Multi-scale integrated structural and aeromagnetic analysis to guide tectonic models: An example from the eastern Musgrave Province, Central Australia
Aitken, A. & Betts, P. G., 2009, In : Tectonophysics. 476, p. 418-435
The architecture, kinematics, and lithospheric processes of a compressional intraplate orogen occuring under Gondwana assembly: The Petermann orogeny, central Australia
Aitken, A., Betts, P. G. & Ailleres, L., 2009, In : Lithosphere. 1, 6, p. 343-357
Assessing uncertainty in the integration of aeromagnetic data and structural observations in the Deering Hills region of the Musgrave Province
Aitken, A., Betts, P. G., Schaefer, B. F. & Rye, S. E., 2008, In : Australian Journal of Earth Sciences. 55, p. 1127-1138
High-resolution aeromagnetic data over central Australia assist Grenville-era (1300-1100 Ma) Rodinia reconstructions
Aitken, A. & Betts, P. G., 2008, In : Geophysical Research Letters. 35, L01306, p. 1-6
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2723
|
__label__cc
| 0.736589
| 0.263411
|
On this Page 2017-7: 1-02/18-19/2017possible African male cop/fraud claims investigator at risk 2-update 02/19/2017: 9/11 and mean-not-so-green loans to the USA 3-02/19/2017 4-02/18/2017 from earlier this day 5-02/17/2017 6-From earlier notes on 02/17/2017 7-02/16/2017 (disclosure/warning cops, others be extra sensitive to your self-protection when interacting with or in my regard 8-02/09/2017 sensitizing, elusivity, etc. 1-02/18-19/2017 possible African male cop/fraud claims investigator at risk 02/19/2017: There is a mature African American male associated with fraud claims in the Portland, OR area who I have issued a concern for safety to the local police. He seems to be somewhere between late 40s to mid-50s, married to an African American woman, a family man, a basically honest, warm and friendly fellow. He seems to wear a business suit. My first thought was that he works with the police in Portland as a detective. I have people working supposedly on a case in my behalf out of Portland, but suspect they are investigating me and misusing private info I give them for two cases instead in that regard. A vibe came up this late morning that this man might be in danger because he is working on my case. I have asked the police to look into two possible related cases for me in the Portland area in which I was a victim both times. I felt this man might be shot at in a public area while going about his life or the investigation on my case. I warned the Portland police about this concern today. I feel I am picking up organized crime issues in Portland - a big city compared to where I live. I feel there are honest police people there but that they might be into big city antics, big city culture. Portland has had its share of corruption and lawsuits, some of them involving chiefs of police. I seem to be getting right in the middle of organized crime energies over there. I am definitely picking up some stuff. I am going to add a link about NM Sec 10 and Sec 20 here, with excerpt below: PINAC: New Mexico cops arrest citizen journalist for filing internal affairs complaint (09/28/2015). also in Mike Schmike NM Police Victims http://photographyisnotacrime.com/2015/09/28/new-mexico-cops-arrest-citizen-journalist-for-filing-internal-affairs-complaint/ Excerpt from PINAC: The Mesilla Marshals violated Mike’s Section 10th protection under the New Mexico Constitution Bill of Rights which states: Sec. 10. [Searches and seizures.] The people shall be secure in their persons, papers, homes and effects, from unreasonable searches and seizures, and no warrant to search any place, or seize any person or thing, shall issue without describing the place to be searched, or the persons or things to be seized, nor without a written showing of probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation.The same seizure probably runs afoul of Mike’s Section 20 protection enumerated under the New Mexico Constitution’s Bill of Rights which reads, “Sec. 20. [Eminent domain.] Private property shall not be taken or damaged for public use without just compensation.” From everything we’ve seen, the police had a strong motive to hide any activities which violated their jurisdictional right to enforce the law outside their own minute town of Mesilla and into the 50 times larger city Las Cruces next door. http://photographyisnotacrime.com/2015/09/28/new-mexico-cops-arrest-citizen-journalist-for-filing-internal-affairs-complaint/ Today I have added more victim and police names in the New Mexico Police Abuses section. I have psychically picked up officers going around asking people questions about me. Several people have already offered comments. updated 02/19/17: Also had picked up a group of about 3 people or so, some at least who were men, leaving from the Portland area in a small plane or other aircraft possibly to investigate me - or cause problems for me locally; these people have a vibe of something like “mob” but might be operating as something like “FBI.” They might or might not have a briefcase with money (and papers on me), which is something I am additionally picking up today while looking back on that. 2-Update 02/19/2017: 9/11 and mean-not-so-green loans to the USA: I will add that I believe there are post-9/11 funds loaned back to the United States at varying interest rates as another way to suck money out of the USA, and as a form of further dark humor on the part of the perpetrators. They could be directly related to monies/goods stolen from the affected areas as well as other forms of benefits resulting from that operation. Companies involved in those types of loans will have mob-like affiliations which include going after bad debts (once the questionable loans are in place) with a behind-the-scenes spy and dagger approach, which can include retaliations, masked thieveries (to try to retrieve assets) and false arrests. What this means is that international companies associated with 9/11 have turned around and used funds gained from 9/11 to loan back to the United States, then have used mob-related antics to target, punish and steal from so-called bad debts. The racket extends to harassing people (people they have loans with) using Stasi* types of tactics, sometimes working through the policing systems and sometimes outside or alongside them. *See Stasi: "Worse than the Gestapo." —Simon Wiesenthal, Nazi hunter, from http://www.nytimes.com/books/first/k/koehler- stasi.html New Mexico Police abuse material added to that section As I have read more today on New Mexico police abuses, I have discovered problems inherent in the San Juan County system (update 3-02/19/2017 see https://www.sjcounty.net/elected/county-sheriff/chart - it’s out-dated) (around Farmington, New Mexico) back around Shane Utley’s time of employment and his joint lawsuit with a few others against Sheriff Christesen in 2014. As I read the material, I have been moved to further question that department’s integrity. I do sense a questionable Native American presence around Christesen in one way or another - either for him or against him, something pulling strings. I have added more notes on whistleblower revelations and a lawsuit over freedom of information act hindrances in Albuquerque, and have found a departing DA’s (Dec. 2016) letter about crime lab and DNA evidencing problems including a concern over lack of responsiveness to reform mandates. I have added a case about a young teenage police intern having been raped by a much older police officer who took her “for a ride”, and yet another case about an apparent drug addict in Rio Rancho having been suffocated while officers pinning him down were joking around; after they realized he was dead, they gave each other fist congrats, almost like street gang salutations, and acted like his life and death did not matter. Their attitude before, during and after the death incident was one of emotional detachment. Many of these cases involve unbelievable sums of money in court cases. I have also added a section on Mexico’s cartels invading New Mexico police systems. Some of these topics were added to the New Mexico Police abuse section main page, others to the victim/and-or/police names. It is amazing New Mexico is even still around after all the lawsuit money dished out. Where is New Mexico finding the money for all of these hefty lawsuits? This is a critical question. Most companies would be long gone by now after all of that. Why doesn’t New Mexico ever learn? Farmington - are you listening? Gangstalking is probably one of the most serious problems in the state of New Mexico, yet has had almost no visibility. The ongoing controversy over psychic material As you go over my notes about “psychic visions” here in the Commentary section, realize that many Americans still find the psychic thing unlikely, and look for signs of mental illness when it is discussed. This is unfortunate but a reality we must face. I foresee a time in the distant future when everyone will be psychically open. These experiences about being blocked over the psychic world are temporary for the human race, but might last a whole lifetime in this current era. I decided some time back that I prefer to be myself than to fake it; in so doing, I dig into a certain personal power and reflect inner strength. I find that the derision that is sent out over these “psychic notes” is kind of like water off a duck’s back; I certainly pick it up intuitively and sometimes I hear entire bits of conversation, but it is not hitting my inner self. I have complete self- confidence now that I am in fact having a type of real world experience; it took years to reach this space, but now little shakes my confidence that I am being psychic and having real psychic experiences. The only question left is whether it is artificially enhanced by some sort of still little known technology. The experiences don’t daunt me anymore; I just flow with it. I am facing a conservative crowd in Farmington, New Mexico and yet changes will occur in this community. The liberals will find satisfaction in the long run Many of the liberals like myself around the country are going to have an impact after the Trump election; it is just a matter of time before we see ultimate results. The fact of the matter is, the liberals will ultimately have more personal power because they are real. The Christian fundamentalism is…well…fundamentally flawed, so ultimately it will not be grounded enough to fight the rebound. In the meantime, the liberals will clean up their act where there were problems. They will be more keen about helping their own find jobs and develop sustainable existences, and will be more open and kind to the liberal-central types like myself who tend to lean a little closer to the middle between liberals and conservatives. As far as police corruption in Farmington, New Mexico goes: yes, it’s here but overall, I think there is an old-fashioned quality for city and nearby areas reflecting the expectation for legitimately acting police system. What this means is that honesty, respect, service to the community as well as constitutionally abiding behaviors will win the battle over corruption in this area. People here do know what real police work looks, feels and smells like. Although some corrupt business leaders and officials will continue to try to tweak agendas through the police systems, the people as a whole will win out. Religious fundamentalists in the area need to keep their religion to themselves. They should not try to force it on other people by using the police for their agendas. The police should not hire personnel with marred backgrounds (like domestic violence, child abuse or DWIs) or obvious signs of religious, cultural or gender biases. If these biases show up once hired, there needs to be a strong stopgap system, including warnings, penalties and firings. Area officers need to be trained to stay neutral - that is, to keep their religious beliefs at home. Although we can never leave some of our beliefs fully behind, there are certain protocols to follow while on the job. Officers in the Farmington area need to be on alert to the dangers of religious fundamentalism, and to report it to management or outside civil protection/legal agencies if it gets out of hand. No member of the public should be targeted for not fitting into tight religious expectations. (See the quote added in the area above this Commentary section by the Rev. Dr. Neal Jones from the organization Americans United.) Religionists need to call a black spade a black spade in the dirty cop business I would like to see more religionists get actively involved in studying police abuses and scandals in New Mexico by taking responsibility for much needed reform. I have seen a tendency for religionists to assume the police are one of them, one of the good old boys, real Americans, like apple pie and American flags. The truth is New Mexico police tend to be destroying this image bit by bit with every scandal discovered. People in the local area of Farmington often seem to believe the city and county cops are better than in places like Albuquerque; the truth is, Farmington does in fact have its share of corruption. Cops are not your Mormon, Catholic or Protestant church elders - they are task-specific personnel needing to stay religiously neutral Religious dogma can give the people the wrong idea that it is OK to use a heavy hand, like the extension of a disciplining father (strong male figure) in the home. People cannot use male police officers as authoritative father figures to grown people; In this regard, it is as if they are sending a spanking king in to set that woman straight or knock some sense into that boy. You must let the judicial system figure things out and make the judgments (that is, an honest, fair and non-contrived judicial system). Some people are trying to use police officers as Father Knows Best - or as a religious leader in their home church. Further, some people are trying to use the police system as an extension of the United States military. This is not the correct way to think of the police force in Farmington and its small outlying towns (or in any other area). 4-Notes from earlier today 02/18/2017: I do pick up the energy and thoughts of one of the stalkers. He is male. He has emotional problems, probably does drugs or alcohol. The stalkers seem to be a mix of whites and minorities. Some of it is minority related, some of it is religious, some of it is male-first male stuff. I sense some of it is minorities in post office mail rooms and also places like fed ex. There has been a strange vibe around fed ex for some time. I think they are watching mail come into the town and mail going out, so it is a city- wide issue. The minorities might be linked thru family. I feel there might be a drug ring associated with these issues. I do not have a drug or alcohol history, I think some of the retaliation is because of that. I have been outspoken several times over the years about drug free lifestyles. I think it makes drug users and drug dealers mad. They might be getting into mail away from the mail rooms away from cameras as well as around mailrooms. I think they are trying to both see and control what is coming and going in the mail. I would give this a rating of “high” on the psychic scale. I might have dropped a paper in a parking lot under a vehicle with someone who picking it up. The person started to try to return it to me as apparently there is an address on it but decided to see if he could do something dishonest with it, but still might return it. 5-02/17/2017 02/17/2017: some added later material to today’s notes More on women cops edited 02/25/2017 Women cops In general, police jobs are hard. The public does know this. Women who take on policing careers are walking a difficult line. Men can be and often are difficult on the job and in the public forum, but not all are. Some will stand up for women in general and female police officers in particular, because they do know what women go through. getting through the training programs are not easy, I have heard. In general, both male and police officers need to remember that corruption piles up - it is best to stop it before it goes too far. I had an ex-woman psychic tell me years ago that the police are not what I think. I had other psychics tell me basically the same thing. It took me a long time to believe it. Now I am aware police corruption is more prevalent than I had ever imagined in my earlier years. Women police officers might be facing a number of stresses which might discourage Constitutionally based policing styles. No one wants to see either male or female police officers injured on the job. Blue lives do matter. However, if playing it safe includes developing a mafia-like network working against the genera public, things have gone too far. Sometimes the technical training of women is not adequate in terms of compensating for societal tendencies to teach young girls more about dolls and being pretty than how-to and survival skills. Some women might have more practical training than other women. What is important is that each female individual is treated with care and respect in terms of her chosen livelihood, training and ongoing education. It is important to learn both technical skills (self-defense, how to use a gun) as well as how to think and respond to different challenges. Staying emotionally and mentally flexible is desirable. Some of the people being dealt with will hit, spit, strike with knives that are both thrown or thrashed with, shoot, lie and manipulate. People will treat female officers differently from male ones. After awhile, it can wear on any gender of person, but in some cases the women have it harder. More on snitching at womens violence protection shelters These added notes are about snitching mentioned earlier today on violence protection shelters for women in the Four Corners Area in general, not listing which one is referred to. The one being referenced is not suspected of having hidden cameras in the back rooms. Rather, the concern is about parking lot surveillance being used surreptitiously to capture faces and license plates for the information to be used by the following: FBI or other police system agencies; males with agendas about not liking people they think are getting a free ride or similar attitudes toward people on welfare; religious fundamentalists who try to control women in various ways. How watched We need to ask about snitching and feeding information by shelter managers or helpers to the following: local male fellow church goers; the police; NSA or services like the FBI; DEA or others dealing with SWAT. Husbands, boyfriends. Friends in the police force. Most shelters work under stressful conditions Low and/or uncertain funds; some are volunteers, some do not make enough to live on. Shelter workers can be threatened by the very people they are trying to help. People try to sneak drugs and evade the law there. I saw one woman using a wig to be anonymous. ONe woman was removed by the police for addictions best served elsewhere. I have heard of at least two suicides in a shelter. Americans United magazine Church and State On another issue entirely, I strongly encourage people to get hold of the organization Americans United, au.org, magazine Church and State; I love the magazine and feel much is learned from it. I think a small donation of $25 is all it takes to start it up. Also see it online here: http://au.org/church-state/february-2017-church-state. One of the issues: AU Files Supreme Court Brief Denouncing Detention, Torture of Muslims - top federal Dept Justice and immigration officials - former attorney general John D. Ashcroft, former FBI director Robert Mueller and former ccommissioner of the US Immigration and Naturalization Service James W. Ziglar. p. 16 Church and State magaize Feb. 2017. I strongly support AU’s actions in this matter. There are But that donation amount will get you started with receiving regular magazines. The February 2017 issue is so critical regarding the Trump problem, offering good insights. One of the things I like is the legal case education the magazines provide covering issues regarding unfair religious discrimination. This includes gay, lesbian and transgender protections from religious fundamentalists, like discrimination against transgender people over things like school or other public bathroom usage, states fighting the Johnson Amendment and more. They usually cover laws and cases which are relevant to the issues, which is so helpful to people who did not take law classes. I also value the professional and level-headed approaches to the subjects; they are an educated and classy group. One of my favorite magazines covered the history of the United States showing our founding leaders were not supporting a “Christian Nation” but true church and state separation. More On Christesen and Shane Utley: Farmington come clean Whether or not Utley is fully guilty, I feel strongly that the man and those who know him have more to say about the rogue group gangstalking targets, misusing surveillance and more in Farmington. Also I feel these witnesses need to be very careful because it is dangerous for them to speak out. Apparently Utley is proven guilty through various means; however, I feel we need to pay attention to the atmosphere of possible retaliation because he did have a lawsuit against Farmington Sheriff Christesen. Because this is a Farmington area issue, I added more material on Christesen and Utley’s wife (Beth Utley) on the Police Abuses NM section. I feel this probably is a hornet’s nest that has been festering. It is likely a way for men and women who are both innocent and who have had “dirt” to come forward and starting talking about the rogue police group in Farmington. I think there are truly people in Farmington police systems who do in fact know better, they do know how the police should really operate, and they do know that some people have been targeted unfairly and with excessively aggressive surveillance and other forms of system abuse. These people can start a citizens watch group in the Farmington area and take back our Constitutional rights. Some people might get in trouble, but at least they will come clean. They will feel better once they come clean - they know it and I know it. I can sense it. It is time to take our power back in this country; we don’t want any one religious or political group to have too much power; things need to be out in the open with a fair playing field so we are all safe. At any given moment the playing field can change, and what has happened to other targets could whip around and happen to you or your family. There is indeed a right way and a wrong way to do police work, and most of you in Farmington do know the right way. Psychic Attacks In the chest (some kind of long-term ongoing energy hook) I continue to feel some of the psychic or psychotronic attacks are hitting me in the center of the chest region. It would not surprise me if I have some kind of implant, even if it is microscopic. I think this is one way the cults are messing with people and it might have origins with Catholics. 6-From earlier notes on 02/17/2017: More concerns about a rogue group bullying dissidents or others in the Farmington area I do have concerns that the Farmington, New Mexico area has a rogue group in the policing networks. It might be SWAT with some of it tied to the DEA; there also might be a link to the FBI. I don’t know for a fact. I have been picking up a vibe for some time now, and seeing things with other types of psychic ability, like clairvoyance and clairsentience. I sense these people are very dangerous and working outside the normal law. I feel they are linked to religious conservatism and good old boy anti-female networks, but that some women are involved. The Problems with Certain Female Police Officers I would like to see more women in the police systems fighting system abuse including surveillance abuse, police corruption involving personal vendettas, retaliation and other forms of stalking and backlash against members of the public as well as against other police people. When women police or police system agents are involved, several different things are going on, part of it is religion, some of it is deferring to the male domination system, some of it is competition or deriding other females as part of a power issue. I have sensed the possibility of lesbian retaliation against straight females as a power issue. I also have sensed racial issues going both directions, with whites against minorities and minorities against whites. There can be minority officers connected to gangs and religiously related cultures. I also have sensed male cops and overseers sending in women officers to a woman for various reasons - in my case, it would be specifically because I have indicated on this website that I usually trust the honest male cops more than many women officers to do their jobs right according to the Constitution and Bill of Rights. The more honest women cops will generally do their jobs according to protocol adequately enough, but you won’t see deep thinking and intensive investigations. They will work according to middle of the line standards but you won’t see them going above and beyond. Several times I have noticed women in the policing systems don’t have a strong enough core identity to think for themselves, push back, solve problems creatively and engage in ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) or Americans united types of thinking (pro- Constitution and Bill of Rights, human rights). By and large, women in the policing systems have issues. I find more ethical men among the policing systems in terms of standing in their boots with a certain sense of self-confidence, which creates a better space for thinking for themselves, although the system is filled with both corrupt men and women so you have to filter out the corrupt ones, no matter what. This is a a pro-womens rights website, and I support the work of women police officers, but many years of watching them operate causes me to feel generally more comfortable working with the more equal minded and honest men in the policing systems because we seem to get on the same page more quickly by getting to the point; the women connected to police networks are largely followers with ego issues. I also feel they are largely used by male police officers against other women as part of a hidden agenda. The women might not realize they are being used against other women. I feel female police agents (like plains clothes detectives or those in secret services) are more likely to be quite corrupt, while street-beat female officers are more likely to be honest enough, but inadequate in terms of thinking outside the box and pushing back against corruption involving system abuse. Female officers need to be encouraged to have a strong sense of identity in order to push back against the male crowd as well as certain agendas found in police retaliation circles, and to think creatively. Women police people can definitely be part of the problems in police abuse systems and not part of the solutions. Identification Switching I am psychically sensing a possible id switching on the part of police officers being thought of as being ones to send in toward me as a response to this commentary section today. Id switching could include badges and card identification. Switching officers, in other words. I am also sensing them thinking of sending in a female police officer(s) to my door as a response to this commentary since I indicated having a better sense of trust and rapport with the more equal minded and honest male officers. Farmington, New Mexico Rogue Groups - General Locations of Problems In the Farmington, New Mexico area, I have psychically felt a rogue group in the policing arena around the San Juan College network; around the anti-abortions signs in general all over town on all the main streets; in front of the Planned Parent clinic on 20th street where a white older man often with a beard and long hair, sometimes with his hair cut, stands day after day, year after year with an anti-abortion sign on the parking lot’s sidewalk closest to the street. I feel strongly that clinic has surveillance cameras by the religious fundamentalists in town and that people coming to the clinic are watched very, very carefully, that license plates are identified and certain police, including women police officers, are sent after that person who visited the clinic. I found myself followed by a woman police officer with a bike on the back of her car shortly after only visiting the clinic briefly, less than five minutes, in the past week. I felt the same old bad vibe about a rogue group, felt myself on an energy level followed, looked up and saw that police car right behind me. The rogue group will include religious fundamentalists, including women, as I mentioned above, but I strongly feel they are not all religious fundamentalists - they could be simply conservatives of a certain nature. I also strongly psychically feel that not all the police officers in the area are part of the rogue group, but they might not know fully what is going on or they might want to keep their jobs and not ask too many questions. See Utley case in New Mexico Police Abuses Section There was an article recently about Utley in Farmington stealing bullets from the policing system to use in a sawed off shot gun for SWAT. I feel that material needs to be checked across both lines of the controversy, because there could be a rogue group connection in one way or another - either with Utley part of it or Utley on the other side of it, being picked on. More Exclamation Points and Sending in the Troops vibes I feel Exclamation Points are building up and that Sending in the Troops could occur around this time period - See Gangstalking Section in Psychical or Systems Abuse. The dramas are building up. I do feel there is a military connection. . I feel these awful people are thinking of coming to my door again - this happens at intervals in Farmington - or that they could break in while I am away and go through/steal some of my stuff, plant cameras, send older men in with condoms to rape and try to leave no trace - the rape is not sexual, it would be a sneer/violence attack against women who fight their ways (they would do the same thing to a gay man, for example, as a statement of violence). I feel I am watched coming and going to my house and what I am doing around the garage area. I feel the rogue group is looking for opportunities to cause me problems. The energy around this group, again, is extremely volatile. Some of them are not particularly educated and that is part of the problem; their ignorance makes them bold and cutting through so-called “red tape” with a sense of no tomorrow; they take risks like they are bullies in a local gang. They also need to realize religious fundamentalists for the most part will NOT back them off and could be part of the problem. Snitches and Rogue Surveillance, Overseers in Homeless Shelters and Women’s Violence Protection Shelters (see todays later notes above) I feel homeless shelters, including women’s violence protection shelters, have agent snitches feeding private info disclosed during intakes, etc. to groups like this. I have psychically picked up a man with a bad attitude toward women and also anyone who is a so-called “leech of society” overseeing a particular womens violence protection shelter in the general Four Corners Area. I have also psychically picked up an older male cop having conversations with women personnel in a women’s violence protection shelter in Flagstaff, AZ. These men should not have access to who is in the shelter and what is going on with those women but I strongly feel they do. Men should not be overseeing women’s shelters, and police officers should not be apprised of who is in the shelter because police officers can be part of the stalking problem. The only reason women in shelters should be made known to police is if a problem comes up or if a background check shows a problem. I have found two shelters that do not deal well with topics of gangstalking, including police network stalking, and that they seem ignorant of the problem. Women need to understand that there are indeed stalkers working outside the law among the police networks; that there is no question whatsoever about this. 7-02/16/2017 disclosure/warning to protect safety when interacting with me Added note 02/24/2017 to 02/09/2017 note: This warning is to helpful cops or others who try to help me: become more sensitive to protecting your boundaries from “weirdness” or violence: the watchers are sensitive and alert to who comes around as part of the control game and wall of silence. I psychically pick up heightened activity after some - not all - people make contact with me or when I initiate contact with them. Warning: Anyone who has contact with me needs to be tuning into self-protective intuition. I seem to be a person who has some answers, whether consciously or subconsciously, about what is going on in the United States and globally. I want each of you who has had some form of contact with me to be on your toes in terms of self-protection. What is happening is you are being “touched” or “awakened” by this material and the energy that comes with it. Quite a few writers with psychic ability have also mentioned that people are being connected with on a deeper level through their written material. It is not just what you read, it is the energy that connects with you as you read it. The very fact you are making contact with this material…and me…can seem like a threat to these people who have hidden agendas that are hostile to free speaking, free acting peoples. I want you to stay safe and be smart. Feel out what is around you, start developing your intuition. For example, if you feel a kind of thud or heaviness about going into a house, car or area…start training yourself to let that be OK and don’t go there, don’t push through the barrier. On some deeper level people seem to have a sense for these things. Sometimes, however, it is less your own self- protection and someone else’s “electronic fence” - in other words, a type of energy being sent out to keep you from going there for various reasons. Start learning how to feel when it’s a barrier for you and a barrier against you. Sometimes it can be both. 8-02/09/2017 sensitizing, threads, ropes, elusivity, use psychics against gangstalking, lemons out of lemonade, Cyborgs, Trump/Russians Tentative Conclusions on Psychic Attacks: Organized Crime and Sensitized Targets To summarize yesterday’s notes, I will simply say that I think what has been going on with email interceptions by third parties is a type of organized crime with international anti-American extensions. From what I have read in gangstalking material, there might be a type of sensitizing in which a target is puposely awakened to the presence of the perpetrators as part of the stalking game. This sensitizing is what gives a target added psychic ability even if that person was already naturally sensitive. People investigating gangstalking should take seriously this concept of a sensitized victim. I suspect it relates to the ideas behind post trauma syndrome. Certain kinds of trauma can cause a person to be more sensitized to certain stimuli. Sensitizing can lead to over-sensitivity to certain things. A gangstalking victim might be displaying certain post-trauma syndrome symptoms even if we cannot seem to find actual trauma. Trauma could have occurred in childhood and from adult experiences in ways that are hard to identify, but we might be able sense a triggered individual by their responses and tendencies. A triggered individual might be catching drifts based on this sensitizing. Ropes, threads, elusivity As I mentioned in yesterday’s notes (which have been archived in the recent notes area, along with some others notes that were in this section) one way to think of the organized crime network is as a single line of rope consisting of several different threads twisted together, each thread a different color but adding strength to the rope. You can think of this organization as both a singular and a plural, a recognizable entity but also consisting of different groups. The tendencies to stalk targets run the same across the organization, but there are different nuances based on who is actually handling the stalking at a given moment. In addition, there will be years of stalking by the same people, yet with newer or different people over the years. Also, part of it could be associated with turf or geographic location, using the notion of cells. Their main thrust is elusivity. To combat gangstalking, plan on using psychics as well as other experts This is the reality that Americans need to digest. You need a combination of excellent standard investigative experts, other kinds of experts, including computer scientists with programming skills, but you will also demand….psychics. I cannot imagine how I would ever have figured all this stuff out if I had not been sensitized in some way or another so I could pick up on at least certain parts of the game that they play. When you join a bunch of focused investigators together to fight this elusive and deadly game that they play, you will need to include some psychics to pick up the various nuances. You won’t be able to do a whole lot without the psychics. Making lemonade out of lemons So in a way, if they sensitized me as part of the gangstalking game, the same sensitizing risen up and turned around to bite them. We all might as well make use of it, as far as we can, to get back at these people. It’s a double-edged sword, a mixed blessing as well as hell. In some ways, it has been a nightmare for me, this is true, having caused a diversion from original path - but in making lemondae out of lemons, I have gained an awareness of the world which I would not have otherwise. My views on Cyborgs My views on cyborgs, by the way, are leaning away from their possibility. I still need proof. There are people discussing cyborgs as if they are a reality. I have not been provided undeniable evidence of their existence. I threw out the idea that Trump’s young wife might be a cyborg. What I was really trying to say is that she might be hooked to Russia in certain ways that go beyond what would normally be covered by national security. She might also be known as a distractor in remote viewing circles, something purposely used to draw attention away from other more critical issues. Russia could be using the young woman in a variety of ways. I had a psychic image of her as a young girl and maybe not too long ago in time being abused as part of a possible handling program. I give this imagery a rating of Medium. Tyrannical governments abuse people to use them later as their agents or ploys. Russians and Americans had been working together before Trump. Some of it was out in the open, some of it was not. I have been psychically picking up the American contingency aiding Putin for some time now.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2729
|
__label__cc
| 0.708631
| 0.291369
|
BJ's Brewhouse - Boulder
We had our annual pre-CEDIA company meeting in Denver in early September. Actually, it was the shortest company meeting on record. We finished just before 12:30 and broke for lunch. Except my boss said, "I want to have us grab some beer and some wine, go up in the mountains and just hang out this afternoon." God, I like working for this company.
The only problem is that it's monsoon season in early September in the Colorado Rockies. Rising heat mixing with the cool air over the mountains creates clouds which, in turn, create rain showers - and some of them can be pretty heavy. As we started out toward Estes Park, it became very evident that the weather was not going to cooperate. So we ended up stopping in Boulder and looking for a place to eat.
Now, I hadn't been in Boulder since 1979. I remember some of the city, but it was still sort of a new experience for me. Downtown Boulder is really nice. There's a lot of shops and restaurants in the area. The Pearl Street walking mall is very nice. We were walking along and one of the guys pointed out a place called B.J.'s Brewhouse. "Food and beer," he said. "Looks like a winning combination for lunch."
The BJ's Brewhouse in Boulder (see map) is a long narrow place with tables up front, booths along the wall toward the back and a long bar that looks into the beer vats behind a large glass window. It was about 2 p.m. when we were in there, so we were able to get a big combo booth in the back of the place for our group.
Location update - Thanx to CarrieOB who pointed out that BJ's Brewhouse moved from the Pearl Street location to a new stand alone building in part of the Twenty Ninth Street shopping mall in Boulder. (See map)
I didn't realize until I did some background research on BJ's Brewhouse that the restaurant was part of a chain under the Chicago Pizza and Brewery Inc. umbrella. The background of the company is rather interesting.
In 1978, two men - Bill Cunningham and Michael Phillips - owned a Burger King franchise in Southern California. Wanting to expand their franchise empire with Burger King, they were halted by the company who decreed that franchisees couldn't own multiple locations.
Cunningham and Phillips then looked toward owning a pizza restaurant. But not the typical Southern California pizza restaurant at that time where you had to wade through screaming kids, ordered your pizza at the counter and basically had to wait on yourself. They wanted an upscale sit-down place with good Chicago style pizza, beer and good food.
With only two years experience of running a Burger King, the men opened the first BJ's Chicago Pizzeria in Santa Ana, CA in 1978. The place became an instant hit. They eventually opened six BJ's in the area and business was booming. For years, they garnered awards for having the best pizza in the Los Angeles area.
In 1991, they turned to their accountants - Jerry Hennessey and Paul Motenko - to see how they could scale back their day-to-day involvement in the business. This intrigued the two accountants who immediately agreed to take over running the six restaurants, even though they had absolutely no experience running a restaurant.
Hennessey and Motenko went on an aggressive campaign to expand BJ's by expanding the number of restaurants, buying up other chains, adding brewpubs to the mix, and making franchises available to buy. Motenko and Hennessey ended up buying out Cunningham and Phillips remaining shares of Chicago Pizza and Brewing, Inc. in 1995. Today, there are 66 BJ's restaurants in 11 states.
The menu at BJ's is widely varied. There's a little bit of everything for everyone. In addition to their pizza, they have a great variety of burgers, sandwiches, pasta, ribs, steaks and other great looking entrees. But the first order of business was getting beer on the table.
BJ's has seven craft beers they brew at their locations. They also have a dozen other beers they brew at selected locations during certain parts of the year. We ended up getting a couple pitchers of their Tatonka Stout and a couple pitchers of their Piranha Pale Ale.
The Piranha is an American-style Pale Ale, short on the hoppiness you get with more of the full pale ales. Still, it had a nice "bite" to it (hence, the "Piranha"), and it was smooth to drink. The guys who had the stout were impressed with it, as well.
So many choices on the menu led to a lot of different things ordered at our tables. A couple of the guys went with the open-faced chili cheese burger - a 2/3 pound burger (that actually looked bigger than 2/3's of a pound) smothered with cheese and chili. You have to eat it with a fork, it's so big.
It looked good, but I went with the Roast Beef Dip - tender roast beef topped with cheese on a French hoagie bun and served with au jus and creamy horseradish sauce to dip in. A couple of the guys went for the pizza. And the others filled in with sandwiches and burgers.
My Roast Beef Dip was OK - nothing special. The burgers, however, were HUGE! My boss ended up getting one of their cheeseburgers and this huge patty between a bun was served to him. He just started laughing. He said, "I'm hungry, but this is sort of ridiculous!"
I got a bite of the pizza, which wasn't all that bad. Compared to some of the better Chicago pizzas I've had I'd say BJ's would hold it's own against them. And I got a bite from one of my colleague's chili cheese burger. It was very good, but - man! Was it a lot of food.
I'm sure they have better items on the menu other than the Roast Beef Dip, but I was in the mood for a sandwich like that rather than a burger - considering that I knew I was going to be heading to Duffy's Cherry Cricket in the coming days for the best burger in the world. But BJ's, overall, was a good experience. The beer wasn't bad, the food was above average, and it had a nice comfy atmosphere. I'd go back if I encountered a BJ's Brewhouse again in my travels.
October 22, 2007 in Boulder, CO, Brew Pubs | Permalink | Comments (1)
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2731
|
__label__wiki
| 0.636991
| 0.636991
|
← Death of The Hierophant
Spiritual Work With Saint Francis →
Willy of The Rock
Posted on July 12, 2019 by Royal Rosamond Press
“And Jesus said unto him, “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man hath nowhere to lay His head.”
https://rosamondpress.com/2019/07/11/tomb-of-my-teutonic-ancestors/
After finishing posting yesterday, I sat in my easy chair and used my phone to surf the net looking for more information on the opening the Angel’s Grave – that was empty! Then I cam upon this………….
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/vatican-rome-homeless-man-willy-herteleer-teutonic-cemetery/
Yesterday I reposted this……….
https://rosamondpress.com/2013/03/23/my-odd-fellow-kindred-evicted-from-graves/
I have been set free! God has given me The Proof of so many things. I am sane!
Here is the piece of marble taken from my family crypt. The Stuttmeisters descend from Teutonic Knights.
“It is my plan to take some of the cremated ashes of Hollis Lee Williams to the family crypt in Colma. As my adopted son, via the Elks Society, I am in keeping with the traditions and good work of the Odd Fellows, and thus, Family Traditions.
The trouble I have had in burying and honoring my dear friend and adopted son appear to be leading me to found an Odd Fellows-like organization that would make sure homeless veterans will leave this earth with dignity and respect, and will no longer be orphans.
Below is an e-mail I sent to the Mayor of Eugene on March 15th. The same message was faxed to Congressman Peter DeFazio. I had a vision of Hollis’ hand coming down from a cloud and pulling up the next homeless veteran – to heaven! In turn, that nameless unfamilied veteran pulls up the next veteran. A Hand from a Band of Brothers.”
A month ago I made a video titled ‘The Witness’. It is about how Wee Willy came to be. I read that my daughter, Heather Hanson, was seeing a woman who channels the dead. Two months ago Marilyn Reed told me about a chaneler, and suggested I go see her. I have been demonized and threatened with bodily harm for saying I died, came back, and am taking dictation from My Angel! Can I get a witness? How about Willie Herteleer? I believe Willie is a Mast, as was Hatoon.
I am utterly abandoned! I have no family or friends. I had a dream two days ago that my brother is dead. I will not be told, as I was not told my parents were dead – and dying. All this is punishment for owning God Consciousness. I will tell my story – to God – and the Catholic Church. Alas I have a witness – and a real miracle! This is more than a coincidence. This is a REPEATED MESSAGE.
Repent!
I made the witness video in order to tell her how my religious abuse caused a disassociation. But, my near-death experience is there. There is a Willy in Hollis Williams, and in Berkeley Bill Bolagard who I compared Hollis too.
“You are the manifestation of the character in my unfinished book.”
God loves a Story!
John ‘The Nazarite’
Vatican City, Feb 27, 2015 / 03:08 pm (CNA).- Willy Herteleer, a homeless man who lived on the side streets outside St. Peter’s Basilica, made headlines after his death, when he received a special burial in the Vatican’s Teutonic Cemetery. The following is an account of his story as told by Msgr. Amerigo Ciani, a canon of St. Peter’s Basilica and painter who had become friends with Willy.
Everyone in the neighborhood outside the Vatican knew Willy Herteleer.
The “Borgo” – as the area that borders St. Peter’s Square to the north is called – has a small-town-feel. Alongside the monsignors, sisters, cardinals and Romans that live in the neighborhood, there are many homeless people. You can see them every morning at Mass at the Pontifical Parish of Sant’Anna, just off the Borgo inside the Vatican walls.
Willy was one of them.
His austere appearance, the cross around his neck and the pull-cart he had turned into a piece of luggage to carry everything he owned left an imprint.
He participated in Mass every morning. “My medicine is Communion,” he always said. He was always well-groomed, but didn’t seek much conventional medical attention.
Willy was one of the many men and women who live on the side streets around St. Peter’s, men and women who live on the margins of the tourist routes, who have friends throughout the neighborhood.
Among his closest friends were an Italian monsignor, an American religious sister and a German journalist.
More than 80 years old, Willy died one day in December at the hospital near the Vatican where he would often visit to use the bathroom or clean up a bit.
He had to look good because his days were spent as a street evangelizer. After morning Mass, he would stop for a while and speak with the people.
“When did you last go to confession?” he would ask everyone he met. “Are you going to communion? Do you go to Mass?”
He asked the same of other homeless people, those with whom he chose to live.
For a time he lived in a shelter. “Yes, it’s nice, welcoming and clean. Yes, you eat well and the people are nice,” he told people. “But I need freedom. I love freedom!”
He preferred his friends. He preferred the streets. He preferred the monsignor that brought him oranges, the journalist that took his photo.
After Mass, he would speak with his friend Msgr. Amerigo Ciani. “Thanks for your homily pronounced so calmly. I understand it well and it helps me to meditate throughout the day,” he said.
On Dec. 12, the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Pope Francis was celebrating Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica when Willy left his earthly life. His friends began to search for him when he did not show up to the usual morning Mass later that week.
One of them, a German named Paul Badde, had only recently become a confrere in the Confraternity of the Camposanto of the Teutons and Flemish, a small cemetery in the Vatican. He proposed that Willy – who was Flemish – be buried there, among the “confreres.”
The confraternity is made up of priests and men and women of German descent. German priests reside on campus, in a residence just next to the cemetery. It is all contained all within the Vatican walls, but is autonomous and independent – a little piece of Germany.
The cemetery dates back to the times of Charlemagne, who gave the piece of land next to St. Peter’s Basilica as a burial plot for pilgrims from German and Flemish lands who perished on their journey.
Willy’s friends organized everything, obtaining the necessary permission from the Vatican, Italy and Belgium, where Willy began his life. They made contact with his family – his four children whom he had not seen for decades.
Fr. Hans-Peter Fischer, rector of the Camposanto Teutonico, celebrated his funeral Mass, along with Msgr. Ciani. Some of Willy’s friends were present, including Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist Sr. Judith Zoebelein.
“Although he was alone, he didn’t feel alone,” said Msgr. Ciani in the homily. “The presence of God was strong and alive within him. He prayed and prayed. He prayed for the conversion of everyone, even for strangers to repent.”
And, that’s how Willy’s story on earth finishes, with a tomb in the Vatican’s cemetery, surrounded by the affection of those who were close to him in life.
His was a life lived in the margins, but a life full of love.
https://rosamondpress.com/2015/06/16/genesis-of-the-new-radio-church/
Our bonds with angels began early one Saturday morning when Christine
and my younger sister, Vicki, came rushing into the Boys Room at the
first sign I was awake. I was ten years old at the time, Christine
nine, and Vicki, five. Getting them to calm down, their faces lit-up
with excitement, they told me one of the strangest things I have ever
heard in my life. They told me in the middle of the night they had
woken to behold a powerful blue light filling their room, and in the
middle of the light, was a beautiful woman standing at the foot of
Christine’s bed looking down on her. She was in a long flowing gown,
and if she had wings, my sisters did not say; but they reassured me,
begged me to believe; “She was an Angel!”
Some of us are never called upon to believe in anything so
extraordinary, and as the morning progressed I had trouble with, her,
I not being a witness – and if I had been? In studying my sisters, I
saw they did not quite know where to put it, her, and I felt sorry
I then got a call from Kay Coakly who lived just up the street, and
who had befriended all the Presco children. She was stricken with
Parkinson’s disease when she was young, brought on by a car accident
at her coming-out party, she the daughter of a famous Judge in
Oakland Claifornia. The Coakley family owned large tracks of property
down by Lake Merrit where Jack London used to sail. Kay was a real
life Crone, and she wanted me to come fix her radio, the atenae that
she attached to her bedsprings prone to come loose.
After seeing it was still attached, I saw her looking tentively out the window. I
asked her what was wrong. She told me she was awoken in the middle of
the night by a powerful blue light – so powerful it burned holes in
her lace curtain; “Come take a look. I think it was those bad-boys
across the canyon shining a spotlight in my window.”
With the hair on the back of my neck, up and alert, I went over to
the window and beheld a ring of tiny burn holes about the size of
one’s head, and no bigger then the tip of your baby-finger. I looked
out the window, stood on my tip-toes, and told Kay; “You can’t even
see the canyon from this window. It couldn’t have been the boys.”
Kay did not say anything, repute my innocent deduction, she already
figuring this out, and, somethings in life do not have an
explanationon, and defy all attempts to clarify and classify the truly
extraordinary. Such is the nature of this story, and my Family, no
one quite able to believe. But, they did, and they still do. This
story is for them.
https://rosamondpress.com/2014/01/02/reading-from-the-gideon-computer/
https://rosamondpress.com/2019/06/14/bonds-with-angels-the-arrest-of-jesus/
https://rosamondpress.com/2017/07/24/bonds-with-angels-2/
https://rosamondpress.com/2017/07/23/robert-brevoort-buck-and-the-davinci-code/
My Odd Fellow Kindred Evicted From Graves
Posted on March 23, 2013 by Royal Rosamond Press
At great expense to himself, my great-grandfather, William Suttmeister, moved the bodies of his wife and kindred from the Laurel Hill cemetery in San Francisco to a tomb in Colma where I brought my daughter and grandson so they can own their heritage. These bodies were evicted from their graves. Many tombstones were used to make a sea wall.
My daughter came into my life for the first time when she was sixteen. When she bonded with Bill Cornwell, she forsake her father, she choosing to believe I was a “parasite” because Mr. Cornwell wanted to believe I was a “parasite” so he could take my grandson from me. Mr. Cornwell was jealous of my ancestry, and at forty had failed to sire children. Cornwell did not want my daughter to serve as my Trustee and bid her to ignore my calls. Cornwell refused to respond to his cripple mother’s calls, she confined to a wheelchair. Mr. Cornwell is a Tea Party crazy who claim they are protecting America’s patriotic Heritage from “parasites”
Below is an e-mail I sent to the Mayor of Eugene on March 15th. The same message was faxed to Congressman Peter DeFazio. I had a vision of Hollis’ hand coming down from a cloud and pulling up the next homeless veteran – to heavan! In turn, that nameless unfamilied veteran pulls up the next veteran. A Hand from a Band of Brothers.
Burying the dead was taken very seriously by early Odd Fellows, and most lodges purchased land and established cemeteries as one of their first activities in a new town or city. In many areas all phases of burial (sometimes including services now provided by undertakers) were provided by Odd Fellows in the earlier days. Cemeteries were often open to the public, and plots were sold for a few dollars each. Many California lodges still own and operate cemeteries, and in some instances the major cemetery in the community is the Odd Fellows Cemetery.
Hollis Williams Memorial
From John Ambrose
To kitty.piercy@ci.eugene.or.us
Dear Kitty Piercy
My dear friend Hollis passed away on March 8th. He was a homeless Veteran for many years and had been placed in an apartment two months ago by HUD-VASH. He also received funds from The Vet-Vincent De Paul program. Because Hollis has no next of kin, I adopted him through the Elks Society, and am paying for his cremation with monies from a Special Needs Trust. I am on SSI. Mr. Williams is now my son. I did not want him to be treated like a unfamilied pauper – after he is dead!
The people at HUD-VASH have been very helpful, however, they have no funding in order to make sure Veterans like Hollis – have not served in vain! For this reason, I have established the Hollis Williams Memorial Fund at Selco Community Credit Union. At Hollis’ memorial, I will present the idea that if we collect $1,005 dollars, then Hollis himself can pay for the burial cost of the next Homeless Vet who dies unfamilied. This is the passing of a baton amongst a Band of Brothers. Here is a hand from heaven lifting up the next Homeless Veteran who passes on.
I am not a Veteran. I was drafted in 1966, but because of grave emotional problems I was classified 4F.
I have always respected those who served, and have considered them my brothers.
Mememorial will be at Campbell Senior Center at 1:30 the 17th
John Presco
Visiting the sick was a daring, bold thing to do in 1819, and indeed for in excess of one hundred years more, because of the very real possibility the visitors would contract the illness or disease. Odd Fellows, and Rebekahs after they came into existence in 1851, visited the sick as a matter of course. Odd Fellows and Rebekahs continue to this day to make special efforts to visit the sick.
Relief of the distressed was a major goal of most or all fraternal organizations, then and now. Odd Fellow Lodges normally provided monetary sick benefits to its members who were ill or injured and unable to work. A few California lodges still provide monetary sick and/or death benefits for members. Assistance to those in need, whether in the form of donations to charities, or donations of money or goods and services to members or others in the community is commonly provided today by all lodges.
In addition, lodges commonly provided all kinds of assistance to members who were in need, such as a box of groceries, a cord of wood, or a member or visiting nurse to care for a seriously ill member at home. With the modern day social welfare programs operated by government agencies, these services by the Order are no longer as vital as they once were, but Odd Fellows and Rebekahs still provide friendship that members require for a wholesome and full life.
Odd Fellow Lodges continue to conduct funeral and memorial services for members when requested prior to their death or by their families. This may be the only service, or may be in conjunction with a church service or with other organizations.
Educating the orphan was also taken seriously, and orphans of Odd Fellows, and Rebekahs too, could expect to receive at least a high school education through the lodge. In California the Rebekahs were in the forefront of caring for the orphans, and in the late 1800’s they were granted authority to establish the Odd Fellow-Rebekah Children’s Home in Gilroy. They likewise were in the forefront of providing funds to insure an education for orphans and needy children of members.
https://rosamondpress.wordpress.com/2012/03/06/the-stuttmeister-tomb-in-berlin/
https://rosamondpress.wordpress.com/2011/08/03/stuttmeister-tomb-in-colma/
https://rosamondpress.wordpress.com/2011/09/09/stuttmeister-janke-wedding-at-ralston-hall/
Have cemetery removals similar to the ones in San Francisco happened in other cities?
Cemetery removals have happened all over the world, but are usually spawned by individual circumstance, rather than by laws systematically passed that ban cemeteries from an entire jurisdiction. The city of Paris relocated the bones of approximately six million dead to the Catacombs during the 1700s and 1800s. One major distinction is that Parisians did not vote on whether or not to preserve the cemeteries, while San Francisco citizens voted on the issue four times, albeit only after the city had already banned burial and cremation within city and county limits (San Francisco’s city and county borders are the same). Also, most remains from San Francisco cemeteries were kept intact if conditions allowed, rather than just preservation of bones.
What were the “Big Four” cemeteries?
The “Big Four” cemeteries were Odd Fellows’, Masonic, Laurel Hill, and Calvary. They were located in the Inner Richmond area of San Francisco, and surrounded Lone Mountain, with Odd Fellows’ to the west, Masonic to the south, Laurel Hill to the north, and Calvary to the east. These are the cemeteries on which A Second Final Rest concentrates. While many other cemeteries came and went before the “Big Four” were removed, the “Big Four” were the ones most directly affected by legal battles and referenda that finally banished almost all cemeteries from San Francisco. They were removed from San Francisco between the early 1930s and 1947. All bodies were exhumed and relocated by 1941, but lack of manpower due to World War II prevented the complete removal of monuments from Laurel Hill until 1947.
What happened to the bodies once they were removed from the cemeteries?
The vast majority of bodies were moved to mass gravesites in Colma, a small town known as “The City of Souls”, just a few miles south of San Francisco. Colma has the peculiar distinction of being home to approximately 2,000 living and 2 million deceased individuals. Colma has seventeen cemeteries, including a pet cemetery.
Did either the City of San Francisco or the cemeteries pay for relocation of bodies if families did not want their deceased loved ones put in a mass grave?
No. Anyone wanting to have decedents privately reburied had to pay for it themselves. The “Big Four” cemeteries have mass grave sites in Colma cemeteries: Laurel Hill’s site, called Laurel Hill Mound, is in Cypress Lawn Cemetery; Calvary’s is in Holy Cross Cemetery; Odd Fellows’ is in Greenlawn Cemetery, and Masonic’s is in Woodlawn Cemetery. There is also a small mass gravesite with approximately 100 bodies in the Japanese Cemetery.
Were bodies in the cemeteries removed in an orderly and respectful fashion?
Presumably, the bodies removed from Odd Fellows’ and Masonic cemeteries were exhumed in an orderly manner, but because these two cemeteries were removed in the 1930s, several years before bodies were removed from the larger and more prestigious Laurel Hill and Calvary cemeteries, the regulations governing their disassembly were not as comprehensive as they were for the latter two, and almost no details of their removal conditions exist. Laurel Hill and Calvary cemeteries made great efforts to locate survivors and/or plot owners before disinterment, and Cypress Lawn and Holy Cross maintain fairly detailed records for those reburied in their mass gravesites.
The Board of Trustees of the Laurel Hill Cemetery Association signed a contract with the Cypress Lawn Cemetery Association and the Cypress Abbey Company for removal of bodies to Cypress Lawn Cemetery. Approximately 35,000 bodies were removed over a sixteen-month period, with sites being disinterred blocked from public view by six-foot tall windscreens. Remains were placed in reinterment boxes of various sizes, depending on the condition of the remains. Each box had a metal identification tag affixed to it. All bodies disinterred one day were transported to Cypress Lawn and reinterred in Cypress Abbey Company’s mausoleum the same day. Laurel Hill Cemetery Association originally planned to reinter the remains in a new mausoleum, but because of the start of World War II in 1941, construction was delayed for six years. After the war, construction prices had risen enough that proceeds from the sale of Laurel Hill Cemetery land were no longer sufficient for mausoleum construction. Eventually, the Association settled on the burial mound plan that included an elaborate monument.
The Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco oversaw the removal of Calvary Cemetery remains to Holy Cross Cemetery in Colma. A priest was in attendance at all phases of body removal and transport, and an inspector from the Department of Public Health was on hand for disinterment. Relatives could watch the disinterment if they wished. As with Laurel Hill removals, screens were erected, remains placed in boxes according to condition, and bodies disinterred on one day transported to Holy Cross and reinterred the same day.
(Information from Location, Regulation, and Removal of Cemeteries in the City and County of San Francisco by William A. Proctor, Department of City Planning, City and County of San Francisco, August 1950.)
Did either the City of San Francisco or the cemeteries pay for the relocation of tombstones?
No. Anyone wanting to preserve the tombstone of a loved one had to pay for the relocation of it. The San Francisco City and County cemetery removal ordinance of 1937 (after which time Laurel Hill and Calvary cemeteries were removed) mandated that grave markers and monuments could remain on cemetery property for ninety days after bodies were removed. Those not claimed were turned over to the City and County Department of Public Works, which used them for a variety of purposes, including sea wall construction at Aquatic Park, creation of a breakwater/municipal yacht harbor in the Marina District, lining for rain gutters in Buena Vista Park, and erosion prevention material at Ocean Beach. According to a San Francisco Chronicle article dated May 17, 1946, an organization called the Laurel Hill-Anza Vista Development Company hired contractor Charles L. Harney to haul away monuments from Calvary and Laurel Hill Cemetery sites. Harney then accepted the SF Park Commission’s bid of 80 cents a ton to dump the monuments into San Francisco Bay, where they remain.
Were records kept of where bodies were moved to?
Yes, but much of the recordkeeping was left up to the cemeteries themselves. Cemeteries in Colma with mass gravesites containing bodies moved from San Francisco have records. They vary greatly in their thoroughness. San Francisco has been referred to as a “genealogist’s nightmare”, due not only to the loss of information on the city’s deceased that resulted from the various cemetery removals, but also from the destruction of vital records at City Hall in the 1906 Earthquake and Fire.
Did bodies removed from San Francisco get moved anywhere else aside from Colma, California?
While the majority of bodies from the San Francisco cemeteries were moved to the mass gravesites in Colma, any next of kin could privately reinter decedents wherever they chose. Many were moved to cemeteries in Oakland, California.
Why is Mission Dolores Cemetery still intact?
Mission Dolores is the birthplace of San Francisco. It was built in 1776 and is the oldest building in the city. Because the location is of such historical significance, the cemetery has, at least in part, been preserved. It is not by chance that remains of individuals of historical significance have been preserved in the today’s reduced version of the cemetery, while those of commoners and indigenous people who originally dwelled in the area are not well represented. Many of the indigenous people were likely not buried on the consecrated ground of the mission if they did not convert to Christianity, but on the perimeter of it. See Ron Filion’s page on Mission Dolores for some intriguing bits on the cemetery’s history.
Why are the Presidio military cemetery (San Francisco National Cemetery) and the Presidio pet cemetery still intact?
The two cemeteries were located on federal land, and not subject to local laws. The Presidio was decommissioned as a military area, and has been part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area since 1994. The San Francisco National Cemetery is managed by the United States Department of Veteran’s Affairs. The nonprofit organization Swords to Plowshares is the official caretaker of the pet cemetery.
Why is the Columbarium still allowed to take cremated remains?
Once part of the Odd Fellows’ Cemetery, The San Francisco Columbarium was, for unknown reasons, neither dismantled nor maintained after the bodies were removed from the surrounding cemetery in the 1930s. Over time, the Columbarium passed through various hands and fell into disrepair until the early 1980s, when it was purchased by the Neptune Society. It has been meticulously restored since this time. While there are laws banning burial of bodies and cremation within city limits, there is no specific ban on the housing of cremated remains. The Columbarium provides the main, if not only, secular location where one’s remains can be housed in San Francisco legally and for public visitation.
What happened to the cemetery that was at the present-day site of Dolores Park?
The present-day location of Dolores Park was once the site of both Nevai Shalome (Home of Peace, Peaceful Abode) and Giboth Olam (Hills of Eternity) cemeteries. The cemeteries were owned by Congregation Emanu-El and Congregation Sherith Israel, respectively. Lacking space on which to expand, the congregations bought property in Colma and moved the bodies in the San Francisco cemeteries there by 1900, before San Francisco banned burials and cremations. Today, there are three Jewish cemeteries in Colma — Home of Peace Cemetery and Emanu-El Mausoleum, Hills of Eternity Cemetery and Mausoleum, and Salem Memorial Park and Garden Mausoleum.
Was there a cemetery where San Francisco City Hall is today?
Yes. From 1850 to 1871, Yerba Buena Cemetery, the first city-sanctioned cemetery in San Francisco, occupied a triangular swath of land bordered by Market, McAllister and Larkin streets. Today, the new San Francisco Public Library building and the Asian Art Museum (the original San Francisco Public Library building) also occupy this land. Many of San Francisco’s first cemeteries were consolidated into this one location after residents complained of the unsightly appearance and unsanitary conditions of the city’s spontaneously established graveyards in the Telegraph Hill, North Beach, and Russian Hill neighborhoods.
Genesis of the New Radio Church
Posted on June 16, 2015 by Royal Rosamond Press
When Herbert Armstrong founded ‘The Radio Church of God’ in 1933, there was no television. The first televised event on Laura Street in Springfield may have been when Tom Adams of KVAL came to cover the memorial we had planned for Hollis Williams in a vacant building on Laura that was slated to be torn down. However, when the landlord got wind of it, he evicted us, and the first altar I made. When I told him Hollis was a homeless Veteran well-loved by all the folks at Safeway, which was just around the corner, he said;
“Then take your memorial over there!”
At the last-minute, Pat at Gyzmobyte got our tribute moved to the Campbell Center. The obstacles that got in the way of saying goodbye to Hollis on March 12, 2013, was epic. My ministry was waylaid, until I returned to Laura Street June 14, 2015. When I noticed all the America Flags waving around KORE radio, I was overcome with the truth that some things are inalienable. The spirit we put there when I climbed a ladder to nail the holder for the flag I purchased, did not parish. Indeed, this was a resurrection. Hollis looks down, and is well pleased.
In these videos you will see the place on the McKenzie River where I baptized myself in 1987. It is located about 58 miles from Laura Street. I took my neighbor Albert Hurt to Cowboy Church a couple of years ago. We lived on Oakdale St. but, Alberta moved to the apartment building I lived in in 1990 where I studied the Bible and worked on my theological novels ‘The Lion of God’ and ‘Where Art Thou?’ Alberta lives 50 yards from Laura St. Most of my spiritual work occurred within two hundred yards of the radio tower.
The New Radio Church honors all American Veterans, and is dedicated to making sure God and the Truth is on their side whenever they go into battle.
Jon ‘The Nazarite’
http://www.kval.com/news/local/Area-veterans-want-to-honor-Hollis-Williams-with-new-vets-service-center-197239981.html?tab=video&c=y
https://youtu.be/yG8mEkIl-6I
https://youtu.be/vLBqJrVF6U4
https://youtu.be/o0mv2WIfMiY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ar9Mcqx5psc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUdCRhWYTqI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmUAqNpwNNc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hd8oNBHV7_c
inalienable right
a right according to natural law, a right that cannot be taken away, denied, or transferred
SPRINGFIELD, Ore. – John Presco raised the flag Monday to remember his friend, Hollis Williams.
Presco hopes in the next few months he can raise enough money that Williams’ death will not have been in vain.
“He doesn’t have a home right now. He’s homeless in a morgue and I’m entering my anger stage on that,” said a downcast Presco.
It’s anger that he’s working out with a hammer. Presco mounted a new U.S. flag this Monday, raising Old Glory for the friend he lost Friday morning.
Presco said he found the 58-year-old Williams dead in his apartment Friday – an apartment Williams had moved into only 2 months ago.
According to other vets, Williams was well known in the homeless community who was often at a nearby Safeway store, collecting cans.
Now, a makeshift altar is set up in a vacant Laura Street building that Presco says was briefly used to hand out clothes to the homeless.
Presco wants the memory of his best friend to live on. His dream is for a veterans “stand-down” center that bears the name of Hollis Williams.
Presco said he wants to copy “stand-downs” held in Lane, Douglas and surrounding counties, to connect vets with mental health services, haircuts, job training and more.
“We got to let our veterans know that they haven’t fought in vain and that we care for them,” Presco said.
He said he doesn’t know where he’ll find the support or how long it will take – but to remember his longtime friend, he won’t give up easily.
“I suffered some homelessness and abandonment and stuff like that,” Presco said, “so I’m not going to abandon my friend.”
The property and house on Laura Street is being sold, so locating a center there is unlikely. Presco said that’s the kind of layout he’s looking for.
Services for Hollis Williams will be next Sunday 1:30 p.m. at Campbell Senior Center in Eugene
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Gizmobyte/@44.0686956,-123.0304022,15z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x4d171785bed462e8
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2733
|
__label__wiki
| 0.679561
| 0.679561
|
What We Love Wednesdays!! Tattoos!
Can you believe it is only Wednesday today? Laura has been convinced it is Thursday since Monday. Epicfail. When the days drag like they are this week, we find ourselves daydreaming about all sorts of fun things, from our eventual nuptials, to travel destinations, to what tattoos we want to get and where. Seriously, from some of the conversations we have at lunchtime, you'd think we never worked! Today's WWLW is about something we've been thinking a lot about, lately: tattoos.
We love tattoos! We think they are a great form of expression, look awesome, and are a great way of marking yourself with what's important to you.
So far, Laura has three tattoos, and Sarah has one.
Laura's first tattoo is a treble clef on her right ankle. She got it done because of her love of music - she was in show choirs and chamber choirs growing up, and is very passionate about different types of music.
Second, she got a star on her left wrist. It was done during quite a dark period in her life, and holds personal meaning to her. Also, she would like to let it be known that she got it done before knowing Giselle Bunchen had it. Just so no-one thinks she has any kind of weird fascination with her.
Laura's third tattoo is a rose, behind her ear. Surprisingly, this tattoo hurt the least! She got all her tattoos done before her 18th birthday, so her Mum had to sign for all of them. She is one awesome Mum!!
Sarah was given her tattoo as a [very permanent] Christmas present from Laura a few years ago. She thought her surprise was going to be a spa package, so imagine her surprise when she was marched past the spa and into the tattoo parlour in Fulham!! Don't worry, she had been talking about getting one for awhile, it wasn't completely out of the blue. She now has a cute heart on her hip.
Laura has a bit of a habit of getting tattoos for people - her and her little brother, Jason, got their Mum her first (and only) tattoo for Mother's Day a few years ago - at the age of 50! It is the aborigine symbol for determination (Laura's Mum is Australian) and it looks like a turtle on her forearm. Again, she had been talking about getting one, it wasn't just because Laura felt like getting someone a tattoo. She's now much cooler than the other Mums on the block!
We have been watching a lot of Miami Ink lately, and been noticing some amazing tattoos on Tumblr - so it has given us tattoo fever again!! They really are addictive. Laura really loves Rihanna's tattoos and here's two designs we really like and may get in the next few years:
We are going to get the word Sprezzatura tattooed on us somewhere - and before you think it, not because of our blog, but because of what the name means. Sprezzatura, for those who haven't seen it before, means 'Making the ordinary extraordinary.' We feel this is what we do on a daily basis; together, we make even the smallest daily tasks fun, romantic and wonderful. Sprezzatura is a reminder to enjoy the moments of your life, and not to take things for granted.
Sprezzatura
Also, our codes for each other. It may seem a little junior high school, but when we were at our first job together, we'd write love notes to each other and make a game of getting them across the room to the other person, without any of our colleagues noticing. As the company watched emails and computers (we should really do a post on how incredibly ridiculous this company was and how they tried to 'out' us numerous times) the notes were an un-monitor-able form of communication, and are great reminders now of our 'honeymoon phase'. Our code names for each other would be a constant reminder of how much we love one another.
Created by Sarah, they are our first and last initials forwards and backwards.
Sarah wants to add more hearts to the one she has currently and a white tattoo on her wrist - in a role where she has to present at work she thinks the black will be to obvious & white tattoos are a bit different!
And Laura would like the Southern Cross (from the Australian flag) on her rib cage. And she has a secret desire to have a colourful shoulder/half sleeve tattoo, but that wouldn't happen for a good few years, if at all.
It's wonderful how commonplace tattoos have become in recent years - most people we know have at least one.
Do you have any tattoos? If not yet, what would you like to get?
Sprezz-Update:
Following this posting, we were sent some AMAZING tattoos from our friends and fellow bloggers! Please enjoy!!
Kristin from Mondays With Mac!! Such a beautiful and powerful tattoo!!
Steph & Corrine from Waking Up With Her!! Gorgeous tattoos, and WOAH check out Cor's bicep!
Carley & Stacey from A Summer Full of Peaches!!! LOVE the fonts - and again, WOAH bicep, Stacey!!
Carley describes serendipity as 'like looking in your pocket for 10p in a shop so you can buy something, and then pulling out a winning lottery ticket instead - it's not what you were looking for, but it's a thousand times better and not something you ever would have expected at all.' So beautiful!
Stacey's is lyrics from a Tegan & Sara song - the lyrics are 'Mark my words, I might be something, someday' - inspirational!
Thanks ladies for sharing your tattoos - and if anyone else wants to share, please contact us!
Love, Laura & Sarah xo
Labels: Us, WWLW
What's Happening, Hot Stuff?? 26/2/2012
Welcome to this week's WHHS! If you have seen our blog posts over the last few days you may have noticed that we’ve had significant week in the world of Sprezzatura! We've hit 10,000 views, gotten our first award, 100 posts, and we have big news - we've finally gotten a Facebook Page!! Please please PLEASE check it out and 'Like' it - we'd love that!
(See our FB Page HERE)
But on with what’s been happening in the rest of the world….
We mentioned last week that Maine is due to hold a referendum to legalise gay marriage – this will now happen in November. Voters will vote on whether same-sex couples should be able to get married in their state. The secretary of state this week confirmed that marriage equality activists have gathered 85,216 verified signatures required for a ballot measure - far more than the 57,277 required. 'Same-sex couples want to marry for the same reasons other couples want to marry: because they love each other and want to spend their lives together,' said Betsy Smith, the executive director of EqualityMaine. 'There’s no question that momentum is growing for same-sex marriage in Maine.'
Maine State House
The last time Maine voters went to the polls on this issue, things did not go well for gay marriage proponents. Both houses of the state legislature had passed a law legalising the marriages in 2009 but it was overturned in a statewide referendum! It was good to hear Pastor Michael Gray of Old Orchard Beach United Methodist Church come out and say that people's feelings on the issue have evolved just as his have. 'More and more people in Maine are coming to understand that loving, committed same-sex couples should not be denied the freedom to marry,' Gray said.
The developments in Maine come during a time of momentum for the marriage equality movement in various states. Same-sex couples can currently marry in the District of Columbia, New York, Iowa, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, Washington, California and New Hampshire. We just need them to change the federal law so that our marriage would allow Laura to bring Sarah home!
In Australia, last Friday marked the first civil unions between same-sex couples in Queensland history after sixteen gay and lesbian partners tied the knot. Each couple lined up outside the Office of Births, Deaths and Marriages to officially have their relationship legally recognised. One couple, Dave Mildren and Collin Dubery, who have been together for 21 years, were SO happy that they could finally prove and justify their relationship in a legal and official sense. ‘It's wonderful to have a legal recognition of our relationship, the reason being that for the first time we are confident that we don't have to prove our relationship. Our neighbours recognise our relationship, our siblings recognise our relationship, our friends recognise our relationship, our parents recognise it, and now finally the State will recognise it too.”
Dave & Collin in Queensland
There is good news in Ireland too -equal marriage advocates have welcomed a poll which puts public support for allowing gay couples to marry at 73%. Kieran Rose, Chair of Ireland’s Gay and Lesbian Equality Network said: “The poll confirms the openness of Irish people and their support for further critically important progress to achieving equality for lesbian and gay people." Moninne Griffith, Marriage Equality’s Director said: “The results of today’s Red C poll are vitally important. It shows that not only are Irish people in favour of marriage equality, but they are also in favour of its inclusion in our Constitution. That is a huge step forward in our work to achieve equality for same-sex couples and families all over Ireland’’.
On UK soil there has been high profile support for the LGBT community as all three main British party leaders sent messages of support as LGBT students gather in Brighton for Student Pride.
Organisers have received a letter of support from Prime Minister David Cameron, deputy PM and Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg and leader of the opposition Ed Miliband and the local Brighton and Hove MP and leader of the Green Party, Caroline Lucas. David Cameron says: ‘As you gather in Brighton, I hope you will reflect on the role each of you can play in bringing about change in your communities. Role models are hugely important when tackling homophobia. Homophobia can prevent people from realizing their dreams and we cannot allow prejudice to prevail. Everyone has a voice and collectively we must challenge unacceptable behaviour and attitudes.’
Nick Clegg uses his message to emphasise the coalition government’s role in tackling homophobia in schools. He says: ‘Homophobia sadly rears its ugly head too often in our society – in our schools, workplaces, sport and playgrounds. That is why we’re investing more money in tackling homophobic bullying in schools, helping head teachers to ban it from their grounds, and working with clubs and organisations to tackle homophobia in sport.’
Labour leader David Miliband praises Britain’s National Union of Students, which is 30 this year, for its ongoing support for LGBT rights in his message. He goes on to emphasize the UK’s role in promoting LGBT equality worldwide: ‘I want Britain to be seen as a beacon of hope on LGBT equality, speaking out against injustice and prejudice at home and in other parts of the world. Together we can build a more equal and just society.’ – this may be the best thing he’s said in a while!
Lord Carey
Unfortunately a former Archbishop of Canterbury has spoken out against the prime minister’s support of equal marriage rights for gay couples, calling it undemocratic and ‘one of the greatest political power grabs in history’. Writing in the Daily Mail, Lord Carey said marriage was not ‘owned’ by the state or any religion but pre-dated both as a cultural institution. As a result, he argued, no one should be allowed to alter it. The Archbishop was pledging his support for a new Coalition for Marriage, which has been created to oppose marriage equality efforts. Lord Carey talks about the importance of the marriage relationship for society and speaks of his own wife’s long support of him. But he argues that gays should not be able to marry because equality does not “mean being the same”. Instead, he recommends the two institutions of marriage and civil partnerships be maintained. Allowing gay couples to marry, he adds, would change the institution “beyond all recognition”. Schools, he writes, “will be forced to teach children the new definition of marriage (ohno) – which will run counter to the wishes of many parents”. The Archbishop of York Dr John Sentamu said David Cameron’s support of gay marriage with the actions of a dictator earlier this year. As a result, a protest was held outside his cathedral, York Minster. The Coalition for Marriage hosts a petition on its website opposing “any attempt to redefine” marriage.
To end here is something that made us smile, a teenage YouTube user in the US has recorded the conversation in which he comes out to his mother and posted it online saying he hopes it will be an “inspiration”. On arriving home his Mom senses that he wants to discuss something and Thompson replies: “I’m gay”. His mother replies, “Daniel, Daniel,” before hugging him. He adds: “I know you probably already know, but I want to make it official.” She says: “You know what, I am so proud of you.” She goes on to discuss coming out in the modern world where prejudice still exists. In the video description, he writes: “Finally got the strength to come out to my mom. My Mom has been extremely supportive. I could not ask for anyone else. Love you. Every circumstance is different and you will know when the right time to come out is." - Sarah may have shed a tear or two when watching this!!
In contrast, here’s how Sarah’s conversation when with her Mum when they met up in Bali after not seeing each other for 5 months:
S’s Mum: ‘‘You look really well and really happy’
Sarah ‘’I am….like the happiest I’ve ever been and it’s not just living in Australia’’
S’s Mum ‘Oh well, I’m glad you are happy’’
Sarah ‘Thanks. The thing is the reason I’m so happy is I’m with Laura – as in a couple with Laura’’
S’s Mum ‘Er, no you’re not, that’s SO wrong –why would you say that to me, I can’t believe you just said that – take it back – never say that again!'
Sarah ‘But Mum it’s true – I love her and we are so happy!’
S’s Mum – 'No-one else knows, do they? Don’t tell anyone – this is so devastating it can never leave this room, no-one can know, what will they think?? – Just go back to Oz and change your mind then you can come back and we’ll forget this ever happened.’
Sarah ‘This isn’t a stage, this won’t go away – I want to be with Laura and I will want to come home at some point and bring Laura – Australia is temporary, Laura is not.’
S’s Mum ‘What did I do wrong??!? – I love you but I can’t, won’t accept this – it’s breaking my heart, it will destroy your Dad. You have to change! That American has ruined our family!!!!!’
We have been together almost 3 years and Sarah’s parents' opinions remain the same, it’s a sad but true fact that while society is changing, her parents remain firmly against our love. We will persevere, and we sincerely hope there are more stories like Daniel’s than like Sarah’s.
To end on a high, we found out that the commercials Ellen DeGeneres has made for JC Penney will premiere during the Academy Awards telecast on Sunday (26 February- tonight!). 'I can't tell you how excited I am about them,' DeGeneres said to her talk show audience Friday. 'There are five different ones that run throughout the Oscars. I had so much fun making them. I'm proud of them. ... They're beautifully done.' The group OneMillionMoms had tried to get retail chain JC Penney to fire DeGeneres as their spokesperson because she is a lesbian. But the company stood by DeGeneres and more than 43,000 people have signed a Stand Up For Ellen petition on Change.org. Well done JC Penney!
Phew that was quite a round up. We hope you've enjoyed it!
Enjoy the last week of February!!
Labels: gay marriage, WHHS
The Versatile Blogger Award!
Happy Saturday!!
We have great news today to share with you! We have been lucky enough to receive our first ever award!! It was given to us by our new lovely blogger friend Jennifer at http://jenelizlouise.blogspot.com/, so go check out her blog!!
So these are the rules:
Nominate 15 fellow bloggers
Inform the bloggers of their nomination.
Share 7 random facts about yourself.
Thank the blogger who nominated you.
Add the Versatile Blogger Award picture to your blog post.
And I Nominate:
http://whatwegandidnext.blogspot.com/
http://notesonallure.com/
http://www.mondayswithmac.com/
http://www.laceyinthecity.com/
http://lockerroomgirls.blogspot.com/
http://www.jesseandlauren.com/
http://lostandfound-bailee.blogspot.com/
http://wakingupwithher.blogspot.com/
http://www.2bridesto2mummies.blogspot.com/
http://fabulousfashions4sensiblestyle.blogspot.com/
http://www.5ohwifey.com/
http://asummerfullofpeaches.com/
http://thiswouldbeshaysblog.blogspot.com/
http://www.kikiandlalainwonderland.com/
http://www.thecuriouspug.com/
7 Random Facts About Laura & Sarah
1. We set the alarm every morning 15 minutes earlier than we need to get up so we can have some serious morning CUDDLE TIME!
2. After rent and bills, our next biggest expense by far is Diet Coke.
3. We never go more than one month without eating a Nandos.
4. Our car is called The Captain, because it is practically a boat. It also goes by 'Oh Captain, my Captain!'
5. Before starting this blog, we had never met another lesbian couple.
6. Since being together, we've never had separate jobs.
7. Between us we have 4 tattoos and 8 piercings. And we really want more tattoos!!
We hope you are enjoying your weekend!!
Labels: award, facts, SFFF
Sarah's Fun Fact Fridays!! 100th Post!
Welcome to our 100th post!! We can’t quite believe we are here in what seems like such a short space of time. If you have been following us for awhile – thank you! If you are new to our blog – welcome and we hope you enjoy!
As today is Sarah’s Fun Fact Friday, I thought I would dedicate this post to the number itself. To make sure it covers all bases, you’ll find a bit of science, currency, war, land ownership, language and maths! So much fun. And we're off!!
The words ‘‘hundred’’ and ‘‘century’’ apparently come from the root 'satam' in Sanskrit, which became 'centum' in Latin, 'hekaton' in Greek and 'hunda' in the Germanic languages.
One hundred is:
The basis of percentages (per cent meaning "per hundred" in Latin), with 100% being a full amount
The number of years in a century
The number of tiles in a standard Scrabble set
In Greece, India, Israel and Nepal, 100 is the police telephone number
In Belgium, 100 is the ambulance and firefighter telephone number
In the UK, 100 is the operator telephone number
"The First Hundred Days" is a benchmark of a President of the United States' performance at the beginning of his or her term
In politics, the United States Senate has 100 Senators
It’s the sum of the first ten odd numbers (1+3+5+7+9+11+13+17+19+21=100)
100 signifies completeness, maximum, superiority and has mostly positive connotations
On the Celsius scale, 100 degrees is the boiling temperature of pure water at sea level
One hundred was the Anglo- Saxon unit of measurement for land area. A hundred had enough land to sustain 100 households headed by “a hundred man” who did all the administration, raising troops and leading forces. Hundreds were divided into tithings, each with ten households. The basic unit of land was the “hide”, with enough land for one family. Hundreds still exist in the US state of Delaware; they were introduced by William Penn in 1682 and were used until the Sixties, but now they have no administrative role, though they are still used in real-estate title descriptions. So there you go!
The largest bank note in England is the one hundred million pound note, nicknamed 'The Titan' – well, I guess it is big! It is only used internally at the Bank of England, and there are only 40 in existence. Scotland is the only place in the UK where £100 bank notes are used- that maybe a request for my next birthday- I’ll get all my Scottish family to club together :)
Most of the world's currencies are divided into 100 subunits; for example, one euro is one hundred cents and one pound sterling is one hundred pence.
The U.S. hundred-dollar bill has Benjamin Franklin's portrait; the "Benjamin" is the largest U.S. bill in print. American savings bonds of $100 have Thomas Jefferson's portrait, while American $100 treasury bonds have Andrew Jackson's portrait. So next time you hear 'It's all about the Benjamins!!!' you'll know why! Holla!
This is only applicable in the UK but all Blue Peter badges (it’s a kid’s show in the UK) feature the famous ship logo, created by Tony Hart. Tony, who died earlier this year, was a presenter of kids' art shows and creator of the cult animated Plasticine figure called Morph. He was paid a flat fee of 100 pounds for his ship design that is one of the most recognised designs in the UK.
In a 1987 study, just 100 surnames accounted for 85 per cent of the Chinese population. According to the 1990 census the most common was Li, with over 100 million people: more than the population of Germany. And I though having the most common girl's name in my year was bad!
The atomic number of fermium is 100. Ferium is a synthetic element- a chemical element that is too unstable to occur naturally on Earth, and therefore has to be created artificially.
Back to my school history lessons here but The Hundred Years’ War (1337-1453) actually lasted 116 years and didn’t acquire its popular name until 1874. It was a series of skirmishes fought between two French families, one of whom claimed the French throne (Valois), while the other claimed both France and England (Plantagenet). The eventual victory of the Valois came at a high price – France’s population was reduced by two-thirds over the period and England was left isolated from the rest of Europe, speaking English rather than French. Can you imagine kinda fighting for that long!?! Crazy.
In religion it’s the Jewish who love the number 100 - there are 100 blasts of the Shofar (horn) heard in the service of Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, and a religious Jew is expected to utter at least 100 blessings daily.
When a TV series reaches 100 episodes, it is generally considered viable for syndication. (For shows picked up midseason, this point is generally reached during a prime time series' 5th season).
And if that isn’t quite enough we will finish off with 100 in sport:
· The number of yards in an American football field (not including the end zones).
· The number of runs required for a cricket batsman to score a century, a significant milestone.
· The number of points required for a snooker cueist to score a century break, a significant
milestone.
· The record number of points scored in one NBA game by a single player, set by Wilt
Chamberlain of the Philadelphia Warriors on March 2, 1962
· The minimum distance in yards for a Par 3 on a golf course
That’s it for me; I hope you enjoyed it and have added a few facts to your repertoire.
Enjoy your weekends!
Love Sarah
P.S, if you've enjoyed this post check out previous SFFF here!
Labels: SFFF
What We Love Wednesday!! It's National Chip Week!!
Hi bloggin' world, apologies for the late post!
We are in the throws of 'National Chip Week' here in the UK, so we thought it'd be a perfect chance to bring back one of our all time favourite WWLWs!!
We hope you are having a great week, and of course getting your fill of scrumptious potato!!
Labels: food, WWLW
Tips & Recipes From An UN-Domestic Goddess: Ape-tastic Banana Bread!!
Last week you’ll remember I promised my scrumptious banana bread recipe this week – so here it is!! Your friends and family will go ‘ape’ over this snack/dessert!
What you’ll need to make one loaf:
· 1 egg
· 2 very ripe bananas (mashed)
· 4 ounces sour cream
· ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
· 4 tablespoons butter
· 1 cup white sugar
· 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
· 1/8 teaspoon salt
· 1 teaspoon baking soda
· 1 1/3 cups plain flour
Preheat oven to 150 degrees C (300 F) and grease one loaf tin (mine was about 7x4 inches). In a small bowl, mix 1.5 tablespoons sugar and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, then dust the pan lightly with the mixture.
In a large bowl, cream the butter and the rest of the sugar. Mix in eggs, bananas, sour cream, vanilla and the rest of the cinnamon. Finally, mix in the flour, baking soda, and salt.
Finally, pour the mixture into the pan, and bake for 1 hour. It is finished when a toothpick comes out clean in the centre.
I hope you enjoy this banana bread as much as I did. It’s been tried and tested, and the consensus was that the dish will drive you ‘bananas’!
OMG yum
Yes, I’m terribly cheesy, but I’m actually craving banana bread now! Off to make some more…
Laura xo
Labels: recipes, TRUDG
Whats Happening Hot Stuff!!! 19/02/2012
Woah - what a week it’s been! On a personal level, we’ve had a brilliant week as you may have guessed from the posts, but on a news front I think it’s fair to say news from America has been keeping us engaged.
Following on from the good news that Washington state’s governor signed gay marriage into law, the Maryland House of Delegates has passed a bill legalising same-sex marriage that is widely expected to be passed by the state senate and already has the support of the governor Martin O’Malley. The victory was publicised by eight openly LGBT state lawmakers whose personal appeals helped sway crucial votes in support of marriage equality. They all spoke about what marriage means to them and to their families and it made all the difference.
Martin O’Malley's statement was as follows: “Even people that do not yet agree with us on this issue, there’s a lot of goodness in each and every individual, and we need to engage in that goodness. We need to call people to that goodness. We need to call people together in the centre of that circle that makes us a great state — that makes us a great country — because we believe in the dignity of every individual, and we believe in the advancement of the greater good.”
Onto the bad news - the New Jerseyans had their hopes raised, and then slashed in the space of a week. After getting the gay marriage bill through the houses it was immediately veto’d by Governor Chris Christie (by the way did his parents find that name funny at his birth?!?!?!). Democrats who had pushed the bill forward said they were disappointed, but not surprised, by Christie's action. "It's unfortunate that the governor would let his own personal ideology infringe on the rights of thousands of New Jerseyans," said Reed Gusciora, one of two openly gay New Jersey lawmakers and a sponsor of the bill. "For all those who oppose marriage equality, their lives would have been completely unchanged by this bill, but for same-sex couples, their lives would have been radically transformed. Unfortunately, the governor couldn't see past his own personal ambitions to honour this truth."
Senate President Steve Sweeney was more blunt in his criticism of the governor. "He had a chance to do the right thing, and failed miserably," Sweeney said.
To show that not all voters in really conservative places think like Mr Christie, here is an interesting clip that gave us some hope.
Speaking of doing the right thing, Gay rights campaigners and prominent government ministers have blasted England’s top football clubs for failing to sign up to a campaign to tackle homophobia in the sport.
According to The Independent, government ministers and equality campaigners are furious that only 16 of 160 contacted clubs have leant their support to the annual Football v Homophobia campaign, a nine-day event that started on Saturday. According to The Independent, among the 16 teams that have signed up to the campaign are Premier League clubs Arsenal, Aston Villa, Fulham, Liverpool, Newcastle United and Norwich City. Sarah’s hoping to see her home town team Reading join the list soon!
Comedian Ricky Gervais (one our fav comedians and from Sarah’s home town) has hit out at religious parents who tell their children if they “turn out gay, they will burn in hell”, arguing that the threats amount to “child abuse”. Speaking on CNN’s Piers Morgan Show on Friday night, Ricky said, “I’ve got nothing against people believing in God at all. In fact, if it did make you a kinder person, if you only did good things in his name, then great. But there’s the rub.” The 50-year-old star of The Office added: “It’s when I see some of these religious fundamentalists saying that they’ve told their five-year-old children that if they turn out gay, they will burn in hell. That to me is child abuse. That’s nothing to do with religion or spirituality. That’s child abuse. So that’s why I’m passionate when it comes to that.”
The outspoken comedian also blasted Republican presidential candidates’ views on gay marriage. He said: “Well, with this, we’re back to offence, aren’t we? Just because they’re offended by someone being gay, it doesn’t mean they’re right. It’s a strange thing that they say being gay is a choice. No, being gay isn’t a choice, you know? I want to go, ‘Look, you try it, then. If it’s a choice, have a go.’” Go Mr Gevais – everyone knows we Reading folk speak sense! Fun fact, we produced Kate Winslet too!
We saw this from Anne Hathaway on the same issue:
In controversial news, the former First Lady of Liberia has reportedly tabled a bill which could make homosexuality in the country punishable by death in her new capacity as a senator. AFP reported that Jewel Howard Taylor, ex-wife of former president Charles Taylor, wants gay sex to attract a penalty ranging from 10 years imprisonment to execution. The proposed change to the country’s marriage laws reads: “No two persons of the same sex shall have sexual relations. A violation of this prohibition will be considered a first degree felony.” The office of Jewel Howard Taylor told PinkNews.co.uk she was “not homophobic and does not harbour any hatred towards gays”, and said the first degree felony created is actually one of attempting to enter into a gay marriage, not of performing gay sex acts.
An official statement by the government last month said: “The Liberian government will not allow the legalisation of gay and lesbian activities in Liberia. The president has vowed not to allow such a bill, and even if the bill goes before the president she will veto it.” Ah well at least Liberia isn’t on the ‘to visit’ list.
To end on a positive note, no pun intended, a charity single raising money to tackle homophobic and transphobic bullying has become a sensation. The L Project’s debut 'It Does Get Better' aims to raise as much money as possible to help combat anti-gay and trans bullying using the most talented lesbian UK performers. It has made number 1 in Amazon UK’s Best Sellers Rock and Folk Charts and has drawn nearly 44,000 views on Youtube since its release on Saturday. Proceeds will go to Stonewall and Diversity Role Models. The song can be bought at Amazon and iTunes, where it is available to download.
On a personal note we have updated our February photo-a-day here so check it out!
That's it for this edition, folks - we hope you have a lovely week!!
Sarah & Laura xo
Labels: Celebs, gay marriage, gay rights, lgbt, WHHS
What We Love Wednesday!! It's National Chip Week!!...
Tips & Recipes From An UN-Domestic Goddess: Ape-ta...
February Photo-A-Day Catchup!!
Sarah's Fun Fact Friday!! Happy Mardi Gras!!
Valentine's Day Debate: Should Children Be Involve...
Tales & Recipes from an UN-Domestic Goddess: Spagh...
Whats Happening Hot Stuff?? 12/02/2012
Sarah's Fun Fact Friday - Love Is In The Air!!!
First BLATE Nerves!!!
The Language Trials & Tribulations of Being a Tran...
What We Love Wednesdays - CHAV NIGHT, innit?!
Girls Behind The Blog - Our First Ever Vlog!!
What's Happening, Hot Stuff?? 5/02/2012!!
SFFF - February Fun Facts!! & L&S Photo A Day 1-3!...
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2738
|
__label__wiki
| 0.587471
| 0.587471
|
China tightens repressive policies: CECC 2009 Annual Report
By International Campaign for Tibet|October 21, 2009|
The Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) released its 2009 Annual Report on Friday, October 16, 2009, offering a comprehensive account of human rights and rule-of-law developments in Tibet and throughout the People’s Republic of China. The annual report is the second since protests swept across Tibet in March 2008, and within its analysis of concerns, states “As of September 2009, the Commission had not seen public reports suggesting that Chinese authorities had lessened repressive security measures in Tibetan communities.”
Mary Beth Markey, Vice President for International Advocacy at the International Campaign for Tibet, said: “The Tibet section of the CECC 2009 Annual Report makes for grim reading: there is nothing within the research to suggest that the Chinese government has reflected on the roots of the protests that started in March 2008, and everything to suggest that the protests, with all their awful consequences, could therefore happen again – notwithstanding China’s brute suppression.”
The section on Tibet opens by documenting the Chinese authorities’ far more aggressive stance towards the Dalai Lama and the leaders and institutions of second countries who publicly met with him over the preceding year. Along with Taiwan, Tibet is now broadly defined by Beijing as China’s “core interest,” and sections of the official media – echoing comments made in March by Yang Jiechi, China’s Foreign Minister – suggesting a diplomatic norm should be for all countries to deny entry to the Dalai Lama, otherwise cooperation on a range of issues would be “impossible.” CECC questions the inherent notion that international support for the Dalai Lama could expose China to the threat of a breakup by pointing out first that the Dalai Lama continues to call for autonomy, and not independence; and second, that the countries welcoming the Dalai Lama invariably do not deny or challenge China’s sovereignty over Tibet. The report cites expert testimony given to the CECC suggesting that this more aggressive position on Tibet and the Dalai Lama is an emblematic facet of China’s generally more assertive stance in the world.
The report, which is available for downloading from the CECC’s website at www.cecc.gov, documents how the Chinese authorities in Tibet have “strengthened the policies and measures that frustrated Tibetans prior to the wave of Tibetan protests that started in March 2008.” These include an intensification of ‘patriotic education’ requirements at monasteries, schools and other state-run institutions that“compel Tibetans to endorse state antagonism toward the Dalai Lama and increase stress to local stability.” The report adds “Chinese Government and Communist Party interference with the norms of Tibetan Buddhism and unremitting antagonism toward the Dalai Lama, key factors underlying the March 2008 eruption of Tibetan protests, continued to deepen Tibetan resentment and fuel additional Tibetan protests.”
Two major issues covered by the CECC’s annual reporting period from October 2008 to October 2009 were the eighth round of dialogue between representatives of the Dalai Lama and senior Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials held in November 2008; and the release in May 2009 of a report by a group of Chinese scholars which broadly contradicted official pronouncements about the causes of the protests across Tibet starting in March 2008.
The CECC report notes that the environment for dialogue“continued to deteriorate.” During the eighth round of dialogue the Tibetan side presented a “Memorandum on Genuine Autonomy for the Tibetan People” which defined the nature and scope of proposed Tibetan autonomy within the PRC. The CECC report states that the Memorandum has “the potential to resolve” key points of contention such as the definition of Tibetan territory. However, the memorandum was dismissed by the Chinese side which instead demanded new preconditions to negotiations, which “pressure the Dalai Lama to take on the role of an active proponent of Chinese Government political objectives.”
The CECC report describes the report by scholars at the Open Constitution Initiative (OCI) as written “in a manner that shows the authors aimed for officials to review the document,” and notes that it “rejected the government’s core assertion” that the protests starting in March 2008 were exclusively the result of external provocations by “the Dalai clique,” and provided recommendation for improving China’s administration of Tibet that directly address ongoing policy failures. (The report by the Open Constitution Initiative can be seen here ») OCI was closed down in July 2009 on the orders of the local Beijing government amid allegations of tax evasion; the CECC report noted no apparent attributing of the group’s report on Tibet to its eventual closure.
CECC’s report contains a breakdown of political imprisonment in Tibet following the protests starting in March 2008, and refers to the CECC’s online political prisoner database (www.cecc.gov/pages/victims/index.php) which carries details on 670 Tibetans detained since March 2008. “The surge in the number of political detainees and prisoners beginning in March 2008 appears to be the largest since the current period of Tibetan political activism began in 1987,” states the report. However, the report also notes the Chinese authorities’ measures to prevent reliable information about political protest from leaving Tibet and their failure to provide any such information themselves, which has presented “insurmountable obstacles in creating an accurate account of the number of Tibetan political detainees and their status under China’s legal system.”
Also detailed in the report are government development plans or Tibet, “development policies that Tibetans resent and that many Tibetans (including the Dalai Lama) believe threaten the Tibetan culture and environment.” These include plans to expand Lhasa itself, likely to cause the population of the city to “soar”; plans for several new railway lines into Tibet including an electrified line from Chengdu to Lhasa capable of speeds in excess of 200 kmh (125 mph); and the continued settlement of tens of thousands of Tibetan nomads into “socialist new villages” as part of a plan publicly endorsed by President Hu Jintao in March 2009.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2742
|
__label__wiki
| 0.983563
| 0.983563
|
David Hartstein
Blue Suitcase
David Hartstein is an Emmy award winning documentary producer who calls Austin home. Immediately out of film school, David produced and directed Along Came Kinky: Texas Jewboy for Governor, a feature documentary chronicling Kinky Friedman’s 2006 gubernatorial campaign that premiered at SXSW 2009. He is the producer of The Happy Poet, a feature comedy that had its international premiere at the 67th Venice International Film Festival. He was a producer of Where Soldiers Come From, nationally broadcast on PBS and winner of the News and Documentary Emmy Award for Outstanding Continuing Coverage of a News Story as well as the Truer Than Fiction Independent Spirit Award. Recently, David was a producer of America’s Parking Lot, a feature doc about Dallas Cowboys tailgaters that aired on ESPN in 2013. David is also currently in production as producer/director of his feature-length documentary, Untitled Israel Football Project, and was a producing fellow at the recent Biennale Cinema College lab in Venice with La Barracuda, a new narrative project.
David is currently in post-production on the Tribeca Film Institute supported feature documentary, "The Sensitives" and the teen, coming-of-age psychedelic thriller, "The Honor Farm."
Events featuring David Hartstein
David Hartstein: Producers/Production Mentor at Stephen F Austin Ballroom A
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2744
|
__label__wiki
| 0.724244
| 0.724244
|
Special Viewpoints
Speciation Within Anopheles gambiae-- the Glass Is Half Full
A. della Torre1,*,
C. Costantini1,*,
N. J. Besansky3,
A. Caccone4,
V. Petrarca2,
J. R. Powell4,
M. Coluzzi1
1 Parasitology Unit, Department of Public Health,
2 Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, University of Rome “La Sapienza,” P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy.
3 Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA.
4 Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
A. della Torre
Parasitology Unit, Department of Public Health,
C. Costantini
N. J. Besansky
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA.
A. Caccone
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
V. Petrarca
Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, University of Rome “La Sapienza,” P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy.
J. R. Powell
M. Coluzzi
Restrictions to gene flow among molecular forms of the mosquito Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto reveal an ongoing speciation process affecting the epidemiology of malaria in sub-Saharan Africa.
The most important vector of the malaria parasite in sub-Saharan Africa is the mosquito Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto (s.s.). It belongs to a group of sibling species—known as the A. gambiae complex—that are morphologically indistinguishable but exhibit distinct genetic and eco-ethological differences reflected in their ability to transmit malaria. Anopheles gambiae s.s. shows extreme genetic heterogeneity, revealed not only by the traditional study of chromosomal inversions (1) but also by recent studies of molecular markers such as X-linked ribosomal DNA (rDNA). So far, extensive molecular analyses have attempted to distinguish the number of isolated or semi-isolated genetic units of A. gambiae s.s. that exist and whether these are evolving into separate species (speciation). Elucidating the genetic population structure of the A. gambiae s.s. complex is a prerequisite for determining which genetic units of the complex are the vectors of malaria, and unraveling the ecological and ethological differences that are relevant to disease transmission. Such knowledge will improve our understanding of malaria epidemiology and will help in implementing appropriate vector control strategies.
Genotyping X-linked rDNA of A. gambiae s.s. has led to the characterization of two molecular forms (M and S) that differ in both the transcribed and nontranscribed spacers in the rDNA repeat unit (2–4). The relationship between the M and S molecular forms and the chromosomal forms—defined according to nonrandom associations of inversions in chromosome 2 (1)—varies according to their ecological and geographic distribution (Fig. 1). In some areas of West Africa (for example, Mali and Burkina Faso), there is a one-to-one correspondence between the M molecular form and the Mopti chromosomal form. Similarly, the S molecular form always corresponds to the Savanna or Bamako chromosomal form (5). In other areas of West Africa, this clear correspondence breaks down (2). For example, in populations inhabiting forests or humid savannas, both molecular forms are characterized by high frequencies of the standard arrangement in chromosome 2 indicative of the Forest chromosomal form. Within the S form, a small proportion show ambiguous cytological configurations, indicating the presence of chromosome 2 arrangements typical of chromosomal forms other than Savanna and Bamako. Outside Mali and Burkina Faso, the M form may exhibit chromosomal arrangements typical of the Bissau, Savanna, or Forest forms.
Download high-res image
Geographical distribution of the molecular forms (S and M) of Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto and their relation to chromosomal forms. Chromosomal inversions characterizing each chromosomal form (1) are listed first, followed by less frequent arrangements listed in parentheses. Two-color circles indicate the presence of one or both molecular forms (2, 4, 9, 31,32) without reference to relative frequencies; absence of one form refers only to lack of detection in the mosquito samples analyzed, not to its actual absence in the area. Chromosomal forms: FOR, Forest; SAV, Savanna; MOP, Mopti; BAM, Bamako; BIS, Bissau; n.d., karyotype not determined. African countries: 1, Angola; 2, Benin; 3, Burkina Faso; 4, Cameroon; 5, Côte d'Ivoire; 6, Democratic Republic of the Congo; 7, Guinea; 8, Kenya; 9, Madagascar; 10, Malawi; 11, Mali; 12, Nigeria; 13, Senegal; 14, Tanzania; and 15, the Gambia.
The importance of chromosomal inversions in ecological adaptation has been well established [reviewed in (6)], suggesting that the different chromosomal forms are indicators of adaptation to different ecological habitats. In contrast, the distinct M and S molecular forms reflect barriers to gene flow indicative of incipient speciation (2). Extensive analyses of DNA regions other than rDNA initially failed to show consistent sequence differences corresponding to the M and S molecular forms (4, 7). However, recent DNA-based data are emerging in support of the M and S distinctions. For example, although most microsatellite loci show similar allelic frequencies in M and S forms, differences in allelic frequencies indicate restricted gene flow in both Mali (8) and Cameroon (9). Two microsatellite loci near the centromeric region of the X chromosome exhibit very distinct differences between M and S forms in Mali (10). The kdr allele in the parasodium channel gene, which confers resistance to pyrethroid insecticides, is found in S form populations from several West African countries; it could not be detected in M form populations from the same locales (2, 11, 12), with the single exception of Benin (13). Sequence analysis of intron I upstream of thekdr mutation has shown that S and M populations across West Africa are consistently different at one nucleotide (14–16). Furthermore, rDNA analysis in the closely related sibling species A. arabiensis would argue against the hypothesis that rDNA differences between the molecular forms ofA. gambiae are due to unusual evolutionary dynamics (for example, very rapid concerted evolution) (17).
Although interbreeding between M and S forms yields fertile progeny, M-S hybrids are rarely observed in nature. Where these forms overlap in time and space, the rate of heterogamous insemination is ∼1% (18), clearly demonstrating the existence of a premating barrier, albeit an incomplete one. Thus, both indirect and direct genetic evidence indicates incomplete but substantial barriers to gene flow between different A. gambiae s.s. molecular forms. Does ongoing gene flow signify a glass half empty, or does a premating barrier offer a glass half full? The data suggest that we are observing speciation at its very earliest stages, with the persistence of variation shared because of recent common ancestry and with low levels of gene flow continuing to homogenize regions of the genome not directly involved in the speciation process. This may explain why a random selection of nucleotide sequences reveals no differentiation, in contrast to the recently emerged kdr allele and the more rapidly evolving microsatellite markers and rDNA. In an attempt to reconcile differences among data sets, Gentile et al. (17) proposed that S and M forms “may have mosaic genomes consisting of parts completely differentiated between which gene flow is barred, whereas other parts of the genome are free to pass between forms.” If correct, this suggests that a debate over taxonomic status hinging on absolute levels of gene flow will lack biological relevance and distract from the main issues: how restrictions on gene flow affect the ecology and behavior of the molecular forms; to what extent and under what circumstances they hinder the circulation of traits such as insecticide resistance or the possible spread of transgenes; and whether genetically engineered mosquitoes should be used in vector control measures (19,20).
The vectorial potency of A. gambiae s.s. stems from its strong association with humans, that is, its preference for biting humans exacerbated by its capacity to exploit changes in its natural habitat induced by Homo sapiens. There is evidence (21, 22) that in marginal arid environments of Burkina Faso—where the Savanna and Mopti chromosomal forms correspond to the S and M molecular forms, respectively— these two taxa contrast significantly in the way they exploit limiting resources, such as larval breeding and adult resting habitats. Eco-ethological differences regarding their degree of association with the human domestic environment when biting and resting are under investigation. The M molecular form shows the closest association with the domestic environment and larval habitats created by human activities, whereas the S form is more frequent in rain-dependent temporary breeding sites (21, 22). This confirms what was inferred from differential microgeographic distributions for the Mopti and Savanna chromosomal forms (1, 23, 24).
These observations provide us with further clues to the nature and mechanisms of the speciation process. The occupation by the M form of relatively recent ecological niches produced by human-made modifications of the environment in marginal habitats has created new opportunities for specialization and the avoidance of intraspecific competition. This selective force is presumably driving the speciation process. It has been proposed that co-adapted chromosomal inversions are crucial for establishing populations in marginal habitats that could lead to the formation of new species, although the inversions per se are not the cause of the evolution of subsequent barriers to gene flow (25).
The taxonomic and genetic complexity of A. gambiae s.s. has serious consequences for malaria transmission. The ongoing speciation process leading to the M form has extended the transmission potential of this vector in space and time (23,24). In dry areas of West Africa where malaria is hyper- to holoendemic (26), this taxon is able to exploit breeding opportunities due to human activities that would otherwise be available only to A. arabiensis; such is the case in areas of Eastern Africa with a similar climate (like northern Sudan) whereA. gambiae s.s. is absent and malaria is hypo- to mesoendemic (27). Moreover, in dry savannas, the ability of the M form to breed year-round in permanent human-dependent larval habitats extends the malaria transmission period well beyond the rainy season, when the S form apparently disappears (28). Analogous situations are seen with other Afrotropical malaria mosquito vectors such as A. funestus, which has two West African chromosomal forms (Folonzo and Kiribina) that clearly differ in their degree of contact with humans and therefore have quite different vectorial potentials (29). It is likely that in bothA. gambiae and A. funestus, chromosomal inversions allow more specialized and therefore more efficient exploitation of both spatial and temporal environmental heterogeneity. This is expected to have implications for such traits as the survival probability of individual mosquitoes and the stability of vector populations, both important features of malaria epidemiology (30).
The complete genome sequence of A. gambiae will deepen our understanding of the process of adaptation and speciation of this insect vector. One immediate application of this information, already in progress, is the cloning of inversion breakpoints on chromosome 2. Comparative analysis of the sequences across and surrounding each breakpoint will allow us to identify and study the gene clusters protected by recombination and may yield clues about the origin of inversions and their importance.
The concentration within four closely related species of theA. gambiae complex (A. gambiae, A. arabiensis, A. melas, and A. merus) of several inversions along the central and subtelomeric sections of the 2R chromosomal arm is unlikely to be coincidental. These inversions may be associated with genome regions that encode traits of ecological and behavioral importance. The availability of the entire A. gambiae genome will facilitate polymerase chain reaction–based assays that will complement laborious karyotyping of semigravid adult females, providing new opportunities for field studies on mosquito ecology and behavior. A long-term goal is gene discovery using a complete genome chip. The very recent divergence of the A. gambiae s.s. molecular forms and the likelihood that only a few genes are involved in reproductive isolation and ecological diversification means that the entire A. gambiae genome will have to be screened in order to identify differences in gene sequence and coordinated gene expression between incipient species.
A. gambiae provides us with an exceptional opportunity to observe evolution in action, potentially operating over the time frame of the thousands of years since humans began to modify the Afrotropical ecosystem (1, 6, 24). The buildup of barriers to gene flow during the speciation process resulting in separation of the molecular forms of A. gambiaecan be compared to a glass half full. Now, we must fully elucidate the mechanisms and dynamics of evolutionary change in A. gambiaepopulations—information that will be essential if we are ever to control this nefarious insect vector.
↵* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: ale.dellatorre{at}uniroma1.it; carlo.costantini{at}uniroma1.it
M. Coluzzi et al., Science, in press; published online 3 October 2002 (10.1126/science.1077769).
, Insect Mol. Biol. 10, 9 (2001).
G. Favia
, Insect Mol. Biol. 10, 19 (2001).
G. Gentile
, Insect Mol. Biol. 6, 377 (1997).
, Parassitologia 41, 101 (1999).
O. Mukabayire
C. Taylor
, Genetics 157, 743 (2001).
C. Wondji
R. Wang
, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 98, 10769 (2001).
F. Chandre
C. Fanello et al., in preparation.
C. Fanello
, Trans. R. Soc. Trop. Med. Hyg. 94, 132 (2000).
M. Weill
F. Santolamazza
In Benin, both the kdr allele and the “S-type” intron I were acquired by M from S.
, Genetics 161, 1561 (2002).
F. Tripet
, Mol. Ecol. 10, 1725 (2001).
T. W. Scott,
W. Takken,
B. G. J. Knols,
C. Boëte
, Science 298, 117 (2002).
L. Alphey
N. F. Sagnon
C. Costantini et al., unpublished data.
Y. T. Touré
, Genetica 94, 213 (1994).
M. Coluzzi, in Mechanisms of Speciation, C. Barigozzi, Ed. (Liss, New York, 1982), pp. 143–153.
The degree of malaria endemicity in an area is classified according to the proportion of children with a palpably enlarged spleen. Increasing levels of endemicity are expressed as hypoendemic (0 to 10%), mesoendemic (11 to 50%), hyperendemic (>50%), or holoendemic (>75%).
A. R. Zahar, Vector Bionomics in the Epidemiology and Control of Malaria. Part I. The WHO African Region & the Southern WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region. Section III: Vector Bionomics, Malaria Epidemiology and Control by Geographical Areas. (D) East Africa; (E) Eastern Outer Islands; (F) Southwestern Arabia VBC/85.3 MAP/85.3 (World Health Organization, Geneva, 1985).
, Med. Vet. Entomol. 10, 197 (1996).
, Bull. WHO 62, 107 (1984).
G. C. Carrara
, Parassitologia 44, 43 (2002).
T. Lehmann, unpublished data.
You are going to email the following Speciation Within Anopheles gambiae-- the Glass Is Half Full
By A. della Torre, C. Costantini, N. J. Besansky, A. Caccone, V. Petrarca, J. R. Powell, M. Coluzzi
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2746
|
__label__cc
| 0.556939
| 0.443061
|
Angelina Jolie To Get Sex Change
by Niall Browne
– on Aug 14, 2008
With the cash registers still ringing to the tune of $250 million from Wanted, it looks like Angelina Jolie is hot again - at the box office at least!
It would appear that Mrs Brad Pitt has landed a role that could be a potential action franchise starter.
What's so interesting about that?
She will be replacing Tom Cruise in the upcoming movie project Edwin A. Salt!
Read on and all will be explained...
Tom Cruise had been eying the spy-thriller about a CIA agent who must try and clear his name when he is accused of being a Russian spy, but I guess Cruise thought that it was too close to Mission: Impossible for comfort. So technically, Angelina Jolie isn't replacing Tom Cruise - she's taking a role that was offered to him.
Jack Ryan spy-master Phillip Noyce is still on board to direct, but it looks like Kurt Wimmer's script might need a bit of a rewrite and a title change.
Although it seems strange that the lead character in a film would change sex- it's not unusual (insert Tom Jones joke here).
For example: The Jodie Foster role in Flight Plan was originally written for a man, and the Sean Penn role in The Game was intended for Foster. So Jolie is hardly setting a precedent. However she is expected to net a record paycheck for a female star by signing on to the Sony film.
There's no word on when this film is expected, but I'd imagine it'll be a while yet considering that the script may need a bit of re-tooling.
Source: Variety
Tags: edwin a. salt
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2748
|
__label__wiki
| 0.609812
| 0.609812
|
Whiteout Review
by Paul Young
in Movie Reviews, 3 star movies
Short version: While far from perfect, Whiteout does manage to keep you guessing until the end and ultimately doesn't leave you feeling ripped off.
Screen Rant's Paul Young reviews Whiteout
A while back, Kate Beckinsale was asked about her involvement with the next Underworld movie and she explained that she was done wearing tight leather outfits. I thought she might be serious, but man, she didn't have to go overboard on the next film by walking around 95% of the time wearing a parka! But I've got to give credit to whoever wrote the opening scene for Whiteout, Oscar-worthy material my friend - in a scene that was obviously written to appeal to the young male audience, Beckinsale walks through the snow into her room and promptly removes most (read: not enough) of her clothing in order to take a shower.
The scene does nothing to move along, set up, or explain the story of Whiteout and is sure to become "Most Unnecessary (and Gratuitous) Scene of the Year." That being said, based on the graphic novel by Greg Rucka, Whiteout is a decent enough attempt at a Fall movie season thriller.
Set at a U.S. Geological camp at the South Pole in Antarctica only three days before winter starts, Beckinsale plays U.S. Marshall Carrie Stetko, and she has some issues with trust. When a body, or "popsicle," is discovered in the ice by pilot Delfy (Columbus Short), Stetko and camp doctor Dr. John Fury (Tom Skerritt) head out to investigate.
Their investigation leads them to realize that a murder has occurred and that the killer is still at large; and, seeing as how they are at the most remote place on the planet, there's a better than good chance the killer is still in the camp. Along the way, she meets U.N. detective Robert Pryce, played by The Spirit's Gabriel Macht, and together they hunt the killer and try to recover some lost Russian items.
The writers do a good job of throwing in plenty of misdirection and some red herrings to keep audiences guessing (although I pegged the twist about ¾ of the way through). What director Dominic Sena (Swordfish, Gone in Sixty Seconds) could have left out were all the hazy, orange saturated flashbacks. I sort of understand what he was trying to do with them but he only needed to do it once and not the three or four times he choose to go with. Also, he could have left out the "ah-ha" moment as a flashback. Once the twist is revealed, it's not that hard to connect the dots and by flashing back Sena insults the audience.
What Whiteout tries to do (emphasis on tries), is make the audience feel the solidarity and aloneness of being at the bottom of the earth, but that's very hard to do because it seems like dozens of people are living and working down there and it's a party every day. Heck, I want to go just drink off the "million year old ice." Here's a tip for all directors that want me to feel like I'm alone: Stop putting so many people in your film! Stetko is literally alone for maybe 5 minutes the entire film, even the shower scene is interrupted after 30 seconds.
The action scenes in the snow and blizzards are a neat idea but they aren't really done right because of all the CGI. Everything ends up looking blurry, out of focus and ultimately is just too hard to discern. The idea of fighting in a blizzard does lend itself to some interesting concepts but it just didn't work here, which leads me to my next point.
There is WAY too much CGI in a movie like this. I have feared for some time now that directors were beginning to lean on the CGI crutch far too often and this just goes to prove my point. The opening scene of a Russian plane flying and then crashing in the Antarctic would have been super cool to watch but the whole thing is done in CG. I don't see how it's cheaper to hire a team of CG artists to design everything but the sky instead of just renting a plane for a day and then adding some digital snow but I guess that's why I don't sign the checks.
Another thing that bothered me was the ending - I saw it coming long before it happened and it seemed like the writers took the easy way out. The whole scene feels very much like the Necromonger walking into the sun's rays from Chronicles of Riddick. You'll know what I mean after you watch it. Also, the killer is very scary and I never really felt Stetko's anxiety or any impending doom for any of the characters.
I've said it before in my Observe and Report review but I don't really need to see a line of flopping man junk running across the screen for me to enjoy a film. Oh yes, there is a scene like that in Whiteout, it's short and at the beginning but again, unnecessary to the plot and didn't help set the mood or surroundings at all. In fact, it goes against everything the movie portrays about the extreme cold at the South Pole. We are told that it gets to -65 degree Celsius and you begin to experience hypothermia after three minutes. Don't know about you, but I don't need any frozen tundra down unda!
Overall though, those are minor gripes on a mostly entertaining film. If you're looking for something new to watch this weekend that isn't animated, Whiteout is a solid choice and will make for a decent night out. There's no way it beats out 9 for number one this weekend, but hopefully it puts Gamer out of play and kills off Final Destination for the number two spot.
3 out of 5 (Good)
Tags: 3 star movies, whiteout
More in Movie Reviews
Stuber Review: A Better Uber Ad Than Buddy Comedy
Point Blank Review: Not the Mackie & Grillo Team-Up You Hoped For
The Lion King Review: Disney's Remake Adds More Style Than Substance
Midsommar Review: The Director of Hereditary Goes Full Wicker Man
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2749
|
__label__wiki
| 0.757028
| 0.757028
|
Singapore ministries reprimanded for insufficient IT controls
MINDEF and MOE have taken action to address the oversights
Mark Johnston (Channel Asia) 19 July, 2018 08:45
The auditor-general has reprimanded Singapore’s ministry of defence (MINDEF) and the ministry of education (MOE), in particular, due to insufficient IT controls and poor oversight, a new report reveals.
The report found significant weaknesses in the management of access rights for MINDEF’s electronic procurement system (ePS), due to a lack of periodic reviews on user access rights, which are required by the Singapore government.
Furthermore, MINDEF delayed removing unneeded access rights for 41 users out of 219, equating to 18.7 per cent of total users, according to the report.
These lapses are not insignificant, exposing the system to unauthorised access and compromising the integrity and confidentiality of data in the ePS.
Why the oversight? The report lays blame at the system owner, who had not performed the required six-monthly reviews of accounts and associated access rights since 2013.
Furthermore, all the five units audited did not carry out the required quarterly reviews of accounts and associated access according to the report.
Such measures are required to ensure accounts are current and obsolete accounts and access rights were removed.
In regards to the delay in removing unneeded access rights for 41 users, after queries by the auditor-general’s office, MINDEF removed the unneeded roles and associated access rights between September 2017 to January 2018, representing a delay of 53 days to 10.7 years.
“Of the 41 unneeded roles, 14 roles were with access rights to perform procurement activities, which included raising purchase requisitions, approving fund commitments and performing goods receipts functions,” said the report.
“The remaining 27 roles were with access rights to view information on transactions, which included cost and quantity of good ordered."
However, according to MINDEF the officers performing the reviews of the 14 roles with access rights either did not have the knowledge to perform proper reviews or did not take due care, according to the report.
In regards to the other 27 roles, according to MINDEF these roles were automatically assigned by the system when the users were appointed unit resource officers to approve fund commitments and payments.
MINDEF claims it was not aware that the system was not designed to automatically remove the unneeded roles when users relinquished their unit resource officer appointments.
As a result of this report, MINDEF has said it intends to stress the importance of conducting regular reviews and maintaining proper documentation going forward.
MINDEF has since enhanced the system to automatically remove the roles with viewing rights when the users relinquish their URO appointments.
Poor oversight
A further issue highlighted by the report included the possibility of account sharing to perform procurement activities.
The report highlighted the period from 1 April 2015, to 31 July 2017, in which 197 instances where 33 authorised users might have shared their accounts with other persons raising the possibility of procurement activities performed an unauthorised person - the 197 instances amounted to $2.83 million.
According to the report, 19 of these instances involved four users who were on overseas leave, indicating that it was indeed an unauthorised use.
However, for the remaining 178, MINDEF explained that the authorised users who were on local leave might have gone back to the office to perform the activities. MINDEF was, however, unable to conclusively prove this to be the case and so unauthorised use could not be ruled out.
According to the report, MINDEF has disciplined three of the four users who had shared their user accounts with others, with the remaining user having left the service.
In regards to the oversight by the MOE, the report by the auditor-general revealed that the MOE did not log and review the activities of seven IT administrators, who were vendors engaged to schedule computer scripts for execution in two IT systems.
“The IT systems support the management of financial transactions of Edusave and Post-Secondary Education (PSE) accounts,” said the report.
As such, the administrator could not be held responsible if there was any unauthorised execution of computer scripts, as it would not be possible for MOE to trace who the administrator was.
The computer scripts contained a series of commands to enable the systems to execute important tasks, such as top-ups to and withdrawals from students’ Edusave and PSE accounts.
Furthermore, the IT administrators used a job management system to schedule the computer scripts. They also set alerts to keep MOE informed of successful or failed execution of the scripts since its implementation in 2012.
This meant, however, there was a lack of traceability and accountability as the administrator who was responsible for any unauthorised computer scripts that were scheduled could not be identified.
Of the 60 computer scripts test-checked by the auditor-general’s office, seven were found to be without documentation to show that they were approved for execution.
It was also found that through test checks by the auditor-general’s office of the operating system (OS) and database (DB) activity logs of 16 servers for the two IT systems that the logs did not capture details of the activities of the OS and DB administrators, the report revealed.
Furthermore, in June 2017 a password control had been turned off by the DB administrator who subsequently changed the password of the DB user account to one that failed to meet the password complexity requirement in the Government Instruction Manuals, according to the report. This was based on checks done from April to August 2017.
Due to the lack of details recorded in the logs, MOE was unaware of these changes and as such was not able to detect unauthorised changes to the settings of the two IT systems and the data in the database made by the OS and DB administrators, the report claimed.
Tags IT managementSingapore government
Sales Made MSPeasy: The Ultimate MSP Guide to Successful Sales
Recurring Revenue Made MSPeasy: 7 Best Practices for Success
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2751
|
__label__wiki
| 0.928695
| 0.928695
|
Majority of APAC respondents have heard of Pokémon Go and found the concept interesting
on September 29, 2016, 1 a.m.
YouGov survey finds less than 40% of respondents in APAC were Pokémon fans but today almost 70% in APAC find the concept of Pokémon Go interesting
Pokémon Go has caused quite a stir worldwide since its launch in July. Does the buzz still carry on more than a month after its launch? YouGov, the leading global market research firm, polled over 10,000 online consumers across Asia Pacific to investigate how popular the game is and how the game has changed the social behaviour of people who play it.
Almost 90% of the respondents (88%) across the region have heard of Pokémon Go, with highest awareness levels in Hong Kong (97%) and Indonesia (97%), and the lowest in China (57%).
To play Pokémon Go, players are required to use a smartphone app to seek out and collect Pokémon virtual monsters at real-world locations using augmented reality features. Less than two in five of respondents (37%) were Pokémon fans before the launch of the game. Today, 7 out of 10 respondents (69%) in APAC find the concept of the game interesting.
Delayed launch date triggers more interest in Pokémon Go? Half of the APAC respondents tried to download the game before its launch
Interestingly, in Australia, where the game was launched much earlier than the rest of APAC countries, only around 39% of respondents think the concept is interesting. 71% of respondents in Australia say they haven’t downloaded the game and don’t intend to do so. Only 13% of Australia respondents say they have downloaded and played the game.
However in other APAC countries where the game was launched much later than Australia, almost half of respondents (49%) tried to download the game before the game was officially launched in their countries.
One third of Pokémon Go players spend 30 minutes to 1 hour a day playing the game on average
Looking at the impacts of Pokémon Go on the players’ social behaviour and daily lives, 56% of those who have downloaded the game put the app icon on the first screen of their smartphones. Over half of them (52%) have played 1 to 3 times in the past 24 hours, and around one third of respondents (33%) spend 30 minutes to 1 hour per day playing game.
Pokémon Go encourages other social media use?
44% say playing Pokémon Go make them use other social media more often as they want to share their progress on the game with others online. And almost half of the players (48%) say they will still spend the same amount of time playing this game once they understand it better.
However, 7% of respondents have stopped playing the game already. Within this group, one in three (36%) think it’s too time consuming and they don’t have that enough time to play. About half this number (18%) say they don’t find it interesting at all, and 8% say they don’t know how to play.
Augmented Reality: the combination of virtual and real worlds is a key reason for players to like Pokémon Go
Almost 80% of respondents (79%) think the combination of virtual and real worlds and make Pokémon Go sound fun to play. Half of respondents (50%) think the game is interesting because they can have fun gaming and being outdoors at the same time. About one third of respondents (34%) like the game as it’s a very social way to play. For just over one-quarter (28%), they say they have always loved Pokémon and this game just satisfies that feeling of nostalgia.
Meanwhile, among the 31% of respondents who don’t find the game interesting, almost half (47%) say they don’t see the point. About 4 out of 10 say they don’t play mobile games at all. Just over one in five (22%) of respondents say they have privacy and security concern as the mobile game needs to use their camera and geolocation functions.
No flash in the pan? Over one fifth of Asian think the buzz of Pokémon Go will last for up to one year
A quarter of the respondents in APAC think the buzz of Pokémon Go can only last for 4 to 6 months. 23% of the respondents think it can last for 1 to 3 months. 21% of respondents think it can last for 6 months to 1 year. Only one tenth think the buzz can last for over 2 years.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2752
|
__label__cc
| 0.527646
| 0.472354
|
Pamela Price
Freelance Writer, Editor, & Social Media Manager
Wildflower Media Group
Twitter (5K+ Followers)
TheTexasWildflower.com
Red, White & Grew
How to Work and Homeschool
Posted on July 3, 2009 July 6, 2009 by Pamela Price
An English Rose Remembers Her Plot
This story appeared in the 2 July 2009 issue of Northwest Weekly.
Local gardener recalls wartime garden
Story and photograph by Pamela Price
Joyce Hartley shares her scrapbook.
First there was the White House organic vegetable garden and beehive, an effort by Michelle Obama to spark interest in good nutrition. Then in June came word of a new veggie plot at Buckingham Palace, Queen Elizabeth’s own nod to the current “grow your own food” trend.
Of course, there have been high-profile kitchen gardens in Washington and London before. In WWII, then-Princess Elizabeth was photographed gardening at Windsor Castle as part of the United Kingdom’s “Dig for Victory” campaign, an effort to shore up nutrition that was similar to the American victory gardens espoused by Eleanor Roosevelt.
Closer to home – in Leon Springs to be precise – is an English-born woman who helped tend a North London garden during the Blitz. And though Joyce Hartley now lives thousands of miles away from her native land and prefers to cultivate flowers to raising potatoes, she carries with her vivid memories of raising food during hard times.
Today in her home’s spacious study on the edge of the hot, hardscrabble Texas hill country, Hartley keeps a scrapbook that includes images and text related to her family’s life in England. Sitting down with her to review the book is an invitation to witness history through one woman’s eyes.
At the start of England’s involvement with WWII, Hartley was 11 years old. She and a younger sister, Peggy, were evacuated along with thousands of other school-age children to Walton-on-Naze, on the English coastline.
“Why on earth would they send us to the east, where we could see France?” Hartley wonders.
In a dramatic twist, the nearby town of Clacton became the first place a German bomb landed, when a bomber was shot down on April 30, 1940, killing two and injuring dozens more.
“I saved my milk money to buy a stamp. And then I stole an envelope, so that I could write a note to my mother to come get us,” she says. “Mum came very soon and took us away.”
Returning to the family’s home at 2 Rayleigh Road soon after the incident, Hartley found her parents, Edward and Florence Carter, engaged in a grassroots effort at survival.
“That’s what we did to some degree even before the war,” she says. “We raised plants, food. Tom (Cahill, Hartley’s long-time significant other) and I talk about that often now, about how it was just a different time when we all had to do that back then, in England and America.”
With the war came the need for greater self-sufficiency. Because England was highly dependent upon imported goods, Italy and Germany sought to starve off the country by attacking ships bearing cheese, sugar, fruits, vegetables and other goods. To address the shortages, the government created a rationing system.
But the rations could only go so far. Even after the war and as the nation struggled back onto its feet, English residents would receive rations for several years, into the mid-1950s. When Hartley married her late husband, Gordon Hartley, in 1949, clothing was rationed, so the bride wore a borrowed dress and veil.
Hartley keeps an old food ration booklet from the ’50s with her scrapbook. She recalls that during the war the government provided a bit of meat and one egg per week. No vegetables were provided, hence the garden. Hartley remembers vividly what her family grew in their vegetable plot. They raised all the usual suspects: peas, beans, lettuce, potatoes. There was even a bit of protein. In her scrapbook, she writes that her father “bought fertile eggs, took a drawer out of our chest of drawers, fitted it up with electric light bulbs, and waited for them to hatch. Within just three weeks, we had a drawer full of chicks. Dad built a large chicken house at the end of our garden and after a few months we were getting eggs. … Dad could never kill [the chickens] himself and usually got a neighbor to do it for him.”
There was something else in the family’s suburban garden. An Anderson air raid shelter with a corrugated iron top provided cover for the family at night.
“The shelter went down several feet under ground,” recalls Hartley. “It held two bunk beds and one double bed. From above, you could just see a mound of earth with flowers on top.”
Hartley moved to America in 1958 and became a U.S. citizen in June 2004. Today she is pleased by the recession-induced interest in home gardens in the wake of a worldwide recession. From the back window of her suburban home, she casts an admiring glance at a neighbor’s large vegetable garden.
“Oh, I think it’s wonderful to see people gardening again,” she says. “We were just so much healthier back then, because we only had to eat what was good for us.”
Red, White & Grew readers will recognize Joyce Hartley from a post made last year. It was great fun to re-interview her for this story. If you read my MySA.com blog, then you’ll recognize the photo from an entry regarding fun garden history projects.
CategoriesNorthwest Weekly, Story Archive
Previous PostPrevious The Writing Life
Next PostNext Food, Inc.
View RedWhiteandGrew’s profile on Facebook
View RedWhiteandGrew’s profile on Twitter
View RedWhiteandGrew’s profile on Instagram
View pamelaoprice’s profile on Pinterest
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2762
|
__label__wiki
| 0.889553
| 0.889553
|
Adele M. Stan
Adele M. Stan is a columnist for The American Prospect. She is research director of People for the American Way, and a winner of the Hillman Prize for Opinion & Analysis Journalism. Opinions expressed here are her own.
Follow @addiestan
The Republic Crumbles, Melania Wears a White Hat
Adele M. StanApr 25, 2018
When the news becomes too much, the fashion and manners of the powerful provide a diversion. Enter Melania Trump. Enter the hat. For the first meeting of the president and first lady with the first couple of France, Melania wore a statement-making, broad-brimmed white hat. It was an unusual sight; in the modern age, the wearing of outfit-matching hats is viewed as quaint. The newspapers couldn’t get enough of it, searching for clues as to its meaning. But really, it’s not that deep, people. As befits her husband’s managerial style, Melania’s hat provided a mad distraction from the chaos surrounding his administration, not to mention the accelerating pace of the groundwork underway for the construction of an authoritarian state. News outlets were no doubt grateful for something elegant and surprising to adorn their front pages or lead their broadcasts. Because under Trump, the news is ugly pretty much all of the time. And much of that ugliness is the kind of...
Our Media Problem Is Bigger Than Sean Hannity
From Fox News to Sinclair and Breitbart.com, the reach of disinformation used to attack Trump’s enemies imperils the republic.
(AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Since news broke on April 16 of the attorney-client relationship between Fox News star Sean Hannity and Michael Cohen, the lawyer known as the personal “fixer” for President Donald J. Trump, stories questioning Hannity’s journalistic ethics proliferate. In a moment of high courtroom drama, news of the Hannity-Cohen relationship was revealed during an appearance by Cohen before Judge Kimba Wood. Cohen’s court appearance resulted from an FBI raid on his office as part of an investigation by prosecutors for the Southern District of New York, who are zeroing in Cohen’s business dealings—particularly, it’s said, Cohen’s hush-money payment of $130,000 to an adult-film performer who says she had sexual relations with Trump. Hannity, who has large audiences for both his nightly cable television program and his daily radio show, is among the president’s most ardent defenders and, more importantly, an on-air attacker of anyone perceived to...
An Attack on Our Country -- By Trump and McConnell
(Photo By Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call via AP Images)
President Donald J. Trump is under the impression that he is the United States of America, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is only too happy to feed Trump’s delusion. On Monday, April 9, Trump told reporters that the FBI raid of his attorney’s office—part of the special counsel’s investigation of Russia’s interference in the 2016 presidential election—was “an attack on our country.” Trump is said to be fuming and unhinged. Julie Hirschfeld Davis and Maggie Haberman of The New York Times report that White House aides are worried. “On Tuesday,” they write , “top White House aides described themselves as deeply anxious over the prospect that the president might use the treatment of his lawyer as a pretext to fire Robert S. Mueller III, the special counsel.” For months, legislation crafted to protect Mueller’s position from any attempt by the president to fire him has floated around the Senate; now...
Sinclair Broadcasting Is More Dangerous Than You Think
(Sipa via AP Images)
When President Donald J. Trump tweeted out his endorsement of the Sinclair Broadcast Group on Tuesday, the pundit class duly noted that Sinclair’s news and commentary has a pro-Trump bent. The president’s tweet came in response to a chilling video from the website Deadspin, which showed local news anchors at Sinclair stations across the country parroting a script decrying “fake stories” and “false news” allegedly disseminated by other networks and news outlets. The script could have been written by Trump himself, except for the grammar and spelling. As reported by the Seattle Post-Intelligencer (h/t ThinkProgress ), the script reads in part: (A): But we’re concerned about the troubling trend of irresponsible, one-sided news stories plaguing our country. The sharing of biased and false news has become all too common on social media. (B): More alarming, some media outlets publish these same fake stories … stories that just aren’t...
The Atlantic’s Gigantic Stumble
Adele M. StanMar 28, 2018
(Brookings Institution)
OK, I’ll admit it—I had hardly paid any mind to Kevin D. Williamson before The Atlantic elevated him to the realm of intellectual legitimacy, a move that has kicked up a lot of dust in the journalism world for hiring him away from the right-wing National Review to be part of its Next Big Thing. I’ve been distracted. My outrage has been focused on the fact that a self-described pussy-grabber occupies the Oval Office—a man who has advanced lies about black people and demonized people from Latin America, a man whose presidential campaign benefited from intervention in our elections by a foreign power that aims to weaken us. So I haven’t spent a lot of time plumbing the depths of the sewer that right-wing media has become. But a Twitter thread from the feminist author Jessica Valenti caught my attention. The thing for which Williamson is most famous is his (since deleted) tweet advocating the execution by hanging of every woman who has an abortion . Valenti...
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2765
|
__label__wiki
| 0.934278
| 0.934278
|
New lease of life for historic coaching inn
Team at Torbrex refuses to rest on laurels after root and branch refurb
By Matthew Lynas
• The Inn at Torbex exterior.
THE Inn at Torbrex has been operating under various guises since 1726 so it’s no surprise that it has needed the odd lick of paint over the years.
However, when the team behind fellow Stirling venue The Birds and Bees got their hands on the former coaching inn two years ago, the site was given a new lease of life thanks to a well-executed overhaul that saw the venue pick up the SLTN Refurbishment Award for 2013 in association with Liberis.
It was no small task, with the work taking around six months to complete before the inn re-opened its doors in July 2012.
We wanted to improve the venue and show we were good neighbours.
“We were hoping for an Easter opening, but you see things as the project develops so that was the delay,” said Darren Mitchell, who works as general manager across The Inn at Torbrex and sister venue The Birds and Bees.
“But it’s better to take the extra time.”
Prior to 2012, the upper level of the inn was used as a private function suite accessed from a separate entrance to the main bar.
However owners Ross and Michelle Henderson (Michelle is Mitchell’s sister) were keen to bring the upper level into the fold.
“It was the main thing for us to bring in the upstairs, keeping it that bit private but opening it up,” said Mitchell.
“On Friday and Saturday nights it’s a two floor restaurant.”
The upstairs dining area is now accessed from a central staircase in the main bar. No longer a traditional function room, the dance floor was removed as part of the refurb and the space is now set up to cater for 50 covers with a service bar accessible from the top of the stairs.
The refurbishment work wasn’t restricted to the upper level, however.
The main bar area was expanded with a dining area created in space reclaimed from what was once the venue’s toilets. New toilet facilities, along with the kitchen and cellar, are now housed in a purpose-built extension at the rear of the venue.
There’s also a covered smoking area and customer car park at the rear of the building, but currently no beer garden.
It’s something Mitchell has his eye on and, he said, would not have been right for the initial refurbishment.
“We wanted to come in, improve [the venue] and show everyone we were good neighbours first,” he said.
While the team held off on building a beer garden, there was other work carried out on the exterior.
The venue’s front car park has been covered with artificial grass and the exterior was freshened up while still displaying the coaching inn’s original plaque commemorating its construction in 1726.
• The revamped first floor.
The next job at the inn will be to tarmac and line the remaining customer parking at the rear of the venue as the summer season tapers off later this month.
Along with the venue’s look, the team also revamped the offer at The Inn at Torbrex, transforming it from a wet-led to a food-based venture.
“Ross [Henderson] is always on the look out for other opportunities,” said Mitchell.
“He’s had The Birds and Bees for 30 years. He’s seen the business change from wet-led to food-led over the years.”
Although there was a food offer already in place at The Birds and Bees, the owners were not looking to copy and paste that into The Inn at Torbrex.
“We didn’t want to have a Birds and Bees number two,” said Mitchell. “As much as they’re both in Stirling we felt we were far enough apart.
“With the menu here we went for kind of ‘country’ cooking.”
The Inn at Torbrex menu has a base of core dishes while offering a range of daily specials.
The driving force behind the menu is head chef Alan Caldwell, who has been at The Inn at Torbrex from day one, joining from the Meadowpark in Bridge of Allan. Caldwell is joined in the kitchen by two other full-time chefs and three part-time staff.
Mitchell said the kitchen team works well.
“I don’t claim to be a chef, he’ll certainly run everything past me but those guys are the creative ones,” he said.
The refurbishment of The Inn at Torbrex may have cleared the way for a comprehensive food offer, but that doesn’t mean the bar has eschewed its role as a ‘local’, according to Mitchell.
“We’re certainly food-led but we’re very lucky for wet sales from our regulars,” he said.
“Those guys are our bread and butter.”
Ross is always on the look out for other opportunities.
To this end a section of the ground floor has been converted into a dedicated malt and ale bar.
The bar offers a range of cask and keg products as well as a selection of around 25 whiskies that are displayed on feature shelving on the back-bar, built during the refurbishment.
“The malt thing is a big aspect of the business now,” said Mitchell.
Acknowledging the ever changing nature of the Scottish on-trade, Mitchell insisted that the key to a venue’s success is in keeping it and its offer fresh.
“There’s always somewhere else you can go to for a pint or go for a meal, so you’ve got to mix it up and do something different to stay ahead of the market,” he said.
“Never rest on your laurels. There’s always something that will catch your eye that you can do a little bit better.”
Torbrex
admin_sltn
Major marketing award for Eden Mill co-founder
Don’t allow age checks to lapse
New MD in Manorview reshuffle
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2769
|
__label__cc
| 0.552018
| 0.447982
|
Home » Keynote Speakers » Philanthropy
Harvard-trained leadership and transformation expert and award-winning author who engages audiences to "change their shoes" and leap onto new paths to success.
Kathy Andersen
Kathy is a Harvard-trained leadership and transformation expert, coach, speaker, and award-winning author of Change Your Shoes, Live Your Greatest Life. For over 15 years, Kathy has helped organizations and leaders transform their visions for change into realities through various leadership positions, and as a consultant and coach conducting numerous engagements, projects, workshops, and seminars. Kathy transformed her own world more than ten years ago when she changed her corporate high heels … [Read more...]
Speaking Topics: Inspirational, Leadership, Motivation, Philanthropy, Success
Vice-Chairman of Toronto Argonauts Football Club
Michael “Pinball” Clemons
To Canadians, the name "Pinball" stands for remarkable athletic talent, outstanding sportsmanship and a commitment to the community. As a former all-star running back, Grey Cup winning coach, President and CEO, and now the Vice-Chair for the Toronto Argonauts, Michael "Pinball" Clemons is a man of unquestionable character and spirit. He is equally renowned for his achievements on the football field, as he is for his impact as a motivational speaker. Pinball's presentations are at once … [Read more...]
Speaking Topics: Leadership, Motivation, Philanthropy, Sports/Athletics, Teamwork/Teambuilding
Five-Time Olympian
Charmaine Crooks
A five time Olympian & Olympic Silver Medalist, Charmaine Crooks represented Canada for close to 20 years. The first Canadian woman to run under two minutes over 800 meters, Charmaine won gold medals in the Commonwealth, Pan American and World Cup Games. The current chair of Olympians Canada, the Vice President of the World Olympians Association and a board member for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic & Paralympic Games Organizing Committee. Charmaine continues to be an active Olympic force serving on … [Read more...]
Speaking Topics: Olympic/Paralympic Heroes, Peak Performance, Philanthropy, Women in Society
Fan Favourite - CFL & NFL
Doug Flutie
Doug Flutie's name has been synonymous with excellence in both college and professional football, as he has received many honors including: All American at Boston College, 1984 College Football Player of the Year, the 1984 Heisman Trophy Winner, 1991-1994/1996/1997 Grey Cup Most Valuable Player.Known for the famous "Hail Mary" pass against University of Miami to win the Orange Bowl in college, Doug went on to play in the USFL and then the Chicago Bears and New England Patriots through the late … [Read more...]
Speaking Topics: Celebrity, Leadership, Philanthropy, Sports/Athletics
Deputy Chair - TD Bank Financial Group
Frank McKenna
Frank McKenna was appointed Deputy Chair of TD Bank Financial Group on May 1, 2006. He is responsible for supporting the Bank in its customer acquisition strategy, particularly in the area of Wholesale and Commercial Banking. In addition, he is representing TDBFG as it works to expand its North American presence as one of the ten largest banks as measured by market capitalization. Prior to joining TDBFG, he was posted to Washington, D.C. and served as the Canadian Ambassador to the United … [Read more...]
Speaking Topics: Business Growth, Economy, Entrepreneurism, Innovation, Philanthropy
Internationally recognized global health expert with a passion for fueling innovation and building capacity worldwide.
Arletty Pinel
Arletty Pinel, MD is CEO of Genos Global, an international health and development consulting firm established in 1992 in Sao Paulo, Brazil that now runs its global operations from Panama. She is an innovative, entrepreneurial and dynamic professional with more than thirty years of internationally recognized experience in designing, implementing, managing and evaluating public health and social development programs in most regions of the world. This includes more than fifteen years in leadership … [Read more...]
Speaking Topics: Innovation, International Affairs, Philanthropy, Technology, Training
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2771
|
__label__wiki
| 0.894066
| 0.894066
|
Lance Armstrong's innocence is refuted in 'The Secret Race,' but many may not care
Eric Adelson
Yahoo! Sports September 6, 2012, 12:06 AM UTC
Well, what do you think of Lance Armstrong now?
That question will be asked all over the country (and Europe) this week with the release of a tell-all book that is as damning as it is thorough. It's difficult to read "The Secret Race" by former Armstrong teammate Tyler Hamilton and come away with anything but a sense that an intricate (and brainy) plot allowed the seven-time Tour de France winner (and others) to cheat to win.
Asked Wednesday by phone what he felt was the biggest myth exploded in "The Secret Race," Hamilton told Yahoo! Sports, "That only a few bad eggs were doping. Every rider I knew – knew well enough – [doped]. It was a choice that most young professional riders had to make a decision on, including me."
Hamilton isn't shy about that point, either in the book or over the phone. "It starts with just a small red pill," he explains. "Then a shot of EPO. Then the next year you do a little bit more. Then it becomes a part of your routine. Then they expect you to go to the best doctors; they expect you to be flying on all cylinders. It's a tough spot to be in."
So if everyone was doping and everyone knew everyone was doping, that doesn't leave Armstrong's plea of innocence much wiggle room. As Outside magazine declares, "No one can read this book with an open mind and still credibly believe that Armstrong didn't dope."
One of the many eyebrow-raising passages in "The Secret Race" is when Armstrong is said to have conversed with leaders of the sport after an alleged failed drug test during the 2001 Tour of Switzerland. In the book Hamilton implies that the cycling hierarchy helped Armstrong get away with something.
Lance had a strange smile on his face. He was kind of chuckling, like someone had told him a good joke.
"You won't [expletive] believe this," he said. "I got popped for EPO."
It took me a second to absorb. My stomach hit the floor. If that was true, Lance was done. The team was done. I was done. He laughed that dry laugh again.
"No worries dude. We're gonna have a meeting with them. It's all taken care of."
Hamilton does more than hint that cycling had all the incentive in the world for Armstrong to keep clean and keep winning. He writes simply: "The UCI didn't want to catch Lance."
Hamilton doesn't exactly gloat about his findings. He calls the book "a sad story" and, when asked if he would have pursued cycling if he knew at the start of his career what he knows now, he says, "I don't think so." He insists he wants very much to help clean up the sport, but he quietly offers an anecdote about when he asked his 10-year-old nephew what he wanted to be when he grows up. The boy told Hamilton he wanted to be a cyclist.
"That made me feel sick," he says.
[Related: Steve Carrell, Ken Jeong bring star power to MLB's cancer campaign]
One would think reading this book would make Armstrong's supporters feel sick, too. But don't expect many minds to change.
Armstrong's detractors will point to this book as the ultimate prosecution of cycling's greatest American hero. In fact, you can expect many to conclude Armstrong recently dropped his fight with anti-doping authorities because a mountain of witness "evidence" like this was about to surface. And Hamilton enlists more than a few credible witnesses to take the stand in this book – teammates, rivals, friends. The result is overwhelming: testimony not only about when and how the alleged doping was done, but how many layers it took. "It was sort of a Russian doll," says co-author Dan Coyle, also interviewed by phone Wednesday. "Compartments and compartments and compartments. At the end of the day, though, all the stuff is happening behind closed doors. It was a community of secrets."
This wasn't Jose Canseco going into a bathroom stall with a syringe; this was an entire network of codes and informants, including wives as sentries, leaving the testers in the dust like a fallen rider writhing in pain behind the peloton. Performance enhancing drugs were wrapped in foil, in Coke cans, even in a vacuum cleaner. "If you were careful and paid attention," writes Hamilton, "you could dope and be 99 percent certain that you would not get caught."
In other words, although the subterfuge reads like a screenplay for an episode of "24," evading the drug police wasn't all that difficult. In one of the more clandestine anecdotes, Hamilton writes that a courier nicknamed "Motoman" would ride up to Armstrong with prepaid cell phones and thermoses of EPO.
So the most significant aspect from Hamilton's work is not that he has evidence Armstrong doped – we knew that already from his "60 Minutes" interview – but rather it's the undermining of Armstrong's famous PR crutch, namely that he never failed a drug test. That claim is getting more and more meaningless by the day, it seems.
"The Secret Race" attacks all the Armstrong arguments like the great rider himself attacked mountains. How about the idea that if everyone's doping, the playing field is level? Sorry: Hamilton has a quote from a doctor insisting that "the winner in a doped race is not the one who trained the hardest, but the one who trained the hardest and whose physiology responded best to the drugs." And then, it's Hamilton himself who writes, "Once you get past a one-week race, it quickly becomes impossible for clean riders to compete with riders using [EPO], because [EPO] is too big an advantage. The longer the race, the bigger the advantage becomes – hence the power of [EPO] in the Tour de France." And then there are the issues with Armstrong's personality, including one instance in which Hamilton recalls the American hero racing to track down a driver who'd yelled at him, pulling him out of his car, pummeling him and leaving him in a heap.
The evidence against Armstrong in this book is staggering, but it could have included a photo of Armstrong attaching a V-12 engine to his bike and it wouldn't sway the believers.
That's because a lot of the believers don't care a lick about cycling.
Example: A man named Matt Taylor wore a "Livestrong" T-shirt around Orlando over the holiday weekend. Asked about the allegations of Armstrong cheating, Taylor shrugged and said that didn't matter to him. He even volunteered that he heard Armstrong wasn't a very good husband, either.
Taylor has no idea how many Tours his hero won. He doesn't follow cycling much at all. He's hardly offended that Armstrong may have done something improper in the course of winning.
[Related: Tyler Hamilton says writing tell-all provided relief]
Why? Because when he was sick with testicular cancer eight years ago, a friend gave him Armstrong's book. He read it and was inspired. Case closed.
See, this isn't your usual sports debate, where fans disagree about, say, whether Derek Jeter is overrated. This is a debate that has very little to do with sports. It's about the worth of a man. And how that man conducted himself in a field about which so few care, well, the details of his behavior in the mountains of France don't really compare to the details of how he behaved when lying on his deathbed. Doing anything to win is actually commendable when winning means living to see age 40.
Even Coyle acknowledges this when he says of Armstrong, "The world is a different and better place because of the work he's done."
Some will say Armstrong used his cancer as both a shield and a lever for his rise to fame and fortune. Again, supporters don't care. Millions of dollars were raised for cancer research and so what if the guy in the lead may have been unethical during his races? Investment bankers on Wall Street are some of the most charitable people in the world, and also some of the most corrupt. The ends justifying the means is up for debate when bickering about the SEC's recruiting tactics, but not nearly as much when lives are on the line.
The only finish line Matt Taylor ever cared about was the one lingering at the end of his cancer treatment. Taylor is healthy now, at age 41, and Lance Armstrong helped him get there. That's all that matters to him.
Whatever side of the Lance Armstrong debate you're on, this book will probably not change it no matter how convincing it may be. That's because this debate is not a sports debate. Far from it. This is a debate between belief and non-belief. Believers and non-believers tend to remain that way. As Hamilton writes about his own dual mindset, he had to "live on two planets at once" – the life he lived, and the one he forced himself to believe he lived. Those two planets still exist, whether or not Hamilton still lives on both. And whatever you think of Lance Armstrong the cyclist, Lance Armstrong the brand will likely remain one of the most convincing on the planet we're all living on.
More news from the Yahoo! Sports Minute:
Other popular content on the Yahoo! network:
• Video: Can the Giants repeat as Super Bowl champions?
• Y! Sports exclusive: Agent Drew Rosenhaus under fire as players lose millions
• Y! News: Bill Clinton whips up crowd with fiery DNC speech
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2772
|
__label__cc
| 0.630119
| 0.369881
|
A Prophetic, Peacekeeping Witness
Filed under: UCLA University Religious Conference articles — spsukaton @ 9:35 am
While the URC is home to a number of faith communities, and this blog will be pulling perspectives from every religious tradition, I thought it’d be fun to begin with my own–the Seventh-Day Adventist Church.
Most people associate Adventism with vegetarian living, health care, and going to church on Saturday (rather than Sunday, like most other Christian denominations). However, in recent years, Adventists have been rediscovering pacifism in their history and theology–something usually associated with Jehovah’s Witnesses, Quakers, and Anabaptists.
The Adventist’s church’s original stance on violence came in the midst of the Civil War. When the Church was founded in 1863, its members were torn over what to do–joining the Union Army would betray their understanding of the Gospel as a message preaching the refusal of violence as a tool for government, life, law, or conversion. However, becoming conscientious objectors would put them under suspicion as “Copperheads”–Northerners who backed the Confederacy and slavery. Adventists were uniformly anti-slavery and anti-rebellion, but equally anti-violence.
Some heated Unionists proposed that Adventists form brigades to support the Union, while hardline pacifists were willing to be branded as traitors and imprisoned for their faith. In the end, the Church evaded the question in a number of ways–in Iowa, Adventist petitioned for recognition as a “peace church”, while the national church raised money to pay to release Adventists from the draft, or encouraged laypersons to work as medics, helping freed blacks, or providing other services.
This same aversion to violence brought Adventists to attack William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt during the Spanish-American War in 1898. Adventist writers damned other churches for supporting imperialism, bullying of a worn-out Spain and tired colonists, and what they saw as dangerous expansionism.
In the early 20th century, the Adventist Church published pamphlets to guide young men through the draft, and even made field medic courses a graduation requirement at Adventist colleges. As a result, an entire generation of Adventists–pastors and parishoners alike–recall military medical training.
The most visible example of Adventist pacifism is Desmond Doss (1919-2006), the field medic who saved dozens of lives–crawling under Japanese grenades to administer plasma and treat wounds–when serving on Okinawa in World War II. Doss, an Adventist from Virginia, was the first conscientious objector to win the Medal of Honor.
However, by the time of the Vietnam War, many Adventists submitted to the draft as combatants, not medics. On the other side of the issue, many Adventists sided with the peace movement that mobilized the churches, choosing to side with the likes of Martin Luther King, Jr. and William Sloane Coffin in demanding an end to the war. The division continued, and the church’s leadership currently allows each parishoner to make up his or her own mind–while peace is encouraged, joining the military is not grounds for disfellowship. In fact, the Chaplain of the Senate, Rear Admiral Barry Black, is an Adventist.
Douglas Morgan, an Adventist historian, began discussing Adventism’s nonviolent heritage with other Adventists. Those discussions grew into the Adventist Peace Fellowship, which seeks to present the historical and theological underpinnings for nonviolence in Seventh-Day Adventist doctrine. This work has led to Adventist Peace Fellowship joining the National Religious Campaign Against Torture (more on that in a forthcoming post!), and staging protests in Washington and Los Angeles concerning the Iraq War.
While people continue to accuse religion of separating people, fostering violence, and promoting human misery, Adventist Peace Fellowship and other organizations like it in other faith traditions prove that religions promote peace, goodwill, and friendship–and this isn’t an innovation, but something integral.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2773
|
__label__wiki
| 0.924983
| 0.924983
|
Lesbos Municipality Informed Gov’t on Moria Refugee Camp Difficult Situation
© REUTERS / Giorgos Moutafis
Municipality of Lesbos numerous times informed the Greek government on a difficult and dangerous situation in overcrowded Moria refugee camp that recently suffered a fire, the press office of the mayor of Lesbos told Sputnik on Tuesday.
At Least 30 Injured in Fire at Greece’s Lesbos Migrant Camp – UN Refugee Agency
MOSCOW (Sputnik) — On Monday, some 4,000 migrants were evacuated from the Moria camp after a fire destroyed tents and shelters where refugees were hosted. Police reportedly said there was "no doubt" that the fire had been set intentionally, adding that the wind contributed to its fast spreading. The fire is said to have been started as a result of different refugee groups' riots and clashes on the island.
"We have been sending numerous letters to the [Interior] Ministry and the central Government explaining that the situation is really difficult. We’ve said already that it is a very dangerous situation and given that the local population in Moria is really pressed by the administration of this crisis all these months," the press office said.
According to the press office, there have been many riots inside the accommodation center in Moria because of its overcrowding.
"From what we know from 50 percent to 60 percent of the camp is destroyed. There are still rooms for people to stay, but we can’t confirm that information," the press office added.
The European Union is currently struggling to manage a massive refugee crisis, with hundreds of thousands of people fleeing conflict-torn countries in the Middle East and North Africa. The EU border agency Frontex recorded more than 1.8 million illegal border crossings into the bloc in 2015. Greece is the main transit route for refugees coming across the Aegean Sea from Turkey.
A Sapphic Tragedy: Migrant Crisis Decimates Lesbos Tourism Industry
Number of Refugees Sheltered on Greek Island of Lesbos Passes 5,300
Boat With Migrants Capsizes Near Greece's Lesbos, 4 People Dead, 4 Rescued
fire, refugees, Greece, Lesbos
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2774
|
__label__wiki
| 0.598956
| 0.598956
|
Sophie Turner’s Tattoo Definitely Spoiled the ‘Game Of Thrones’ Finale A Year Ago
byAramide Tinubu 2 months ago
Photo: Shutterstock.
Though we’re sad that Game of Thrones is over, we’re sure the GoT cast is thrilled that they no longer have to keep secrets. As it turns out, Sophie Turner’s Game of Thrones tattoo spoiled the finale over a year ago. The red-headed starlet eagerly got the wrap tattoo to commemorate her time on the beloved series, but clearly, she wasn’t as stealth about it as she thought.
The tat is an image of the Stark House sigil, a grey direwolf. The Dark Pheonix actress also has, “The pack survives” inscribed under the wolf. At the time, fans clamored over themselves, believing that Turner had spoiled the fate of the Stark children for them. However, she was adamant that it was merely a quote from Season 7. As it turns out, the tat was definitely a spoiler about where Bran, Arya, Sansa, and Jon Snow would end up when it was all over. Sneaky sneaky.
In a June 2018 appearance on The Late Late Show with James Corden, the late-night host questioned Turner about her tat, and she coyly responded, that it wasn’t a spoiler, but a moral code. [INSERT SIDE-EYE HERE].
Turner was super convincing when she said, “Yeah, actually while I was getting it done, people advised me not to because it looked like I was giving everything away, but I wasn’t. It’s just a quote from last season. But everyone figures the pack really does survive, but it’s just a moral that I like to live by.”
Now we know that truth.
First tattoo back home! Thank you so much for getting this from me @sophiet ! 🐺 bad ass !
A post shared by Lauren Winzer (@laurenwinzer) on Jun 9, 2018 at 3:10am PDT
Even though we’re thrilled that all of the Starks lived to see another day, nothing could have prepared us to see Bran Stark become the King of the Six Kingdoms. The entire time he was acting all strange and otherworldly as the Three-Eyed Raven–he was plotting his ascent to the Iron Throne.
Luckily, Sansa becomes Queen of the North so we feel slightly vindicated.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2776
|
__label__cc
| 0.521387
| 0.478613
|
Remembering Scott Hutchison of Frightened Rabbit
|In Features
You’ll have to pardon the rambling nature of this particular post. The loss of Scott Hutchison feels especially personal, specifically heavy and heartbreaking. Stunned and saddened seem too cliché to describe the passing of someone who created work that found its way into the marrow of your bones, the neurons of your soul. But how do you eulogize someone you only “knew” through their music?
When I saw Frightened Rabbit on their 10th Anniversary tour for The Midnight Organ Fight, it felt like a privilege to be there. It wasn’t a small venue by any means, but there was a particular intimacy – Hutchison’s banter made an evening of mirth and celebration feel like we had all been invited to their party. I can’t imagine many people who saw them in February imagined this would be their last chance to do so.
His retorts to those in the audience chatting with him during breaks were so well placed and timed that you felt like he had taken improv classes – or should have been teaching them. The music came with twists, progressions, growth, and clarity that weren’t there when written and recorded in the mid-to-late 00s. There were choruses sung in unison, laughs shared, and a feeling of accomplishment from just getting to be there that night.
This was about ten or so weeks ago.
I spent Friday thinking about what to say, how to say it, and how to summarize what his words and life’s work meant to me without trying to project my feeling onto others, whether they’re shared or not. I put something up on social media thinking that would give me some time to process what to say. It hasn’t.
This hurts deeply on two fronts. One, Scott Hutchison was an open, earnest songwriter. He didn’t wear his heart on his sleeve. He had a suit made of the vital organ and wore it for those who needed a place of refuge from their own personal tragedy and battles. As my friend Josh Lore pointed out as to why it felt different compared to the loss of other artists, there was “such an emotional weight to his songs to begin with.”
Another reason that helped me to understand why this stings deeper was brought to light by Josh as well – Scott’s age. We’re similar in age, and to lose someone you went through the hurdles of adulthood with, in the sense that the music offered a soft landing when falling through the rough terrain of life, is certainly painful. Hutchison’s words seemed accessible to an entire generation of in-betweeners looking for their place in all of this while woes from the past decade plus lingered above.
Scott’s lyrics were a combination of Conor Oberst’s world-creating imagery and Ian Curtis’ painful honesty. Secrets seemed to be nonexistent in his art, and that created a magnetic realm where people from all walks of life who were struggling could find a connective solace. Someone was carrying their burden and making their feelings tangible in ways most couldn’t. The words became form to fill voids in a way we couldn’t ourselves construct. Unfortunately they were lyrics and hooks that came from a dark place too often.
(Photo credit: Timothy Norris)
His bouts with depression were ours to view, but not necessarily ours to understand. We drew our own conclusions from his words and actions, glorifying this public display of forthrightness however we felt was appropriate to our situations. We’re guilty of romanticizing misery in art while neglecting where such art takes hold and plants its roots. The artists opens themselves, and we selfishly take it, patch ourselves up, and ignore the questions as to what led one to make themselves so vulnerable to us in the first place.
Depression is a rare disease in the sense that it doesn’t have a typical box to put it into. It hits each person differently, and it expresses itself in a variety of ways. You often hear people say, “If you’re feeling depressed, talk about it. Reach out to someone.” So what happens when someone is talking about it? You read interviews with Hutchison and get a lot of coy, self-deprecating jokes about his mental health while interviewers awkwardly shrug it off and continue on to whatever topic is next on their crib sheet. Not to say it was their duty to pry more, but it’s a consideration as we think about the current state of mental health and depression.
Saying “reach out/talk about it” also puts a lot of onus on the afflicted. It’s one thing to open up; it’s another thing for those on the receiving end to truly listen. There’s a good chance people around you are talking, but are you listening? There might be a place to talk, but put yourself in that situation where the ownership is seemingly all on you as someone battling depression – is there a place where someone will listen and commit to this fight with you?
If you can’t be that place, then get those who are hurting to that place – listen to others, create a safe place, and support those who are in need. You never know when someone will need it either. Answer the phone when a friend/family member/loved one calls you (even though our hip, cynical digital age views such actions as beneath those who have evolved into a society of communicating strictly through messages). If talking on the phone is too repulsive of an idea, draft messages that are meaningful and connective. Seek understanding and communication beyond the vapid, generic wires of social media.
Listen. Offer Support.
(Photo credit: Jimmy Fontaine)
One aspect that has lingered through all of this is how to talk about a person whose work I find inimitable in the past tense all of a sudden. But the more I think about it, the more I wonder if it really is the past tense. His work will linger for a long time, surely as long as those who are fans are around and willing to revisit Frightened Rabbit and Owl John. As Frank Turner said in a tribute to Hutchison, “We all need to stick around to tell other people how fucking good Scott was, ladies and gentlemen.”
Will there be a bigger lump in my throat when I hear the line, “And you’re not ill, and I’m not dead; doesn’t that make us the perfect pair?” while listening to “The Modern Leper”?
Will our souls soar a bit lower during what is a very different type of rapturous independence presented on “Things” that carries a heavier meaning now?
Will we re-listen to Painting of a Panic Attack and pick apart every line and wondering “What if?”?
Yes to all. But as Frank Turner also pointed out, this isn’t about his death – what’s left to us now is to remember and celebrate Scott Hutchison’s life. An innumerable amount of people have been, and will continue to be, touched by his presence.
So I close this with Scott Hutchison’s words from “Heads Roll Off”:
When my blood stops, someone else’s will not
When my head rolls off, someone else’s will turn;
You can mark my words, I’ll make tiny changes to earth
And while I’m alive, I’ll make tiny changes to earth
That you have, Scott. Thank you.
If you or someone you know is experiencing depression, here is a global directory where you/those you love can find a place to be heard.
***Cover photo credit: Roberto Ricciuti
A New Direction
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2779
|
__label__wiki
| 0.579603
| 0.579603
|
Home » Catalogue » Literature Sign In | Cart Contents | Checkout
America's Caesar (EXPANDED edition)
The Myth of the Great Emancipator: Lincoln on Slavery and Race
Written in response to neo-Conservative history revisionists such as Dinesh D'Souza and Prager University, this little book rebuts the claims that Abraham Lincoln and the early Republican party were the champions of Negro civil rights and social equality. To the contrary, the documentation provided here proves that the original Republicans opposed the extension of slavery into the Territories merely to protect the labor and racial purity of White settlers, while expressly denying any intention to interfere with the institution as it already existed within the slave States of the South. The public speeches and personal correspondence of Lincoln and other leaders of his party, as well as the "Jim Crow" legislation of the Northern States, are cited which demonstrate an undeniable hostility to the Black man and a desire to ultimately remove him from the United States. The general misconceptions regarding slavery's role in the war of 1861-1865 and the true nature of Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation are also discussed, and an appendix is added which exposes the widespread brutal treatment of Southern Blacks by Union soldiers....See More
The History of the 33rd Mississippi Infantry Regiment $15.00
State Sovereignty and the Right of Secession $10.00
Slavery and Lincoln's Uncivil War and Aftermath $15.00
Ex Uno Plures: Southern Presbyterian Thought on Race Relations
A "racial reconciliation" movement is spreading within American Christianity. While such a goal is laudable in itself, it cannot be successful if based on "zeal without knowledge." It has become fashionable for White people to assume most, if not all, of the responsibility for the disharmony that exists between Whites and Blacks. For example, prominent voices in the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) recently called for the denomination to repent of its failures during the Civil Rights era of the 1960s, and the racial views of Presbyterian divines in the antebellum period. However, were these views indeed contrary to the Word of God? The thoughts of fourteen Southern Presbyterian leaders, whose ministries spanned over a century of American history, are presented here in order that the reader may arrive at a more balanced answer to this question....See More
America's Caesar (EXPANDED edition) $46.00 $44.00
01. America's Caesar (EXPANDED edition)
02. Slavery and Lincoln's Uncivil War and Aftermath
03. Ex Uno Plures: Southern Presbyterian Thought on Race Relations
04. State Sovereignty and the Right of Secession
05. The History of the 33rd Mississippi Infantry Regiment
06. The Myth of the Great Emancipator: Lincoln on Slavery and Race
Was Abraham Lincoln a Hero?
Rare Confederate Paintings Available to View Online
Alabama Still Collecting Tax for Confederate Veterans
Sherman's Exile of the Roswell Mill Women
Letter Sheds Light on Lincoln's Religious Beliefs
Tuesday 16 July, 2019 1166165 page views since Tuesday 20 December, 2005
Copyright © 2004-2011 Institute for Southern Historical Review
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2781
|
__label__wiki
| 0.912777
| 0.912777
|
THE 100 CLUB | THE SMALL FAKERS
THE SMALL FAKERS
Plus DJ Dave Edwards
The Small Fakers were officially launched on a chilly night in February 2007 at a central London shindig attended by fans and associates of the East End’s very own fab four, the seminal, sensational Small Faces!
The buzz in the audience that night was intense – there had never been a Small Faces tribute band before, mainly because the original band were so unique and special, and had, in Steve Marriott, a lead vocalist of astonishing power, recognised as being blessed with one of the most awesome voices in rock history. Could The Small Fakers even hope to come CLOSE to replicating the sound, and the look, of the Small Faces?
Cut to the end of the night – 200 Small Faces fanatics have been nailed to the wall by the Fakers’ debut performance. The band have ripped through twenty classic tracks, from Whatcha Gonna Do About It to Tin Soldier with effortless style and swagger, and the audience is almost delirious with excitement, and satisfaction. The Fakers have delivered the goods.
Today, The Small Fakers are established in the Premiership of tribute acts. They have built a terrific international reputation for themselves as the ONLY Small Faces tribute band in the WORLD, and have played to sell-out audiences in Italy, Spain, Switzerland and the Republic of Ireland, and all over the UK. They have played the Isle of Wight festival four times since forming, and in 2008, the day after headlining the festival with his fellow Sex Pistols, bass player Glen Matlock joined The Fakers onstage to perform what many people regard at the Small Faces’ ultimate track, their 1966 number one ‘All Or Nothing’.
In 2011, the band took the #1 Album ‘OGDENS NUT GONE FLAKE’ out on the road, something the Small Faces never managed themselves, for a 16-date tour of the UK. The narration for the tour was provided by Stanley Unwin’s son John, who appeared either on stage with the band or on a video backdrop, alongside projected psychedelic video imagery fitting to the story of the album.
The band have also performed with original Small Face Jimmy Winston, who claimed the Fakers were ‘much better live than the Small Faces were.’ and original drummer Kenney Jones – who also played with Rod Stewart and The Faces and The Who – when he joined the band for a rendition of ‘All or Nothing’ at Hurtwood Park Polo Club in 2012. He also praised the Small Fakers as being ‘Really great, absolutely spot on.’ Children, siblings and parents of the original band members have declared themselves Fakers fans too, with Ronnie Lane’s older brother Stan even claiming: ‘For those who never saw The Small Faces live, The Fakers are as close as you’re gonna get.’
http://www.smallfakers.co.uk/
FRI, 18th OCT 2019
7.30pm - 01.00am
£15 adv + bf / £20 otd
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2785
|
__label__wiki
| 0.891326
| 0.891326
|
The CIA Created Osama Bin Laden
Is this a call to jihad (holy war) taken from one of Islamic fundamentalist Osama bin Laden’s notorious fatwas? Or perhaps a communique issued by the repressive Taliban regime in Kabul?In fact, this glowing praise of the murderous exploits of today’s supporters of arch-terrorist bin Laden and his Taliban collaborators, and their holy war against the “evil empire”, was issued by US President Ronald Reagan on March 8, 1985. The “evil empire” was the Soviet Union, as well as Third World movements fighting US-backed colonialism, apartheid and dictatorship.
How things change. In the aftermath of a series of terrorist atrocities — the most despicable being the mass murder of more than 6000 working people in New York and Washington on September 11 — bin Laden the “freedom fighter” is now lambasted by US leaders and the Western mass media as a “terrorist mastermind” and an “evil-doer”.
Yet the US government refuses to admit its central role in creating the vicious movement that spawned bin Laden, the Taliban and Islamic fundamentalist terrorists that plague Algeria and Egypt — and perhaps the disaster that befell New York.
The mass media has also downplayed the origins of bin Laden and his toxic brand of Islamic fundamentalism.
Mujaheddin
In April 1978, the People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA) seized power in Afghanistan in reaction to a crackdown against the party by that country’s repressive government.
The PDPA was committed to a radical land reform that favoured the peasants, trade union rights, an expansion of education and social services, equality for women and the separation of church and state. The PDPA also supported strengthening Afghanistan’s relationship with the Soviet Union.
Such policies enraged the wealthy semi-feudal landlords, the Muslim religious establishment (many mullahs were also big landlords) and the tribal chiefs. They immediately began organizing resistance to the government’s progressive policies, under the guise of defending Islam.
Washington, fearing the spread of Soviet influence (and worse the new government’s radical example) to its allies in Pakistan, Iran and the Gulf states, immediately offered support to the Afghan mujaheddin, as the “contra” force was known.
Following an internal PDPA power struggle in December 1979 which toppled Afghanistan’s leader, thousands of Soviet troops entered the country to prevent the new government’s fall. This only galvanized the disparate fundamentalist factions. Their reactionary jihad now gained legitimacy as a “national liberation” struggle in the eyes of many Afghans.
The Soviet Union was eventually to withdraw from Afghanistan in 1989 and the mujaheddin captured the capital, Kabul, in 1992.
Between 1978 and 1992, the US government poured at least US$6 billion (some estimates range as high as $20 billion) worth of arms, training and funds to prop up the mujaheddin
factions. Other Western governments, as well as oil-rich Saudi Arabia, kicked in as much again. Wealthy Arab fanatics, like Osama bin Laden, provided millions more.
Washington’s policy in Afghanistan was shaped by US President Jimmy Carter’s national security advisor, Zbigniew Brzezinski, and was continued by his successors. His plan went far beyond simply forcing Soviet troops to withdraw; rather it aimed to foster an international movement to spread Islamic fanaticism into the Muslim Central Asian Soviet republics to destabilize the Soviet Union.
Brzezinski’s grand plan coincided with Pakistan military dictator General Zia ul-Haq’s own ambitions to dominate the region. US-run Radio Liberty and Radio Free Europe beamed Islamic fundamentalist tirades across Central Asia (while paradoxically denouncing the “Islamic revolution” that toppled the pro-US Shah of Iran in 1979).
Washington’s favoured mujaheddin faction was one of the most extreme, led by Gulbuddin Hekmatyar. The West’s distaste for terrorism did not apply to this unsavory “freedom fighter”. Hekmatyar was notorious in the 1970’s for throwing acid in the faces of women who refused to wear the veil.
After the mujaheddin took Kabul in 1992, Hekmatyar’s forces rained US-supplied missiles and rockets on that city — killing at least 2000 civilians — until the new government agreed to give him the post of prime minister. Osama bin Laden was a close associate of Hekmatyar and his faction.
Hekmatyar was also infamous for his side trade in the cultivation and trafficking in opium. Backing of the mujaheddin from the CIA coincided with a boom in the drug business. Within two years, the Afghanistan-Pakistan border was the world’s single largest source of heroin, supplying 60% of US drug users.
In 1995, the former director of the CIA’s operation in Afghanistan was unrepentant about the explosion in the flow of drugs: “Our main mission was to do as much damage as possible to the Soviets… There was a fallout in terms of drugs, yes. But the main objective was accomplished. The Soviets left Afghanistan.”
According to Ahmed Rashid, a correspondent for the Far Eastern Economic Review, in 1986 CIA chief William Casey committed CIA support to a long-standing ISI proposal to recruit from around the world to join the Afghan jihad. At least 100,000 Islamic militants flocked to Pakistan between 1982 and 1992 (some 60,000 attended fundamentalist schools in Pakistan without necessarily taking part in the fighting).
John Cooley, a former journalist with the US ABC television network and author of Unholy Wars: Afghanistan, America and International Terrorism, has revealed that Muslims recruited in the US for the mujaheddin were sent to Camp Peary, the CIA’s spy training camp in Virginia, where young Afghans, Arabs from Egypt and Jordan, and even some African-American “black Muslims” were taught “sabotage skills”.
The November 1, 1998, British Independent reported that one of those charged with the 1998 bombings of US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, Ali Mohammed, had trained “bin Laden’s operatives” in 1989.
These “operatives” were recruited at the al Kifah Refugee Centre in Brooklyn, New York, given paramilitary training in the New York area and then sent to Afghanistan with US assistance to join Hekmatyar’s forces. Mohammed was a member of the US army’s elite Green Berets.
The program, reported the Independent, was part of a Washington-approved plan called “Operation Cyclone”.
In Pakistan, recruits, money and equipment were distributed to the mujaheddin factions by an organization known as Maktab al Khidamar (Office of Services — MAK).
MAK was a front for Pakistan’s CIA, the Inter-Service Intelligence Directorate. The ISI was the first recipient of the vast bulk of CIA and Saudi Arabian covert assistance for the Afghan contras. Bin Laden was one of three people who ran MAK. In 1989, he took overall charge of MAK.
Among those trained by Mohammed were El Sayyid Nosair, who was jailed in 1995 for killing Israeli rightist Rabbi Meir Kahane and plotting with others to bomb New York landmarks, including the World Trade Center in 1993.
The Independent also suggested that Shiekh Omar Abdel-Rahman, an Egyptian religious leader also jailed for the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center, was also part of Operation Cyclone. He entered the US in 1990 with the CIA’s approval. A confidential CIA report concluded that the agency was “partly culpable” for the 1993 World Trade Center blast, the Independent reported.
Osama bin Laden, one of 20 sons of a billionaire construction magnate, arrived in Afghanistan to join the jihad in 1980. An austere religious fanatic and business tycoon, bin Laden specialized in recruiting, financing and training the estimated 35,000 non-Afghan mercenaries who joined the mujaheddin.
The bin Laden family is a prominent pillar of the Saudi Arabian ruling class, with close personal, financial and political ties to that country’s pro-US royal family.
Bin Laden senior was appointed Saudi Arabia’s minister of public works as a favour by King Faisal. The new minister awarded his own construction companies lucrative contracts to rebuild Islam’s holiest mosques in Mecca and Medina. In the process, the bin Laden family company in 1966 became the world’s largest private construction company.
Osama bin Laden’s father died in 1968. Until 1994, he had access to the dividends from this ill-gotten business empire.
(Bin Laden junior’s oft-quoted personal fortune of US$200-300 million has been arrived at by the US State Department by dividing today’s value of the bin Laden family net worth — estimated to be US$5 billion — by the number of bin Laden senior’s sons. A fact rarely mentioned is that in 1994 the bin Laden family disowned Osama and took control of his share.)
Osama’s military and business adventures in Afghanistan had the blessing of the bin Laden dynasty and the reactionary Saudi Arabian regime. His close working relationship with MAK also meant that the CIA was fully aware of his activities.
Milt Bearden, the CIA’s station chief in Pakistan from 1986 to 1989, admitted to the January 24, 2000, New Yorker that while he never personally met bin Laden, “Did I know that he was out there? Yes, I did … [Guys like] bin Laden were bringing $20-$25 million a month from other Saudis and Gulf Arabs to underwrite the war. And that is a lot of money. It’s an extra $200-$300 million a year. And this is what bin Laden did.”
In 1986, bin Laden brought heavy construction equipment from Saudi Arabia to Afghanistan. Using his extensive knowledge of construction techniques (he has a degree in civil engineering), he built “training camps”, some dug deep into the sides of mountains, and built roads to reach them.
These camps, now dubbed “terrorist universities” by Washington, were built in collaboration with the ISI and the CIA. The Afghan contra fighters, including the tens of thousands of mercenaries recruited and paid for by bin Laden, were armed by the CIA. Pakistan, the US and Britain provided military trainers.
Tom Carew, a former British SAS soldier who secretly fought for the mujaheddin told the August 13, 2000, British Observer, “The Americans were keen to teach the Afghans the techniques of urban terrorism — car bombing and so on — so that they could strike at the Russians in major towns … Many of them are now using their knowledge and expertise to wage war on everything they hate.”
Al Qaeda (the Base), bin Laden’s organization, was established in 1987-88 to run the camps and other business enterprises. It is a tightly-run capitalist holding company — albeit one that integrates the operations of a mercenary force and related logistical services with “legitimate” business operations.
Bin Laden has simply continued to do the job he was asked to do in Afghanistan during the 1980’s — fund, feed and train mercenaries. All that has changed is his primary customer. Then it was the ISI and, behind the scenes, the CIA. Today, his services are utilized primarily by the reactionary Taliban regime.
Bin Laden only became a “terrorist” in US eyes when he fell out with the Saudi royal family over its decision to allow more than 540,000 US troops to be stationed on Saudi soil following Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait.
When thousands of US troops remained in Saudi Arabia after the end of the Gulf War, bin Laden’s anger turned to outright opposition. He declared that Saudi Arabia and other regimes — such as Egypt — in the Middle East were puppets of the US, just as the PDPA government of Afghanistan had been a puppet of the Soviet Union.
He called for the overthrow of these client regimes and declared it the duty of all Muslims to drive the US out of the Gulf states. In 1994, he was stripped of his Saudi citizenship and forced to leave the country. His assets there were frozen.
After a period in Sudan, he returned to Afghanistan in May 1996. He refurbished the camps he had helped build during the Afghan war and offered the facilities and services — and thousands of his mercenaries — to the Taliban, which took power that September.
Today, bin Laden’s private army of non-Afghan religious fanatics is a key prop of the Taliban regime.
Prior to the devastating September 11 attack on the twin towers of World Trade Center, US ruling-class figures remained unrepentant about the consequences of their dirty deals with the likes of bin Laden, Hekmatyar and the Taliban. Since the awful attack, they have been downright hypocritical.
In an August 28, 1998, report posted on MSNBC, Michael Moran quotes Senator Orrin Hatch, who was a senior member of the Senate Intelligence Committee which approved US dealings with the mujaheddin, as saying he would make “the same call again”, even knowing what bin Laden would become.
“It was worth it. Those were very important, pivotal matters that played an important role in the downfall of the Soviet Union.”
Hatch today is one of the most gung-ho voices demanding military retaliation.
Another face that has appeared repeatedly on television screens since the attack has been Vincent Cannistrano, described as a former CIA chief of “counter-terrorism operations”.
Cannistrano is certainly an expert on terrorists like bin Laden, because he directed their “work”. He was in charge of the CIA-backed Nicaraguan contras during the early 1980’s. In 1984, he became the supervisor of covert aid to the Afghan mujaheddin for the US National Security Council.
The last word goes to Zbigniew Brzezinski: “What was more important in the world view of history? The Taliban or the fall of the Soviet Empire? A few stirred up Muslims or the liberation of Central Europe and the end of the Cold War?”
conspiracyarchive.com
http://www.conspiracyarchive.com/2013/12/21/how-the-cia-created-osama-bin-laden/
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2794
|
__label__wiki
| 0.608564
| 0.608564
|
Found: 9,000-year-old case of ritualistic beheading that may be oldest in Americas
September 23, 2015 2.02pm EDT
Stuart Black, University of Reading
Stuart Black
Associate Professor, University of Reading
Stuart Black receives funding from NERC/Leverhulme Trust.
University of Reading provides funding as a member of The Conversation UK.
Decapitated head with amputated hands laid over the face were found at the burial site. Strauss et al., CC BY
From 19th-century tales about tribes hunting for “trophy heads” to Hollywood films such as Mel Gibson’s Apocolypto, the Amazon rain forest has long inspired gruesome stories about ritualistic killing. However, the portrayal of civilisations such as the Incas, Nazcas, and the Wari cultures making human sacrifices in South America may have a much longer tradition than previously thought.
A new study, published in PLOS One, reports the discovery of a 9,000 year-old case of ritualised human decapitation that seems to be the oldest in the Americas by some margin.
Execution or burial?
The researchers found the remains of the beheaded young man from a rock shelter in Lapa do Santo, East-Central Brazil. Quite astonishingly the decapitated remains date to between 9,100 and 9,400 years ago.
The decapitated skull was found with an amputated right hand laid over the left side of the face, with fingers pointing to the chin. It also had an amputated left hand laid over the right side of the face with fingers pointing to the forehead, making it highly ritualistic and extremely unusual.
Plastered skull from Jericho in the British Museum. Jononmac46/wikimedia, CC BY-SA
The decapitation is reminiscent of Neolithic skull cults from the Middle East, which often buried their deceased under the floors of their homes – sometimes with the skull removed, plastered and painted. The placement of the hands is also similar to partial coverage of face gestures that we see in different cultural settings today (such as signs of tiredness, shock, horror etc).
However, the process of extracting the body parts from the victim seems straight out of a horror movie. The man was decapitated by blows from a sharp instrument to the neck, but there was also evidence that the head was distorted and twisted in places, suggesting there was difficulty getting the head off the body. Furthermore, the cuts left on the bones were signs that the flesh had been removed from the head prior to it being buried. However, there’s no evidence to suggest decapitation was the cause of death.
Discovered parts. Strauss et al.
This ritualistic behaviour may seem barbaric to us today but it is becoming clearer that during the Neolithic period decapitations, skull cults and ancestor worship were an important cultural practice. Excavations of neolithic sites in the Middle East have uncovered ancestors that had their fleshed removed in a similar way before being buried in the houses of their relatives.
The rituals undoubtedly involved many of the community to honour their ancestors and may be similar to what has been discovered at Lapa do Santo.
Local but unusual man
The researchers also undertook a number of scientific analyses to find out more about the individual. One of these was to analyse the teeth for isotopes of strontium, which is taken up in the human body through food and water. The analysis of the tooth enamel, which is formed during childhood can be compared to the isotope signatures in the local geology. This can tell whether or not the individual was related to the place they were buried.
The analysis showed that the man was clearly associated with his place of burial. This implies he was a local man who grew up in the area and not a captured trophy from a warring faction.
But perhaps most intriguingly, they took measurements of the skull and compared it to measurements of other skeletons, including ones excavated at the same site. In this case the young man’s head was a little bit of an outlier on the overall size of the skull, being slightly larger. Did he look different to the other men? Was he somehow distinctive? The remarkable evidence from this site suggests he was unique to their community but living with them and perhaps chosen for this reason?
This forensic approach to understanding archaeological remains is now shedding light on how much information can be gleaned from these deposits and the value of careful and meticulous work.
More broadly, this is one of many revelations that are starting to appear regarding South American archaeology ranging from evidence of early extensive burning of the landscape 9,500 years ago, through to large-scale deforestation and the production of glyphs by pre-European culture.
It remains to be seen how many more discoveries like this will be made in the future but there is one clear message, losing your head in South America is not a new phenomenon!
Keeping your head up was tough in Roman times. Public domain
Barbarians, gladiators and head cults: Roman London uncovered
For glory, not sex. PLOS
Head-butting did not lure mates for horny-domed dinosaur
Umatilla people, one of the tribes fighting to bury the Kennewick Man. U.S. National Archives and Records Administration/wikimedia
‘Kennewick Man’ was Native American, study suggests
At least no one got their head cut off … Emilio Lavandeira Jr/EPA
Bites, brawls and severed heads: football’s history of violence
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2795
|
__label__cc
| 0.503139
| 0.496861
|
Tony’s timid IR strategy – not much there for small business
May 10, 2013 2.04am EDT
Tim Mazzarol, University of Western Australia
Tim Mazzarol
Winthrop Professor, Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Marketing and Strategy , University of Western Australia
Tim Mazzarol receives funding from the Australian Research Council. He is also the President of the Small Enterprise Association of Australia and New Zealand (SEAANZ), a not for profit association founded in 1987 that its dedicated to enhancing small business research, education, policy and practice.
University of Western Australia provides funding as a founding partner of The Conversation AU.
The coalition’s industrial relations policy is likely to disappoint small business. AAP
Tony Abbott’s industrial relations strategy has received a less than rapturous response from both business and trade unions.
The Business Council of Australia and the Australian Industry Group have criticised it for being too timid and not going far enough to address their concerns for greater flexibility.
The peak small business group, the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) said small business owners would be disappointed because Australian Workplace Agreements (AWAs) were not being reintroduced and the current collective bargaining rules would remain.
For their part, unions fear the plan will revise the role of the Individual Flexibility Arrangements (IFAs), introduced by Labor to replace the highly contentious WorkChoices individual workplace agreements or AWAs.
The Coalition has gone to great lengths to demonstrate there will be no return to AWAs. Existing provisions to protect workers from abuse, known as the “Better Off Overall Test” (BOOT), will be retained.
Nevertheless, it will be a key battleground for the coming election.
What’s in it for small business?
The policy specifically targets small business concerns over red tape and the burden of rules and regulations. A key plank is a set of assistance programs designed to help the small business owner hire and manage employees.
These include a guidebook called “Your First Employee”, offering “simple, plain English” advice for small business employers from micro non-employing enterprises, about hiring staff. This will be supported by a dedicated small business helpline to be established within the Office of the Fair Work Ombudsman and tailored to the needs of small firms. There will also be a smartphone or tablet App providing real-time information and assistance on wages and conditions for employees.
There will also be provisions to grant immunity from prosecution by the Fair Work Ombudsman for small business owners who mistakenly breach the conditions of the Fair Work Act. The main caveat is the employer must have sought advice on such provisions from the Fair Work Ombudsman beforehand.
These proposals are certainly useful, particularly for those with little past experience in hiring and managing employees. However, there is already a good deal of information available via the Fair Work Commission and Fair Work Ombudsman that provides guidance to employers of this kind.
The Coalition’s policy courts small business - but how much is in it for them? AAP
Bullying, bargaining and unfair dismissal
The policy criticises the current approach that places bullying into the realm of IR under the Fair Work Act, rather than treating it as an occupation health and safety issue. It suggests the system has been abused by unions and seeks to address this by including alleged bullying by union officials of managers and employees.
There was nothing mentioned about unfair dismissal provisions which under the current system have special exemptions for businesses with fewer than 15 employees. Employees from such firms have no right to make unfair dismissal claims within their first year of employment, while those from larger firms can claim after only six months.
Flexibility and the spectre of WorkChoices
The opposition’s plan to amend IFAs by removing the current restrictions limiting their use in the presence of an enterprise agreement is potentially the biggest change, as unions have been accused of misusing these provisions.
This part of the policy has attracted the most criticism from business groups, which have pushed for more radical changes.
Yet the plan will give employees more choice, reduce union influence and have no downside impact. This last point will be guaranteed with the requirement that IFAs will remain optional and must pass the BOOT provisions already in the Fair Work Act.
The current IFA system works within the context of the modern industrial awards and enterprise agreements system, which are essentially collective in nature.
The central plank of WorkChoices, individual workplace agreements, will not return under a coalition government, despite support from business groups. AAP
Under the Fair Work Regulations 2009, all modern awards and enterprise agreements must have a flexibility term allowing employers and employees to vary conditions to meet the genuine needs of both parties, say for flexible working hours for parents and carers.
The IFA is treated like an award or enterprise agreement under the law, and can be negotiated at any time once employment commences.
Under the BOOT provisions employers must not disadvantage the employee as a result of the IFA. Flexibility within the current IFA system is only permitted around working hours, overtime and penalty rates, allowances and leave loadings where a modern award is in place.
For enterprise agreements, the IFAs only apply to terms and conditions already set out in the agreement’s flexibility terms. If these terms state any terms can be varied, then there is little to restrict further discussions. However, if the agreement restricts further variation to only a specific set of terms, the IFAs are limited to these.
Excluded from IFAs relating to enterprise agreements are conditions that might discriminate against employees, introduce objectionable terms, alter the unfair dismissal provisions of the Fair Work Act, limit industrial action, union right of entry entitlements or override the occupational health and safety laws. They can include matters relating to the relationship between the employer and the union.
Put the politics aside
It is probably too much to ask for our politicians to put aside ideological crusades for a more efficient and equitable IR system. Much of the thrust of Abbott’s IR policy seems aimed at further eroding the power and influence of the trade unions. At the end of the day, however, it doesn’t really offer much at all to small businesses.
Most small businesses are not overly unionised and many rely on industrial awards as their mechanism for setting employee wages and conditions. I referred in an earlier article to a report from Fair Work Australia indicating around 13% of small firms were award-reliant. Most of these were likely to suffer from lower productivity, profitabiliy and survival rates.
The pattern emerging from this research was that firms commenced using only awards, then moved towards non-awards or a combination of award and non-award arrangements as they grew. However, the lack of reliable data made it difficult to draw any firm conclusions over causality.
While the Coalition’s proposed changes to the way IFAs are used within the IR system is likely to generate a heated political debate in the run up to the election, it is doubtful that they will have much of an impact on small business.
What is needed is a review of the industrial awards system and action to streamline what is essentially a complex environment for most small business owners, particularly the majority who operate micro enterprises with fewer than five employees.
Fair Work Australia
Workchoices
Individual flexibility arrangements
Scott Morrison faces the risks of the Folau saga becoming a divisive intrusion into what he wants to be a steady-as-she-goes style of government. AAP/The Conversation
Grattan on Friday: Folau affair shows Morrison heading into religious freedom morass
Prime Minister Scott Morrison will lay out economic policies “to get Australians off the economic sidelines and on the field again” on Monday. Dean Lewins/AAP
Morrison wants to unleash economy’s ‘animal spirits’ and foreshadows new look at industrial relations
Unions could have been more upfront about what they wanted the rules changed to. GLENN HUNT/AAP
Where to now for unions and ‘change the rules’?
Broken contract: ‘Egg Girl’ Amber Holt’s employer might find she has breached her obligations as an employee to protect the company’s image. www.shutterstock.com
Egging the question: can your employer sack you for what you say or do in your own time?
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2796
|
__label__wiki
| 0.528652
| 0.528652
|
Merkel warns against anti-Semitism on 80th anniversary of Kristallnacht
By John Bowden - 11/09/18 03:36 PM EST
German Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke against the dangers of anti-Semitism on Friday at a Jewish synagogue in Berlin marking the 80th anniversary of Kristallnacht, a night of anti-Jewish terror carried out during the early days of Nazi Germany.
The Associated Press reports that Merkel spoke at the Rykestrasse synagogue in Berlin, where she warned against leaders who offer "simple" solutions to complex problems.
“Today, we are living once again in a time of far-reaching change,” Merkel said, according to the AP. “In such times, there is always a particularly great danger of those who react with supposedly simple answers gaining support.”
“We are commemorating today with the promise that we will set ourselves strongly against attacks on our open and plural society,” the German chancellor continued. “We are commemorating in the knowledge that watching as lines are crossed and crimes are committed ultimately means going along with them.”
Kristallnact, also known as the "Night of Broken Glass," was a night of anti-Jewish terrorism and violence that resulted in hundreds of synagogues and Jewish businesses being burned or damaged, while many Jewish citizens were assaulted, killed or sent to concentration camps.
Much of the violence was driven by the German government's Nazi SS and other organizations, which Merkel said Friday “made it possible for many Germans to live out long-held resentments, to live out hatred and violence."
“With the November pogrom, the road to the Holocaust was mapped out," she added.
Earlier this year neo-Nazis marched in Berlin and were met with hundreds of protesters resulting in clashes that injured one police officer.
Tags Germany World War II Nazism neo-Nazis anti-semitism
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2800
|
__label__wiki
| 0.925876
| 0.925876
|
Jacks head coach Rob Smith talks to players, students and media after it was announced at the Redwood Bowl that Jacks football would live on. | Gabe Rivera
Jacks ball safe for now
By Keaundrey Clark on December 6, 2017
By｜Keaundrey Clark & Skye Kimya
Through trials and tribulations, Humboldt State football will be playing another year in the Redwood Bowl, as was announced by President Lisa Rossbacher and Interim Athletic Director Duncan Robbins on Tuesday, Dec. 5.
In front of HSU students, athletes, boosters, administration and coaches, it was announced that the team will return after months of doubt by Rossbacher.
“Through a lot of work by the boosters and the community,” said Rossbacher. “Alumni generating pledges for support make this possible for next year. “
President Rossbacher said she was impressed by the passionate group of boosters who led a recent fund drive. This convinced her they could bring in the resources needed to help continue the football program.
Six months of doubt have been put to bed for now, as boosters led by Jim Redd and Ceva Courtemanche worked endlessly to provide a solution to HSU Athletics financial woes. Redd and SaveHSUAthletics were able to confirm that almost $511 thousand in pledges and donations for 2017-18 has been reached.
“Not all of this is local community, there are previous athletes from all over the United States that have donated,” said Redd. “People that have just heard about our cause that have donated. It just speaks volumes, that athletics and the student athletes are very important to this community.”
The future of Jacks football, which is the University’s most expensive athletics program, had been in question due to financial challenges.
The Athletics Department, Office of Advancement and the boosters struggled to maintain a balanced and working relationship to find a solution to the department’s financial woes. In terms of balancing the budget, the University is working to address an ongoing structural deficit that has been on Rossbacher’s plate for a few years now.
With an additional $395 thousand for year two, $375 thousand for year three, $355 thousand for year four and $335 thousand for the fifth year, the community of Humboldt showed how much HSU football means to them.
“We never gave up,”said Redd. “We kept fighting until the very end and the community support is absolutely unbelievable.”
Several players walked away from the Redwood Bowl Plaza this afternoon with plenty of appreciation for their community and Rossbacher.
“It feels great, it feels like I got a lot of relief off of my shoulders. Now I can get ready and focus for next season,” said returning player Jamere Austin.
Plenty of players have been worried about where they would have headed next, but they are looking forward to continuing in their first step foward after today’s decision – Spring Ball.
“President Rossbacher made the right decision,” said returning player Joey Sweeney. “Next year should be a really good year.”
Head Coach Rob Smith held a meeting with players, urging them to notify their families that the team will be back. He understands that because of the uncertainty surrounding the program some players won’t return. But he hopes players will stay and be a Jack for life.
“Most coaches and most players had kind of checked out, they saw the writing on the wall, anticipated the program not being here next year and were preparing for life after this,” said Smith. “Now we all kind of need to get together and figure out how to move forward.”
One of HSU’s best defenders, junior linebacker Curtis Williams, is excited for the prospects of a great season next year.
“It feels great,” said Williams. “Knowing we have another season is a great feeling.”
Humboldt State has been playing football for decades. The prospect of losing the team is something the players, coaches, school and community couldn’t face. Head Coach Rob Smith has his work cut out for him next season.
“Coaches will come and go, Presidents will come and go, but this team belongs to Humboldt State,” said Smith
Keaundrey Clark
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2801
|
__label__wiki
| 0.763244
| 0.763244
|
All News March 22 St. Joseph people
March 22 St. Joseph people
Mike Knaak March 22, 2019 People, Print Sartell - St. Stephen0 Comments
Full Circle Water of St. Joseph earned a first-place award in the National Precast Concrete Association’s annual Sustainability Awards competition. The award was given on Feb. 28 in Louisville during The Precast Show 2019 and recognizes the company’s water recycling solution and development of the Slurry Silo product for concrete producers.
Lauren Stock of St. Joseph has been named to the president’s list at Bemidji State University for fall semester. To be eligible for the president’s list, students earn a perfect 4.0 grade-point average.
Two St. Joseph students have been named to the dean’s list at Bemidji State University for fall semester. The students are Margaret Donnay and Shelbi Keehr. To be eligible for the dean’s list, students earn a minimum 3.5 grade-point average.
Nicole Bloch of St. Joseph has been named to the president’s honor roll at the University of North Dakota, Grand Forks. To qualify, a student must have an overall cumulative grade-point average of 3.80 or higher.
Two St. Joseph students have been named to the dean’s list for fall semester at the College of St. Benedict. The students are Elizabeth Botz, daughter of Mary and Jeff Botz, and Jamie Muske, daughter of Shelly and Tim Muske. To be included on the dean’s list, students must have a grade-point average of at least 3.80.
Two St. Joseph students have been named to the dean’s list for fall semester at St. John’s University. The students are Jacob Hennigs, son of Deann and Mark Hennigs, and Adam Lepinski, son of Lois and Al Lepinski. To be included on the dean’s list, students must have a semester grade-point average of at least 3.80.
Carl and Peggy Moon of St. Joseph joined Minnesota Department Commander Darrel Redepenning (right) to lobby for veterans rights.
Carl and Peggy Moon, both members of the American Legion from St. Joseph, were in Washington, D.C., recently lobbying for issues that affect American war veterans and the military.
Carl, chairman of the Minnesota American Legion Employment Committee and Peggy, chair of the Minnesota American Legion Legislative Committee, were part of a delegation of 20 Minnesotans in Washington.
The delegation met with nearly every Minnesota Representative and Senator, and urged an agenda of veterans programs that Congress will be dealing with in the future.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2803
|
__label__cc
| 0.618314
| 0.381686
|
Boas: Migrant Caravan Points To Some Larger Truths
BOAS-THESHOW-2018312.mp3
Arizona Republic
Phil Boas.
The Show regularly checks in with Editorial Board of the Arizona Republic to talk about the big issues facing the state and the region — featured in the newspaper’s Viewpoints section.
The migrant caravans that have moved from Central America into Mexico on their way to the U.S. have caused criticism and consternation from some corners, and empathy and concerns from others. They’ve also raised questions about whether the U.S. has become more unfair to refugees and immigrants than other nations.
Arizona Republic editorial director Phil Boas joined The Show for his weekly appearance to talk about it.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2809
|
__label__cc
| 0.621229
| 0.378771
|
Business Directory: Arts & Culture:Coldsnap Winter Music Festival
Coldsnap Winter Music Festival
Coldsnap is one of Canada’s premiere winter music festivals. Its aim is to bring a variety of musical acts to the city of Prince George, British Columbia in the dead of winter. Since its beginnings in the early 2000s, it has made its mark on the cultural map, being featured in media ranging from the Globe and Mail to Westworld Magazine to CBC Radio’s Canada Live.
Performers include everything from blues to jazz to hip-hop to indie rock, and everything in between. At its core is a belief that music comes first, regardless of genre.
Coldsnap is an entirely volunteer-driven organization. At its core is the Prince George Folkfest Society, with the help of fantastic private and public sponsors and a tireless cast of supporters.
This year, a fantastic line up is sure to delight music lovers of all kinds!
info@coldsnapfestival.com
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2810
|
__label__cc
| 0.622586
| 0.377414
|
Regional Initiative to Accelerate CCUS Deployment DOE
Deadline Passed 06/03/2019. Deadline Unknown for 2020. The primary objective of this Funding Opportunity Announcement is to award projects that identify and address onshore regional storage and transport challenges facing commercial deployment of Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage (CCUS). Projects will focus on Addressing Key Technical Challenges; Facilitate Data Collection, Sharing, and Analysis; Evaluate Regional Infrastructure; and Promote Regional Technology Transfer.
carbon storage, utilization, energy, storage, data collection, infrastructure, technology up to $7,000,000 Link
Predictive Multiscale Models for Biomedical, Biological, Behavioral, Environmental and Clinical Research (U01) DOE
Deadline passed as of 9/29/2017. Deadline for 2018 unknown. The goal of this interagency funding opportunity announcement (FOA) is to support the development of multiscale models to accelerate biological, biomedical, behavioral, environmental and clinical research. The NIH, ARO, DOE, FDA, NASA, NSF, and ONR recognize that in order to efficiently and effectively address the challenges of understanding multiscale biological and behavioral systems, researchers will need predictive, computational models that encompass multiple biological and behavioral scales.This FOA supports the development of non-standard modeling methods and experimental approaches to facilitate multiscale modeling, and active participation in community-driven activities through the Multiscale Modeling (MSM) Consortium
climate change, climate science, social science, community-based projects, community, predictions, projections, future models, research Varies. National Link
FY 2017 Continuation of Solicitation for the Office of Science Financial Assistance Program DOE
Deadline Passed 12/08/2017. Deadline for 2018 Unknown.The Office of Science (SC) of the Department of Energy hereby announces its continuing interest in receiving grant applications for support of work in the following program areas: Advanced Scientific Computing Research, Basic Energy Sciences, Biological and Environmental Research, Fusion Energy Sciences, High Energy Physics, and Nuclear Physics
energy, science, environmental science, research, technology, physics Varies. National Link
Building Energy Efficiency Frontiers and Incubator Technologies (BENEFIT) DOE
RFP closed in April for FY 2016. The BENEFIT FOA includes the following Areas of Interest: Incubators (Off-Roadmap): 1: Open Topic for Energy Efficiency Solutions for Residential and Commercial Building; 2: Innovative Sensors & Sensor Systems; 3: Advanced Energy-Efficient Clothes Dryers; 4: Highly Insulating Building Envelope Components. ***Please note that concept papers are due 3/6/2014, and full grant proposal is due 4/21/2014.
Research, Technology Development, Energy efficiency varies Northwest, Southwest, Northeast, Southeast, National, Midwest, Alaska Link
Vehicle Technologies Program Wide Funding DOE
DOE’s Vehicle Technologies Office supports a broad research, development, and deployment technology portfolio focused on reducing the cost and improving the performance of a mix of near- and long-term vehicle technologies. Specifically, activities are aimed at improving vehicle technologies such as electric vehicles, powertrains, fuel, tires, and auxiliary systems. This Funding Opportunity Announcement contains a total of 14 areas of interest in the general areas of advanced light-weighting; advanced battery development; power electronics; advanced heating, ventilation, air conditioning systems; and fuels and lubricants.
Research, Vehicles, Research and Development Varies Northwest, Southwest, Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, National, Alaska Link
Tribal Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Deployment Assistance DOE
DOE is soliciting applications from Indian Tribes, Tribal Energy Resource Development Organizations and Tribal Consortia, to install “community-scale” or “facility-scale” renewable energy and/or energy efficiency energy projects on Indian lands. The renewable energy and/or energy efficiency projects are intended to provide electricity and/or heating and cooling or efficiency measures for existing tribal buildings, including homes, businesses, community buildings, government buildings, or other tribal facilities. Projects selected under this Funding Opportunity Announcement are intended to reduce energy costs and increase energy security for Indian Tribes and tribal members. Please note that this grant can be found on the DOE website provided by searching for: DE-FOA-0000853
Renewable energy $50,000-250,000 Northwest, Southwest, Midwest, Northeast, Southeast, National, Alaska Link
DOE Solar Market Pathways Grant DOE
This funding opportunity seeks to support regional, state, tribal, and locally-driven efforts to develop multi-year solar deployment plans that will help provide business certainty and establish a clear path for the next five to ten years of solar deployment. Specifically, this FOA is intended to enable replicable multi-year strategies that spur significant solar deployment, drive down solar soft costs, support local economic development efforts, and address the potential challenges arising from increased solar penetration on the electrical grid. Awardees are expected to convene stakeholder processes to develop their plan, and subgroups could address specific topics such as the net benefits and costs of solar electricity (to and from the grid), and/or develop solar deployment programs including, but not limited to, commercial property assessed clean energy financing, shared solar, and/or incorporating solar within their emergency response plans. Please note that a concept paper must be submitted by 5/28/2014, but that full proposals are not due until 7/2/2014. Also note that this grant can be found at the website provided by searching for: DE-FOA-0001071.
Solar Energy, Planning $100,000-$4,000,000 Northwest, Southwest, Northeast, Southeast, National, Alaska, Midwest Link
Commercial Building Technology Demonstrations DOE
Grant Status Unknown. Advanced building technologies and systems can contribute to the cost-effective delivery of new buildings and retrofits that significantly lower building energy consumption. DOE seeks to fund demonstration and deployment activities for technologies that are ready for market adoption but that may be underutilized due to market barriers including perception of risk, gaps in information and data on performance as well as cost. These technologies will offer a high degree of differentiation between current industry solutions, be widely replicable across the building size, sector and application and provide significant energy savings potential (as determined by market opportunity, site savings, and total potential savings at 100% penetration). Funding through this opportunity will enhance and accelerate the deployment and adoption of a broad range of competitively-solicited high impact energy saving technologies as well as new technology integratio n approaches. The technical and/or non-technical products of this funding should be deployed for scale up as a part of the award agreement and will enable investment-level decision-making by building owners, investors and operators in order to produce energy savings.
Development, Energy efficiency Varies Northwest, Southwest, Northeast, Southeast, National, Alaska, Midwest Link
Strategic Technical Assistance Response Team (START) Program DOE
The Strategic Technical Assistance Response Team (START) Program is part of the DOE Office of Indian Energy effort to assist in the development of tribal renewable energy projects. Through START, Tribes in the 48 contiguous states and Alaska can apply for and are selected to receive technical assistance from DOE and national laboratory experts to move projects closer to implementation.
Renewable energy, Infrastructure technical assistance, not funds, are provided Northwest, Southwest, Midwest, Northeast, Southeast, National, Alaska Link
Tribal Energy Loan Guarantee Program DOE
Deadline Passed 09/19/2018. Deadline Unknown for 2019. This solicitation announcement (including all Attachments, the “Solicitation”) invites the submission of applications from qualified financial institutions for partial, risk-sharing loan guarantees from the United States Department of Energy (“DOE” or the “Department”) under Section 2602(c) of the Energy Policy Act of 1992, as amended (25 USC Section 3502(c)) (the “Act”), in support of debt financing for tribal energy development projects, as described in this Solicitation, that are located in the United States. The Act authorizes a new federal loan guarantee program (the “Tribal Energy Loan Guarantee Program” or “TELGP”) intended to benefit federally recognized Indian tribes and Alaska Native corporations, by increasing the capacity of the commercial debt markets for their energy development initiatives.
energy, tribal energy, development, capacity building varies National Link
Opportunity for Technical Assistance for Remote Alaska Communities Energy Efficiency Competition (Phase 2: Technical Assistance) DOE (Department of Indian Energy) & EERE (Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy)
RFP closed. The Office of Indian Energy and EERE have issued a Notice of Technical Assistance (NOTA) to significantly accelerate efforts by remote Alaskan communities to adopt sustainable energy strategies. The Remote Alaskan Communities Energy Efficiency Competition will empower Alaskan communities and Alaska Native villages to develop effective tools to advance the use of reliable, affordable, and energy efficient solutions that are replicable throughout Alaska and other Arctic regions...Only selected Community Efficiency Champions from Phase 1 will be eligible to apply for Phase 2 of the competition to receive technical assistance from DOE. Selected communities will be eligible to compete for up to $1 million in grant funding ($3.3 million total) to implement energy saving measures.
Energy Efficiency, Remote Community Development. Selected communities will be eligible to compete for up to $1 million in grant funding ($3.3 million total) to implement energy saving measures. Alaska Link
Novel and Enabling Carbon Capture Transformational DOE Office of Fossil Energy
Recent deadline: 11/22/2017. Deadline for 2018 unknown. The objective of this Funding Opportunity Announcement is to research, develop, and validate carbon dioxide capture transformational materials, processes, and enabling technologies at bench scale for pulverized coal or natural gas fired power plants that enable step change reductions in current CO2 capture cost and energy penalties in support of DOE’s Carbon Capture Program goal.
transformational technologies, carbon emissions Up to $3,000,000 Link
DOE START Program DOE, Office of Indian Energy
Through the START Program, DOE Office of Indian Energy and DOE national laboratory experts provide technical assistance for tribal clean energy development by supporting community- and commercial-scale renewable energy projects across the country. Since its launch in December 2011, the START Program has helped 21 tribal communities advance their clean energy technology and infrastructure projects — from solar and wind to biofuels and energy efficiency.
Energy, Development, Community, Technology, Infrastructure Unklnown National, Indian Tribes, Alaska Link
Deployment of Clean Energy and Energy Efficiency on Indian Lands DOE, Office of Indian Energy
Deadline passed as of February 7, 2016. Deadlaine for 2018 unkown. In an effort by the Department to foster a more holistic engagement with Tribes on energy issues, the Department’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) Tribal Energy Program and its activities are being consolidated into DOE’s Office of Indian Energy. This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) builds on efforts by the Tribal Energy Program, and the authorities granted the Office of Indian Energy under EPAct 2005, to accelerate deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency technology on Indian Lands.
Energy efficiency, Renewable energy, Energy, clean energy, community, development Award amount varies. Indian Lands Link
Inter-Tribal Technical Assistance Energy Providers Network DOE, Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs
Through this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Department’s Office of Indian Energy is soliciting applications from “Alaska Native Regional Corporations” and “Inter-tribal Organizations” to provide technical assistance on a regional basis, to best meet the needs of their member Indian tribes, resulting in clear measurable outcomes or end-products that include a plan to become financially sufficient beyond DOE’s Office of Indian Energy funding and a methodology of equitably providing services across member Indian tribes or Alaska Native villages.
Technical Assistance, Economic Development, Energy Innovation. DOE anticipates making awards that range from $300,000 to $1,000,000 for the entire period of performance of 3–5 years. After that time it is expected that the Inter-tribal technical assistance energy provider will be financially sufficient and can continue these efforts without further DOE support. Alaska, Tribal Lands Link
START Renewable Energy Project Development Assistance DOE, Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs
The DOE Office of Indian Energy is now accepting applications for the third round of the Strategic Technical Assistance Response Team (START) Renewable Energy Project Development Assistance Program to provide Tribes with technical assistance with furthering the development of community- and commercial-scale renewable energy projects.
Renewable energy, Infrastructure See application National, Northwest, Southwest, Southeast, Northeast, Midwest, Alaska Link
FY 2017 Climate Science Centers Re-Competition DOI
Deadline passed as of July 19, 2016. Deadline for 2016 unkown. DOI is posting funding for the creation of four Climate Science Centers. Three of the regions – Alaska, Northwest and Southeast – are re-competitions of the hosting arrangements currently in place in those regions. The program announcement invites proposals to host each CSC (including identification of consortium partners), and to determine if their proposed science, partnership, and program support activities and strategies are appropriate to serve in these roles. To facilitate the financial assistance application process, a series of conference calls or webinars will be conducted by the NCCWSC to accommodate inquiries from Applicants about this program and the proposal review, evaluation, and selection process. These 2-hour sessions will be scheduled as follows: May 17, 2016 at 2:00 P.M. EDT, Eastern Daylight Time
; May 18, 2016 at 1:00 P.M. EDT, Eastern Daylight Time Interested applicants should email Kristen Donahue, kdonahue@usgs.gov, to obtain call-in/web address information.
Climate Science, Partnership, Science Network, Climate Adaptation, Mitigation up to $800,000 National, Alaska, Northwest, Southeast Link
Impact Assessment of DOI Natural and Cultural Resources Recovery Support Function under the National Disaster Recovery Framework DOI
RFP closed March 2016. The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) is the coordinating agency for the Natural and Cultural Resources (NCR) Recovery Support Function (RSF) under the National Disaster Recovery Framework (NDRF). The DOI Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance (OEPC), as the lead for the Department, has coordinated with DOI bureaus and NCR RSF major and supporting agencies to deploy many staff to the disaster areas to provide technical assistance to help affected states, tribes, and local communities recover natural and cultural resources impacted by wildfires in TX, Hurricane Isaac in LA, Superstorm Sandy in NY, NJ, and CT, floods in CO, floods in NM Santa Clara Pueblo, and mudslides in WA.
Planning, Disaster Recovery, Environmental Policy, Technical Assistance, Cultural Resources $30,000 National Link
Native American Affairs Office Technical Assistance Program DOI
Deadline for 2018 Unknown. The Bureau of Reclamation’s Office of Native American and International Affairs has a Technical Assistance for Tribes program. This program assists Federally recognized Indian Tribes to develop, manage and protect their water and related resources. Past project have included water needs assessments, improved water management studies, water quality data collection and assessments, and water measurement studies.
Water, Natural Resources, Education, Research Individual awards of up to $100,000 Northwest, Southwest, Midwest Link
WaterSMART Grants: Water Marketing Strategy Grants DOI
Deadline Passed 07/17/2018. Deadline Unknown for 2019. The objective of this FOA is to invite states, Indian tribes, irrigation districts, water districts, and other organizations with water or power delivery authority to leverage their money and resources by cost sharing with Reclamation to develop a water marketing strategy to increase water supply reliability. Applicants under this FOA may request funding to develop a water marketing strategy (Project) to establish or expand water markets or water marketing.
water, health, restoration, water rights, jurisdiction, government, plannign, policy, sustainability, access, conservation, adaptation, mitigation Up to $400,000. Western United States. Link
Historic Preservation Fund Grants to Underrepresented Communities DOI
Deadline passed as of July 31, 2017. Deadline for 2018 unknown. Grants support the survey, inventory, and designation of historic properties that are associated with communities currently underrepresented in the National Register of Historic Places and among National Historic Landmarks. Within one year of the completion of the grant, all projects must result in: the submission of a new nomination to the National Register of Historic Places or National Historic Landmark program OR an amendment to an existing National Register or National Historic Landmark nomination to include underrepresented communities.
national parks, preservation, historical monument, conservation Varies. National Link
Land Buy-Back Program for Tribal Nations DOI 09/30/2019
Funding Opportunity #: LBBP-2019-1. The Secretary of the Interior established the Land Buy-Back Program for Tribal Nations (Buy-Back Program, Program) to implement the land consolidation provisions of the Cobell Settlement Agreement, which provided $1.9 billion to consolidate fractional land interests across Indian country. The Buy-Back Program allows interested individual owners to sell their land for immediate transfer to the recognized tribe that exercises jurisdiction. This effort will strengthen tribal sovereignty and put decision-making in the hands of the tribal government, freeing up resources that have been locked-up as land interests that have fractionated over time. The Buy-Back Program has announced 105 locations where land consolidation activities such as planning, outreach, mapping, mineral evaluations, appraisals or acquisitions are scheduled to take place through the middle of 2021. The Buy-Back Program is interested in partnering with the eligible tribes that have jurisdiction over these 105 locations, as well as any locations that may be added to the implementation schedule, to gain their direct participation in land consolidation efforts given the tribes’ unique qualifications to perform land consolidation activities for their reservations. Consequently, the Program intends to, whenever feasible and practical, enter into single source cooperative agreements with these eligible tribes to not only capitalize on their unique knowledge of their reservations but also to improve the overall effectiveness and efficiency of the Program. Eligible tribes will be given the opportunity to apply for a cooperative agreement, whenever feasible and practical, prior to the implementation of the Buy-Back Program at the location under their jurisdiction.
sovereignty, jurisdiction, reclamation, administration, management, self-determination Land-based. United States Link
OIA Technical Assistance Program DOI
Deadline passed as of March 1, 2017. Deadline for 2018 unknown. The Technical Assistance Program (TAP) provides grant funding for short-term projects intended to meet the immediate needs of the insular areas. OIA's priorities are as follows: Climate change, accountability, financial management, economic development, training, education, energy, management control initiatives, safety, emergency, historical & cultural preservation, capacity building, health initiatives, and outdoor youth initiatives.
climate change, youth, planning, policy, management Up to $250,000. United States, International (US Territories) Link
FY18 National Climate Change & Wildlife Science Center Program DOI
Deadline Passed 4/9/2018. Deadline Unknown for 2019. This program was created to ensure that the National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center is responsive to the research and management needs of Federal and State agencies to provide science and technical support regarding the impacts of climate change in fish, wildlife, plants and ecological processes. National coordination of research and modeling at regional centers will ensure uniformity of downscaling and forecasting models and standardized information to support management of fish and wildlife resources and regional partnership collaborations.
climate change, biodiversity, wildlife, fisheries, aquatic resources, research, climate models, management, policy, planning, conservation Up to $4,500,000. National, United States Link
Abandoned Mine Reclamation (AMLR) Program DOI
Deadline unknown. The Office of Surface Mining awards grants to States and Tribes to support the operation of APPROVED State and Tribal abanodned mine land (AML) reclamation programs. Approved programs use grant funds for mine site reclamation projects on eligible lands, which are lands and waters mined or affected by coal mining processess that occurred prior to August 7, 1977 as well as certain post-1977 and noncoal mining activity.
Pollution Prevention, Hazardous Waste Disposal $260,000-$62,000,000 Northwest, Southwest, Northeast, Southeast, National, Alaska, Midwest Link
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, Partners for Fish and Wildlife DOI
Deadline passed as of June 30, 2017. Deadline for 2018 unknwon. Funding available for wetland and associated upland habitat restoration and enhancement projects for conservation of native Great Lakes fish and wildlife populations, particularly migratory birds. Particularly in the Great Lakes area, but not limited to.
habitat, restoration, management, conservation, wetlands, marsh, swamp, estuary Up to $25,000. Great Lakes, Minnesota Link
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2812
|
__label__cc
| 0.749608
| 0.250392
|
The Flood that Backfired, & the Tangut Refugees
A Tangut Tangka
Below is a donor couple, the man holds an incense burner
This is hardly the first time we’ve spoken of Tanguts. You might remember we once blogged on evidence of the Tangut ties of Padampa and his spiritual descendents.* I’m walking on air these days, since an unbelievable source for the history of Tibet and the Western Xia has suddenly popped up. This is the biography of Tishirepa by his Tangut-born disciple Repakarpo. Let me assure you it is chocked full of fascinating information about the life of a court-appointed Tibetan ritual master’s activities in Tangut Land. The proud but few experts in Tangut studies will particularly crave to know everything that is in it. Part of what makes it most fascinating, its frequent first-person narration, also creates difficulties. It’s somewhat colloquial and a challenge getting used to the cadences of the syntax, a style of Tibetan we moderns are bound to find strange.** It is further complicated by being located in a somewhat alien environment that was even then disappearing from the face of the earth, person and place names were transcribed back and forth between very different languages. Here the Tibetanists require the help of Tangutists, Mongolists and Sinologists.
(*See The Tangut Connection, and for more interesting discussion see the articles of Sun Penghao listed below. **Bear in mind the text was put together by a non-native speaker of Tibetan. Tangut and Tibetan may be distantly related, but the two languages were never going to be mutually intelligible.)
We find that Tishirepa very often tells his prophetic dreams, but immediately before and after them he also narrates the events of his day matter-of-factly, in a somewhat glib manner, without a lot of descriptions or adjectives. We can’t dismiss what he says just because we might not think dreams can be taken serious as prophecies or signs as most people did believe in the past, and many in fact still do today. We didn’t have such excellent and contemporary sources on the events in Tangut Land from the Tibetan side before, but now we have something, so I’m asking you, How would it hurt you to stop complaining about the difficulties and try to overcome them?
Today I’m just going to translate one brief paragraph. That should be enough of a taste of it to awaken somebody’s appetite to study the entire text in detail, since I’m not about to do it.
Repakarpo’s biography of Tishirepa, at page 304:
Then on the first day of the third moon the fortress was surrounded by water, which made people anxious. In the evening of 17th day of the 7th moon prior to this I had dreamed it was surrounded by water, but then I dreamed that things turned out well. But then in the evening of the 15th day the water supply of the fortress overflowed. Just as [the fortress] was about to be breached (?), a way was shown to stop the water, so it did not destroy the fort from within. Later that evening Tsangsoba and I together made tormas and hurled them into the water. Then on midnight of the 6th day the water spilled outward, and much of the Mongol encampment was swept away. On the 14th they made a gift of the king's own daughter and held negotiations. They went back to their own country. On the 17th the Tibetan lama teachers requested a timeout (?tshe-ka) and went each to his own monastery. I, too, went to the Gzing-gha Monastery of Ling-chu.* In those times I had one evening a dream in which the Precious Taglungthangpa was giving teachings and said, “The inhabitant of the center has a lotus ground.”
(*Ling-cu or Ling-chu has sometimes been taken as a Tibetan form of the name of the city of Liangzhou, but Sperling believes it transcribes the name of a different Tangut city, Lingzhou. For its location see this Wiki page. It is just over the river from Yinchuan, so this means Tishirepa didn't go far away.)
The heron that has dropped the fish flies without fear in the sky. ”
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2815
|
__label__wiki
| 0.804002
| 0.804002
|
Mark Zuckerberg's 10 Best Quotes Ever
Careers & Workplace
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg delivers a speech in Jakarta on October 13, 2014.
ROMEO GACAD—AFP/Getty Images
By Inc.
This post is in partnership with Inc., which offers useful advice, resources and insights to entrepreneurs and business owners. The article below was originally published at Inc.com.
Facebook CEO and founder Mark Zuckerberg is a true pioneer in the realm of technology. Time has named him among the top 100 most influential people in the world, and his personal wealth is currently estimated at more than $34 billion. (A portion of that wealth, he just announced, will be dedicated to combating the Ebola virus.) Zuckerberg famously launched Facebook from his Harvard dorm room in February 2004. Today, the social network has, on average, over 800 million daily users, and was most recently valued at $200 billion, Time reports.
In honor of the wunderkind’s unprecedented success, here are 10 of his best quotes to inspire entrepreneurs in any industry. (We’ll admit, some of them are just as out-of-the-box as Zuckerberg himself.)
1. “In a world that’s changing really quickly, the only strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking risks.” —From an October 2011 interview at Y Combinator’s Startup School in Palo Alto, California.
2. “The question isn’t ‘What do we want to know about people?’ It’s, ‘What do people want to tell about themselves?” —From a November 2011 interview with Charlie Rose.
3. “I literally coded Facebook in my dorm room and launched it from my dorm room. I rented a server for $85 a month, and I funded it by putting an ad on the site, and we’ve funded ever since by putting ads on the site.” —In the same Charlie Rose interview, Zuckberg spoke about the social media giant’s humble beginnings.
4. “A squirrel dying in your front yard may be more relevant to your interests right now than people dying in Africa.” —From a speech given to his colleagues at Facebook about relevance, as reported by The New York Times.
5. “Move fast and break things. Unless you are breaking stuff, you are not moving fast enough.” —In an interview with Business Insider’s Henry Blodget, Zuckberg opened up about innovation, management, and more. Recently, however, he announced that Facebook would be changing this motto.
6. “This is a perverse thing, personally, but I would rather be in the cycle where people are underestimating us. It gives us the latitude to go out and make big bets that excite and amaze people.” —The entrepreneur offered his thoughts on dealing with skeptics, in an interview at TechCrunch’s Disrupt SF conference in September 2012, as reported by Forbes.
7. “People can be really smart or have skills that are directly applicable, but if they don’t really believe in it, then they are not going to really work hard.” —From a Stanford University speaker series on hiring the right people, given October 2005.
8. “People don’t care about what someone says about you in a movie–or even what you say, right? They care about what you build.” —From an interview with ABC’s Diane Sawyer in July 2010.
9. “In Silicon Valley, you get this feeling that you have to be out here. But it’s not the only place to be. If I were starting now, I would have stayed in Boston. [Silicon Valley] is a little short-term focused and that bothers me.” —Also from the October 2011 interview at Y Combinator’s Startup School in Palo Alto, California.
10. “The question I ask myself like almost every day is, ‘Am I doing the most important thing I could be doing?’ … Unless I feel like I’m working on the most important problem that I can help with, then I’m not going to feel good about how I’m spending my time. —From Marcia Amidon Lusted’s biography Mark Zuckerberg: Facebook Creator.
Envious of the tech prodigy’s entrepreneurial success? Take his advice, and start breaking something today.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2816
|
__label__wiki
| 0.949469
| 0.949469
|
Enraged Protesters Storm the Legislature on the Anniversary of Hong Kong's Return to Chinese Sovereignty
A protester defaces the Hong Kong emblem after protesters broke into government headquarters on July 1, 2019.
Philip Fong—AFP/Getty Images
The 22nd anniversary of Hong Kong’s retrocession to China degenerated into anarchy Monday, after protesters smashed their way into the legislature and ransacked the offices. The brief occupation culminated in clashes around midnight as riot police dispersed the holdout protesters with volleys of tear gas.
Street clashes bookended the anniversary, starting in the early morning. Protesters occupied Harcourt Road and Lung Wo Road—major thoroughfares in the political heart of the city—and armed themselves with bricks and metal poles taken from a nearby construction site. Police responded with pepper spray and batons.
Demonstrators began besieging the legislature by midday. In the late afternoon, some used metal poles as battering rams and broke through the glass doors at the building’s entrance. Others tore down part of the building’s fence and dismantled a gate.
At around 9:00 p.m., the heavy police presence cleared out and protesters shattered both of the legislature’s public entrances. As they surged inside, they destroyed surveillance cameras and sprayed the facility with graffiti. “H.K. Gov f–king disgrace” was painted in large black letters overlooking the foyer. Another prominent message read, “Hong Kong Is Not China.”
Large oil portraits of Hong Kong’s deeply unpopular leaders were defaced and destroyed by the enraged mob, which freely rampaged through the corridors.
Shortly before 9:30 p.m., protesters breached the debating chamber and set about vandalizing the seat of Hong Kong’s unrepresentative government. They unfurled the colonial Hong Kong flag over the president’s desk and defaced the emblem of the Special Administrative Region, as China refers to the enclave.
In a highly symbolic act, a protester tore up a copy of Hong Kong’s post-colonial constitution and scattered the pages over the chair. A banner reading “There are no rioters, only a tyrannical government” was placed behind it.
Protesters gathered outside the government headquarters in Hong Kong on July 1, 2019, on the 22nd anniversary of the city's handover from Britain to China.
Dale de la Rey—AFP/Getty Images
Shortly after the building was stormed, protesters could be seen hauling in supplies and reinforcing barriers, as though preparing for a prolonged occupation. But three hours later, columns of police began to move toward the premises. The Hong Kong Police Force said the building had been “violently attacked” and “illegally” entered.
With police outside preparing to sweep the legislature, protesters occupying the chamber held a deliberation over whether or not to stay. One protester removed his face mask and stood up on the chamber desks, shouting, “We really cannot afford to lose anymore.”
Hong Kong’s embattled top official, Chief Executive Carrie, called a 4 a.m. press conference to rebuke the protesters involved in vandalizing the Legislative Council.
“This is something that we should seriously condemn, because nothing is more important than the rule of law in Hong Kong,” she said. “So I hope the community at large will agree with us that with these violent acts that we have seen, it is right for us to condemn it and hope society will return to normal as soon as possible.”
Read more: It Is Time for Democracy in Hong Kong
At her pre-dawn press conference Tuesday, the Beijing-backed leader also insisted her government has responded to protester’s complaints over a now-suspended bill that would allow extradition to mainland China. The proposal, she said, will die at the end of the legislative session in July 2020.
The government initially said the law was necessary to prevent Hong Kong from becoming a haven for criminals; detractors say Beijing will use it to order the arrest of dissidents and critics. In any case, the protesters’ original demand—that the extradition bill be withdrawn—has been eclipsed by a broad push for greater democracy and a repudiation of Chinese sovereignty itself.
Asked what message he had for the Chinese government on the anniversary of Hong Kong’s reunification with China, protester Don Lee, 26, said: “I’d tell them that we want universal suffrage.”
Earlier in the day, hundreds of thousands of peaceful protesters, including families and young kids, took part in a march from Victoria Park calling on Lam to step down.
After the morning’s disturbances, police attempted to persuade organizers to call off the procession, but they refused. Police sealed off part of the park, the march’s starting point, and, citing a “serious safety threat,” refused to give permission for marchers to proceed through the Admiralty district, where Hong Kong’s legislature and government offices are located.
Protesters break into the Legislative Council complex in Hong Kong on July 1, 2019.
Billy H.C. Kwok—Getty Images
Demonstrators look through items in an office after breaking into the Legislative Council building during a protest in Hong Kong on July 1, 2019.
Eduardo Leal—Bloomberg/Getty Images
Umbrellas are used to block doors inside the Legislative Council building in Hong Kong on July 1, 2019.
Justin Chin—Bloomberg/Getty Images
“China needs to respect our rights as Hongkongers,” said Juliana, a 34-year old advertising worker, defying police to march with others. She added: “The situation is very tense because our government is not acting in the best interest of Hong Kong.”
As marchers began to arrive in Admiralty in the late afternoon, they reinforced those who had set up barricades across Harcourt Road, swelling the crowd considerably. Protesters passed out face masks and carted trolleys filled with bricks.
A protester in her mid-20s, who would only give her name as Mary H. and stated that she was a civil engineer, said “Today is the flag raising ceremony. We wanted to be here early to show our opposition to that. Everything the Chinese government is doing is suppressing our freedoms.”
The deteriorating security situation also forced a humiliating scaling down of a morning flag raising ceremony meant to be a focus of national pride.
Some 5,000 police, including armed marine police, had been deployed to put the area around the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre on lockdown. A small, carefully vetted audience gathered there in the morning to watch, on closed-circuit television, the flag raising taking place outside.
The government said the indoor location was to spare guests from having to stand in the light drizzle, but there could only have been relief that dignitaries were shielded from the violent unrest breaking out nearby. At a flagpole less than a kilometer away, a Chinese flag was taken down by protesters overnight and the Black Bauhinia, the emblem of the Hong Kong rebellion, was run up in its place. Black-clad protesters attempted to march on the Convention Centre as the ceremony was taking place but were repelled by police.
“I know that the Government has a lot to improve,” Lam said in her address to the official gathering. “We will continue to listen to the community’s views and make continuous improvement to our work.”
Protesters and members of the media are seen in the chambers after demonstrators broke into the government headquarters in Hong Kong on July 1, 2019.
Anthony Wallace—AFP/Getty Images
Democratic legislator Helena Wong heckled Lam’s speech—an unheard of disruption at what is normally a tightly choreographed event—and was evicted from the hall.
The furore over the bill has laid bare political and social faultlines in the former British colony. Monday’s clashes come in the wake of an unruly rally Sunday that saw pro-government mobs abuse and assault journalists and foreigners. Scuffles and tense standoffs between pro- and anti-government groups also took place in the area around the legislature and central government offices.
Local media meanwhile reported late Sunday that a 29-year-old woman had fallen to her death from the retail podium of the International Finance Centre, after leaving a Facebook post saying that she would not be attending anti-government protests planned for today and encouraging Hongkongers to ga yau. Literally meaning “add oil,” in the sense of injecting fuel into a tank, the Cantonese phrase is a common exhortation among protesters.
Riot police are positioned outside the Legislative Council building, after protesters stormed the complex on the anniversary of Hong Kong's handover to China, in Hong Kong on July 2, 2019.
Thomas Peter—Reuters
A broken window at the Legislative Council building during a protest in Hong Kong on July 1, 2019.
Her death follows that of a 35-year-old man who died on June 15 after unfurling a protest banner on the side of a shopping mall, and a 21-year-old student, who fell from a building yesterday after leaving a note calling for Lam’s resignation. Memorials for all three are planned today.
University student Nicole Cheung, 19, said the deaths “make us heartbroken. I respect them but I don’t want anyone to do the same. We want everyone fighting to see the future.”
Kandice, an 18-year-old protester, who had written the deceased student’s last words on her back, added: “The whole government system is the problem. This is not democracy.”
—With reporting by Kamakshi Ayyar, Laignee Barron, Aria Hangyu Chen, Abhishyant Kidangoor and Hillary Leung / Hong Kong
The portrait of a former chairman of the Legislative Council, Jasper Tsang, is destroyed after protesters broke into the chamber of the Legislative Council in Hong Kong on July 1, 2019.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2818
|
__label__cc
| 0.530261
| 0.469739
|
Tim Giuliani
There is no future in rebuilding the past. #Broad-Based Prosperity, #Entrepreneurship, #Collective Impact, #Strategic Foresight, #Economic Development
Orlando Economic Partnership
Gainesville Chamber President & CEO Announcement
Tim Giuliani October 15, 2012 Uncategorized
(As released by the Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce on July 27, 2012)
The Board of the Directors of the Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce selected Tim Giuliani as the new president and chief executive officer following a national search. He and the Chamber’s leadership team will work closely with community, educational and business leaders to advance Innovation Gainesville and create an environment where businesses can succeed.
“The Gainesville Chamber is leading our economy forward through the Innovation Gainesville initiative led by a collaboration of committed leaders. Today, our community gains a leader who will propel our initiatives forward and take our nationally recognized organization to the next level,” said Mike Gallagher, chairman of the Chamber Board of Directors and President and CEO of SantaFe HealthCare and its affiliates.
Gallagher said, “Tim is already highly familiar with our chamber and Gainesville, having served as our director of Membership from 2006 to 2008. During his tenure he added 200 members to our organization. We expect to see the same level of success from Tim in this new role.”
Giuliani returns to Gainesville from Tallahassee where he served as vice president of Corporate Outreach and Engagement for the Florida Chamber of Commerce since February 2008. In that role, he managed statewide outreach, fundraising and grassroots efforts for the state’s largest business advocacy organization.
The Chamber Board of Directors established a search committee led by chair-elect Mitch Glaeser following the resignation of Brent Christensen, who took a position to head the economic development efforts for the Mississippi Development Authority after leading the Gainesville Chamber for 10 years. After reviewing information on prospective candidates compiled by The PACE Group, a national search firm, the selection committee chose Giuliani after interviewing several candidates. They made their recommendations to the Chamber Board of Directors on July 20.
“The board unanimously approved the selection of Tim and we are confident that our 5-Star chamber is bringing in the best of the best by conducting a thorough national search,” Glaeser said.
Through collaboration with the University of Florida, Santa Fe College and others, the Innovation Gainesville initiative has already begun to show strong results. Dr. Win Phillips, senior vice president and chief operating officer at UF, and a member of the search committee said, “The University has made a long term commitment to Innovation Gainesville and the relationship between the chamber and university is strong and is good for our entire community.”
Sonia Douglas has served as interim President and CEO since the departure of Brent Christensen. “Sonia and the rest of the leadership team have provided exemplary leadership during the transition period. The staff is top notch and I look forward to what we can accomplish together,” said Tim Giuliani.
“I am honored and excited to be selected to lead such a distinguished organization at a time when the need for economic leadership and job creation are so vital,” Giuliani said. “My wife and I are University of Florida alumni, we consider Gainesville home, and we are looking forward to being very involved in the Gainesville community.”
Giuliani earned his bachelor’s in economics and communication from Florida State University and his M.B.A. from the UF Warrington College of Business Administration. Giuliani and his wife, Sarah, both from St. Augustine, FL, have two sons and a daughter. He is expected to start in his position in mid-August.
chamber of commerce, florida, Gainesville, leadership
Previous Crowdfunding: A new financing option for entrepreneurs and investors
Next Our future
Published by Tim Giuliani
View all posts by Tim Giuliani
As President and CEO, Tim leads the Orlando Economic Partnership. The organization’s top priorities include creating high-wage, high-value jobs, expanding Central Florida’s global reach and competitiveness, supporting and enhancing educational/skills preparedness in the talent pipeline, strengthening advocacy for improved infrastructure and community resources, and creating an enviable quality of life that is broad-based and sustainable.
Family: Beautiful wife with expertise in education and reading. Two fun-loving little boys and a sweet little girl.
http://www.linkedin.com/in/tgiuliani
Twitter: @TimGiuliani
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2819
|
__label__cc
| 0.512608
| 0.487392
|
Aisha Buhari drops ‘Wife of President’ title for ‘First Lady’
By Leon Usigbe - Abuja On Jun 13, 2019
The Wife of the President, Aisha Buhari, has dumped the appellation, “Wife of the President,“ by which she has been addressed since President Muhammadu Buhari assumed office in 2015.
She is now to be referred to by the more traditional designation, “First Lady.”
Aisha disclosed this at an award night and dinner in honour of outgoing and incoming Governors’ wives at the Banquet hall of the State House, Abuja on Thursday night.
Even though she had performed the role of the First Lady throughout her husband’s first tenure, she had stuck to the “Wife of the President” title in line with Buhari’s pre-election promise that there would be no office of the First Lady.
The President has apparently had a change of heart as his wife now assumes the new title of the First Lady.
It was gathered that this may also apply in all the states of the federation where governors’ spouses had been addressed as “Wife of the Governor.”
Aisha-BuhariFirst LadyThe Wife of the President
Bala Muhammed rejects state police, sets up security trust fund to empower traditional rulers
Nigeria’s outrageous railway contract sum
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2821
|
__label__cc
| 0.746025
| 0.253975
|
Hellfighters
After years of chain smoking, John Wayne underwent surgery to remove his cancerous left lung in 1964. A huge star since he burst onto the scene in the 1930s, the Duke came back with a vengeance and over the next 15 years made 20 movies. With an exception here and there, these movies were typically family affairs for Wayne. He worked with directors, crews, and actors that were familiar with him. And in this period more than any other, John Wayne didn't even have to act because most of the time he was playing himself.
Going through such a drastic procedure clearly didn't slow him down, but it certainly made the star appreciate what he had. Why mess with productions that would only threaten his health again? Instead, he stuck with what he knew. And of those 20 movies, I can name several which are in my top 10 Duke movies. One that isn't? That's easy, 1968's Hellfighters. I don't remember how old I was when I saw my first John Wayne movie, but I know I was young, and in the years since, I've seen just about every single one. Hellfighters was one of the few I hadn't, and to be honest, I don't know why. I never intentionally avoided it, but I never sought it out either. I'm glad I saw it to check it off the list, but it's not one of Wayne's better efforts.
John Wayne plays Chance Buckman, the owner of a company that puts out oil well fires. Buckman's exploits are based loosely on real life firefighter Red Adair, but reading up about Adair, it looks like the only thing the movie and his life have in common is that they were both actually oil well firefighters. It's about there the similarities diverge in a big way. In terms of pure visual entertainment and spectacle, I'm hard-pressed to think of too many things more exciting to watch than an epic, blazing oil well fire. These scenes are the high points of the movie. But somehow and for some reason, the story is dumbed down and filtered to the point where it could be any dangerous profession. So instead of 2 hours of fighting oil well fires, we get unnecessary family drama.
Chance Buckman (Wayne) loves what he does and he's damn good at it. With his company based out of Houston, Buckman travels the world with his team putting out, extinguishing and saving oil wells that burst into flames during drilling. It's incredibly dangerous work, but with years of practice and know-how, Chance has got it down to an art. But after one accident that hospitalizes him, his estranged daughter, Tish (Katharine Ross), comes to see him and ends up marrying Chance's right-hand man, Greg Parker (Jim Hutton). As if his job wasn't worrisome enough, Chance is now worrying about his daughter and son-in-law, not to mention his divorced wife, Madelyn (Vera Miles), who returns after years away.
It almost pains me to right that specific of a plot description for a movie about oil well firefighters. And that's the unfortunate part. With a profession like this, you would think it nearly impossible to make a dull movie about it, but director Andrew V. McLaglen succeeds in a big way. The minute the story heads away from the fire scenes, Hellfighters is downright dull. I'll admit some of the family background is needed to show the effects the job has on the firefighter and their families, but a little goes a long way here. Ross especially seems to get a kick out of showing up at these dangerous sites, seemingly oblivious to that danger. Wayne and Hutton spend much of the movie yelling at her to get down or get back. Her character is annoying and not in a cutesy way.
These romantic scenes are at times painful to watch. Wayne worked with Vera Miles in several pictures, but never with a romantic dynamic between them. As divorcees, they have little chemistry together, and it seems an odd choice to make 60-year old Wayne a heartthrob with this part. As annoying as the Hutton/Ross love plotline can be, at least it's somewhat believable. Not so with an older Wayne and a 39-year old Miles. Still, Wayne is the Duke, and he does make the most of his part, instilling some humor and 'Never say die!' spirit into it. Hutton is wasted as Chance's right hand man which is disappointing because as was the case with The Green Berets, he's got good chemistry with Wayne.
I'm not able to find clips available of the oil well scenes, but they're a sight to behold with a feeling of 'I know I shouldn't look, but I must!' throughout. Now whether McLaglen filmed actual oil well fires or created his own for the sake of the movie, I don't know, but these are some remarkable sequences. Making them that much cooler, Wayne and Hutton look to do at least some of their own stunts nearby the flaming wells. Wayne's team includes Bruce Cabot and Edward Faulkner as on-site help, with old friend and partner Jay C. Flippen left behind back at the office. It's too bad more couldn't have been done with the team because I found them much more interesting. Two solid hours of fighting oil fires probably isn't feasible, but cut the movie by 30 minutes, and maybe we're onto something.
All I can say is I wish this was a better movie. There's only so many John Wayne movies out there so when I see one that doesn't live up to its potential, I feel like I'm missing out. Hellfighters has a lot of potential but never lives up to it. Lots of great sequences are there with a solid cast, but it never clicks together. The story drifts along filling in the blanks between fires before the necessary, not at all surprising ending. Worthwhile for the oil well fire sequences, but other than that, steer clear.
Hellfighters <----fan-made trailer (1968): **/****
Labels: 1960s, Andrew McLaglen, Bruce Cabot, Jim Hutton, John Wayne, Katharine Ross
Devil's Doorway
Mother, Jugs and Speed
Jack Sparrow's long-lost relatives
A Town Called Hell
Patriot Games
Tension at Table Rock
Race With the Devil
Murderers' Row
Kitten with a Whip
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2826
|
__label__wiki
| 0.601342
| 0.601342
|
Stampeders preaching versatility for defensive backs
Daniel Austin
Updated: July 10, 2019 6:59 PM EDT
Versatility has always been valued in the Calgary Stampeders defensive backfield.
Josh Bell, the team’s DB coach, emphasizes in training camp that he wants his players to learn multiple positions.
That’s part of why it was no surprise to see Raheem Wilson shifted to the boundary halfback position for last weekend’s game against the Saskatchewan Roughriders after Brandon Smith was ruled-out.
Wilson had spent two games starting at corner, but was moved inside and didn’t look at all out of place.
“Luckily, I had a lot of experience throughout training camp at boundary half,” Wilson said. “When they brought me in at first, that’s where they had me. The transition to corner was actually the first transition and I’m just coming back to where I originally started.
“It’s different, but you get a lot more action. It happens fast on the boundary.”
Wilson might be choosing to downplay the challenges of moving back and forth between positions in the defensive backfield, but it’s something Bell doesn’t take for granted.
First-year American defensive backs have a lot to learn about the intricacies of the Canadian game and shifting from one spot to another doesn’t make that any easier.
“It’s the guy, the mental capacity of the guy,” Bell said. “He was able to digest a lot starting with IMG (the Stampeders’ spring mini-camp in Florida). He felt comfortable with everything he had, so first four days of training camp he played four positions and right then it was like ‘OK, got something.’
“Him being able to go anywhere, he’s the mover. If anything happens, he can go play across the board, maybe even free safety.”
With Wilson at half-back against the Riders, the Stamps got another strong performance from the impressive Robertson Daniel, who picked up his first CFL interception in the second half.
Of the group that so effectively limited the Riders’ passing game, only Tre Roberson and Jamar Wall were everyday starters last year. Despite some predictions that the Stamps defence was in for a tough night, though, the mix-and-match unit rose to the occasion.
It was an encouraging performance, to be sure, but having versatile defensive backs doesn’t mean you always want to take advantage of that and the Stampeders would like to find a little continuity going forward.
“Rob Daniel is just showing up at the field corner, Raheem is replacing Smitty and that was a concern (but) him and Tre did a nice job communicating,” said Stampeders head coach Dave Dickenson. “We’re getting better. I don’t mind going young, but I’d like to play the same guys. I’d like to play the same guys and get some continuity.
“That’s the thing, we don’t mind going young and inexperienced but they need to grow and right now injuries are taking away from that.”
The Stampeders can’t control injuries, of course, but so far guys like Wilson and Daniel are doing an impressive job with the things they can control.
Wilson credited his time as a quarterback — like Tre Roberson, he was quick to note — back in high school with helping him see offences a little differently than most and adjust to the different DB spots quickly.
He’s certainly not the finished product, but nobody should expect him to be only three games into his rookie season.
“He’s a very disciplined buy, and my biggest thing is we like discipline to a degree,” Bell said. “So get him to come out of doing his job and just be a playmaker, that’s the next step. We know he can do his job, that’s what he’s on the team. No, OK, do your job but now set something up. Be a little greedy every now and then to make your play.”
daustin@postmedia.com
www.twitter.com/DannyAustin_9
Canadian Professional Football
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2828
|
__label__wiki
| 0.914604
| 0.914604
|
Assassin's Creed II takes place in an open world with nonlinear gameplay, allowing the player to free roam within the four regions: the cities of Venice, Rome, and Florence, and the Tuscan countryside; acquiring weapons which the character may buy from vendors at will. Also available is colored dye used to change the color of the player-character's outfit. An article published in Game Informer revealed that Assassin's Creed II will grant the player the ability to swim and use the canals of Venice as hiding spots and will allow the player to drag city guards into the water as a means of assassination. At E3 2009, it was confirmed by the creative director that Ezio will be able to "drive small boats". A young Leonardo da Vinci is present in the game, as an aid to the player who provides a host of weapons and contraptions available for use. At one point in the game, the player can access da Vinci's flying machine which he actually built, keeping airborne using thermals from fires lit by friends gathered previously in the game. The game will feature a host of new mission types for the player to complete.
ScrewAttack revealed that there will be many weapons included in the game such as halberds, axes, long pikes, swords, daggers, and numerous others. Six additional weapons can be unlocked by players who completed Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines by linking their PSP to their PS3. Additionally, the player can disarm opponents and use their own weapons against them. The game is stated to have a much more sophisticated combat system; the player will have to use a variety of tactics on different enemies and - as demonstrated in E3 2009 demo - can now assassinate two people at once by means of Ezio's dual hidden blades. The player will also be able to automatically commit a stealth kill if the player is positioned correctly in proximity to the target and if Ezio remains anonymous without having to select the hidden blades. The poison blade is another one of the hidden blade upgrades that Ezio will get from da Vinci.
The developers said that while in Assassin's Creed there were around 5-6 mission types, there are around 14-16 mission types in Assassin's Creed II. This makes for bigger missions altogether, as a mission may start as an escort mission, then become a chase mission, and then end as an assassination mission. The structure of missions from Assassin's Creed is taken away, so there is no more investigating, as missions are available from people on the street and people met in the game. There are roughly 200 missions in this game; one hundred are part of the main narrative, while the other hundred are side quests.
The health system has been adjusted to allow for a more dynamic and participatory experience, meaning that the "memory sync" system used in the first game only helps to recharge health up to a certain point. More grievous injuries will require a trip to one of the many street-side doctors, who can help return Ezio to full strength.
As well as using water as a hiding place, the player can utilize a broader array of scenery as cover and can now blend in with any crowd rather than a group of scholars dressed in white, as in Assassin's Creed. Like in the 2006 video game Hitman: Blood Money, there will be a notoriety system, and the player will become more notorious as Ezio completes more missions, however Ezio's infamy can be reduced by bribing, removing wanted posters of him or assassinating witnesses. Also, a day and night cycle has been added to the game, giving the sense of a passage of time but additionally certain missions will only be able to be performed during the day or night . The game will feature some sort of economic system that makes it possible to hire services from non-player characters (NPCs). Ezio can steal from any of the NPCs, and likewise there are NPCs who can also steal from Ezio. The player can also use money to buy tools made by Leonardo da Vinci.
Besides the main cities of the game, the player can access hidden locations such as catacombs and caves, the contents of which have been compared by the developers to the Prince of Persia series. Exploring these locations rewards the player. It has also been said that the player can choose to throw money to the ground, which attracts the attention of nearby civilians, creating a distraction. Additionally, the eagle vision from the first game has been improved, now giving the option of remaining in third person with eagle vision initiated, allowing the player to spot targets while moving.
The animus has also been updated in Assassin's Creed II. This time, it will have a database, giving extra information about all the key locations, characters and services that the player will encounter during play. For example, when the player approaches a famous church - like Santa Maria Novella in Florence - with a simple button press, its history is revealed.
The trailer, which debuted at E3 2009, displayed many new things such as improved parkour mechanics. The main reveal of the trailer involved Ezio withdrawing his hidden blade to access a rudimentary gunpowder-based mechanic on his wristblade to take out a target from a distance. It has also been confirmed at E3 2009 that Desmond himself will "do more than just walk" in this game. Another feature, as seen in the gameplay video, no cover is safe, as guards can search them. To counter this Ezio has the ability to assassinate the incoming guards before detection, and placing the bodies in his former hiding location (he drags them into haystacks, places dead enemies on the bench he was sitting at between two allies etc). Another aspect revealed in the gameplay trailer was the addition of "smoke bombs" to aid in Ezio's escape.
Another new feature in Assassin's Creed II is the economy system which allows players to use an in-game currency to purchase items such as poison bottles, armor and swords. Players may also hire mercenaries and women to distract guards.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2831
|
__label__cc
| 0.531315
| 0.468685
|
Q&A With Greg Yaitanes, Director of House Episode “Nobody’s Fault”
Posted on February 4, 2012 by verityjes Posted in TV Tagged Greg Yaitanes, House M.D., Hugh Laurie, Jeffrey Wright, Jesse Spencer Leave a comment
Interview with Greg Yaitanes, the director of “Nobody’s Fault”. Apparently this is the last House episode he’s directing, he’s moving on to another show. Some interesting tidbits about the episode:
Who is responsible for recklessness — the person who’s being reckless or the person who creates an environment in which it’s okay to be reckless?
I guess this means Chase is the one being reckless in dealing with the patient, but he feels comfortable being reckless because he’s so used to House’s reckless way of doing things? That’s probably why Dr Cofield was asking House in one of the previews whether he blames Chase or Adams for what happened. House’s answer is that he blames neither of them, which brings up the question, does he blame himself, then? I’ve been catching up with Season 7 episodes, and there’s a scene where Chase was telling Martha M. Masters the med student that working for House has changed him, and not necessarily for the better. So in a way Chase did take Cameron’s parting shot to heart. Maybe you should have left with her back then, Chase!
On the other hand, I thought Cameron was over the top with the “you ruined him, so he can’t even see right from wrong” comment. Does she have so little respect for her husband that she can completely ignore his own agency? Chase killed a patient, for a reason that House won’t necessarily agree with anyway. Granted, House likes playing God, but only to solve the puzzle and save the particular patient they’re dealing with; killing someone to potentially save the lives of others isn’t really in House’s house of dysfunctions. But on the other other hand, he was very cavalier about Chase’s action (“better a murder than a misdiagnosis”), so maybe that’s part of the reckless environment everyone is referring to.
It’s really an episode so rare in television to get the viewer as involved as anybody. We’re just as responsible for what happened because we’ve cheered and laughed and thought House was outrageous. And now someone’s gotten hurt. So I don’t know what show really turns the mirror on the audience the way this episode does.
Aghhh, this again? If I want to be lectured about audience complicity and responsibility, I’d rather watch a Michael Haneke’s movie instead. If the audience cheered and laughed, it’s because the show wanted them to cheer and laugh, and the writers designed the scenes to invoke cheering and laughter. What about the writers’ responsibility?
I agree that Cofield is a formidable opponent and the reason I reached out to Jeffrey to do this was I needed someone across that table that was House’s match. I do feel that House has met his match with Dr. Cofield. It’s very important that you have to have someone on the other side of that table who can also be Hugh’s match. Hugh is such a phenomenal talent that you have to put a phenomenal talent across the table. There was nobody who came to mind except for Jeffrey the second I heard about the story.
Jeffrey Wright is an amazing actor, and I have no doubt that he can more than held his own against Hugh Laurie. I just find it disappointing that every time the show brings in an outside character to go toe-to-toe with House, it’s always a guy (Vogler, Tritter, now Cofield). As if it is not at all possible for House to meet his match with a woman.
I’ve been reading some speculations that this could be Chase’s swan song on the show – Jesse Spencer talking about Chase blaming House for what happened, the preview for the next episode (812 – “Chase”) mentioning a fundamental disagreement between House and Chase on how to treat the nun – could be hints that Chase will be leaving House’s team. Because he blames House and can’t forgive him, or because he’s afraid the longer he works for House, the more he will change for the worse, or a combination of both. On the forgiveness part, if the show is interested in consistency based on past actions of a character, of course Chase will forgive House; that’s what he always does.
Exhibit 1: Chase told House his father has given him enough disappointment, and he’s given him enough hugs. So, definitely no hug for daddy then, right?
Exhibit 2: Chase told Wilson he’s done waiting for House’s approval after House punched him. So we should expect chilly relationship at the very least, and definitely no hugging when he thought House is dying, no?
I love the economy of the dialogue, by the way – “I’m sorry you’re dying. I’m going to hug you. Anything to say?”. See, House, it is possible to say “I’m sorry” without it being an admission of guilt.
This is why even though the show bugs me sometimes for repeating over and over again how much Foreman is like House, and how Chase is not like House and can never be like House, on some fundamental level, I think that’s actually true. Chase will never be like House, because unlike House (and Foreman!), deep down, he’s a big softie (House would probably use the word “sucker’). He makes a big show talking about not forgiving someone, but always does in the end. And as the show keeps telling us ad nauseum, PEOPLE DON”T CHANGE.
Link: http://www.themortonreport.com/entertainment/television/q-a-with-greg-yaitanes-executive-producer-of-house/
← Wild Romance
House “Nobody’s Fault” – What Type of Injury? →
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2835
|
__label__wiki
| 0.639902
| 0.639902
|
Park at a Glance
Size: 3,840km2
Murchison Falls became one of Uganda’s first national parks in 1952
At Murchison Falls, the Nile squeezes through an 8m wide gorge and plunges with a thunderous roar into the "Devil's Cauldron", creating a trademark rainbow
The northern section of the park contains savanna and borassus palms, acacia trees and riverine woodland. The south is dominated by woodland and forest patches
The 1951 film "The African Queen" starring Humphrey Bogart was filmed on Lake Albert and the Nile in Murchison Falls National Park
Murchison Falls National Park lies at the northern end of the Albertine Rift Valley, where the sweeping Bunyoro escarpment tumbles into vast, palm-dotted savanna. First gazetted as a game reserve in 1926, it is Uganda's largest and oldest conservation area, hosting 76 species of mammals and 451 birds.
The park is bisected by the Victoria Nile, which plunges 45m over the remnant rift valley wall, creating the dramatic Murchison Falls, the centerpiece of the park and the final event in an 80km stretch of rapids. The mighty cascade drains the last of the river's energy, transforming it into a broad, placid stream that flows quietly across the rift valley floor into Lake Albert. This stretch of river provides one of Uganda's most remarkable wildlife spectacles. Regular visitors to the riverbanks include elephants, giraffes and buffaloes; while hippos, Nile crocodiles and aquatic birds are permanent residents.
Notable visitors to the park include Winston Churchill, Theodore Roosevelt, Ernest Hemingway and several British royals.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2837
|
__label__cc
| 0.581579
| 0.418421
|
Congress Manages to Avert the "Fiscal Cliff"
By enacting the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, Congress managed to avert, at the last minute, the "Fiscal Cliff". Unfortunately, this legislation left many issues unresolved. Congressional Republicans did not get the spending cuts they wanted, and soon the nation will be faced with being unable to continue to borrow more money to pay for the cost of government (the "debt ceiling" issue). Accordingly, this issue will pay special attention to where we go now as a nation in addressing our mounting budgetary deficits.
Congress's Last Minute Passage of Legislation Averts Income Tax Hikes for Many - On January 1, 2013, Congress passed the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 ("ATRA") which allowed income tax rates to rise on the nation's highest earners, while extending many tax cuts for individuals and businesses.
Regarding the federal income tax, perhaps ATRA's most significant impact was to permanently maintain the reduced 2001 and 2003 federal income tax rates for individuals earning up to $400,000 ($450,000 for married filing jointly couples), while allowing income above that to be taxed at rates rising to 39.6%.
Regarding federal estate taxes, ATRA made permanent the current $5,000,000 per person exemption, as indexed for inflation ($5,250,000 for 2013), but raised the top tax rate from 35% to 40%. In addition, ATRA also made permanent the "portability provision" that allows a spouse to transfer his or her estate tax exemption to a surviving spouse.
The following summarizes some of the more important provisions of the ATRA:
Permanent AMT Patch
Nearly half - $1.8 trillion - of the estimated $3.9 trillion cost of the legislation was due to making permanent a patch that has the effect of keeping the alternative minimum tax from impacting almost 4,000,000 taxpayers in 2012.
Tax Extenders for Individuals
The ATRA includes $12 billion in tax breaks for individuals. These include the deduction for state and local sales taxes and the above-the-line deduction of up to $250 to teacher classroom expenses. Also extended was a tax provision that allows taxpayers to exclude (under certain conditions) up to $2 million of mortgage debt forgiven by the lender. The ATRA also now permits plan sponsors to allow participants in 401(k) plans to convert some or all of their 401(k) account to a Roth IRA account at any time. Under prior law, participants must have been otherwise entitled to a distribution under the 401(k) plan in order to make this conversion.
Tax Extenders for Businesses
The ATRA includes more than $46 billion in traditional tax extenders that business interests have been lobbying for, including an extension of the research and development tax credit, the Work Opportunity Tax Credit, and the 15-year straight line cost recovery for qualified leasehold, restaurant, and retail improvements.
Many Below the $400,000 Threshold Will Nevertheless Experience An Increase In Their Payroll Taxes
In addition to tax rate increases on “wealthy” wage earners, the ATRA will nevertheless result in an increase in the payroll taxes incurred by approximately 77% of all households. This tax increase occurred since the ATRA did not extend the 2% payroll tax holiday that expired on December 31, 2012. An employee's share of the Social Security Taxes withheld from his salary therefore has increased to 6.2% of his wages for 2013 (from 4.2% of his wages in 2012).
Tax Reform Still the Goal
The Congressional tax writers who drafted the ATRA have stated that although the ATRA makes permanent the Bush-era tax cuts for those earning less than $400,000 per year, they are still working on overhauling the Internal Revenue Code. Prior to the passage of the ATRA, the House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee Chairman, Representative Dave Camp, (R-Mich.), remarked that the Internal Revenue Code was a “nightmare” and that Congress needs to make it simpler and fairer for families and small businesses. He also emphasized that “We can and will do comprehensive tax reform this year, in 2013”.
President Obama and Representative John Boehner (R-Ohio) Square Off – Upon the passage of the ATRA legislation, the President took the occasion to announce his game plan for the next set of negotiations that must take place over the next 2 months.
President Obama noted that “there will be more deficit reduction as Congress decides what to do about the automatic spending cuts [initially required under the Budget Control Act of 2011 - i.e., sequestration] that we have now delayed for 2 months [via the ATRA].” He went on to say that “we can't simply cut our way to prosperity. Cutting spending has to go hand in hand with further reforms to our tax code, so that the wealthiest corporations and individuals can't take advantage of loopholes and deductions that aren't available to most Americans.”
At his January 14, 2013 news conference, President Obama said that deficit reduction cannot be achieved only through sending cuts, and that he will not cut spending dollar-for-dollar to increase the debt ceiling.
In contrast, Rep. Boehner stated that the federal government has a spending problem that has led to a $16 trillion national debt that threatens the nation's future. In Rep. Boehner's words, “Now the focus turns to spending. The elected Republican majority in the House will in 2013 hold the President accountable for the balanced approach he promised, meaning significant spending cuts and reforms to the entitlement programs that are driving the country deeper into debt.”
Boehner insisted that spending cuts are the solution to the nation's deficit crisis. According to him, “[The] consequences of failing to increase the debt ceiling are real, but so too are the consequences of allowing our spending problem to go unresolved.”
Congressional Research Service ("CRS") Weighs In on the ATRA - In a report released on January 9, 2013, the CRS took the position that although the ATRA was meant to avoid the mandated tax increases and spending cuts known as the "Fiscal Cliff", it only reduced its impact. The report noted that its remaining effect could decrease economic output by as much as 2% (if additional action by Congress is not taken). According to the CRS, the issues involved in the ATRA addressed approximately 60% of the Fiscal Cliff, but only avoided 40% of the projected economic contraction had the ATRA not been enacted. In its report, the CRS stated:
“Many of the items omitted in the legislation had a more powerful than average effect on the economy per dollar of deficit, especially the [failure to address the] payroll tax cut and budget cuts. Even though much of the contractionary effect has been eliminated, the economy will still slow due to fiscal restraint.”
Democrats Are Not In a Hurry to Enact Fundamental Tax Reform - In a statement released on January 15, 2013, Representative Sander Levin (D-Mich.) stated that "[We] aren't going to accomplish tax reform in the next six weeks." According to Rep. Levin, Congress must first deal with the spending cuts known as the "sequester" (the automatic deep spending cuts in defense and other programs which were set to occur on January 1, 2013 under the Budget Act of 2011, but which were postponed for two months under the ATRA). Noting there will be plenty of time to then deal with tax reform, Rep. Levin said that he is hopeful, but not confident, that Congress will accomplish tax reform in 2013. Rep. Levin was more optimistic, however, about Congress' being able to avoid sequester and being able to raise the debt ceiling. According to Rep. Levin, the risk of a further downgrade in the United States' credit rating should be a strong enough consequence to spur Congress to action.
IRS Reminds IRA Owners Of Pending Deadline to Make "Qualified Charitable Distributions" For Their 2012 Tax Year - In IR 2013-6, the IRS has issued a reminder to taxpayers that, as a result of changes made by the ATRA, IRA owners who are age 70 1/2 and older have until January 31, 2013 to make tax-free transfers from their IRA to eligible charities and treat those transfers as if they were made in 2012. These distributions will be treated as "Qualified Charitable Distributions" ("QCD") under IRC Section 408(d). Additionally, eligible IRA owners who received a distribution in December of 2012, but have not yet transferred the distribution to a qualified charity can still transfer any portion of that distribution to the charity by January 31, 2013 and treat the transfer as a 2012 QCD. These special rules result from the ATRA retroactively reinstating the QCD provisions of IRC Section 408(d) for all of 2012 and extending them through December 31, 2013.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2838
|
__label__wiki
| 0.968808
| 0.968808
|
June 25, 2019 / 4:11 AM / in 21 days
Hackers steal data from telcos in espionage campaign - cyber firm
Ari Rabinovitch, Tova Cohen
TEL AVIV (Reuters) - Hackers broke into the systems of more than a dozen global telecom firms and stole huge amounts of data in a seven-year spying campaign, researchers from a cyber security company said, identifying links to previous Chinese cyber-espionage activities.
Lior Div, chief executive of U.S.-Israeli cyber security firm Cybereason, speaks during Cyber Week conference in Tel Aviv, Israel June 25, 2019. REUTERS/Corinna Kern
Investigators at U.S.-Israeli cyber firm Cybereason said on Tuesday the attackers compromised companies in more than 30 countries and aimed to gather information on individuals in government, law-enforcement and politics.
The hackers also used tools linked to other attacks attributed to Beijing by the United States and its Western allies, said Lior Div, chief executive of Cybereason.
“For this level of sophistication it’s not a criminal group. It is a government that has capabilities that can do this kind of attack,” he told Reuters.
Div later presented a step-by-step breakdown of the breach at a cybersecurity conference in Tel Aviv in the same session that the heads of U.S. and British cyber intelligence units and the head of Israel’s Mossad spy agency spoke.
“Right now we’re still tracking them,” he said. “On Saturday we debriefed more than 25 different telcos, the biggest telcos in the world.”
A spokesman for China’s Foreign Ministry said he was not aware of the report, but added “we would never allow anyone to engage in such activities on Chinese soil or using Chinese infrastructure.”
Cybereason declined to name the companies affected or the countries they operate in, but people familiar with Chinese hacking operations said Beijing was increasingly targeting telcos in Western Europe.
Western countries have moved to call out Beijing for its actions in cyberspace, warning that Chinese hackers have compromised companies and government agencies around the world to steal valuable commercial secrets and personal data for espionage purposes.
A spokesman for Deutsche Telekom, Europe’s biggest telco, said his company was not in contact with Cybereason prior to publication of the report.
Div said this latest campaign, which his team uncovered over the last nine months, compromised the internal IT network of some of those targeted, allowing the attackers to customise the infrastructure and steal vast amounts of data.
In some instances, they managed to compromise a target’s entire active directory, giving them access to every username and password in the organisation. They also got hold of personal data, including billing information and call records, Cybereason said in a blog post.
“They built a perfect espionage environment,” said Div, a former commander in Israel’s military intelligence unit 8200. “They could grab information as they please on the targets that they are interested in.”
Cybereason said multiple tools used by the attackers had previously been used by a Chinese hacking group known as APT10.
The United States indicted two alleged members of APT10 in December and joined other Western countries in denouncing the group’s attacks on global technology service providers to steal intellectual property from their clients.
The company said on previous occasions it had identified attacks it suspected had come from China or Iran but it was never certain enough to name these countries.
Cybereason said: “This time as opposed to in the past we are sure enough to say that the attack originated in China.”
“We managed to find not just one piece of software, we managed to find more than five different tools that this specific group used,” Div said.
Additional reporting by Jack Stubbs in London and Douglas Busvine in Frankfurt. Editing by Jane Merriman and Mark Potter
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2840
|
__label__wiki
| 0.513942
| 0.513942
|
Tag Archives: LA Lakers
December 2, 2015 by cheary182 - 0 comments
BREAKING NEWS: Philadelphia slightly less terrible than first thought
November 3, 2015 by cheary182 - 0 comments
So the first week of the season is officially in the books…
Well, almost in the books. OK, so we’re 3 games in. But regardless of the limited number of match-ups so far, we’ve seen enough to get a good idea of how the season might start shaping up. Also, LeBron dressed as Prince. That too.
Here’s a quick roundup of this week’s biggest winners and losers (Mamba fans, look away now):
Since dropping 24 points in the first quarter on opening night against the Pelicans, Stephen Curry hasn’t just been good – he’s been terrifying.
In fact, last year’s MVP is averaging just over 39 points so far this season, and more than 7 assists per contest. The Warriors have won all three of their games so far by double-digits, two of which came against New Orleans. And it’s not just his dominance from downtown that continues to raise mono-eyebrows.
What make Golden State’s star player so good is the fact that he can beat you in so many ways. His NBA-season-high 53 points in the 134-120 road win in NOLA also saw him go 11-for-11 from the line, and included 9 assists and 4 steals.
After sinking a 31-foot three-ball over 6-foot-10 Anthony Davis, Curry simply called it ‘a dumb shot that went in’.
In other words, Steph’s just being Steph. Sorry rest-of-the-NBA…
Honourable mentions: Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili (the newly-crowned winningest trio in NBA history)
Bad Week
Look, we know it’s not all on Kobe.
The Lakers are, as expected, a complete mess so far this season. But the man who brought five titles to the Staples Center has been at the heart of everything that’s gone wrong in LA.
Kobe missed 12 of his 15 shots against the Mavericks, taking his FG % to a career-low 31% – topping only James Harden (more on him later) and Monta Ellis amongst 133 qualified players so far this season.
And it’s not just on the court that he seems to be struggling. The self-appointed ‘200th best player in the league’ took a day off from Lakers practice on Monday, because he was ‘too angry with himself’, according to coach Byron Scott.
His words? Simple – ‘I freaking suck’. Which, at the very least, is an honest assessment. But whether you like Kobe or not, it’s a sad sight to see one of the NBA’s greatest end his career like this, especially after working so hard to come back from last year’s season-ending shoulder problem.
Unfortunately though, it’s time to face facts. The days of you carrying this team are over Mamba. Torn rotator cuff, or no torn rotator cuff.
Honourable mentions: Houston Rockets, James Harden, James Harden’s teammates.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2841
|
__label__wiki
| 0.804843
| 0.804843
|
Dr Bruce Su'a
In: School of Medicine » Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences
https://unidirectory.auckland.ac.nz/profile/b-sua
Doctoral Candidate - Doctor of Philosophy The University of Auckland: School of Medicine
MacFater, W. S., Xia, W., Barazanchi, A., Su'a B, Svirskis, D., & Hill, A. G. (2018). Intravenous Local Anaesthetic Compared with Intraperitoneal Local Anaesthetic in Abdominal Surgery: A Systematic Review. World journal of surgery, 42 (10), 3112-3119. 10.1007/s00268-018-4623-9
Other University of Auckland co-authors: Darren Svirskis, Andrew Hill, Wiremu MacFater, Ahmed Barazanchi, Wes Xia
Bhusal, P., Rahiri, J. L., Sua, B., McDonald, J. E., Bansal, M., Hanning, S., ... Procter, G. (2018). Comparing human peritoneal fluid and phosphate-buffered saline for drug delivery: do we need bio-relevant media?. Drug delivery and translational research, 8 (3), 708-718. 10.1007/s13346-018-0513-9
Other University of Auckland co-authors: Darren Svirskis, Sara Hanning, Jeff Harrison, Andrew Hill, Mahima Bansal, Jamie-Lee Rahiri, Manisha Sharma
Xia, W., Manning, J. P. R., Barazanchi, A. W. H., Su'a B, & Hill, A. G. (2018). Metronidazole following excisional haemorrhoidectomy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. ANZ journal of surgery, 88 (5), 408-414. 10.1111/ans.14236
Other University of Auckland co-authors: Wes Xia, Andrew Hill, Ahmed Barazanchi
Lyons, O., Su'a B, Locke, M. B., & Hill, A. (2018). A systematic review of leadership training for medical students. New Zealand Medical Journal, 131 (1468), 75-84. Related URL.
Other University of Auckland co-authors: Michelle Locke, Andrew Hill
MacFater, W. S., Rahiri, J.-L., Lauti, M., Su'a B, & Hill, A. G. (2017). Intravenous lignocaine in colorectal surgery: a systematic review. ANZ Journal of Surgery, 87 (11), 879-885. 10.1111/ans.14084
Other University of Auckland co-authors: Andrew Hill, Jamie-Lee Rahiri, Wiremu MacFater
Lauti, M., Lemanu, D., Zeng, I. S. L., Su'a B, Hill, A. G., & MacCormick, A. D. (2017). Definition determines weight regain outcomes after sleeve gastrectomy. Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases, 13 (7), 1123-1129. 10.1016/j.soard.2017.02.029
Other University of Auckland co-authors: Andrew Hill, Andrew MacCormick
Lauti, M., Lemanu, D., Zeng, I., Su'a B, Hill, A. G., & MacCormick, A. D. (2017). Definition determines weight regain outcomes following sleeve gastrectomy. Paper presented at Royal Australasian College of Surgeons 86th Annual Scientific Congress, Adelaide, Australia. 8 May - 12 May 2017. ANZ Journal of Surgery. (pp. 1). 10.1111/ans.13987
Other University of Auckland co-authors: Andrew MacCormick, Andrew Hill
Su'a BU, Mikaere, H. L., Rahiri, J. L., Bissett, I. B., & Hill, A. G. (2017). Systematic review of the role of biomarkers in diagnosing anastomotic leakage following colorectal surgery. British Journal of Surgery, 104 (5), 503-512. 10.1002/bjs.10487
Other University of Auckland co-authors: Andrew Hill, Jamie-Lee Rahiri, Ian Bissett
b.sua@auckland.ac.nz
MIDDLEMORE HOSPITAL - Bldg 699
Level G, Room G01
HOSPITAL RD
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2842
|
__label__wiki
| 0.904223
| 0.904223
|
Online Archive
Digital Edition Archive
Online Bonus Content
Daily Development
Tips From the Stars
House League Hockey May Hold The Key To Growing The Game By Keeping Costs And Time Commitments Down While Raising The Fun Factor
Harry Thompson
As Tom Farrey crisscrosses the country talking about the good, the bad and the ugly of youth sports in America, he often holds up USA Hockey as the gold standard of what can happen when a national organization and grassroots volunteers work together.
"Other sports need an example of an NGB [national governing body] and people at the community level who are embracing reforms that make the sport a better experience for kids," the executive director of the Aspen Institute's Sports & Society program told a packed house at USA Hockey's recent Annual Congress.
In the next breath, Farrey challenged those in the room to think about the next stage of the game's growth and development. And the answer he proposed was a return to the game's roots by bringing the hockey experience closer to home with a renewed emphasis on creating and supporting house league programs.
Farrey called house leagues a "treasured American institution" that many have forgotten due to a common misconception in all youth sports that equates opportunity to money paid and miles traveled even at a young age.
"As a parent, it could be tough because you don't want to deny your child opportunities," Farrey said. "But we have to really think about what we really want sports to do for our children."
An ardent supporter of USA Hockey's American Development Model, Farrey said that starts with finding out what's important to a kid and not just the parent holding the checkbook.
"If you listen to kids, they would prefer to play with classmates in an experience where fun is the priority," he said in reference to studies conducted by the Aspen Institute's Project Play initiative. "Certainly, at the 12 & Under level, kids need that social experience, and house leagues have been great at fostering that."
It's not just the kids who will benefit. Vibrant house leagues can provide an economic boom for rink owners while creating a feeder program for other levels of the association, including its adult leagues.
"Clubs and programs need to be thoughtful and intentional about recreating these structures because if they do so, it ultimately is going to serve more kids, it's going to provide long-term consumers of ice time, and keep more people playing into adulthood," Farrey said.
These ideals have not gone unnoticed at the NHL level where the league and its member clubs are starting to see the virtues of house league programs for keeping more kids in the game, which ultimately translates into more fans of NHL teams.
"You're already seeing some of our teams create this path because these teams are realizing that this is their future, and these are their future fans," said Matt Herr, the NHL's youth hockey regional director.
The New York Rangers, Dallas Stars and Los Angeles Kings already have programs that encourage more kids to stay close to home, learning the game and having fun. And if one day they decide to make a bigger commitment to join a travel team they will be armed with the skills and love of the game to go as far as they can possibly go.
"People want it. It's just a matter of being able to sell it and promote it," Herr said. "There's nothing wrong with recreation hockey, but like anything else it has to be marketed and promoted the right way."
Part of the process comes with changing the stigma that house league hockey somehow provides less of a true hockey experience or is only for those players who lack the skills and commitment to play the game.
According to the State of Play report put out by the Aspen Institute in 2016, "house leagues can be stigmatized as inferior, a casualty of tryout-based, early-forming travel teams that cater to the 'best' child athletes."
"House leagues or rec leagues have gotten sort of 'ghettoized' over the years. We need to flip that around," Farrey said. "We need to embrace those kids and those experiences as real hockey experiences, and then try to make them real quality experiences through better coaching and a more equitable allocation of ice time."
He points to Minnesota's community-based model as a program that makes every player and parent, regardless of what level they are involved, feel like they're part of the hockey community. And by doing so they have created a deeper talent pool from which to draw from.
"It's no surprise why they have the best participation numbers and still produce the best players in the country," Farrey said.
But it's not just in the State of Hockey where this model is successful. Along the shores of Lake Erie, in the town of Amherst, N.Y., house league hockey has long been woven into the fabric of the community.
"If you want to grow the game you not only have to get people into the game, you have to keep them in the game. You do that by making it affordable and creating something that fits their schedule," said Ed Guzdek, a vice president in the Amherst Youth Hockey Association.
"These [house league] kids still love the game. We're just giving them a place to go play and have fun. That's what we've been successful at."
Across the Empire State, there are similar results on a smaller scale at Schenectady Youth Hockey, where their house program has been giving kids a place to play for more than a decade.
The program runs from late October through February at a lower cost and less of a time commitment than its travel program. The emphasis is on developing skills in a fun and friendly environment.
"It's just the right fit for some people," said Adam Brinker, who brings years of college and Junior hockey coaching experience to the program.
"Some of these kids have come out of the Mite program and they realize that if they're going to play at the next level they have three practices a week plus whatever the game schedule is. That adds up pretty quickly. That's why a program like this is pretty attractive to some families."
That flexibility allowed Amy Willbrant's son, Graham, and daughter, Leah, to remain involved in hockey even as they participated in other sports.
"It was perfect for us. They both really loved playing, but they still had a life outside of hockey," Willbrant said.
"It did make it easier for us to allow them to continue playing hockey for another couple of years because it was so manageable. And they still love the sport to this day."
Changing the perception starts with tearing down the walls between house and travel hockey that pigeonhole players into one side of the game or the other.
"If you want to play house league hockey, that doesn't mean you should be out of the elite hockey system when you're 12 or 13 years old," said Herr, who grew up playing recreational hockey in Bear Mountain, N.Y., before eventually earning a scholarship to play at the University of Michigan and then in the NHL.
"And if you play travel hockey you should be able to get on and off this train any time you want. Right now people feel like you're on the train of elite hockey and there's no way to get off of it. They're almost trapped. The only way out is to give up the sport altogether."
Stemming that tide is where the partnership between all the stakeholders of the game comes into play. At the end of the day, the experiences gained at any level of the game have lasting benefits on players and parents alike.
"It's the competition, it's the camaraderie with your teammates, it's the locker room experience. For 99 percent of people who play the game, they talk about the friendships they've made and the experiences they had," Herr said. "I compare it to men's leagues. Most of them aren't traveling from Boston to California to play. You drive to the local rink, you throw your skates on and you play."
Losing that us versus them attitude that has existed for too long in too many local associations would be a step in the right direction.
"I ran our house program for four or five years and now I'm coordinating our travel program. I've coached and I played in our house program and I played in a travel program. And I've coached at both. I've been involved in all facets of the organization. That's why I try to keep everybody on the same page," Guzdek said.
"That's why when we talk about our travel program, the conversation doesn't exist without also talking about our house program. We tell our folks, we're all one organization."
And that philosophy is a big reason why youth hockey is alive and well in Amherst, N.Y.
"I get phone calls all the time from people who say that their kid wants to play hockey," Guzdek said. "I always tell them, 'I've got a spot for your child.'"
Tags: Close to Home; House League Hockey; Tom Farrey;
Type: Feature
Issue Features
Father Timeless
Issue Departments
History and Heroes: The 'Godfather' Gets His Due
Who is your favorite American NHL player?:
Blake Wheeler
The Official Site Of USA Hockey Magazine | © 2001-09
To Advertise
Touchpoint Sports
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2844
|
__label__wiki
| 0.742201
| 0.742201
|
VidCon Europe Returns to Amsterdam in 2018
Industry-leading online video conference to debut new show format focused on inspiring creators and building successful businesses
Amsterdam, NL, 17 October, 2017 — Coming off of its biggest and most successful year ever, VidCon has just announced that it will return to Amsterdam in 2018 with a brand new show format, which will run from 22-24 March at the innovative and spectacular ijVENUES, which include the Passenger Terminal Amsterdam and Movenpick Hotel.
VidCon Europe will begin with its Industry Track spanning three days, with a mixture of keynotes from industry leaders coupled with hands-on workshops focused on growing audience and revenue in the fast-paced European online video marketplace. Industry content runs exclusively from Thursday through mid-day Friday, and then VidCon will welcome emerging and aspirational online video producers, writers, vloggers and stars to its first-ever stand-alone Creator Track, which will run through Saturday, 24 March.
“As online video accelerates across Europe, it’s increasingly obvious that digital-first businesses are poised to dominate the media landscape,” said VidCon CEO Jim Louderback. “Our industry track combines a unique mix of forward-looking strategy and insight from industry leaders, with an unparalleled lineup of hands-on workshops focusing on the secrets of building success on all the major and emerging platforms, including YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Musical.ly, Twitter, Twitch and more. And as we open the doors to creators on Friday, VidCon Europe will add in a laser-focus on the fundamentals of programming, production and monetization. In addition, we’re excited to bring back some of the world’s top online video creators to both inspire — and to share their secrets of success. It’s the only independent event in Europe that brings together the entire industry with a dynamic lineup of existing and emerging creators.”
VidCon’s Creator Track brings together nearly a thousand emerging and high-end vloggers, producers, writers and stars. It will feature sessions on how to create and edit high-quality content on mobile phones, strategies for successful livestreaming, getting started with brand deals, how to adapt your content to multiple platforms, and a look at career opportunities in the online video industry beyond being a creator.
“The online video industry is the number one career choice for GenZ and young millennials”, said Travis Morss, Director of Content for VidCon. “More than seventy-five percent of kids and young adults are strongly considering a career in online video, while over a third say vlogging is their number one goal — beating out musician, TV actor, doctor, athlete and other formerly popular careers. Our creator track is the only place where these aspiring online video creators can help realize their future dreams.”
VidCon’s Industry Track in 2017 brought together 500 CEOs and senior media executives, and VidCon 2018 expects to widen that appeal with a unique focus on predicting the future coupled with hands-on strategies for success. Online video platforms are continuously changing their algorithms, and the rules change daily. In 2018 Industry Track sessions will include workshops from executives from the leading online video platforms, along with secrets from the most successful practitioners. Sessions will include algorithm insights and test results from Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat experiments, a deep-dive on social video trends across Europe, and much more. Confirmed speakers include Gavin McGarry of Jumpwire, Philip Zepelin of NovelConcept, Mark Robertson from Little Monster Media, Jackson Williams from Instagram and many, many more.
Tickets are now on sale for VidCon Europe. Super Early-Bird pricing is available at €149 for the 1.5 day creator track, and €519 euro for the full three-day industry event. Prices will increase on 16 November, and VidCon expects the event to sell out well before doors open on 22 March, 2018.
For more details on attending or sponsoring VidCon Europe, go to http://VidConEurope.com
VidCon VidCon’s flagship US show began in 2010 as 1,400 online video professionals gathered in a hotel ballroom to discuss the nascent industry. In 2017, VidCon US attracted over 30,000 fans and industry executives, and over 70 sponsors, to the Anaheim Convention Center and surrounding hotels, for four days of programming across over 1 million square feet of experiences and exhibits. 2017 also marked VidCon’s global expansion to Europe in April and the upcoming VidCon Australia in Melbourne September 9-10. Each show brings together the biggest names in online video, fans from around the world, industry professionals, and sponsors including YouTube, Facebook, Taco Bell, AwesomenessTV, FullScreen, Mars Inc., Universal Pictures, NBC Entertainment, and more.
Alison Riley
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2849
|
__label__wiki
| 0.634469
| 0.634469
|
April 1, 2013 August 2, 2018 by admin
Shirtless Kris Kristofferson building his muscles on the heavy bag
Click Here To See Kris Kristofferson Nude
Rhodes Scholar, award winning, and all around talented guy, Kristoffer Kristian Kristofferson was born in Brownsville, TX. Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down was on his first album and was originally recorded by Ray Stevens. Others who have recorded it are Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson. He wrote Me and Bobby McGee specifically for Janis Joplin and, although she did record it so did several other music artists. Help Me Make It Through The Night. For the Good Times, I Won’t Mention It Again, and Please Don’t Tell Me How the Story Ends, are just a few of the songs written by Kristofferson.
He also acted in dozens of films. His debut film was The Last Movie. Others were Convoy, A Star Is Born with Barbara Streisand, Semi-Tough with Burt Reynolds, No Place to Hide with Drew Barrymore, Payback starring Mel Gibson, and Blade co-starring Wesley Snipes. Kristofferson and Val Kilmer will co-star in the film Provinces of Night which will be released sometime in2010. Kristofferson has recorded more than twenty albums. The latest one Closer To The Bone was released in September of 2009.
Kris Kristofferson once said, “The number-one rule of the road is never go to bed with anyone crazier than yourself. You will break this rule, and you will be sorry.”
Categories Actors, Kris Kristofferson, Musicians, Nude Male Celebs, Shirtless Celebs, Shirtless Male Celebs, Vintage Male CelebsTags Kris Kristofferson, nude, Sexy Male Celebs, Shirtless Celebs, Shirtless Male Celebs, Vintage Male Celebs
Bruce Springsteen Shirtless Onstage!
February 25, 2013 May 7, 2018 by admin
The Boss is losing his shirt
Click Here To See Bruce Springsteen Nude
Bruce Springsteen was born Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen in Long Branch, NJ and is a world famous and well loved musician. His breakthrough album, Born to Run was a critical and commercial success. His second successful album, Born in the U. S. A. sold 15 million copies in the U. S. alone. The album produced 7 top ten singles and is one of the best-selling albums of all time.
Springsteen has won many awards for his music. Among them are: an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song, Streets of Philadelphia, an Emmy Award for the HBO special Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band: Live in New York City, and 19 Grammy Awards. He has been inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the New Jersey Hall of Fame. The song Born To Run was named “the unofficial youth anthem of New Jersey” by the New Jersey state legislature. Springsteen considered this ironic in view of the fact that the song is about leaving New Jersey.
Bruce Springsteen says, “When I was growing up there were two things that were unpopular in my house. One was me, and the other was my guitar.” Bet that’s changed now!
Categories Bruce Springsteen, Musicians, Nude Male Celebs, Shirtless Celebs, Shirtless Male Celebs, Vintage Male CelebsTags Bruce Springsteen, nude, Sexy Male Celebs, Shirtless Celebs, Shirtless Male Celebs, Vintage Male Celebs
Poison’s Bret Michaels Shirtless
January 14, 2013 January 20, 2016 by admin
Bret Michaels showing off his blond locks, tattoos his six pack
Click Here To See Bret Michaels Nude
Bret Michael Sychak, lead singer of metal band Poison, was born in Butler, PA. Poison and bands like it were called glam metal or hair metal because of the penchant of band members to have their long hair in a backcombed style. Poison was one of the 80’s biggest metal bands in the world having several multi-million selling albums including Look What the Cat Dragged In, Open Up and Say…Ahh!, Power to the People and Poison’d!. Michaels also released five solo albums: A Letter from Death Row, Ballads, Blues & Stories, Songs of Life, Freedom of Sound and Rock My World. He was featured on the reality show Rock of Love for three seasons. Twenty-five girls competed for a chance to spend time with Michaels on a “date”
Together with actor Charlie Sheen, Bret Michaels established a film production company called Sheen/Michaels Entertainmant. The company produced the movies A Letter from Death Row, No Code of Conduct, which starred Sheen, Free Money starring Marlon Brando and Mira Sorvino and a surfer movie call In God’s Hands.
Categories Bret Michaels, Musicians, Nude Male Celebs, Shirtless Celebs, Shirtless Male Celebs, Vintage Male CelebsTags Bret Michaels, nude, Sexy Male Celebs, Shirtless Celebs, Shirtless Male Celebs, Vintage Male Celebs
Tom Jones Shirtless and in a Speedo
November 15, 2012 January 20, 2016 by admin
Sexy shirtless Tom Jones Poolside
Click Here To See Tom Jones Nude
Thomas Jones Woodward is a Welsh born singer whose recordings have sold over one million copies. His debut song was Chills and Fever followed six months later by his signature song It’s Not Unusual. His most successful single was Green, Green Grass of Home. Other hits include Help Yourself, Delilah, Without Love, I’ll Never Fall in Love Again and She’s a Lady Jones was the first male singer to perform an opening credits song in a James Bond movie. The song was Thunderball.
Tom Jones also had his own television variety shows: This Is Tom Jones and The Tom Jones Show, and was awarded Knighthood in 2006 for his service to music.
So, What’s New Pussycat?
Categories Musicians, Nude Male Celebs, Shirtless Celebs, Shirtless Male Celebs, Tom Jones, Vintage Male CelebsTags nude, Sexy Male Celebs, Shirtless Celebs, Shirtless Male Celebs, Tom Jones, Vintage Male Celebs
Vintage Celeb Mickey Hargitay
June 4, 2012 August 9, 2016 by admin
Body builder, Mickey Hargitay, won the Mr. Universe title in 1955. He married to one of Hollywood’s leading sex symbols Jayne Mansfield. Mansfield insisted that he be cast in her film Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?. The appeared in three more films together: The Loves of Hercules, Promises! Promises!, and L’Amore Primitivo. He appeared without Mansfield in the 1965 film Bloody Pit of Horror. Hargitay’s last acting appearance was in a 2003 episode of Law & Order: SVU.
Categories Actors, Nude Male Celebs, Shirtless Celebs, Shirtless Male Celebs, Tommy Lee, Vintage Male CelebsTags hunks, L'Amore Primitivo, Law & Order: SVU, Mickey Hargitay, nude, Promises! Promises!, Sexy Male Celebs, Shirtless Celebs, Shirtless Male Celebs, Vintage Male Celebs, Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? The Love of Hercules
Shirtless AxlRose-Vintage Celeb
May 28, 2012 August 9, 2016 by admin
Axl Rose, the lead singer and only original member of the hard rock band Guns N’ Roses, has been named one of the all time greatest singers by Rolling Stone Magazine and NME. In 2012, the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Because of differences with the original members, Rose refused to attend the ceremony stating he doesn’t want to appear anywhere he is “not wanted or respected”. This didn’t appear to affect the other original members, Slash, Duff, and Steve Adler from attending. They replaced Rose with new singer Myles Kennedy.
Categories Axl Rose, Musicians, Nude Male Celebs, Shirtless Celebs, Shirtless Male Celebs, Vintage Male CelebsTags Axl Rose, Guns N' Roses, hunks, nude, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Sexy Male Celebs, Shirtless Celebs, Shirtless Male Celebs, Vintage Male Celebs
Vintage Celeb Fabian Shirtless
March 19, 2012 February 7, 2017 by admin
Click Here To See Fabian Nude
Fabian began his singing career in the early 50s. After several appearances on American Bandstand, he became a national teen idol. Several of his singles made the Billboard 100 including I’m a Man, Hound- Dog Man, Turn Me Loose, and About This Thing Called Love. Tiger was his biggest hit and rose to #3 on the US charts. His film career began in 1959 with Hound-Dog Man and included Five Weeks in a Balloon, Ten Little Indians, North To Alaska, The Longest Day, and Ride the Wild Surf.
Currently, Fabian is involved with the American Diabetes Association and the American Heart Association.
Categories Fabian, Musicians, Nude Male Celebs, Shirtless Celebs, Shirtless Male Celebs, Vintage Male CelebsTags About This Thing Called Love, Fabian, Five Weeks in a Balloon, hunks, I'm a Hound-Dog Man, North To Alaska, nude, Ride the Wild Surf, Sexy Male Celebs, Shirtless Celebs, Shirtless Male Celebs, Ten Little Indians, The Longest Day, Tiger, Turn Me Loose, Vintage Male Celebs
Vintage Celeb Kris Kristofferson Shirtless
Click Here To See Kris Kristofferson Nude!
Multi-talented singer/song writer/actor Kris Kristofferson just keeps on goin’. Known not only for songs like Me and Bobby McGee, Help Me Make It Through The Night, For the Good Times, and Sunday Mornin’, he has also had an extensive film career working with stars like Ali McGraw in Convoy, Jan Michael-Vincent in Vigilante Force, Burt Reynolds in Semi- Tough, Barbara Streisand in A Star Is Born, Steven Segal in Fire Down Below, and dozens more. Kristofferson will be co-starring with Queen Latifah and Dolly Parton in Joyful Noise due to be released January 13, 2012.
Categories Actors, Kris Kristofferson, Musicians, Nude Male Celebs, Shirtless Celebs, Shirtless Male Celebs, Vintage Male CelebsTags A Star Is Born, Convoy, Dolly Parton, Fire Down Below, For the Good Times, Help Me Make It Through the Night, hunks, Joyful Noise, Kris Kristofferson, Me and Bobby McGee, nude, Queen Latifah, Semi-Tough, Sexy Male Celebs, Shirtless Celebs, Shirtless Male Celebs, Sunday Mornin', Vigilante Force, Vintage Male Celebs
Shirtless Vintage Musician Freddie Mercury So Hairy!
July 10, 2011 June 23, 2011 by admin
Click Here To See Freddie Mercury Nude!
Bring up the name Freddie Mercury and the band Queen and songs like Somebody To Love, Don’t Stop Me Now, Crazy Little Thing Like Love, and We Are The Champions come to mind. Mercury, lead singer for Queen, wrote those songs and many more.
Categories Freddie Mercury, Musicians, Nude Male Celebs, Shirtless Celebs, Shirtless Male Celebs, Vintage Male CelebsTags Freddie Mercury, hunks, nude, Sexy Male Celebs, Shirtless Celebs, Shirtless Male Celebs, Vintage Male Celebs
Vintage Musician Axl Rose-Shirtless and Wet
May 5, 2011 April 10, 2011 by admin
Click Here To See Axl Rose Nude!
Axl Rose, lead vocalist of the hard rock bank Guns N’ Roses, made the #11 spot in Hit Parader‘s Top Male Vocalists of All Time, #64 of Rolling Stone‘s Greatest Singers of All Time, #4 in Roadrunner’s Best Frontmen in Metal History, and, in 2010, #1 greatest lead singer of all time by Musicradar. Many of his songs, such as Welcome to the Jungle, Sweet Child O’ Mine, Paradise City, and Nightrain, have been used in the soundtrack of films. Although the band is still performing, Axl Rose is the only remaining original member.
Categories Axl Rose, Musicians, Nude Male Celebs, Shirtless Celebs, Shirtless Male Celebs, Vintage Male CelebsTags Axl Rose, hunks, nude, Sexy Male Celebs, Shirtless Celebs, Shirtless Male Celebs, Vintage Male Celebs
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2851
|
__label__wiki
| 0.719857
| 0.719857
|
Accounting, News, Spotlight
EPIC Spotlight: Caleb Rawson
November 7, 2018 Sandra Birchfield
Caleb Rawson spent much of his childhood at his father’s builders supply store.
While customers walked down the aisle, picking out fixtures for their home or office, young Rawson was behind the scenes, stocking inventory and doing different tasks.
“As soon as I learned the alphabet, I was filing papers,” Rawson says.
Caleb Rawson
As he got older, he took on bigger responsibilities, like working on the store’s computer system and finding ways for the store to run more efficiently on the back end. He began to wonder what made businesses tick. What makes them run?
Years later, with a doctorate added to his résumé, Rawson and his continued curiosity arrived at the Walton College as an assistant professor with the Department of Accounting.
His newfound interest in high school led him to take college accounting courses in his hometown of Las Cruces, New Mexico, and then at Colorado Christian University near Denver. Shortly before earning his bachelor’s degree in accounting, he took a course called Financial Statement Analysis, which ignited a passion for research. He discovered that analyzing financial information could lead him down different paths and new discoveries. When he learned that accounting research could be a profession, he applied and was accepted in a doctoral program at the University of Colorado in Boulder.
My family consists of: my wife Sarah and me.
My favorite museum is: almost any museum, especially if it’s air and space related!
I can always be found with: a pen and a bottle or cup of water (blame it on growing up in the desert!).
X-ray vision or magnified hearing? X-ray vision.
As a Ph.D. student nearing graduation, Rawson attended a conference where he sat behind Kristian Allee, associate professor of accounting at Walton. Allee told Rawson about a faculty position available in the accounting department. Later, Rawson got on the internet and researched as much as he could about the University of Arkansas and Northwest Arkansas. “I showed Fayetteville to my wife, and she was instantly impressed,” he says.
Rawson applied for the job and was invited for a visit. He immediately found the faculty to be friendly and intelligent. “The interaction between faculty and Ph.D. students was a big draw,” he adds.
He knew where he wanted to be. “I took this offer before I went on any more interviews,” he says.
Rawson teaches Intermediate Accounting II to undergraduates and has also begun projects with the department’s Ph.D. students. He says he particularly enjoys seeing his students have “light bulb” moments when learning about accounting.
“The students here have been really great,” he says. “Teaching has been a lot of fun.”
And, of course, there’s the research. Whereas accounting often involves financial capital, Rawson is also interested in how firms report their intellectual capital and intangible assets, such as their employees’ intelligence and other aspects that don’t have specific monetary values. For example, he and his co-authors studied whether CEOs who have been unemployed before taking the job end up having better or worse fits at the firms that hire them. They found that previously unemployed CEOs earn less during their first year but didn’t find that simply being unemployed leads to worse employment outcomes. Their findings were published in the Journal of Accounting Research.
Rawson also pays attention to how CEOs of public companies describe their firm’s investment activities. By paying attention to their choice of words, he believes it’s possible to interpret what’s actually happening. He then compares his interpretations with public data he has collected about the firms’ future performances. Rawson says this information can be useful to companies on how to be informative to the public in a manner that isn’t harmful to their firms in the long run.
When not working, Rawson enjoys hiking and canoeing, attending performances at Fayetteville’s Walton Arts Center and visiting Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville. “It’s been a lot of fun exploring the area,” he says.
Previous PostLapovations Wins SEC Pitch CompetitionNext PostEPIC Spotlight: Jialie Chen
The Department of Accounting at the Sam M. Walton College of Business develops outstanding students and faculty who meaningfully impact the global accounting community. Our track record and reputation among students and employers speaks for itself.
We’d like to hear from you.
Share YOUR Walton College Story
We like to hear from Walton grads.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2852
|
__label__cc
| 0.587739
| 0.412261
|
My Diet Coach also turns mundane acts of self control into challenges that reward points. Want to take the easy route? Avoid sugary drinks for a day for 20 points. If you want a real challenge, avoid refined grained foods for 70 points. I even like the weight tracker, which does away with simple data entry in favor of an adjustable measuring tape. Adjusting the tape to ever-smaller numbers is one of the most rewarding moments of my mornings.
In some ways, it’s similar to the Atkins diet, which similarly boosts the body’s fat-burning abilities through eating only low-carb foods, along with getting rid of foods high in carbs and sugar. Removing glucose from carbohydrate foods will cause the body to burn fat for energy instead. The major differences between the classic keto and the Atkins diet is the former emphasizes healthier keto fats, less overall protein and no processed meat (such as bacon) while having more research to back up its efficacy.
A game to help you lose weight? It's more likely than you think! It's like The Price Is Right for food. The game shows you two similar products, and you guess which one is more nutritious and less fatty. It's surprisingly addictive, but it also teaches you the surprising food tricks that can make for better meals. The next time you go to Quiznos, order a grilled-chicken sub instead of tuna salad, and save yourself 1,000 calories (seriously!). You'll be glad you played.
Elissa Goodman, celebrity holistic nutritionist and cleanse expert, substantiates the website's claim. She agrees that HCA is said to block fat absorption and suppress the appetite and inhibits a key enzyme, citrate lyase, that the body needs to make fat from carbohydrates. This is supposed to help you feel fuller more quickly and help convert the food you eat into energy as opposed to being stored as fat. "However, the most promising studies to prove this were animal studies," Goodman says. "The studies of Garcinia Cambogia in humans do not show any mind-blowing results."
It is important to determine with your physician if you are a candidate for weight loss surgery. Most people who are candidates for weight loss surgery have tried to lose weight through traditional diet and exercise and have not had success. Candidates for weight loss surgery include those patients that have a serious, potentially life-threatening condition from obesity, a genetic propensity towards obesity, a high body mass index, and long-standing obesity.
People claiming huge benefits of these supplements – despite the lack of solid scientific support – may sometimes have a financial reason to believe in the supplements. Some of these products are sold under a multi-level marketing arrangement, where sales people are paid based on commission. For example, the company Prüvit sells drinkable ketones, called KETO//OS with a multi-level marketing structure.
If you have a goal weight in mind, Lose It! is designed to help you get there. Plug in your profile details and goal weight, and the app will calculate your daily calorie budget. Then you can track your food, weight, and activities to reach that goal. Features include barcode scanning, tracking food by taking a photo with Snap It, and a status bar if you’re counting macros.
That's why I co-wrote the "Fat for Fuel Ketogenic Cookbook" alongside renowned Australian celebrity chef Pete Evans. This book combines research-backed medical advice with delicious, kitchen-tested recipes that will help make shifting to fat-burning much easier. Whether you're just a budding cook or a master chef, there's a delicious meal waiting to be prepared that'll take your health to the next level.
Back in the early '90s, doctors thought they had struck gold with a combination of drugs, fenfluramine and phentermine, or fen-phen, that seemed to magically melt fat away. But within a couple of years some patients began to develop very scary side effects: damage to heart valves that could lead to heart failure and a kind of high blood pressure, pulmonary hypertension, that proved to be fatal in some cases.
It’s likely the weight-loss tea that you’re most familiar with—and one that’s been shown to be protective against diabetes. When scientists look at black tea extract in animal studies, they find that black tea can help prevent weight gain when eating a high-fat diet, possibly because it blocks fat absorption during digestion. Of course, the research is preliminary, but black tea contains plant compounds called polyphenols—namely theaflavins and thearubigans—that may be responsible for the fat-blocking benefits. (Here’s more proof that black tea is jam-packed full of health benefits from a new study.)
In fact, once all our our reserved glucose/glycogen runs out after several days on a low-carb, keto diet, our bodies create compounds called ketone bodies (or ketones) from our own stored body fat, as well as from fats in our diet. In addition, researchers have discovered that ketones contain main benefits, such as fat loss, suppressing our appetites, boosting mental clarity and lowering the risk for a number of chronic diseases.
Black tea is the most popular one, accounting for about 84 percent of all tea consumed. The tea contains polyphenols, which are plant compounds that may be responsible for blocking fat absorption. Studies have also found that drinking a cup of black tea per day improves cardiovascular function. In particular, there are also these awesome rooibos tea benefits.
I actually clicked on the story just to see if they included anything about it’s use in managing chronic migraine. I have chronic migraine, basically intractable. Nothing has helped. I’ve tried medications, meditations, and everything in between including a bunch of dietary changes. Keto is my next consideration. I’m happy to hear it helped you! Thanks for sharing
When it comes to finding a healthy weight, adapting mindful food behaviors is paramount to success, says Whitney English, R.D.N, C.P.T. “The Mindful Eating Tracker app helps my clients get in touch with their innate hunger and fullness cues to help establish why they're eating and to differentiate between true physical hunger and emotional or mental hunger,” she explains. That’s why this app is particularly beneficial to women are trying to establish a healthier relationship with food, she adds.
After initiation, the child regularly visits the hospital outpatient clinic where they are seen by the dietitian and neurologist, and various tests and examinations are performed. These are held every three months for the first year and then every six months thereafter. Infants under one year old are seen more frequently, with the initial visit held after just two to four weeks.[9] A period of minor adjustments is necessary to ensure consistent ketosis is maintained and to better adapt the meal plans to the patient. This fine-tuning is typically done over the telephone with the hospital dietitian[19] and includes changing the number of calories, altering the ketogenic ratio, or adding some MCT or coconut oils to a classic diet.[18] Urinary ketone levels are checked daily to detect whether ketosis has been achieved and to confirm that the patient is following the diet, though the level of ketones does not correlate with an anticonvulsant effect.[19] This is performed using ketone test strips containing nitroprusside, which change colour from buff-pink to maroon in the presence of acetoacetate (one of the three ketone bodies).[45]
It’s a cool option in situations when barcodes aren’t available, but the results and calorie estimates vary wildly. That’s true of Lose It in general, which sometimes differs from similar listings on MyFitnessPal by as much as 200 calories. That’s not entirely Lose It’s fault, though, as the majority of entries in both apps were submitted by users, which is obvious from the way typos and misspellings outnumber preservatives in a Twinkie. With so mistakes like that in the letters, some goofs are bound to pop up in the numbers as well.
When she first started popping the mint-size meds, Brittany noticed that her heart would race on-and-off for hours, and she’d feel weirdly antsy. This made her uncomfortable—until, just weeks later, she put on a pair of shorts. “I had always been so insecure about my legs,” she says. Now she thought she looked good. And well, that made her heart race too.
One of the ingredients in CONTRAVE, bupropion, may increase the risk of suicidal thinking in children, adolescents, and young adults. CONTRAVE patients should be monitored for suicidal thoughts and behaviors. In patients taking bupropion for smoking cessation, serious neuropsychiatric adverse events have been reported. CONTRAVE is not approved for use in children under the age of 18.
About a year ago, i had an paragliding-accident that was nearly fatal. I was in hospital for half a year and had to lie in bed all the time because my injuries were really, really bad. I didn't know what to do all day. I was so bored that I started to cheer myself up with some chocolate and other sweets. Before I had my accident, sports was my only hobby. After school, at weekends, whenever I could, I went cycling or did anything sporty. And of course, I ate healthy. No added sugar, no salt, not even white bread (not only because of the added sugar). I was soooo happy with my body. And then this happened. At first I lost about 15 kilos of muscles and then i started to gain weight again. But not muscles... That was belly fat. I sweared to myself to get rid of that fat again and tried everything as soon as i got out of the hospital. After some weeks I could walk normally again (more or less) and then I started cycling. Nothin worked... My muscles came back but the fat stayed. So I tried something else. I did not expect it to work but it really did. And thank god I finally managed to get my sixpack back. Well, it doesn't work as fast as it is displayed on the site, but it really works. Just try it. I just want to share this wonderful moment with you and give you the chance of losing you belly fat too. Here is the two product i used and I hope it will change your life as it did mine. https://bit.ly/2jfF3RK
There are several medical studies — such as two conducted by the Department of Radiation Oncology at the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center for the University of Iowa, and the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, for example — that show the ketogenic diet is an effective treatment for cancer and other serious health problems. (12)
When you’re in the mood for a spicy kick, make ginger your go-to weight-loss tea. Eating the zesty rhizome on its own has been found to reduce inflammation and better your blood pressure. In a small study in the journal Metabolism, subjects who drank a ginger beverage with breakfast reported lower hunger and greater satiety. (Always hungry? Here are 8 reasons you can’t stop eating.)
Gastric bypass surgery also may cause food and drinks to move too quickly through your small intestine. Symptoms include nausea, weakness, sweating, faintness, and, sometimes, diarrhea after you eat. You may also not be able to eat sweets without feeling very weak. To avoid these problems, follow your nutritionist's advice. Tell your doctor if you have any of these symptoms.
Meridia (sibutramine) is an appetite suppressant product that was removed from the market in the United States in 2010. The FDA initially approved the product, but the manufacturer stopped producing it after clinical studies showed that users had an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommends that anyone still using Meridia contact their physician to discuss alternative treatments.
Did you know that the female body has 9 times more Alpha (fat storing) than Beta (fat-burning) receptors? So, every time a Beta receptor tries to release fat, it has to fight 9 Alpha receptors that try to store fat back in. That's why it's so difficult to sculpt the lower body. I really struggled with my pear-shaped body, until i found a way to reduce estrogen dominance. Read my story here ==> https://bit.ly/aboutmyweightloss
Download Related Publications: Download "The Truth About Sex in Your 20s 30s and 40s (Booklet)" Download "Fast Facts for Your Health: Understanding Sexual Health Disorders" Download "Fast Facts for Your Health: Painful Sex: What You Need to Know" Download "HPV: Facts to Know" Download "National Women's Health Report: Women: Living Well & Aging Well - December 2008"
How WW works: This app by WW (formerly Weight Watchers) will track your food, activity and personalized goals. A barcode scanner makes it easy to find SmartPoints value information on almost anything. Once you’ve scanned a product’s barcode, you can track it through the My Day dashboard, where you can also track your diet and exercise. Toggle between foods and activities, or use split screen to track both simultaneously. You can look up specific foods or activities and tap or swipe right to add them to your dashboard. When you find a recipe you like, add it to your “favorites.”
People need to realize that in obesity treatment, just as in hypertension therapy, one drug won’t fit all, Aronne said. “In hypertension, there are more than 100 medications and more than 10 therapeutic categories,” he added. “That’s why treatment of hypertension is so effective. No one medication for hypertension works for every single person. That’s how we need to start looking at drugs for obesity.”
These are the best of the bunch. Almost all of them track activity and calories, but a couple go so far as to pester you throughout the day to stay on focus (and some of us need that). I recommend parking them on your home screen, as they’ll be there to glare at you every time you’re tempted to open Uber Eats or check Safari for the hours of the local Chipotle.
Stock up: Jet.com's new City Grocery service (available in select markets) makes it easy to ensure you always have keto-friendly veggies in the fridge. We love their delivery scheduling tool; simply fill your cart, then decide which day and timeframe you'd like your groceries delivered. One of our faves: Urban Roots Green Squash Veggie Noodles are great for whipping up low-carb "pasta" dishes.
I have pancreatitis, well controlled, which is the way I want to keep it. The biggest difficulty I have with keto is this: I eat a small portion of steel cut oats in the morning. When I don’t, within two days , I start having bleeding, dark in colour. My endrocrinolagest feels that I need the roughage in the steel cut oats to replete the bowel lining. I have great difficulty loosing weight, always have, even though I eat very clean, no junk food, never eat out, don’t like pop, don’t crave sugar, cook all food fresh. Any comment? Willing to try anything you can suggest.
The only issue with keto, is really that I’m afraid that it might be hard to up my calories to a maintenance weight now that I’ve gotten a taste preference for the rich assortment of foods with no carbs in them. I’m satisfied with less calories than I will need after my excess fat is burned off… but , maybe I bet my body will send more hunger signs once there isn’t anymore body fat in the cupboard to use instead of what goes down my throat.
Jumpstart your weight loss journey with this two-week tea cleanse that aids in digestion and helps reduce bloating. It contains all natural ingredients like herbs that boost metabolism to burn calories. When used consistently for 14 days every morning, while also working out, consumers can expect to see results. Along with a flatter belly, consumers will experience increased energy, with surpassed appetite and a calmer mind.
Fen-phen was shown to cause heart valve problems in up to one-third of people who used it, in addition to a potentially fatal lung condition called primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH). By 1997, the FDA had banned fenfluramine, one of the two drugs contained in the combo, and yanked fen-phen from the market. But not before thousands of people suffered serious side effects and even died, including Mary Linnen, 30, of Massachusetts, who was dead from PPH just ten months after taking fen-phen to lose weight for her wedding. Tens of thousands of legal claims were filed against the makers and distributors of fenfluramine, with pharma company Wyeth ultimately setting aside $21 billion for payouts.
Every tea has its own special weight-loss powers, but if your boat is sinking and you can only grab one package of tea before swimming to the deserted island, make it green tea. Green tea is the bandit that picks the lock on your fat cells and drains them away, even when we’re not making the smartest dietary choices. Chinese researchers found that green tea significantly lowers triglyceride concentrations (potentially dangerous fat found in the blood) and belly fat in subjects who eat fatty diets. Follow these steps to make the perfect cup of green tea!
For the two most popular surgical techniques — the gastric bypass and the gastric sleeve — “the metabolic benefits are independent of weight loss,” Dr. Brethauer said in an interview. Both methods permanently reduce the size of the stomach. However, the gastric band procedure, which is reversible, lacks these benefits unless patients achieve and maintain significant weight loss, he said.
^ Onakpoya IJ, Posadzki PP, Watson LK, Davies LA, Ernst E (March 2012). "The efficacy of long-term conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) supplementation on body composition in overweight and obese individuals: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials". Eur J Nutr (Systematic review). 51 (2): 127–34. doi:10.1007/s00394-011-0253-9. PMID 21990002.
Bitter orange is a currently available herbal stimulant used in some weight-loss supplements and is often called an ephedra substitute. The active ingredient in bitter orange has chemical properties and actions that are similar to ephedra and may be associated with similar adverse effects. Because of limited research and the use of bitter orange in multi-ingredient supplements, the safety of the product isn't well-understood.
That doesn’t surprise Dr. Vijaya Surampudi, an endocrinologist and an assistant professor of medicine at the Center for Human Nutrition at the University of California, Los Angeles. “I prescribe them all the time,” she said. “But they are not very popular. I think a lot of physicians are uncomfortable prescribing weight loss medications. Fen-phen scares off a lot of them.”
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2854
|
__label__cc
| 0.546296
| 0.453704
|
Traveling with a Japan Rail Pass
Your Top 7 Questions – Answered
Which trains can I travel on with a Japan Rail Pass?
The Japan Rail Pass can transport travelers across the six companies that make up the Japan Railways Group (JR Group), including JR Kyushu, JR Shikoku, JR West, JR Central, JR East and JR Hokkaido. Japan Rail Pass holders have unlimited access to travel throughout Japan’s extensive rail network, including Shinkansen ‘bullet’ trains, limited express trains, express trains and local and rapid trains. The only exceptions are the pass is not valid for “NOZOMI” trains on the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen lines or the Tokyo Monorail.
What’s the quality of rail services I can expect in Japan?
Japan’s rail network is considered to be one of the most efficient in the world, spanning its four major islands, with a total length of about 20,000 kilometers of railway. Beyond the convenience of being able to travel far and wide, train travel in Japan also has a reputation for frequent service, punctuality, safety and high speed. Imagine Shinkansen ‘bullet’ trains, travel up to speeds of 300km/hr! Not to mention high standards for modern facilities, comfort and cleanliness, Japan Rail Pass holders can look forward to spacious seating accommodations.
What Japan Rail Pass validities are available?
Select your Japan Rail Pass based on how many rail days suit your itinerary; 7, 14 or 21 consecutive days beginning on the date the pass is first used.
Ordinary Class (comparable to standard class) or Green Class (comparable to first class).
Adult or Child fares are available, where children 6-11 years pay half the adult fare and children under 6 years of age travel free if not occupying a seat, and accompanied by an adult in possession of a Japan Rail Pass.
Am I eligible to purchase a Japan Rail Pass?
You are eligible to purchase a Japan Rail Pass if you are a tourist visiting Japan from abroad, under the entry status of “temporary visitor”, or a Japanese national who can show they have residency abroad. It’s important to note that a Japan Rail Pass cannot be purchased in Japan so be sure to arrange your Exchange Order prior to your trip.
What is an Exchange Order?
Once a Japan Rail Pass is paid for, the customer will receive an Exchange Order, which they will ultimately exchange in Japan for the actual Japan Rail Pass. The Exchange Order must be exchanged for a Japan Rail Pass within 3 months from the date the Exchange Order was issued. At the time of exchange, the customer must specify the date that they want to start using the pass. It can be any date within one month from the date the actual Japan Rail Pass is received. Once the Pass has a starting date written on it, the date cannot be changed.
Do I need a seat reservation when traveling with a Japan Rail Pass?
Shinkansen ‘bullet’ trains and most limited express and ordinary express trains have reserved Green Class seats and both reserved and non-reserved Ordinary Class seats. To find a non reserved seat, simply show your Japan Rail Pass when boarding. However if you prefer to make a seat reservation, possible without additional payment, visit any Travel Service Centre or Reservation Office called “Midori-no-madoguchi” at a JR station in Japan. At one of these locations simply show your Japan Rail Pass and receive a reserved-seat ticket before boarding, thereby guaranteeing you a seat on the train of your choice. It is especially recommended to obtain a seat reservation over holidays and during rush hour, as seat reservations can be difficult to secure. Here are some examples:
December 29 to January 5 (The New Year holiday period is the most popular travel time for Japanese people)
April 29 to May 5 (Due to holidays, there is large-scale travel throughout Japan for leisure and recreation.)
August 13 to 15 (The “O-bon” season)
In major cities avoid traveling during the morning and evening rush hours (7:30-9:30 and 17:00-20:00).
Is there any additional advice you would give a Japan Rail Pass holder?
Yes, when traveling with a Japan Rail Pass, do not use an automatic ticket-reading gate, but instead show your pass at a manned ticket gate. Also ACP Rail International is a great resource for additional details, as they outline which stations have Japan Rail Pass exchange offices and they provide a detailed Japan rail map.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2858
|
__label__cc
| 0.701834
| 0.298166
|
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) A bit of History revealed.
Let’s begin with a bit of history; Search Engine Optimization initially started its debut on the Internet during the 1990’s, the term “Search Engine Optimization” was introduced by an Internet Marketing Group during the year of 1997 in an effort to define the steps needed to improve Search Engine Positioning. The term, refers to the practice of optimizing content in Website pages in an effort to gain improved positioning in the Search Engines by conforming to the preferences of the major Search Engines, namely Google and Bing.
SEO, Search Engines and the Indexing Website Pages.
Who remembers the days of the card catalog at your friendly neighborhood Library when the only way to find information, whether it be a book or magazine, was to manually scroll through thousands of index cards, which incidentally were manually created and placed inside wooden index card filing type cabinets. Search Engines operate the same way, well almost, they index all of the webpage’s on the web, the only difference is, the days of the manual card catalogs have disappeared, and nowadays everything is indexed in digital format. The process is a fairly simple one, performed by a computer program (namely a robot or simply a bot), which is a program, typically known as a web crawler or spider, it’s main purpose is to crawl the Internet for website pages (new or modified), the website crawler program typically copies the website pages for later indexing by the Search Engines to add into the Search Engines Library of Website Pages for faster and improved searching by the end user.
Robots and Spiders are crawling around my website, what should I do, should I be concerned?
How can you insure website pages are being crawled by a Web Bot or Spider for the Search Engines, or how can you prevent your files from being crawled by Web bot. Which brings up the question why would anyone want to hide folders or files from a Web Bot or Search Engine? There are several reasons; one would be to exclude files that include images, as most images do not provide details regarding the content found in a website since their file names are typically identifiable only by numbers or letter, (i.e. 23405.png), which would not provide any relevant information to the Search Engine regarding the content in the Website. To insure a Website is crawled, it may be beneficial to include a file called Robots.txt, (this file is typically placed inside the root folder of the Website, notice the “bot” J), which is a file specifically used to communicate with the Web Bot Crawlers to provide instructions as to which files/folders should be crawled and which files/folders should be excluded.
Search Engine Secrets Revealed
Ethical Search Engine Optimization
The Importance of Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
SEO in 2011: Search Engine Optimization Trends
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2860
|
__label__cc
| 0.606999
| 0.393001
|
Dr. Madsen Pirie
A breathtakingly silly piece of journalism
The Guardian has published many silly pieces in its time, as have other papers, but today it published a piece by Lynsey Hanley that must rank as one of the most breathtakingly silly of all time. The article claims that raising the income tax threshold to £10,000 patronizes the low-paid. Moreover it "disenfranchises 3 million people":
More fundamentally, it suggests that people on low wages are effectively earning pin money, not "proper" money that requires being taxed, and therefore that the low-waged aren't full citizens. The article goes on to say that if people don't pay towards public resources, they lose their perceived entitlement to them.
Where to start? First of all, low-paid people pay a great deal in taxation, especially in VAT, and many of them pay taxes on alcohol, tobacco and petrol, plus dozens of other unseen taxes. The £10,000 threshold only exempts them from income tax, which is quite reasonable when you realize it is below the minimum wage. If people are not earning the minimum, it makes no sense to take some of their money away from them. They still pay the other taxes. Secondly, if paying no income tax makes you lose your "perceived entitlement" to public resources, doesn't paying less tax than someone else give you less entitlement to them?
Lynsey Hanley claims that "a fundamental component of citizenship, however, is paying towards the ongoing work of building and maintaining resources for everyone to use." In her disoriented world people on pensions, or disabled people supported by the state would not appear to be full citizens. I disagree.
In her world "Tax cuts are always a sop, no matter who you're giving them to." Again, I beg to differ. When the state takes less of our money it isn't "giving" us anything, certainly not a sop, because the money does not belong to the state. She wants the poor to pay taxes to make them full citizens. "To tax only the rich, or the better off, is madness. It's disenfranchisement by any other name," she says. No it isn't. It is taking money to support public resources from those who can afford it rather than from those who cannot. The rich should pay the taxes for the same reason that gangster Willie Sutton robbed banks, "because that's where the money is." I like it when we succeed, by lowering top tax rates, in having the rich contribute a greater share of total taxation. That's what should happen.
I wonder how many of the low-paid would agree with her that they should be paying more income tax? I suspect you could count them all on the one finger they would use to indicate their opinion.
Newer PostCurbs on migration are curbs on our freedom
Older PostPreventing town-dwellers owning second homes in the countryside
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2861
|
__label__wiki
| 0.619904
| 0.619904
|
Roxborough Salvation Army prepares for the holidays
With the winter holidays less than one month away, the Roxborough Salvation Army is working on its annual toy collection to help area families. Program assistant Marcella Cooper and her staff are confident that they will be able to have a successful holiday season even with the struggling economy.
“This year we’re actually not doing very bad at all,” said Cooper, who’s been at the Roxborough location at 6730 Ridge Ave. for six years. “We’ve been approached by a few companies who want to give us toys and want to do donations, we’ve been asked to send out collection boxes.”
Marcella Cooper of the Salvation Army said she expects her facility to help 300 families this year, up from the 200 she says benefited from donations six years ago.
The Roxborough Salvation Army provides a personal shopper who helps parents select toys that are most appropriate for their children. This is possible mostly because Cooper oversees a relatively small area–the 300 families she expects to assist are far fewer than the 1,200 or more she said other Salvation Armies attempt to help.
The holiday season is not just about toys, however, and the Salvation Army is trying to help families put a good holiday meal on the table as well.
“We’re very fortunate that our local supermarkets allow us to ring the bell in front of their store, and in turn we help them out by giving food cards to their businesses,” Cooper said. “Per family, we may be able to give $20 or $30 towards their Christmas meal.”
The Roxborough Salvation Army will have its Christmas distribution days on Dec. 20 and Dec. 21 and is accepting donations up until those days. Anyone interested in volunteering is encouraged to call Marcella Cooper at 215-483-4120.
Josh Verlin is a student at Temple University. Philadelphia Neighborhoods, a NewsWorks content partner, is an initiative of the Temple Multimedia Urban Reporting Lab.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2862
|
__label__cc
| 0.546521
| 0.453479
|
Home » Bio
Will Benner is a telecommunications graduate from the University of Florida. Will was born in Orlando, Fl and grew up in the Lake Mary area. After taking four years of television production in high school combined with his love for sports, he decided he wanted sports broadcasting to be his profession.
Will Benner’s Experience
The journey did not start with broadcasting sports. Will worked as a television and radio reporter for WUFT News, a PBS affiliate for a year. As a news reporter, Will covered a variety of stories, from bomb threats to charity events. Will has since then made his focus solely on covering sports.
Will became a member of the ESPN Gainesville team. Whether its giving hourly updates on whats trending now in the sports world to writing web stories previewing a big game coming up. Will is also worked as the television beat reporter for the University of Florida Men’s Basketball Team as well as anchored the sports segment for WUFT’s First at Five Newscast.
Will Benner doing Color Commentary for the University of Florida’s Homecoming Game against Missouri
Although covering a team or working as a sports reporter for a certain network is Will’s ultimate goal, he also has experience doing play-by-play and color commentary for both high school and college football. Will has called games for The Prep Zone and the University of Florida Student Broadcast Experience.
When it comes to sports, Will’s real passion is basketball. He began playing in the 7th grade and continued throughout high school. After his playing career ended, he picked up coaching and became employed by The National Basketball Academy. Will has coached kids from ages 6 to 16 and hopes to continue coaching while being a sports broadcaster.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2864
|
__label__cc
| 0.695671
| 0.304329
|
Eastman Kodak / Financial News / News
Earnings up for Kodak’s Fiscal Year, Growth in Key Product Areas
by Kathleen Wirth · March 16, 2018
Eastman Kodak Company of Rochester, New York, yesterday reported financial results for its fourth quarter and full-year 2017, delivering net earnings for the year of $94 million on revenues of $1.5 billion and continued growth in key product areas.
GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) net earnings of $94 million for the 2017 year. GAAP net earnings for the year includes a tax benefit of $101 million due to the release of a valuation allowance in the fourth quarter of 2017 as a result of increased profits in a location outside the United States.
Operational EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) for 2017 of $57 million.
Revenues for 2017 of $1.5 billion, a decline of $112 million compared with the same period in 2016.
Key product lines achieved strong year-over-year growth for the full year 2017:
Volume for KODAK FLEXCEL NX Plates grew by 17 percent.
Volume for KODAK SONORA Process Free Plates grew by 21 percent.
Annuity revenues for the KODAK PROSPER inkjet platform grew by 13 percent.
The company ended the year with a cash balance of $344 million.
2018 guidance is for revenues of $1.5 billion to $1.6 billion and Operational EBITDA of $60 million to $70 million. Beginning in 2018 Operational EBITDA will only include the service cost component of pension income in conjunction with the adoption of a new accounting standard. If this change were made in 2017 Operational EBITDA would have been $49 million.
“2017 was a year of investment in our strategic growth priorities which bodes well for the future,” said Jeff Clarke, Kodak Chief Executive Officer. “We also eliminated several business initiatives while continuing to reduce cost and drive greater efficiency in the company. We enter 2018 with a stronger growth profile and more productive operations.”
Revenues for the full year 2017 were $1.5 billion, down 7 percent from 2016. The revenue decline was driven by volume and pricing declines within the company’s commercial print business and volume declines in the company’s consumer inkjet and industrial film and chemicals businesses.
The company’s cash balance was $344 million at the end of 2017, compared with $434 million at the end of 2016. The company used cash to invest in strategic growth businesses, fund working capital needs, meet legacy cash obligations and service and prepay debt.
“Our use of cash in 2017 included meaningful investments in the ULTRASTREAM inkjet platform, FLEXCEL NX packaging, SONORA X plates, advanced materials and brand licensing which will contribute to growth,” said David Bullwinkle, Kodak Chief Financial Officer. “In the fourth quarter of 2017, we reprioritized our investments to focus on shorter payback periods and reduced costs which will improve our ability to generate cash in 2018 and beyond.”
Key Business Unit Performance
Print Systems Division (PSD), Kodak’s largest division, had fourth-quarter 2017 revenues of $261 million, a 6-percent decline compared with Q4 in 2016. Operational EBITDA for the quarter was $16 million, compared with $39 million for the same period a year ago. Print Systems Division had full-year 2017 revenues of $942 million, a 7-percent decline compared with 2016. Full-year Operational EBITDA was $58 million, a decline of $48 million compared with the prior year. The decline was due primarily to industry pricing pressures, higher aluminum costs and an overall commercial print industry slowdown.
PSD’s environmentally-advantaged KODAK SONORA Process Free Plates had continued strong performance, delivering 21 percent year-over-year growth in unit sales. SONORA Plates now account for 19 percent of the division’s total plate unit sales.
Enterprise Inkjet Systems Division (EISD), including the KODAK PROSPER and KODAK VERSAMARK businesses and the investment in ULTRASTREAM inkjet technology, had fourth-quarter revenues of $39 million, down from $43 million in the same period in 2016. Operational EBITDA was $3 million, an increase of $1 million compared with the fourth quarter of 2016.
For the full year 2017, EISD revenues were $144 million, compared with $166 million in 2016. Operational EBITDA for the full year 2017 increased by $21 million from 2016 to $5 million in 2017. The results reflect the positive impact of cost control actions and continued strong growth in PROSPER annuities.
The company continues to invest in the development of KODAK ULTRASTREAM, the next-generation inkjet writing system, which is scheduled for launch in 2019.
Revenue and Operational EBITDA Q4 2017 vs. Q4 2016
($ millions)
Q4 2017 Actuals PSD EISD FPD SSD CFD AM3D EBPD Total EK
Revenue $ 261 $ 39 $ 41 $ 21 $ 47 $ 1 $ 4 $ 414
Operational EBITDA * $ 16 $ 3 $ 10 $ 1 $ (6) $ (5) $ 1 $ 20
Operational EBITDA * $ 39 $ 2 $ 7 $ 2 $ (2) $ (5) $ – $ 43
Q4 2017 Actuals vs. Q4 2016 Actuals B/(W) PSD EISD FPD SSD CFD AM3D EBPD Total EK
Revenue $ (18) $ (4) $ 7 $ (3) $ – $ – $ – $ (18)
Operational EBITDA * $ (23) $ 1 $ 3 $ (1) $ (4) $ – $ 1 $ (23)
Q4 2017 Actuals on constant currency** vs. Q4 2016 Actuals B/(W) PSD EISD FPD SSD CFD AM3D EBPD Total EK
Revenue $ (27) $ (5) $ 5 $ (3) $ (1) $ – $ – $ (31)
Operational EBITDA * $ (25) $ – $ 2 $ (1) $ (5) $ – $ 1 $ (28)
* Total Operational EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure. The reconciliation between GAAP and non-GAAP measures is provided in Appendix A of this press release.
** The impact of foreign exchange represents the 2017 foreign exchange impact using average foreign exchange rates for the three months ended December 31, 2016, rather than the actual exchange rates in effect for the three months ended December 31, 2017.
Revenue and Operational EBITDA FY 2017 vs. FY 2016
FY 2017 Actuals PSD EISD FPD SSD CFD AM3D EBPD Total EK
Revenue $ 942 $ 144 $ 145 $ 85 $ 198 $ 1 $ 16 $ 1,531
Operational EBITDA * $ 58 $ 5 $ 31 $ 1 $ (16) $ (26) $ 4 $ 57
Revenue $ 1,108 $ 166 $ 132 $ 90 $ 221 $ 1 $ 15 $ 1,643
Operational EBITDA * $ 106 $ (16) $ 24 $ 1 $ 16 $ (26) $ 2 $ 107
FY 2017 Actuals vs. FY 2016 Actuals B/(W) PSD EISD FPD SSD CFD AM3D EBPD Total EK
Revenue $ (76) $ (22) $ 13 $ (5) $ (23) $ – $ 1 $ (112)
Operational EBITDA * $ (48) $ 21 $ 7 $ – $ (32) $ – $ 2 $ (50)
FY 2017 Actuals on constant currency** vs. FY 2016 Actuals B/(W) PSD EISD FPD SSD CFD AM3D EBPD Total EK
** The impact of foreign exchange represents the 2017 foreign exchange impact using average foreign exchange rates for the twelve months ended December 31, 2016, rather than the actual exchange rates in effect for the twelve months ended December 31, 2017.
November 2017: Kodak Introduces First 3D Printer, the Portrait 3D Printer
November 2017: Kodak Slips in Third Quarter, Reporting Net Loss
August 2017: Kodak Reports $4 Million in Second-Quarter Net Earnings, ‘Strong Performance in Growth Products’
May 2017: Kodak Reports $7 Million in Net Earnings, ‘Continued Growth in Key Product Areas’
April 2017: Kodak Won’t Be Selling its PROSPER Commercial Inkjet-Printing Businesses
March 2017: Kodak Reports Much Improved Earnings for 2016
November 2016: Kodak Posts Third-Quarter Earnings of $12 Million
Tags: Eastman KodakFinancial News
Next story Katun: Supplies Not Affected by Canon Lawsuits; New Remanufactured HP Printers for Europe
Previous story Canon Gets Patent-Infringement Preliminary Injunction Against Biggest Discount
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2867
|
__label__cc
| 0.737945
| 0.262055
|
In Spirit, but Not On Stage
by Women's March Bay Area
This year’s theme, kicking off with our march and rally, is “Hear Our Vote,” centering on five actions:
Mobilizing to the polls
Organizing locally, as even the many Americans who can’t vote are hugely impactful on elections
Electing more women - especially women of color - and allies
Running for office (women!)
So why, then, are some of the local female elected officials NOT on-stage this Saturday? Why are Supervisors Ronen and Lee Fewer selected from among their peers on a predominantly female Board of Supervisors to speak on behalf of women in politics?
The answer is simple. Women’s March Bay Area is a 501c3 and as such can’t engage in partisan politics. Any action that’d be potentially interpreted as endorsing a candidate puts our nonprofit status at risk, which in turn makes our organizing more challenging. We can’t feature any politicians engaged in an active campaign on-stage.
The irony is not lost on us that as we have a city and state that exemplify to the rest of the country what we’re hoping for in terms of representative politics, we won’t be able to directly pay tribute to the work of these women from our stage.
Please know we celebrate them. We honor them. We hope to see them among our marchers, and we’re happy to bring light to so many of the issues at stake in coming elections so they’re connecting to a more informed voter base in this summer’s special election and in the fall midterms.
Women’s March San Francisco
Posted in San Francisco
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2869
|
__label__wiki
| 0.686872
| 0.686872
|
Ambode At 55:Lowers his voice, raises his logic!
“Good leaders are trailblazers, making a path for others to follow”- forbes.com
As global attention is riveted on the unfolding spectacle of the 21st edition of the FIFA World Cup in Russia today, there are interesting parallels to draw with a goal-getting Nigerian, whose illustrious life trajectory clocks 55 years on this same day. Much like the world-acclaimed beautiful game, which few observers gave a chance to survive, talk less of exploding when it began back in England in 1863, Lagos State Governor Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode was the little known aspirant when political pundits began to permutate on the likely successor to erstwhile Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola then in 2014.
But the leadership narrative has since changed, as Lagos state has become a reference point to Nigerians, nay Africans within the political power context. In a similar compelling, centripetal attraction that soccer enjoys amongst people of diverse races and religion, social strata and even political persuasion, the question on virtually everyone’s lip is what magic wand has Ambode waved to turn Lagos into an emerging smart city? That is, within a short span of three years in the saddle of the world’s fastest growing city and Africa’s fifth largest economy. The questions persist.
However, to be on the good side of history and more significantly to become better by the day, let us attempt answers from Ambode’s life experiences. Especially, those that have stood him in good stead. Just like football, with its thrills and frills and its team- game format there are rules to obey. We can only win life’s daily matches if we, like Ambode have the focus, the desire, the determination to excel no matter who would tackle us when we eventually have the ball.
For instance, the early death of his father was one of such challenges. However, instead of capitulating, he took it as a stepping stone to climb to greater heights by sacrificing his time and talents to concentrate on his studies. That he emerged the second-best student in the West African Examination Council(WAEC) O\L examinations at the end of his secondary school days is a testament to such iron-will determination to succeed against the odds, as John Harold Johnson(now late) of Ebony Magazine fame once admonished.
Secondly, Ambode was one young man who was written off by his uncle, at the age of 11 years, especially when he expressed his desire to becoming an accountant. The older man thought he did not possess the DNA to ever qualify as one. But the story has since changed its tempo and tenor. By 2015 when Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode became the APC flag-bearer of the state, he had already metamorphosed into a thoroughbred, tested and trusted technocrat. He was the former Accountant –General, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Finance and Auditor-General who has traversed several of the local government councils in the state.
Another salient, vital feature of successful leadership, as exemplified by Ambode is to be fully prepared for the onerous tasks at hand. Based on his wealth of experience he knew the needs and nuances of the state like the lines on his palms. So, he hit the ground running.
Little wonder that within six months in office his forward-looking administration, achieved all these and more. Specifically, in the health sector, the governor commissioned 20 Mobile Intensive Care Units (MICU) and 26 Transport Ambulances one for each of the 26 General hospitals. He ensured that ambulances were bought for all the public hospitals in the state, paid the aggrieved medical doctors their outstanding salaries and the long-suffering pensioners.
Similarly, Ambode approved the recruitment of more paramedic staff and special medical coordinators to guarantee 24 hours service. Besides, he upgraded the General Hospitals and constructed a Medical Park fully equipped with quality drugs and new mobile X-Ray machines. He similarly lent helping hand to victims of disasters including motor-accidents, fire outbreaks as well as mudslide in addition to diffusing governance to those at the lower rung of the Lagos society.
Making a wise choice, he began by beefing up security across the state. This he did by acquiring 10 armoured tanks, three helicopters for aerial surveillance and policing, two gun boats, 15 armoured personnel carriers and dozens of Isuzu trucks. Still on security, he initiated the LightUp Lagos Project covering at least 365 streets across the state.
On the massive infrastructural development, Ambode has turned Lagos into a vast construction site, as people are currently awed by the 10-lane Airport Road and the Oshodi Interchange edifice. Indeed, Lagos now boasts of state-of-the art flyover bridges at Ajah and Abule-Egba with that of the popular Pen-Cinema in the works.
Also, in less than one year in office some 282 inner roads received massive rehabilitation, as requested by the people during his tour of the LCDAs before his election. In fact, his ‘114 Roads’ project where each of the 57 local councils in the state got two good roads was completed by May, 2016.
Economic empowerment was next. It received a boost in December of that year as he began the disbursement of the N25 billion Employment Trust Fund,(ETF) to carpenters, tailors, hairdressers, vulcanizers and other players in the informal sector in the state. The initiative will see the disbursement of N6.25 billion annually over the next four years. It was also one of the promises he made during his campaign in 2015.
The food security issue was kick started with the launch of the Lagos-Kebbi (LaKe Rice) in December 2016. It came at the right time as thousands of residents trooped out to various centres across the three senatorial districts to buy the commodity which sold for N12,000 (50kg bag); N6,000 (25kg); and N2,500 (10kg). It was a much needed respite for a population that had been reeling under the impact of economic recession. The smiles widen as Lagos is getting ready to commission one of Africa’s largest rice mills months from now.
Barely over two years in office the state had raked in N287 billion in IGR, a whopping N19 billion more than was generated the year before. A revamp of the state’s revenue generation agency played a major role in this feat, but Mr. Ambode also gave credit to tax-paying citizens in the state.
It is a similar swan song from education through agriculture, to transportation and tourism. One great lesson for millions to learn from the governor’s success story therefore, is for one to be blessed with a strong God-fearing family. Both he and Bolanle, his woman of virtue have their lives firmly rooted in God. She is there as a pillar of support and as one who has stood by him through thick and thin. Besides, is their humility and tracing every success to the throne of God.
Said he, at a recent Sunday Service to mark his three years in office: “No matter how much strategy that you have read in school or how much work you have done in the public service, …if it is working back- to -back and consistently, there has to be some other source that is making it work because you are just one out of several others. Why it works for Lagos is the more reason why one has to be very sober and humble, to actually know that there is something that is making that to happen and that has to be God”.
If, for the first time in the history of Lagos state and indeed Nigeria no other politician has come forward to challenge Gov. Ambode, nine good months to the 2019 gubernatorial election , it must be God. That explains why he is being celebrated nationally and globally, like a World Cup winning goal!
Many happy returns, my dear, iconic boss.
Ajanaku is the Special Adviser, Information and Strategy to the governor.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2871
|
__label__wiki
| 0.973519
| 0.973519
|
British sailors 'grateful' to Iran
Family members celebrate surprise announcement of their release.
Ahmadinejad said he released the British
sailors as a "gift" to the UK [AFP]
Lieutenant Felix Carman, one of the sailors, said: "I would like to thank him, he's treated us with a great deal of respect and I would like to thank him for that.
"I would like to say that no harm was meant to the Iranian people or its territories whatsoever"
Lieutenant Felix Carman
"I can understand why you [Iranians] were insulted by our apparent intrusion into your waters.
"I would like to say that no harm was meant to the Iranian people or its territories whatsoever. I hope that this experience will help to build the relationship between our countries."
He said their captors met all their needs and they were "treated with a great deal of respect and dignity".
"I would just like to thank on behalf of my team the Iranian people for looking after us so well," Carman added.
Rights respected
Captain Chris Ayre said the Iranians respected "all our rights" and they were given medical and physical care, "plenty of food and water".
"No one has been harmed in any way, just wanted to make sure that some rumours have been going round and just tell them that they are untrue.
"Every one is in good health and in good spirits now that we have been freed," added Ayre, thanking Ahmadinejad for "his tolerance and kind attitude".
"Every one is in good health and in good spirits now that we have been freed"
Captain Chris Ayre
He was especially thankful to "people at the non-governmental organisation who have been instrumental in securing our freedom".
The brief interviews were aired late on Wednesday on Iranian state television.
Ahmadinejad first gave a medal of honour to the commander of the Iranian coast guards who captured the Britons before making the unexpected announcement to release the crew.
He also mocked Britain for sending a mother, Leading Seaman Faye Turney, on such a dangerous mission.
Strange feeling
Turney told Iranian television "it was a strange feeling" and that she was "embarrassed to start off with" when she heard the comments.
She then added: "It was nice that he has actually taken it into consideration and realises what some of us do for our jobs."
Turney also thanked Iranians "for letting us go and we apologise for our actions, but many thanks for having it in your hearts to let us go free".
Describing her detention, she said the Iranians "were fantastic" and that they had not been harmed in any way.
"It was nice that he has actually taken it into consideration and realises what some of us do for our jobs"
Leading Seaman Faye Turney
"No one hurt us, we were well looked after, well fed, well watered the whole way through," she added.
But she added: "It would be nice to get back, get home and see my family.
"The treatment here has been great, but it will be nice to get back, get home and see my family."
And celebrations will be awaiting her and her crew mates at home.
Yellow ribbons hung on the walls of local pubs on Britain's south coast where the crew is based as families gathered around on Wednesday to watch a press conference where Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iranian president, announced the crew would be freed.
Family ecstatic
Sandra Sperry, mother of 22-year-old marine Adam Sperry, one of the 15 captured, said: "I'm absolutely ecstatic. I can't believe this is happening. I never expected it.
"I thought this would go until the end of next week at least," she said.
A vigil planned for Friday at his local pub in Leicester, central England, would now be a party.
Perry's uncle, Ray Cooper, did not seem to care whether Iran or Britain had come off looking better in the standoff.
He said: "Whoever has been in the right or wrong, the whole thing has been a political mess, so let's just get them home."
The crew is expected to land in London on Thursday afternoon.
April Rawsthorne, the grandmother of 21-year-old sailor Nathan Summers, said: "I am just so happy today."
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2874
|
__label__wiki
| 0.970825
| 0.970825
|
Syrian opposition seeks to unify
Dissidents meeting in Qatar say progress has been made towards forming a new coalition.
Syrian opposition figures meeting in the Qatari capital, Doha, say they have made progress towards forging a broad-based leadership group sought by the international community.
Prominent dissident Riad Seif, who had proposed a Western-backed initiative to unite the opposition and form a transitional government, said on Thursday that he was "optimistic" an agreement could be reached.
The opposition is moving towards creating "a political leadership that would satisfy the Syrians and be recognised by the international community," Seif said.
He later added that the main opposition bloc, the Syrian National Council (SNC), had deferred a decision until after a final round of internal elections on Friday.
The SNC is hesitant since it would reportedly be given only 22 of 60 seats in the new group, to make room for activists from inside Syria.
Al Jazeera's Omar Al Saleh, reporting from Doha, said it was obvious from Thursday's drawn-out negotiations that the Syrian opposition remain divided, with "huge differences between the members of the Syrian National Council and other opposition figures".
"The international community and the core group of the 'Friends of Syria' that includes the US, France, Britain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, as well as Turkey, are pushing for a new initiative to be adopted by the delegates," he said.
"That initiative calls for a coherent representative structure that would also represent those fighting inside Syria. Western diplomats are telling Al Jazeera that this is not going to happen any time soon."
'Government-in-exile'
Footage purports to show rebels killing an unarmed man
Washington wants the opposition to reshape into a "government-in-exile".
Opposition leaders say such a body could be sited outside Syria or in zones now under rebel control.
Qatar's Prime Minister Hamad Bin Jassim Al Thani urged Assad's opponents to "unify their ranks and positions and to prioritise the interests of their nation and people over their own personal interests".
The search for a united front came as video emerged purporting to show rebel fighters shooting dead an unarmed man.
The United Nations and human rights groups say both pro-government and anti-Assad fighters are guilty of war crimes - and the latest video would appear to give more evidence for that.
"It shows the ugliness of the war," said Middle East analyst Joseph Kechichian. "Obviously this is a civil war going on and there are breaches of international conduct and human conduct ... This is not the first time and not the last. Unfortunately, we are going to see these more often."
Reacting to the footage, SNC's Radwan Ziadeh said: "It's a very shocking video and alarming." "We condemn all the human rights violations committed by the rebels or FSA [Free Syrian Army]. [But] we are not sure that who did this execution are members of the FSA."
Assad vows to stay
SNC's Radwan Ziadeh speaks to Al Jazeera about
war crimes allegations raised against rebels
Meanwhile, a defiant President Bashar al-Assad rejected calls he seek a safe exit from the country, vowing he would "live in Syria and die in Syria," as fighting raged in Damascus.
"I am not a puppet. I was not made by the West to go to the West or to any other country," Assad said in English in an interview with Russia's RT television.
"I am Syrian, I was made in Syria, I have to live in Syria and die in Syria," he said, according to transcripts posted on RT's website.
On Tuesday, British Prime Minister David Cameron floated the idea of granting Assad safe passage from the country, saying it "could be arranged," although he wanted the Syrian leader to face international justice.
Assad also warned against foreign intervention in the country's escalating conflict, saying such a move would have global consequences and shake regional stability.
"We are the last stronghold of secularism and stability in the region ... it will have a domino effect that will affect the world from the Atlantic to the Pacific," the transcript said.
In a separate video extract of the interview, Assad added: "The price of this invasion, if it happens, is going to be big, more than the whole world can afford."
Many in Syria's opposition, including rebels waging fierce battles with pro-regime forces, have urged world powers to intervene to stop the escalating bloodshed.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2875
|
__label__wiki
| 0.560021
| 0.560021
|
Home / News and Events / Mali to receive US $25 million concessional loan to build utility-scale solar photovoltaic plant and transform the West African energy market
Mali to receive US $25 million concessional loan to build utility-scale solar photovoltaic plant and transform the West African energy market
The African Development Bank (AfDB) Board of Directors has approved a senior concessional loan of $25 million to fund the Segou Solar PV Project, Mali’s first utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant. The project, one of the first in Sub-Saharan Africa, consists of the design, construction and operations of a 33 MW Power Plant. The transformational project will lead to a direct increase in the country’s installed capacity from a renewable resource and will generate 52.7 GWh annually (approximately 10% of the current generation capacity) over 25 years for a lifetime output of 1,316.75 GWh.
The project will be funded by the Program for Scaling Up Renewable Energy in Low Income Countries (SREP) of the Climate Investment Funds (CIF), with co-financing from the AfDB (US $8.4 million) and International Finance Corporation (US $8.4 million). This loan will help Mali firmly set its energy path on a climate-smart footing while ensuring more sustainable basic energy services to its citizens. The project will also create a replicable business model for private investment in solar PV markets across West Africa.
The project will be implemented by a Special Purpose Vehicle that will be fully owned by the private sector under a 25-year Build, Own, Operate & Transfer Concession Agreement with the Government of Mali and a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement with Mali’s national utility, Énergie du Mali.
“Introducing utility-scale solar PV as an energy source will enable Mali to harness its abundant solar energy potential, diversify the country’s energy mix, and increase access to cleaner energy for its citizens,” said Anthony Nyong, AfDB’s Director of Climate Change and Green Growth. “The project’s specific business model is a potential energy game-changer for Mali and indeed for all of West Africa. The project is a demonstration of the significant role that concessional climate finance can play in mitigating project specific risks and in addressing barriers that would otherwise hinder private sector involvement in renewable energy projects. This structure not only allows the Government of Mali to allocate valuable resources to other sectors of the economy, it also smoothens the way for private sector investments. It has ultimately opened the door for the industry to begin to flourish in West Africa.”
While solar PV is a technology that can be deployed in a flexible, scalable and rapid manner, first-movers face significant market barriers. Such barriers include high transaction costs, limited ability to raise financing, lack of capacity and challenges linked to the learning curve, permitting and regulatory compliance, weak transmission network and/or unreliable grid, and off-taker and country risk. Project preparation support, concessional support, and technical expertise are examples of the instruments still needed to help demonstrate the bankability of solar PV projects.
“SREP is uniquely designed to help low-income countries like Mali find ways to break down barriers to private sector engagement in renewables,” said Leandro Azevedo, Co-task Manager and Senior Climate Finance Officer at the AfDB. “SREP is helping low-income countries like Mali establish bankable solar PV projects under sound regulatory frameworks and lower power generation costs, and it will ultimately contribute to reducing reliance on expensive fossil fuel imports and subsidies in power generation.”
About the Climate Investment Funds (CIF)
Established in 2008 as one of the largest fast-tracked climate financing instruments in the world, the US $8.3-billion CIF provides developing countries with grants, concessional loans, risk mitigation instruments, and equity that leverage significant financing from the private sector, MDBs and other sources. Five MDBs – the African Development Bank (AfDB), Asian Development Bank (ADB), European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and World Bank Group (WBG) – implement CIF-funded projects and programs.
Leandro Azevedo
Climate Investment Funds (CIF)
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2879
|
__label__cc
| 0.734307
| 0.265693
|
AICGS
Sascha Lohmann, AGSR Fellow
Sascha Lohmann
AICGS is pleased to welcome Sascha Lohmann as an AICGS/GMF Fellow with the American-German Situation Room in Washington, DC, in May 2018.
Mr. Lohmann is a Fritz Thyssen Fellow at the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, Harvard University. Previously, he was a fellow at the Americas Division of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP) in Berlin. His academic work focuses on International Relations theory, the theory and practice of foreign policy advice, as well as the intersection of political economy and national security with an empirical focus on the United States and the member countries of the European Union. He has consulted with the German government and parliament, German business associations, as well as the Departments of Treasury and State on the use of U.S. economic sanctions against state and non-state actors. A political scientist by training, he graduated with a diploma from Free University Berlin and completed a PhD at Goethe University Frankfurt.
As a GMF/AICGS Fellow, Sascha Lohmann explores the consequences of President Donald J. Trump’s proclaimed “America First” approach for transatlantic cooperation on ensuring the peacefulness of the Iranian nuclear program, coping with the Russian Federation’s ongoing interferences in Eastern Ukraine and beyond, as well as mitigating disagreement on both sides of the Atlantic about the appropriate means to effectively deal with these issues.
Defense Policy, German-American Leadership, Russia
Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, Harvard University
Sascha Lohmann was an American-German Situation Room Fellow in May 2018.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2880
|
__label__cc
| 0.511638
| 0.488362
|
Previous Media Monitor
Bush Versus The New York Times
Next Media Monitor
People Versus the Press
Liberal Editor is Disgraced
by Cliff Kincaid on September 24, 2004
http://www.aim.org/mp3/2004/09/24.mp3
Lewis Lapham, the liberal, anti-Bush editor of Harper’s magazine, has been exposed for journalistic fraud. He has egg all over his face for writing a story about the content of the speeches at the Republican National Convention before the event was held and the speeches were given. Without knowing what he was talking about, he blasted the speeches as the same old “hollow rattle of the rhetorical brass and tin” that is “preached from the pulpits of Fox News and The Wall Street Journal.” Lapham has since apologized for what he’s calling a “rhetorical invention,” use of “poetic license,” and a “mistake.”
Writer Nick Schulz says the only “mistake” Lapham made was in “revealing for all to see what has long been known by anyone who pays attention to the news: the major media routinely bring to their coverage of significant political events a predetermined storyline?” He explains, “For the editor of Harper’s and other establishment press figures, it really makes no difference to them what will be said at Madison Square Garden because the Laphams are already set, loaded in the scribblers’ word processors and television anchor teleprompters and ready to go.”
Jacob Sullum of Reason magazine was the first to expose Lapham’s deception, noting on August 23 that the issue of Harper’s with Lapham’s comments about the convention was dated September, “but I got my copy in early August, and Lapham must have written those words in July. Didn’t it occur to him that his readers might notice he was claiming to have witnessed an event that had not occurred when the magazine went to press? Evidently, Republicans are not the only ones Lapham thinks are stupid.”
Lapham is an elite liberal whose new book is an attack on the Bush administration titled, “Gag Rule: On the Suppression of Dissent and the Stifling of Democracy.” Newsday recently quoted him as saying that he disagrees with the Bush foreign policy and that “The only way forward is enlightened, multilateral foreign policy.” He said, “Give up the notion that we can run the world as if it were a prison, Warden Bush. It didn’t work for the Romans. And it won’t work for us.”
The Boston Globe’s Amanda Heller reviewed the Lapham book and called it “eloquent.” She said Lapham was “a passionate and sophisticated student of American liberty?” She says that Lapham warns that the Bush administration has been assisted by “a complicit news media” and “an ill-informed and pusillanimous public.”
The public may be ill-informed if it depends on Lapham for facts and information. One reader posted this comment on Harper’s website: “I was most impressed to read of Lewis Lapham’s ability to travel in time? I would appreciate it if he could let all of us subscribers know the outcome of the forthcoming election.” Lapham’s statement of response, also posted on the Harper’s website, said that he regretted the injury done to the magazine and apologized, “wholeheartedly,” to the readers. It is ironic that Lapham wrote a book about a “gag rule” when he should have been gagging himself. He claims to be an advocate of the First Amendment but has done damage to it by passing off fiction as fact.
Cliff Kincaid is the Director of the AIM Center for Investigative Journalism and can be contacted at cliff.kincaid@aim.org. View the complete archives from Cliff Kincaid.
Comments are turned off for this article.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2881
|
__label__cc
| 0.706886
| 0.293114
|
End the Drug War
Program #TRES001. Recorded in Boulder, CO on October 22, 2013.
In 1971, Nixon launched a war on drugs calling drug use “public enemy number one.” Since then like a recurring nightmare various presidents have continued the war on drugs. Four decades on, a consensus has emerged that the war has not only failed but it has ruined countless lives and wasted tons of money. More than a $1 trillion has been flushed down the toilet. Despite evidence that punitive measures backfire, our jails and prisons are full of people convicted for smoking weed. There are clear signs that attitudes on drugs, particularly marijuana, are shifting. Latin American countries with Uruguay leading the way are hitting the reset button. Uruguay has legalized the consumption, sale and distribution of pot. The time is long past to develop new mechanisms to establish humane and sustainable alternatives to the drug war, especially cannabis.
Sanho Tree
Sanho Tree is a Fellow at the Institute for Policy Studies and director of its Drug Policy Project, which works to end the domestic and international so-called War on Drugs and replace it with policies that promote public health and safety. He has been featured in over a dozen documentary films and has appeared in hundreds of print and broadcast interviews.
2 reviews for End the Drug War
Joleen Quitugua – January 15, 2014
I am still processing what I heard on the radio just now. In my 39 years, I have never heard a radio broadcast that was so unequivocally clear in it’s message. Mr. Sanho Tree’s discussion rang true and with such courage, that I simply had to post my two cents. My two cents is “Bravo” to Mr. Tree and all the powers that brought him to my 30 year old truck radio. Thank you, and I would yield the mike to you any day.
Thomas Zaslavsky – January 15, 2014
The details Mr. Tree tells us about how the “War” on drugs promotes illegal drug gangs and use are startling and make a powerful argument for a reversal of policy. We knew about the misallocation of “drug war” funds to policing instead of healing (drug treatment programs), but not about the rapid technological evolution that defeats the “drug war” and the southern border fence, and the degree to which the “War” is defeated by unemployment, poverty, and hopelessness in the neglected parts of our population.
The CIA and Cuba
The island of Cuba occupies a big place in the imagination and politics of the United States. The powerful anti-Castro lobby has greatly influenced U.S. policy toward the Caribbean nation. The landscape of U.S./Cuba relations is dotted with the missile crisis, blockades, embargoes and boat refugees. Few know the details of the extensive CIA operations […]
Justice in Palestine
The level of ignorance and lack of knowledge about the Israeli-Palestinian issue is quite extensive. Israel is a strategic ally of the U.S. and a military and economic power in its own right. All true. The Palestinians? Well, they are an irritant. Why don’t they just go away, move someplace else? They had their chances […]
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2885
|
__label__wiki
| 0.530317
| 0.530317
|
Andrew Bradford
The story of Charlie and Kathy Bradford
Photos from the Book
Dotty Dorothy
« Back to Blog « Older Entry | Newer Entry »
Next Sunday - 27 January - is Holocaust Memorial Day
On a bitterly cold, snowy day one March I visited Auschwitz-Birkenau. We were on a short break in Cracow at the time. I was in two minds whether to go or not; one part of me said that this not a tourist attraction, and treating is as such devalues the horrors that went on there. But another part of me said that I should see what went on; If we don't try to understand what happened, it can happen again.
All Auschwitz visits are guided. Joachim, our guide told us about the history of this terrible place with sympathy and conviction. In particular he told us that many of the officers who ran the camp were never prosecuted; after the war they went back to Germany and resumed their civilian lives as though nothing had happened. The obituary of one camp medical officer describes him as one of the most eminent, and most caring gynaecologists in Stuttgart.
The Museum gets over a million visitors each year, so there are several different routes that an individual tour can take to avoid congestion. On the route our group took, one of the very first things that you see is the Museum's collection of over 400 false legs, false arms, crutches, leg-irons and other surgical appliances. I hadn't expected this. One of my childhood memories as a very small boy is going into my parents bedroom early in the morning when they were still in bed and seeing their crutches and leg irons and my father's leather and steel spinal corset by their bedside. Now I was looking at hundreds of these appliances, all looted from those who had been exterminated. I took a deep intake of breath.
This picture is provided by courtesy of the Aushwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum; www.aushwitz.org
My mother and father, both of whom were seriously disabled by polio when they were toddlers, were twenty seven and thirty three in 1939 - just the right age group to have ended their lives in this hellish place if they had they been born in another European country. It is estimated that close to 250,000 disabled people were murdered under the Nazi regime. Persecution of people with disabilities began in 1933, but mass murder commenced in 1939. The 1933 ‘Law for the Prevention of Hereditarily Diseased Offspring’ allowed for the forced sterilisation of those regarded as ‘unfit’. This definition included people with conditions such as epilepsy, schizophrenia and alcoholism. Prisons, nursing homes, asylums, care homes and special schools were targeted to select people for sterilisation. It has been estimated that between 1933 and 1939, 360,000 individuals were forcibly sterilised.
Andrew Bradford with his parents, Charlie and Kathy Bradford in 1953
The organised killing of disabled children began in August 1939 when the Interior Ministry required doctors and midwives to report all cases of newborns with severe disabilities. All children under the age of three who were suffering from conditions such as Down’s syndrome, hydrocephaly, cerebral palsy or ‘suspected idiocy’, were targeted. A panel of medical experts were required to give their approval for the ‘euthanasia’ of each child. In the first few months of the program this was usually achieved either by lethal injection or by starving the child to death.
Many parents were unaware of their children's' fate, instead being told that they were being sent for improved care. After a period of time parents were told their children had died of pneumonia and that their bodies had been cremated to stop the spread of disease.
Not everyone who was selected for euthanasia died. Robert Wagemann and his family were Jehovah's Witnesses. The Nazis regarded Jehovah's Witnesses as enemies of the state for their refusal to take an oath of loyalty to Hitler, or to serve in the army. Robert's family continued its religious activities despite Nazi persecution. Because of this Robert was born in gaol where his mother was imprisoned briefly for distributing religious materials. His hip was injured during delivery, leaving him with a disability. When Robert was five he was ordered to report for a physical in Schlierheim. His mother overheard staff comments about putting Robert "to sleep." Fearing they intended to kill him, Robert's mother grabbed him and ran from the clinic. The family was hidden by relatives until the allied victory. You can hear Robert talking about his experiences here.
Following the outbreak of war the programme expanded. Disabled and chronically sick adults were now included. A more efficient method of extermination was now needed as the previous methods of killing - lethal injection or starvation - were too slow to cope with larger numbers. The first experimental gassings took place at the killing centre in Brandenberg and thousands of disabled patients were killed in gas chambers disguised as shower rooms. Now that a fast and effective method of mass-murder had been developed it could of course be used to exterminate gays, Gypsies, political opponents and of course over six million Jews.
But the Nazis weren't alone in thinking that the lives of people with disabilities had no value. they drew some of their thinking from the ideas of the Eugenics movement, which had its followers all over the world, including the United Kingdom. In 1930, Julian Huxley, secretary of the London Zoological Society and chairman of the Eugenics Society wrote:
'What are we going to do? Every defective man, woman and child is a burden. Every defective is an extra body for the nation to feed and clothe, but produces little or nothing in return.'
In the early 20th century, many public figures, including political leaders such as Winston Churchill and Theodore Roosevelt; birth control pioneers Margaret Sanger and Marie Stopes, and intellectuals such as H. G. Wells, George Bernard Shaw, John Maynard Keynes, Linus Pauling and Sidney Webb supported the idea of eugenics.
They believed that anyone disabled or 'deficient' was a threat to the 'health of the nation'. The aim of eugenics was to eliminate human physical and mental defects altogether, in order to build a stronger society. People with disabilities would be segregated from everyone else in the name of 'perfecting' the human race. Between 1920 and 1940 compulsory sterilisation programs in mental asylums took place on a number of countries including Belgium, Brazil, Canada and Sweden.
Eugenics was discredited in most of the world by the revelation of what had happened in the German camps, but Sweden only stopped the sterilisation of asylum inmates in 1975. But these vile ideas are now being propagated by individuals such as Toby Young who have the ear and the support of cabinet ministers. In January 2018 Journalist Young was appointed to the board of the new Office for Students - a body which is intended to ensure that higher education institutions are accountable. Young was then severely criticised for comments he made on Twitter, most of which were deleted upon his appointment. He has since deleted 45,000 tweets.
A large number of them included what a London Evening Standard editorial called "an obsession with commenting on the anatomy of women in the public eye"; while another tweet was in response to a BBC Comic Relief appeal for starving Kenyan children. During the broadcast, a Twitter user commented that she had "gone through about 5 boxes of kleenex" whilst watching. Toby Young replied: "Me too, I havn't [sic] wanked so much in ages".
But he also write an article for the Australian publication "The Quadrant" recommending Eugenics:
"My proposal is this: once this technology [genetically engineered intelligence]becomes available, why not offer it free of charge to parents on low incomes with below-average IQs?"
as well as another article for "The Spectator" where he set out his views on people with physical and learning difficulties:
"Inclusive. It’s one of those ghastly, politically correct words that have survived the demise of New Labour. Schools have got to be ‘inclusive’ these days. That means wheelchair ramps....and a special educational needs Department that can cope with everything from dyslexia to Münchausen syndrome by proxy. If [then education secretary, Michael] Gove is serious about wanting to bring back O-levels, the government will have to repeal the Equalities Act because any exam that isn’t ‘accessible’ to a functionally illiterate troglodyte with a mental age of six will be judged to be ‘elitist."
Clearly, there will be little demand or either wheelchair ramps or special needs teachers in Young's brave new world. Because of the negative publicity that these articles and tweets generated, Young did not actually take up his appointment. But before his position became untenable, he was defended by Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, who described Young's comments as being merely "caustic wit". That is how close these reprehensible ideas are to becoming considered to be acceptable once again.
Our guided tour ended on the bleak plain of Birkenau, where hundreds of wooden buildings that housed those destined for the gas chambers once stood. At the end of the tour Joachim, our guide told us how to get back to our coaches. I was standing next to him when we began to walk back and we struck up a conversation.
Joachim told me that Auschwitz guides are sometimes heckled. Most of the hecklers deny that anybody was ever killed at Auschwitz or any of the camps. Guides are trained in how to respond to hecklers, and he wasn't too worried about putting the deniers down - the evidence to contradict them was all around them. The hecklers that he and his colleagues found really difficult to deal with were those who agreed that this was indeed a death camp, but that Hitler was right.
I'm going to finish this piece with pastor Martin Niemöller's Holocaust poem, which although it doesn't specifically mention disabled people, reminds me of the reason why I did decide to visit Auschwitz and why we all need to be consistently vigilant in our opposition to holocaust deniers and public figures like Toby Young. If ideas like his become acceptable in mainstream politics the future looks very bleak for vulnerable people.
First They Came - Martin Niemöller
First they came for the Communists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Communist
Then they came for the Socialists
Because I was not a Socialist
Then they came for the trade unionists
Because I was not a trade unionist
Then they came for the Jews
Because I was not a Jew
Then they came for me
And there was no one left
To speak out for me
Poem (c) United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Categories: holocaust memorial day, toby young, eugenics
Enfield (0)
Tottenham (2)
DLA (1)
We won't drop the baby (1)
Laurence Clark (1)
Dorothy O'Grady (1)
Bradford Family (1)
Bridgeman Family (2)
Jane Hersey (1)
Breath in the Dark (1)
Young Carers (0)
disability history (4)
ludwig guttmann (2)
jewish museum (1)
olympic legacy (2)
Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park (1)
john mccarthy (1)
polio eradication (2)
Islamist Militants (1)
Full Circle (1)
Cheshunt (1)
Bishop's Stortford (1)
Moving house (1)
Chinas one child policy (1)
Ma Jian (1)
Novels (1)
Travel Writing (1)
Bishops Stortford (1)
Albert Ball (1)
Woody Guthrie (0)
Plane Crash at Los Gatos Canyon (0)
Deportees (0)
Gove (1)
Thomas Kenneally (1)
Red Cross Nurses World War 1 (1)
Franklin D Roosevelt (2)
Guillain-Barre Syndrome (1)
March of Dimes (1)
Jimmy Mubenga (1)
Fair Trials (1)
I can't breathe (1)
Reading aloud (1)
University College London (0)
mummification (0)
VaxAware (1)
BBC Three (1)
Don't Take My Baby (1)
Sister Rosetta Tharpe (0)
Granada TV (0)
Pennine Way (1)
Hill Walking (1)
U3A (1)
Tales2Tell (1)
Icknield Way (1)
post truth (1)
Polio (1)
Robben Island (1)
Mandela (1)
Boulders Beach (1)
Mea Sharim (1)
eugenics (1)
toby young (1)
holocaust memorial day (1)
Refugee Tales (1)
Brook House (1)
Asylum Seekers (1)
Citizens of the World Choir (0)
Gillian Slovo (0)
Patrick Gale (0)
birkbeck (1)
Copyright Andrew Bradford © 2011 - 2018
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2887
|
__label__wiki
| 0.607588
| 0.607588
|
Virgin Australia Takes Delivery of New Boeing 737-800 from ILFC
Business Wirevia The Motley Fool, AOL.com
May 20th 2013 11:51AM
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC), a wholly owned subsidiary of American International Group, Inc. (NYS: AIG) , announced today that it has delivered a new Boeing 737-800 to Virgin Australia. This aircraft is the first of three new 737-800s ILFC is scheduled to deliver to Virgin Australia this year. The aircraft are intended to support the strategic fleet renewal at Virgin Australia.
ILFC Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Philip G. Scruggs commented, "ILFC is honored to continue providing aircraft to Virgin Australia. We share a long-standing business partnership that dates back to the launch of the airline. We are delighted to have delivered this new B737-800 that will support the initiatives of the airline."
This new aircraft is also the third of the total of five aircraft, which are part of a purchase leaseback agreement between ILFC and Virgin Australia. ILFC completed deliveries of the initial two aircraft in 2012.
About ILFC
International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC) is a global market leader in the leasing and remarketing of commercial aircraft. With approximately 1,000 owned and managed aircraft and commitments to purchase 243 new high-demand, fuel-efficient aircraft and rights to purchase an additional 50 A320neo family aircraft, ILFC is the world's largest independent aircraft lessor. ILFC has approximately 200 customers in more than 80 countries and provides part-out and engine leasing services through its subsidiary, AeroTurbine. ILFC operates from offices in Los Angeles, Amsterdam, Beijing, Dublin, Miami, Seattle, and Singapore. ILFC is a wholly owned subsidiary of American International Group, Inc. (AIG). www.ilfc.com | Twitter: @ILFCGlobal
American International Group, Inc. (AIG) is a leading international insurance organization serving customers in more than 130 countries. AIG companies serve commercial, institutional, and individual customers through one of the most extensive worldwide property-casualty networks of any insurer. In addition, AIG companies are leading providers of life insurance and retirement services in the United States. AIG common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Additional information about AIG can be found at www.aig.com
International Lease Finance Corporation
Paul Thibeau, +1 310-788-1999
pthibeau@ilfc.com
KEYWORDS: Australia United States North America Australia/Oceania California
INDUSTRY KEYWORDS:
The article Virgin Australia Takes Delivery of New Boeing 737-800 from ILFC originally appeared on Fool.com.
Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2889
|
__label__wiki
| 0.758986
| 0.758986
|
by Karen Martin | July 12, 2019 at 1:42 a.m. 0comments
Need a laugh? Maybe more than a few? Volume 2 of the Buster Keaton Collection is out this week on Blu-ray, DVD, and digital platforms.
The newly restored 4K films include silent comedy classics Sherlock Jr. and The Navigator, with modern orchestral scores by Timothy Brock and Robert Israel, respectively. The films were originally released in 1924.
In Sherlock Jr., Keaton plays a movie projectionist who daydreams himself into the movies he is showing and merges with the figures and the backgrounds on the screen. Fans will get a glimpse of how special effects got started as Keaton enters the film within a film.
The Navigator follows Keaton and his sweetheart when they cast adrift on a deserted ocean liner, which runs aground on a desert island where they must employ all sorts of survival techniques, particularly when being chased by cannibals.
Featurettes Buster Keaton: The Great Stone Face and Buster Keaton: The Comedian, along with trailers for both feature films, are included on the Blu-ray and DVD releases.
Volume 1 of the Buster Keaton Collection, released in May, offers The General (1927) and Steamboat Bill, Jr. (1928).
Little (PG-13, 1 hour, 49 minutes) A comedy with good intentions but not nearly enough laughs to sustain it through a too-long running time, Little revolves around abusive boss Jordan Sanders (Regina Hall) who, having been bullied as a kid, takes it out on everybody else. One of those victims is a youngster (Marley Taylor) who has magical powers and uses them to transform the bossy bu
Buster Keaton Collection
lly into her 13-year-old self while retaining her adult sensibilities. With Marsai Martin, Issa Rae, Mikey Day, Tone Bell, Caleb Emery; directed by Tina Gordon Chism.
After (PG-13, 1 hour, 45 minutes) Illogical, dimly plotted and clumsy with cliches, this Twilight wannabe involves a chance encounter by first-semester college student Tessa (Josephine Langford) with an out-of-the-ordinary fellow student, which leads her to wonder if everything she knows is wrong. With Jennifer Beals, Hero Fiennes Tiffin (nephew of Ralph Fiennes and Joseph Fiennes), Peter Gallagher, Selma Blair; directed by Jenny Gage. Based on a novel by Anna Todd.
High Life (R, 1 hour, 53 minutes) A stylish, unpredictable thriller -- business as usual for director and co-writer Claire Denis -- leaves a dad (Robert Pattinson) and his baby daughter lost in space when their space ship crew, made up of death-row inmates under the supervision of an evil physician (Juliette Binoche, who apparently can transform herself into any character she wishes), mysteriously disappear.
Pet Sematary (R, 1 hour, 41 minutes) With a pedigree that includes Stephen King's classic horror novel and the original 1989 movie (with enough decent moments to make it worth watching), this latest incarnation of Pet Sematary -- none too scary, and more about death and dying than about frightening audiences -- concerns an American Indian burial ground in Maine where interred creatures thought to be dead come back. No good can come of this. With Jason Clarke, Amy Seimetz, John Lithgow, Naomi Frenette; directed by Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer.
The Professor (R, 1 hour, 30 minutes) Further proof that Johnny Depp sure isn't the actor, or the attraction, that he once was, this over-edited and senseless tale concerns a college lecturer who, upon learning he has six months to live, decides to party hearty to the very end. With Ron Livingston, Zoey Deutch, Rosemarie DeWitt, Danny Huston; directed by Wayne Roberts.
MovieStyle on 07/12/2019
Print Headline: Home Movies
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2891
|
__label__wiki
| 0.83717
| 0.83717
|
Maroon 5 Red Pill Blues Tour Presale Times
Koji Kondo Arranges Himself For Orchestra The program reorganization period is approaching once every three months. It is a preliminary trend that there are many works that start in spring and autumn of the four seasons, but this time it is. Choral Journal Reviews On New Choral Music The piece utilizes an Allen Ginsberg poem that is a meditation on death,
Maroon 5 on Thursday announced its Red Pill Blues Tour dates and locations one week. The album drops Nov. 3, one day before tour tickets go on sale via Ticketmaster. Presale tickets go on sale Oct.
Maroon 5 coming to Little Caesars Arena in. leg of its Red Pill Blues tour Thursday. The tour starts in Tacoma, Wash., on May 30 and includes 33 stops in the U.S. and Canada. Tickets go on sale to.
Maroon 5’s 2018 tour will be in support of its new studio album “Red Pill Blues,” which is set to be released on. American Express cardmembers will have access to a presale that runs from noon.
Maroon 5 in Manila 2019: Tickets and Venue Updates Maroon 5 will be performing a concert live in Manila on March 5, 2019! The news comes from their own official Red Pill Blues Tour website where other tour dates and countries can be seen.
The Maroon 5: Red Pill Blues Tour 2018 will take place in Sale Dates and Times: Public Onsale : Sat, 4 Nov 2017 at 10:00 AM Maroon 5 Legacy Member Presale : Mon, 30 Oct 2017 at 10:00 AM Maroon 5 Junior Member Presale : Mon, 30 Oct 2017 at 11:00 AM
CANTON Maroon 5 will perform to close. The band released its newest album, "Red Pill Blues," in November and has tour stops lined up across the country in June, September and October. From Aug. 3.
An album like “Red Pill Blues” makes sense for the climate of pop music today. It’s been said many times. Maroon 5 still works at building on its audience through touring. A first leg took the band.
Sale Dates and Times: Public Onsale : Sat, 4 Nov 2017 at 10:00 AM Maroon 5 Legacy Member Presale : Mon, 30 Oct 2017 at 10:00 AM Maroon 5 Junior Member Presale : Mon, 30 Oct 2017 at 11:00 AM Live Nation Mobile App Presale : Thu, 2 Nov 2017 at 10:00 AM Maroon 5 Pre-Order Presale : Thu, 2 Nov 2017 at 10:00 AM American Express Presale : Mon, 30 Oct 2017 at 12:00 PM Fan Club VIP Packages Presale.
DENVER — Maroon 5 will stop in Denver next. cardholders will have access to a presale on Monday. The band’s new 33-date North American tour announcement comes a day before their sixth studio album,
Maroon 5 just announced their Red Pill Blues Tour for 2018, where they’ll visit amazing cities across the U.S. of A. Make sure your S.I.N. Club membership is active so you can take part in our exclusive presales beginning Monday, 10/30 @ 10am local times!
The Maroon 5: Red Pill Blues Tour 2018 will take place in Sale Dates and Times: Public Onsale : Sat, 4 Nov 2017 at 10:00 AM Live Nation Mobile App Presale : Thu, 2 Nov 2017 at 12:00 PM Maroon 5 Legacy Member Presale : Mon, 30 Oct 2017 at 10:00 AM
Maroon 5 have announced a 33-date North American tour in support their upcoming album Red Pill Blues. The tour starts May 30 at the Tacoma Dome in Tacoma, Washington. Red Pill Blues, due out on November 3, is the group’s sixth studio LP.
But instead of returning to the old-school organic, guitar-based soul-pop of that album, Maroon 5 — appearing in concert. an album like "Red Pill Blues" made sense for the climate of pop music.
The Maroon 5: Red Pill Blues Tour 2018 will take place in Sale Dates and Times: Public Onsale : Sat, 4 Nov 2017 at 10:00 AM American Express Presale : Mon, 30 Oct 2017 at 12:00 PM Maroon 5 Legacy Member Presale : Mon, 30 Oct 2017 at 10:00 AM Maro
The Maroon 5: Red Pill Blues Tour 2018 presale code has been listed: For a short time during this presale everyone who has the code has a fantastic opportunity to buy tickets before the general public! You might not get another chance to see Maroon 5: Red Pill Blues Tour 2018’s show in a city near you!
Multiplatinum pop-rock act Maroon 5 has announced its. An American Express presale begins at noon Oct. 30. The band is supporting its sixth studio album, “Red Pill Blues,” which is due out Nov. 3.
But instead of returning to the old-school organic, guitar-based soul-pop of that album, Maroon 5 made its most modern, synthetic sounding electro-pop-styled release yet with “Red Pill Blues,” the.
Maroon 5 are heading out on tour to support their upcoming album, “Red Pill Blues,” and they’re bringing a special guest along with them. The band’s sixth studio album drops on Nov. 3, making this the.
The Maroon 5: Red Pill Blues Tour 2018 will take place in Sale Dates and Times: Public Onsale : Sat, 4 Nov 2017 at 12:00 PM American Express Presale : Mon, 30 Oct 2017 at 12:00 PM Maroon 5 Legacy Member Presale : Mon, 30 Oct 2017 at 10:00 AM Fan
SINGAPORE – A Maroon 5 concert is the sort where you are likely. including their latest release Red Pill Blues (2017), after which their current world tour is named. On several songs, however, it.
HOUSTON – Maroon 5 announced the dates of their upcoming 2018 world tour produced by Live Nation. The first leg of the Red Pill Blues tour, named after their. There is an exclusive presale.
SINGAPORE – American pop-rock band Maroon 5 will be back in Singapore for the first. The show is part of the world tour for their sixth and most recent album, Red Pill Blues, that was released in.
Nov 03, 2017 · Red Pill Blues is the sixth studio album by American pop rock band Maroon 5. It was released on November 3, 2017, by 222 and Interscope Records. This is the band’s first release to feature multi-instrumentalist Sam Farrar as an official member after becoming a touring member in 2012.
The so-called “Red Pill Blues” tour kicks off May 30, 2018 at the Tacoma Dome in Tacoma. All dates are on Maroon5.com. see you then! Presale tickets will be available to American Express.
Sep 30, 2018 · Three-time Grammy® Award-winning multiplatinum band Maroon 5 embarks on their 2018 world tour produced by Live Nation in support of their new studio album, Red Pill Blues. The first leg of the band’s Red Pill Blues world tour will perform at Little Caesars Arena on Sunday, September 30 at 7:30 p.m. Julia Michaels will provide support.
On presale today are a number of cool concerts – a full tour from AWOLNATION, plus a few tour dates from Brantley Gilbert, Luke Bryan, Queens of the Stone Age, Rod Stewart, and Maroon 5. Comedians Trevor Noah and Tiffany Haddish have upcoming shows on sale, plus Willie Nelson, Marvel Universe Live, and Hamilton.
PITTSBURGH — You’ve got 11 months to prepare for Maroon 5’s next Pittsburgh concert. The pop-rock band fronted by "The Voice" star Adam Levine will perform Sept. 29 at PPG Paints Arena. A presale.
Nov 08, 2017 · Maroon 5; Red Pill Blues. generated a groundswell of online response insofar as people wondered if the members knew that “the red pill” is.
Check out all the lyrics to Maroon 5’s new album ‘Red Pill Blues’ below: “Best 4 You” “What Lovers Do” feat. SZA “Wait” “Lips on You” feat. Matt Flynn & Charlie Puth “Bet My Heart”
Gkrl Singer Sounds Like The Neighbourhood It’s a really short, powerful sound. It almost sounds masculine and I like having that dichotomy. I was born in Orange County, but I moved to Los Angeles when I was one or two and lived in Tarzana [an. Trying to sum up the quintessential sound. girl punk bands that play all ages shows at
Tickets go on sale Nov. 4 at Ticketmaster for the LIve Nation-produced tour, but an American Express presale begins Monday Oct. 30. Other dates on the tour include Oracle Arena in Oakland June 1,
Country Music Event A Ceaser Chavez Park Gkrl Singer Sounds Like The Neighbourhood It’s a really short, powerful sound. It almost sounds masculine and I like having that dichotomy. I was born in Orange County, but I moved to Los Angeles when I was one or two and lived in Tarzana [an. Trying to sum up the quintessential sound. girl punk bands
Maroon 5 announced a 33-date North American tour in 2018 in support of their upcoming album Red Pill Blues. The new LP is due out November 3. ‘The Red Pill Blues’ tour starts on May 30 in Tacoma,
The Maroon 5: Red Pill Blues Tour 2018 will take place in Sale Dates and Times: Public Onsale : Sat, 4 Nov 2017 at 10:00 AM Maroon 5 Legacy Member Presale : Mon, 30 Oct 2017 at 10:00 AM American Express : Mon, 30 Oct 2017 at 12:00 PM Fan Club VIP
The Maroon 5: Red Pill Blues Tour 2018 will take place in Sale Dates and Times: Public Onsale : Sat, 4 Nov 2017 at 10:00 AM American Express Presale : Mon, 30 Oct 2017 at 12:00 PM Maroon 5 Legacy Member Presale : Mon, 30 Oct 2017 at 10:00 AM Fan
Philippine Concerts has released the list of ticket prices and venue for American pop rock band Maroon 5’s Red Pills Blues Tour concert in Manila. for purchase on Sept 22 to 23 for the fan club.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2897
|
__label__wiki
| 0.655449
| 0.655449
|
The American Association of Blacks in Energy ®
Find Chapter
AABE History
AABE Awards
Energy Summit
Legislative Alerts
AABE Mentorship Program
How to join AABE
AABE Membership Newsletters
Membership Renewal Form
Listing of AABE Chapters
AABE Institute
International Chapter Development and Program Management
Executive Leadership Program (ELP)
Energy Entrepreneurs
LPD Institute
AABE Founder
AABE Staff
National Chairman
National Conference Planning Committee
Energy Entrepreneurs Committee
Legislative Issues and Public Policy Committee
Membership and Chapter Development
Chapter Presidents Resource Page
AABE - New Board Members
The History of the American Association of Blacks in Energy
Original Written by Rufus W. McKinney - May, 1994 Bethesda, MD
Edited by Robert L. Hill - August 1998 Washington, DC
The decade of the 1970's is likely to be remembered as the period in America's post World War II history when the nation actually confronted, for the first time, the reality of its vulnerability at the hands of a group of very small countries that were utterly without military power. The tremendous economic growth that occurred during the 1950's and 1960's had been fueled in large part by cheap and easily available energy supplies, from both domestic and foreign sources.
Seemingly overnight, America awakened to rapidly escalating prices for oil and natural gas. This, coupled with an abrupt shortage of these commodities, disrupted the entire U.S. economy. It was in the context of these growing concerns, and how the U.S. government undertook to respond to this energy crisis, that AABE came into being.
The idea of AABE was conceived in the mind of Clarke A. Watson of Denver, Colorado sometime in the spring of 1977. Mr. Watson owned an energy-consulting firm in Denver, Watson Associates, a division of Westland Companies. Watson was a bright, ambitious young man with big ideas, an engaging manner and contacts at high levels in the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the National Urban League. He was acquainted also with a few local and nationally known Black elected officials. Many oil and gas producers were very active in the Rocky Mountain area in the early 1970's in pursuit of various projects to develop new energy resources to alleviate perceived shortages of oil and natural gas supplies. Watson and his consulting firm had several oil and gas companies as clients; advising them on public relations matters.
The winter that followed the election of Jimmy Carter in November 1976 was one of the coldest on record. Carter took office in January 1977 amidst a heightened crisis atmosphere and widespread anxiety about what policies he would install to deal with the energy crisis. His predecessors, Gerald Ford and Richard Nixon, had instituted a series of organizational changes within the Executive branch in an attempt to deal with the energy problem. Ford established a position on the White House staff to coordinate the many functions related to energy that were scattered among several federal departments and agencies. Later, Congress created the Federal Energy Administration to coordinate federal energy policy; and the Energy Research and Development Administration, to foster and fund energy research and development efforts.
The Department of Energy Organization Act was finally enacted in the summer of 1977 and became effective on October 1 of that year. This was the culmination of initial efforts by the Carter administration to organize itself to address the energy crisis. Shortly after taking office, Carter established a special task force to study the energy problem and develop recommendations. Conspicuously absent from the task force were persons of color representing the interests to blacks and other minorities. The task force also had few, if any, persons with experience in any of the major energy sectors. Heavily represented were academic types, environmentalists, conservationists, and other advocates of alternatives to conventional fuels.
The makeup of the Carter energy task force was a major source of concern among a small group of Blacks, most of whom worked for energy companies. There was the fear that the task force's recommendations would reflect the somewhat elitist attitude common among environmentalists and militant alternative fuels advocates. Blacks and other minorities were not well represented in the membership of these groups and they tended to oppose most programs and policies to promote economic growth and resource development. Watson believed there was a strong correlation between energy resource development, economic growth, and expanding opportunities for disadvantaged minorities to participate more fully in the U.S. economic system.
Watson called for a meeting of a core group of Blacks concerned about energy matters on July 25 and 26, 1977, at the Watergate Hotel in Washington, D.C. Among those present at that meeting with Watson were J.J. Simmons (Amerada Hess); Rufus McKinney (Southern California Gas Co.); Robert Bates (Mobile Oil); Thomas Hart (Westinghouse); Larry Young (Maryland Legislature); Linda Taliaferro (Westinghouse); Mark Hyman (Public Relation Consultant); Lenneal Henderson (Howard University); Will Carter (Chevron); T.J. White (Phillips Petroleum); Wayne Smith (Colorado Public Service Co.); John Tucker (American Gas Association); and John Lewis, Editor and Publisher of "Black Affairs," a Washington bi-weekly newsletter.
This meeting provided the first opportunity for many of the participants to meet each other. However, some had heard about Clarke Watson because his critical comments about the administration's approach to the energy problem had found their way into several newspaper stories. Jake Simmons, too, was fairly well known in energy circles because of his pioneering role as a high-level official at the Department of Interior's Office of Oil and Gas during the Kennedy and Johnson administrations. John Tucker had the distinction of being the first Black officer of the American Gas Association. Rufus McKinney had been elected a vice president of Southern California Gas Company in 1975, after becoming the first Black lobbyist to head the Washington office of a Fortune 500 company back in 1972. Tom Hart had joined Westinghouse after a distinguished career as a track and field coach at Howard University and the Ghana Olympic team in 1964. Bob Bates had joined the Washington office of Mobil Oil Company after having worked several years as a key legislative assistant to Senator Edward Kennedy. Will Carter held a Ph.D. in chemistry and worked at a Chevron refinery in northern California. Linda Taliaferro held a law degree from Boston University and served as a member of the Advanced Reactors Division at Westinghouse Electric Company in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Although there was no formal agenda, it was clear from the outset that Watson knew what he wanted the group to accomplish at this first meeting. He wanted to create a structure or mechanism by which Blacks who had some knowledge and understanding of the U.S. energy situation could bring their thinking to bear on energy policy-making. He wanted to call to the administration's attention that it could ill afford to ignore the need for Black participation in every aspect of the policy-making process. Another idea running through the meeting was the desire to have the relatively new Democratic administration appoint Blacks to high-level, non-traditional roles in government. In other words, jobs outside of HEW, HUD, EEOC and civil rights. There also was the recognition that energy issues, per se, had not been a priority on the agenda of most Black political, civil rights, fraternal and social organizations. The thought was that someone needed to put this issue on the agenda of these groups because energy was so central to economic growth and job creation; the avenues for greater Black participation in the mainstream of the U.S. economy.
A consensus was reached fairly quickly to form a new organization, and that it would be called THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF BLACKS IN ENERGY, with the acronym, AABE. Clarke Watson was chosen to chair the organization by acclamation. Larry Young was selected First Vice Chair and Rufus McKinney, Second Vice Chair. It was agreed that Denver, Colorado would be the initial headquarters. Watson was charged to arrange for AABE's incorporation in the State of Colorado. For purposes of incorporation the initial directors selected were Clarke Watson, Larry Young, Linda Taliaferro, Thomas Hart and Rufus McKinney. It was agreed that dues would be set at $25.00 annually. Persons present at the organizational meeting generously contributed to a fund to cover start-up expenses. Watson was also selected to lead the development of draft bylaws that would describe member-ship criteria and other governing matters. A follow-up meeting was scheduled in Washington for September 23, 1977 to coincide with the annual meeting of the Congressional Black Caucus. AABE was incorporated as a non-profit corporation in the State of Colorado on December 1, 1977.
Attachment: Click here to read the entire history of the AABE Organization.
1625 K St. NW, Ste. 405
info@aabe.org
Terms of Use | © Copyright 2019 American Association of Blacks in Energy. Site by Filnet.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2898
|
__label__wiki
| 0.985575
| 0.985575
|
Australian cyclist Caleb Ewan backed to win a stage on his Tour de France debut
By Rob Arnold in France
Photo: Caleb Ewan's team say if things were slightly different, he could have taken a yellow jersey by now. (Reuters: Christian Hartmann)
Related Story: Australian Caleb Ewan survives crash chaos to place on the podium in Tour de France opener
Related Story: 'Destroyed' by Tour's tough third stage, Matthews sprints to second place
Map: France
"Caleb integrated with the team very quickly," says John Lelangue, the GM of Lotto-Soudal, a team with a 33-year history and a strong Belgian heritage.
He's talking about Caleb Ewan — a lot of people are during this first week of the 106th Tour de France. The sprinter, who turns 25 on Thursday, may be at the Tour for the first time, but big things are expected of him.
The 2019 race is five stages old and already he has two third-place results and has worn the white prize jersey as the best young rider.
On Saturday, at the end of a 194.5-kilometre opening stage that finished with a sprint on a slight incline, Ewan was beaten by Mike Teunissen and triple world champion Peter Sagan. The Australian was only a bike length away from victory.
He and his team had been optimistic that, instead of the white jersey, he could have earned the yellow of race leader.
That would have been a dream scenario: a sprint win, in Belgium, while racing with a Belgian team. Nevertheless Ewan has the team support and the speed to challenge for victory.
Photo: Caleb Ewan (front right) found himself boxed in behind Mike Teunissen and Peter Sagan on stage four. (Supplied: Zac Williams)
In Brussels on Saturday, he got boxed in but had the speed and power to challenge, there just wasn't any way past Teunissen or Sagan. But Ewan made no excuses. Just a stress-free shrug of the shoulders and knowledge that there'll be other chances.
But he is far from complacent. He presents well, relaxed and calm despite the weight of expectation. There's a determination that sets him apart. He knows what he's capable of, his team believes in him and has provided the support network to help him win.
Just don't expect tantrums if it doesn't work out. Ewan isn't like that.
He arrived in the pro ranks as a teenager, so you could be forgiven for thinking that he's been at the top level for a lot longer than he has. Still, he's got a few seasons behind him and victories in most of the big stage races he's competed in, including cycling's other two Grand Tours, the Vuelta a Espana (2015) and Giro d'Italia (2016 and 2019).
Video: Caleb Ewan sprinted to third on his Tour de France debut (Pic: AP) (ABC News)
He arrived at Lotto-Soudal after four full seasons with the Australian team now known as Mitchelton-Scott.
"From the beginning of the season he has been there in the sprints," Lelangue says.
"He's had a lot of podiums, a lot of victories in big races … and, of course, the two stages in the Giro d'Italia."
It took him until stage eight to win in the Giro, but he delivered on expectations in Pesaro, beating the rider who won on Tuesday, Elia Viviani. Three stages later, he won again in the Giro, and duly quit the race in order to prepare for the Tour.
"That was surely the best moment of the season," says Lelangue of the Giro stage wins. "But now we have to go even further and the Tour remains the big objective of the team and of Caleb as a rider."
Ewan maintains focus even in Le Tour's pressure-cooker
In between the Giro and the Tour, he became a father for the first time. Even with a distraction such as that, he's held focus, maintained condition and is on course for more success.
The Tour is a pressure cooker for any rider. There's hype and expectation for everyone and Ewan has been thrown in the deep end. He's expected to perform and be a team leader.
External Link: Caleb Ewan's Instagram post
It's early days but already he has finished third twice, in Brussels on day one, and again in Nancy at the end of stage four when he was beaten by Viviani and Alexander Kristoff, two sprinters with considerably more experience at the Tour.
"I've been pretty patient for my whole career," Ewan said after stage four.
"I can wait a few more stages.
"Although we've got third twice, I feel like we're getting closer. We're still working it out together as a team and I'm confident we can still get a win.
"We came from quite far back [in the stage four sprint]. We had to use so much energy just to get in position for the finish. It was almost like a full sprint to get there and then I got a few seconds of rest before we had to start sprinting again."
He speaks of "we", not "me", and that says a lot about Caleb Ewan. Success in cycling comes to the individual, but it requires a team effort, and Lotto-Soudal is backing the debutant for good reason — he's one of the finest sprinters of this generation.
"He doesn't get flustered," said Lotto-Soudal's sports manager, Marc Sergeant before the Tour.
"He also has good dialogue with his team-mates, which is impressive; after each race he says what he thinks about the work, what is good, what could be better."
Ewan's got time on his side
Of the 21 stages of the 2019 race, there aren't too many that suit sprinters. And so Lotto-Soudal has a two-pronged approach: sprints and breakaways. The terrain dictates the tactics, and when it's flat Caleb is the protected rider.
"I prefer the uphill finishes," Ewan said in Nancy. "The sprint in Brussels actually suited me perfectly. A sprinter of my size, smaller than most of the other sprinters, I can use my power-to-weight a little bit better."
He's 165cm tall and 67kg of pure muscle. What makes him a stand out as a sprinter, however, is his extreme aerodynamic position. With his head pushed forward over the handlebars, his face almost touching his front tyre, he attracts attention from his peers and commentators alike.
It's extreme but it's also amazingly efficient, significantly reducing the frontal surface area, allowing him to slip through the wind faster than his rivals — and yet he's still capable of extracting enormous power while in that position.
Photo: Lotto Soudal's Caleb Ewan of Australia celebrates on the podium, wearing the white jersey after stage one. (Reuters: Christian Hartmann)
There's a new generation of sprinters emerging and, in 2019, Ewan is considered one of the best. His key rivals in the Tour are Viviani, Kristoff, Sagan, but also younger riders like Dutch speedster Dylan Groenewegen, winner of the final stage in 2017 and stages seven and eight last year.
There are only a handful of pure sprinters capable of winning at the Tour. Ewan has got time on his side.
"I'm disappointed with another third place, but that's the way racing goes," he says.
"There have been plenty of times when I've missed out in the first few stages and I've come back.
"We can learn from the sprints we've already done this week, try to use that knowledge and hopefully win in the next few stages."
Ewan will be in the hunt for the win again in stage seven to Chalon-sur-Saone. It is likely that Lotto-Soudal will again put its support behind the Australian.
Topics: cycling, sport, france, australia
St Kilda in search for 'new voice' as coach Alan Richardson steps down
From an extra super over to an Aussie win, here are other ways to decide the World Cup
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2899
|
__label__wiki
| 0.934765
| 0.934765
|
Home › 2000 › January 2000 ›
UK - Court of Appeal, 19 January 2000, Secretary of State for The Home Department, Ex Parte Adan R v. Secretary of State for The Home Department Ex Parte Aitseguer, R v. [2000] UKHL 67
Country of Applicant: Algeria, Somalia
Keywords: Indirect refoulement, Non-state actors/agents of persecution, Safe third country
In assessing whether a state is a safe third country with regard to its interpretation of the 1951 Refugee Convention, it was not sufficient to assess whether the foreign state’s interpretation of the Convention was reasonable. The Secretary of State for the Home Department had to be satisfied that the foreign state applied the one true interpretation of the Convention decided upon by the UK Courts.
UNHCR Handbook 1
Non-state actors/agents of persecution 1
Safe third country 1
(-) Remove January 2000 filterJanuary 2000
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2900
|
__label__wiki
| 0.70432
| 0.70432
|
Home Events Movies
1991 Directed by Mary Agnes Donoghue. Starring Melanie Griffith, Don Johnson, Sheila Mccarthy, Elijah Wood, Thora Birch.
REVIEWED By Kathleen Maher, Fri., Oct. 4, 1991
Crying for close to two hours is not my idea of a good time. Nor do I think the ability of a movie to make me cry is in any way an attribute worth extolling -- it doesn't take much. This movie is about a couple who've gone dysfunctional after the death of their three-year-old son. Yeah, dead children will make me cry. And any time there's a danger of the tear ducts drying up for a minute or two, poor old Melanie Griffith goes up to the attic to fondle her lost little boy's booties or his tiny little jacket. Into these two miserable people's lives enters Wood, the son of Griffith's best friend, sent to stay while his mother works out her own marital problems. Solemn and cute, he wins over Griffith and Johnson, her stony husband, but he's got considerably more work to do to bring them both together again. In the meantime, he makes friends with the little girl next door, Birch. Actually, the acting is uniformly good, especially the children and there are good characters here (there are some annoying ones as well. Cruel condescension went into the creation of McCarthy's role as an unjustifiably vain floozy.). Johnson starts out overplaying the gruff embittered s.o.b., but he manages to wring out a high proportion of the few laughs this movie has in it. The kids work hard at lightening up the proceedings as well, but the overall sadness is unrelenting. It is Donoghue's year, she wrote Deceived and Beaches and was given this remake of the French film Le Grand Chemin to direct. She's competent, but she shows little sense of balance. Paradise will be a hit for those who confuse suffering with art, but I resent being emotionally mugged. It's my upbringing, I know, but I especially hate it at the directorial hands of a woman named Mary Agnes. It's like being beat up by a nun.
More Melanie Griffith Films
The making of one of the most inept films ever made
Steve Davis, Dec. 1, 2017
Drafthouse Films reissues this truly trippy oddity from 1981
Steve Davis, April 17, 2015
More by Kathleen Maher
Incident at Oglala
British filmmaker Apted makes a carefully reasoned, yet passionate statement about the legal system that has ensnared American Indian Movement activist Leonard Peltier.
Titicut Follies
Wiseman filmed conditions in the Bridgeport Mental Hospital with a bare minimum of crew and equipment, which resulted in a devastatingly candid view of life behind the high walls of a state mental hospital for the criminally insane.
KEYWORDS FOR THIS FILM
Paradise, Mary Agnes Donoghue, Melanie Griffith, Don Johnson, Sheila Mccarthy, Elijah Wood, Thora Birch
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2903
|
__label__wiki
| 0.909029
| 0.909029
|
Home/Music/Tidal Premium
Tidal is a subscription-based music, podcast and video streaming service that combines lossless audio and high-definition music videos with exclusive content and special features on music. Tidal was launched in 2014 by Norwegian public company Aspiro. The service has over 60 million tracks and 240,000 music videos.
Tidal (stylized as TIDAL) is a subscription-based music, podcast and video streaming service that combines lossless audio and high-definition music videos with exclusive content and special features on music. Tidal was launched in 2014 by Norwegian public company Aspiro.
The service has over 60 million tracks and 240,000 music videos.[3] Tidal claims to pay the highest percentage of royalties to music artists and songwriters within the music streaming market,[4] while offering two levels of digital music streaming service: Tidal Premium (lossy quality) and Tidal HiFi (lossless CD quality – FLAC-based 16-Bit/44.1 kHz – and MQA). It has distribution agreements with all three major labels and many indies.[5]
In March 2015, Aspiro was acquired by Jay-Z‘s Project Panther Bidco Ltd.,[6] which relaunched the service with a mass-marketing campaign. Some music artists changed their social media profile’s design to blue and posted the phrase “#TIDALforAll” on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.[7] A press conference on March 30, 2015, included Jay-Z and 15 other musicians who were co-owners and stakeholders in Tidal.[8] The service was promoted as being the first artist-owned streaming service.
While some observers praised the impressive high fidelity, lossless audio quality, and higher subscription fees which would result in higher royalties to the artists and songwriters, others felt the high subscription fees and exclusive Tidal content from the artists involved could lead to more music piracy. Tidal has claimed to have over 3 million subscribers,[9] although the veracity of those claims as well as their reported streaming numbers have been questioned.[10] Tidal currently operates in 53 countries.[11] On January 23, 2017, Sprint Corporation bought 33% of Tidal for a reported $200 million
Branching off from WiMP, which was launched in Norway in 2010 and later available in Sweden, Denmark, Germany, and Poland, Aspiro first launched the Tidal brand in the UK, the US, and Canada on October 28, 2014. The launch was supported by Sonos and 15 other home audio manufacturers as integrations partners.[13] In January 2015, Tidal launched in five more European countries: Ireland, Finland, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg.[5] It is currently available in 52 countries worldwide.
Aspiro was purchased by Project Panther Bidco Ltd. (owned by Jay-Z) for SEK 466 million (USD $56.2 million) in January 2015.[14] Before acquiring Aspiro, Jay-Z stated in an interview with Billboard that he was willing to partner with other streaming services to carry out his vision. “We talked to every single service and we explored all the options,” stated Jay-Z, “But at the end of the day, we figured if we’re going to shape this thing the way we see it, then we need to have independence. And that became a better proposition for us, not an easier one, mind you,” he concluded.[15]
On April 16, 2015 it came to public attention that Tidal was closing its original Aspiro offices in Stockholm, terminating the employment for all Swedish employees and the current CEO Andy Chen.[16] The company refused to comment on closing the offices, but confirmed that Andy Chen had been replaced as CEO by Peter Tonstad.[17] In September 2015, Tidal began selling digital downloads and CDs.[18] In December 2015, Tidal appointed Jeff Toig as CEO of the company. Jeff Toig then left the company in March 2017.[19] Richard Sanders was announced as CEO in August 2017.[20]
In January 2017, the company announced the partnership with UK-company Master Quality Authenticated (MQA) to deliver master-quality recordings—authenticated and unbroken versions (typically 96 kHz / 24-bit) with the highest-possible resolution to its HiFi subscribers. Tidal is the only streaming company to offer this MQA service.[citation needed] MQA is a “lossy” format.
On January 23, 2017, US mobile carrier Sprint announced that they were buying a 33 percent stake in Tidal,[21] reporting Sprint will offer exclusive content to Sprint customers.[12]
In 2017, Tidal announced a series of podcasts to launch the same year.[22] American rappers Fat Joe and Joey Bada$$ each host “Coca Vision” and “47 Minutes” respectively.
Be the first to review “Tidal Premium” Cancel reply
Category: Music Tags: music, musik, tidal
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2905
|
__label__wiki
| 0.777921
| 0.777921
|
Divided Loyalties: How the American Revolution Came to New York
by Richard M. KetchumRichard M. Ketchum
NOOK BookFirst Edition (eBook - First Edition)
Before the Civil War splintered the young country, there was another conflict that divided friends and family--the Revolutionary War
Prior to the French and Indian War, the British government had taken little interest in their expanding American empire. Years of neglect had allowed America's fledgling democracy to gain power, but by 1760 America had become the biggest and fastest-growing part of the British economy, and the mother country required tribute.
When the Revolution came to New York City, it tore apart a community that was already riven by deep-seated family, political, religious, and economic antagonisms. Focusing on a number of individuals, Divided Loyalties describes their response to increasingly drastic actions taken in London by a succession of the king's ministers, which finally forced people to take sides and decide whether they would continue their loyalty to Great Britain and the king, or cast their lot with the American insurgents.
Using fascinating detail to draw us into history's narrative, Richard M. Ketchum explains why New Yorkers with similar life experiences--even members of the same family--chose different sides when the war erupted.
Holt, Henry & Company, Inc.
Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Richard M. Ketchum (1922-2012) graduated from Yale University and commanded a subchaser in the South Atlantic during World War II. As director of book publishing at American Heritage Publishing Company for twenty years, he edited many of that firm's volumes, including The American Heritage Book of the Revolution and The American Heritage Picture History of the Civil War, which received a Pulitzer Prize Special Citation. Ketchum was the cofounder and editor of Blair&Ketchum's Country Journal, a monthly magazine about rural life. He and his wife lived on a sheep farm in Vermont. He is the author of the Revolutionary War classics Decisive Day and The Winter Soldiers.
Richard M. Ketchum (1922-2012) is the author of the Revolutionary War classics Decisive Day: The Battle of Bunker Hill; The Winter Soldiers: The Battles for Trenton and Princeton; the award-winning New York Times Notable Book Saratoga: Turning Point of America's Revolutionary War; and, most recently, Divided Loyalties: How the American Revolution Came to New York. He lived in Vermont.
Divided Loyalties
How the American Revolution Came to New York
By Richard M. Ketchum
Copyright © 2002 Richard M. Ketchum
A Most Splendid Town
Long before they came in sight of land, European passengers bound for New York were greeted with the sweet scent of the continent's lush vegetation. Rounding Sandy Hook and heading for the harbor, they sailed through the Narrows between Staten Island and Brooklyn, up past the forested shores of New York Bay, and got their first, distant view of the settlement at the southern extremity of Manhattan Island. What they saw appeared to be no more than a village, surrounded by trees and open fields, but it was an experience few visitors forgot. It was "the most splendid Town in North America," according to one traveler, and few could argue with that. In surroundings of striking natural beauty, what had begun life as a tiny outpost of Holland's commercial empire was still, after 136 years, surprisingly small and compact — something like two thousand houses and a population of about twelve thousand.
The last of four great Pleistocene ice sheets that had blanketed Canada and the northeast deposited drifts of clay and sandy gravel up to one hundred feet deep across much of southern Manhattan. Where the ice stopped, as the glacier began to melt and withdraw, a terminal moraine, or accumulation of glacial debris, was left behind at either side of the Narrows, extending in a sinuous ridge from Staten Island across western Long Island.
Washed by two rivers and the ebb and flow of Atlantic tides, Manhattan had the magical, beckoning quality of all islands, but to most Dutch and its later occupants, the English, it was perceived less in spiritual than in physical terms. In addition to a central location among the colonies that were strung out along the Atlantic coastline, it possessed unparalleled access to the interior by way of the Hudson River. More important, Manhattan was blessed with a world-class deepwater port, protected by the Narrows and New York Bay, and was on the way to becoming the most important trading center in North America. Except for a handful of native hangers-on, most of the people regarded as savages were long gone, off on the frontier somewhere along with the bears, wolves, cougars, and other wild creatures that had once made their home on what the Indians called Manahata. The settlement had grown beyond the original Dutch wall erected to keep out the Indians and beyond the later palisaded barricade built across the island in 1745 by panicky residents as protection against possible invasion by the French, yet it was still a small provincial town, a community in which virtually everything was within easy walking distance, and where just about everybody was a neighbor.
The most tangible symbol of the British crown's presence was Fort George, perched on rocks at the southern tip of the island. Built by the Dutch about 1614, it had borne nine different names since that time and in the 1760s was in a state of advancing decrepitude. Despite its ruinous condition, it was the city's social and official center, since the royally appointed governor resided in a house inside the open rectangle, protected by ramparts of the Grand Battery. Behind this bulwark of a hundred ancient naval guns mounted on small wheels, the skyline bristled with church spires and the cupola and flag of City Hall. Houses clustered along and behind the waterfront, and beyond them were low-lying hills and woods.
The island was fourteen and a half miles long and ranged in width from half a mile to two and a half miles or — as men tended to figure it in those days — two hours by cart from north to south, an hour's walk from east to west. But the city proper was only a mile long and no more than half that in width, which was a godsend to everyone involved in trade. In a day when nearly all business was conducted on foot or by horse-drawn vehicles, a visitor remarked that "the Cartage in Town from one part to another does not at a Medium exceed one-quarter of a mile. [This] prodigious advantage ... facilitates and expedites the lading and unlading of Ships and Boats, saves Time and Labour, and is attended with Innumerable Conveniences to its inhabitants."
Manhattan's insularity was further intensified by problems of communication. Letters, news, and official documents traveled only as rapidly as a man on foot or horseback or in a ship could carry them. This was a world in which it took at least six weeks or more to get a letter from "home" in the British Isles, carried by a sailing vessel struggling against the westerly winds and subject to all the vagaries of weather, shipwreck, war, and piracy. Stockings, linens, shirts, kerchiefs, dresses, woolens, shoes — every item of clothing, it seemed, came from Britain, and New Yorkers were accustomed to delays of four or five months between the placing of an order and its arrival. A trip to Philadelphia, in good weather, with a good horse and solid footing on the roads, took at least forty-eight hours. A journey upriver to Albany — normally a three-day trip by schooner — might take twice that long if winds and tides were uncooperative.
Throughout the colonies, similar conditions existed, with the result that New Yorkers often knew more about goings-on in London than in the Carolinas or even Pennsylvania. Newspapers carried little but foreign news, largely because most colonials had almost no interest in what was happening in other colonies, and this self-imposed isolation was at the very root of the problems America faced during the seemingly incessant warfare along its vast frontier.
In theory, mail from England was put aboard a packet in Falmouth on the second Saturday of the month, but with the uncertainties of weather or possible damage to the ships one could only guess when it might be delivered. So the moment the packet boat was sighted sailing up the bay, word flew around town and people ran to the wharf to be on hand when the vessel docked, bringing official dispatches, letters, and the latest London papers.
When the Philadelphian Benjamin Franklin took over the slow, undependable colonial postal service in 1753, one of his innovations was to have newspapers print the names of persons who had mail waiting for them. Then he initiated the penny post, which provided that letters not called for on the day the post arrived were sent to the addressee the next day by the postman for an extra fee. (Letters which had been advertised in newspapers and remained unclaimed for three months were forwarded to the Dead Letter Office in Philadelphia.) But as welcome as these improvements were, long-distance mail, especially, remained uncertain at best. No wonder: as an instance of how mail was addressed and sent, Cadwallader Colden's father, in Scotland, directed a letter to his son thusly:
To Cadwallader Colden, Esq.
At New-York
How it was to be put on board ship left a good deal to the imagination:
To be Left at the Sun Coffee house
Behind the royal exchange London
Yet somehow, it arrived.
The premise that the distance between two points divided by the rate of travel indicates the time it takes to get there governed relations between England and America, and it was significant in more ways than might come to mind. (One imponderable, of course, was the impossibility of predicting what the rate of travel across the ocean might be.) New York society, led by the mercantile aristocracy, was patterned on and imitative of that in London, which meant that court gossip about the foibles and follies and fashions of the highly placed were extremely important to provincials, who were prone to social insecurity. The faster they received word of what was de rigueur the more secure they felt.
Shopping seasons for English goods were a boom time and a boon for every kind of hostelry and eatery in the city. Crowds from near and far flocked to New York to see the large fleet of English ships sail into the harbor, as they did every April and October, and their arrival was followed by a shopping frenzy that might last for weeks. The ships made the round trip in about six months, taking half of that time for loading and unloading, and so it was that the very latest in garments — apparel from head to toe — along with books, pictures, furniture, and just about everything else was the main topic of conversation in those two months of the year.
From autumn into spring, New York's well-to-do attended assemblies run by the merchants William Walton and James McEvers, dancing classes, and concerts, which were almost always followed with balls. Gentlemen arrived dressed to the nines in silk or broadcloth suits trimmed with gold, boots with silver buckles, richly embroidered waistcoats trimmed with lace, and wigs freshly powdered and scented, lending support to Benjamin Franklin's comment that men "fear less ... being in hell than out of fashion." On their arms, their companions were beautifully gowned in satin or silk hoopskirts, wearing shoes with impossibly high heels and tight bodices that covered stays cut high in the back and low in the front. And woe to the poor soul who had not yet heard from the staymakers who made regular trips from London and was unaware that waistlines had gone down this season.
At some balls the ladies were expected to stand in line according to their purported "rank," but this practice led to what Ann Watts described to her cousin Ann DeLancey as "a monstrous Fight," after which it was decided that "there shall be no Lady or Gentleman invited to dance that will not be willing to draw for a place, and that will be the only way to make things easy." The role of almost all women then was a restricted one, as Anne Moore complained to Ann DeLancey. "You will readily allow," she wrote, "that our sex can appear truly amiable in no light but the domestic," and only in that manner can she "find room to display every virtue."
The social whirl included regular evenings at the theater, musicales as well as more formal concerts, entertainments given by the governor at his house in the fort — often celebrating some event like a royal birthday — as well as parties given by British officers at the garrison. And moneyed New Yorkers had the same enthusiasm for sports as the English gentlemen they admired — everything from bowls to cockfighting, fowling, sailing, fishing, horse-racing, and foxhunting on Long Island, and they welcomed one governor who arrived at his post with "nine gouff clubs, one iron ditto, and seven dozen balls." The long winters were enlivened with shooting, skating, and sleighing parties just beyond town.
For a good many of these prosperous merchants' households the descriptive word was "luxury." They had their portraits painted by such fashionable artists as Benjamin West and Pierre du Simitière, and by itinerant limners. (During her lifetime, Alice DeLancey Izard and her husband had their portraits done many times, by the likes of John Singleton Copley, Gainsborough, Thomas Sully, and others.) They purchased fine clocks, silver, wall hangings, and figured wallpaper from England. They ate off Lowestoft, Wedgwood, and Canton china. They drank fine Madeira, claret, burgundy, and champagne. They were served by a butler and maids, and driven by a coachman — all of them Negro slaves.
These people were gregarious and convivial, meeting and gossiping in coffeehouses, inns, and private homes. One group of men called themselves the Hungarian Club and met regularly at Todd's Sign of the Black Horse in Smith Street. Astonishingly, they met every night, and a visitor noted that only good topers were accepted for membership. "To talk bawdy and have a knack at punning passes among them for good sterling wit," he observed sourly, but he concluded that "in this place you may have the best of company and conversation as well as at Philadelphia."
A newcomer from Philadelphia was similarly impressed: "This is a better place for company and amusements than Philadelphia," he said, "more gay and lively. I have already seen some pretty women." But his enthusiasm quickly palled. It was the novelty of the city that he had found enchanting at first, but before long he discovered that one day's exposure to the people, manners, living, and conversation conveyed as much as fifty days'. Making the rounds of many homes he found the same topics discussed — "land, Madeira wine, fishing parties or politics. ..." What's more, in the coffeehouses they had "a vile practice ... of playing backgammon (a noise I detest) from morning till night, frequently ten or a dozen tables at a time."
John Adams, accustomed to the ways of Boston, looked down his nose at New Yorkers. "With all the opulence and splendor of this city," he commented, "there is very little good breeding to be found. I have not met one gentleman. ... There is no conversation. The people talk very loud and fast and all together and break in upon you in speaking."
Most of New York's streets were crooked, but many were wide, paved with cobblestones, with a gutter running through the middle, and lined with shade trees that made walking in summer on sidewalks laid with flat stones a pleasure. At night the lamplighter made his rounds and the streets were lit, as they had been since 1693, by "lanthorn & candle" hung from every seventh house, with the expense borne equally by the seven homeowners.* Over the years, the forest on the lower half of the island had been cut over for building, but in 1708 citizens were given permission to plant trees in front of their houses, and half a century later the leafy canopy caused visitors to comment that the place "seemed like a garden" because of the salubrious mix of beech, locust, elms, and lime trees, as the lindens were called. Many houses had balconies on the roof that enabled people to sit outside in summer and admire the lovely prospect of the town, with the sparkling rivers and bays beyond. In 1760 nearly every house lot of any size had a garden, as did the country estates north of town, many of which also had orchards growing all kinds of fruits, along with meadows and pastures for livestock. Saltwater fish were plentiful in the Hudson, as were oysters, from the huge beds on the New Jersey shore.
By 1760 the city's population was at least four times what it had been ninety years earlier and farms had sprung up over much of the island, but Manhattan retained most of the characteristics described by one Daniel Denton in 1670. He noted that the land grew corn and all sorts of grain, providing pasture in the summer — grass as high as a man's waist, he said — and fodder for winter. In the woods, "every mile or half-mile are furnished with fresh ponds, brooks or rivers, where all sorts of Cattel, during the heat of the day, do quench their thirst and cool themselves. ..." Despite the number of streams that traversed the island, good, fresh drinking water was scarce, however. Numerous wells, public and private, existed in the city, but the output of most of them tasted so bad that people who could afford it purchased water by the cask or bottle from springs north of the settled areas. For those who wanted a daily supply of decent water for their tea or cooking, a horse-drawn cart made the rounds, hauling hogsheads of water from a spring where the Tea-water Pump was located, selling it for something less than a dollar a bucket.
The Hudson River was a constant reminder of Albany and the frontier that gave it such importance. For generations Albany had been the important end of the river, the collection point for all the furs sent from New York to Europe's hungry market, the source of so much wealth for the Dutch and their successors. It seemed that every well-dressed man or woman in Europe must have a beaver hat, and in the first year of Dutch settlement some fifteen hundred of the skins had been shipped to Holland. By the eighteenth century colonial hatters were exporting ten thousand beaver hats to Europe annually — infuriating English hatters, who petitioned Parliament to stop the importation of these finished goods from America.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Divided Loyalties by Richard M. Ketchum. Copyright © 2002 Richard M. Ketchum. Excerpted by permission of Henry Holt and Company.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Title Page,
Copyright Notice,
Dedication,
Preface,
Prologue,
1. A Most Splendid Town,
2. Salutary Neglect,
3. Year of Wonders,
4. Join or Die,
5. George — Be a King,
6. Gentle Shepherd,
7. A Stamp Tax,
8. Slavery Fenced Us In,
9. Petitions and a Dagger,
10. The City in Perfect Anarchy,
11. Madness and Folly,
12. An Act to Repeal an Act,
13. An Unsupportable Burden,
14. A Tax on Tea,
15. Incentive to Rebellion,
16. The Wilkes of America,
17. Battle of Golden Hill,
18. Coercive Measures,
19. An Act of Tyranny,
20. The Mob Begin to Think,
21. Blows Must Decide,
22. Affairs Grow Serious,
23. The Sword Is Drawn,
24. You Must Now Declare,
25. The Proposition Is Peace,
26. Full Exertion of Great Force,
Epilogue,
Principal Characters,
Source Notes,
Acknowledgments,
Index,
Also by Richard M. Ketchum,
About the Author,
Copyright,
Brinkley
B>Douglas Brinkley, Director of the Eisenhower Center for American Studiesand Professor of History at the University of New Orleans
Without question Richard M. Ketchum is the finest historian of the American Revolution currently working. His newest bookDIVIDED LOYALTIES: HOW THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION CAME TO NEW YORK is a brilliant, landmark study which reminds us that the creation of the United States was considered an act of treason. Blessed with an impeccable instinct for illuminating detail, Ketchum tells the riveting story of John Jay, Robert Livingston, and other brave New Yorkers in pitch-perfect rose. A truly important and engaging work.
In his superb Divided Loyalties, Richard M. Ketchum uses New YorkCity-always fractious, always fascinating-to tell the story of the coming of the American Revolution. And because he has a near-magical ability to bring to life the men and women of the generation that lived through it, Ketchum manages to retrieve the urgency of long-ago events with color and suspense, reminding us all the while that our Revolution was not only an epochal event in human history, but a bitter and brutal civil war fought by people very like ourselves.
In this magnificent new book, Ketchum (Decisive Days, etc.) shows the falsity of traditional accounts of the Revolution depicting colonies united against a detested oppressor by focusing on one colony's agonizing decision to enter the fray. While Robert Walpole was Britain's prime minister, he pursued a policy of "salutary neglect" he avoided war, kept taxes low and encouraged trade. Walpole's policy allowed the American colonies to prosper and to believe they were the masters of their own destiny. When George III ascended the throne in 1760, however, things changed dramatically. He led the colonists in wars against the French and Indians, and he imposed numerous taxes on goods the colonies exported and imported. For 15 years, unrest grew in the New York colony, and loyalties were divided; as much as one-third of the colony, the author says, remained loyal to the king. Ketchum puts a human face on the conflict by focusing on two families, the Delanceys and the Livingstons. Both families were prosperous landowners. But as tensions rose, the Delanceys moved to England, while the Livingstons joined the Sons of Liberty and encouraged revolt against the throne. Ketchum captures the prosperity of the New York colony, as well as its inhabitants' confusion about which side they should join. His lively narrative offers readers insights into the tension, fear, patriotism and loyalty that marked the beginnings of the American Revolution. 28 b&w illus. not seen by PW. (Oct.) Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.
When we think of America and the Civil War, we usually think of the blue and the gray. But as historian Ketchum (The Winter Soldiers) points out in his newest book, America's first Civil War occurred nearly a century earlier. Ketchum uses New York City as the backdrop to describe the events that ultimately led to war, beginning with British Prime Minister Walpole's policy of "salutary neglect" (i.e., the Colonies were best served by avoiding war, encouraging trade, and keeping taxes low) to George III's efforts to tax the Colonies to pay war debts and his rejection of a final peace proposal in 1775. Ketchum uses two prominent New York families, the DeLanceys and the Livingstons, one with loyalist tendencies and the other patriotic, to illustrate the complex issues that not only divided the country but split families and set neighbor against neighbor. Ketchum's narrative style and frequent use of firsthand accounts makes for easy reading and brings the participants to life. What results is a good companion to Schecter's The Battle for New York, since Schecter essentially picks up where Ketchum leaves off, on the eve of war, and describes the struggles of the British to hold on to New York City. Ketchum's book also includes an appendix of the principal characters. Recommended for medium to large public libraries. (Index not seen.) Schecter, a professional writer and historian, makes the case for New York City's being the strategic axis around which the Revolutionary War revolved. Schecter shows again and again how Great Britain's desire to hold New York City cost it the war effort, beginning with Gen. William Howe's slow invasion, in which he missed several opportunities to trap Washington in favor of securing the city, and ending with Gen. Henry Clinton's failure to reinforce Cornwallis because of his apprehensions about a possible attack on the city. The easy narrative style is enhanced by numerous quotes, allowing the actual players to tell their part of the story. This book is of special interest to those who live in and around New York, as it includes details about the fortifications of the two armies complete with references to current locations in the city and a walking tour. Well researched and written, this book is recommended for libraries in the New York area and those with comprehensive American Revolution collections.-Robert K. Flatley, Frostburg State Univ. Libs., MD Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.
"An exemplary work of popular history." -The Washington Post Book World
"Ketchum is a vivid storyteller. He weaves a complex but forceful narrative web from many diaries and memoirs . . . a dynamic story." -The New York Times Book Review
"Magnificent . . . Ketchum's lively narrative offers readers insights into the tension, fear, patriotism and loyalty that marked the beginnings of the American Revolution." -Publishers Weekly, starred review
new york book
new york indian book
book by richard slotkin
american book
book by joseph tiedemann
book by mark meckler
102 Minutes: The Unforgettable Story of the Fight
102 Minutes does for the September 11 catastrophe what Walter Lord did for the Titanic ...
102 Minutes does for the September 11 catastrophe what Walter Lord did for the Titanic in his masterpiece, A Night to Remember . . . Searing, poignant, and utterly compelling.Rick Atkinson, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of An Army at DawnHailed upon ...
A Sea of Words: A Lexicon and Companion
This comprehensive lexicon provides definitions of nautical terms, historical entries describing the people and political ...
This comprehensive lexicon provides definitions of nautical terms, historical entries describing the people and political events that shaped the period, and detailed explanations of the scientific, medical, and biblical references that appear in the novels.
Athens: A Portrait of the City in Its
A lively and accessible history of Athens's rise to greatness, from one of the foremost ...
A lively and accessible history of Athens's rise to greatness, from one of the foremost classical historians.The definitive account of Athens in the age of Pericles, Christian Meier's gripping study begins with the Greek triumph over Persia at the Battle ...
Back Over There: One American Time-Traveler, 100 Years
In The Last of the Doughboys, Richard Rubin introduced readers to a forgotten generation of ...
In The Last of the Doughboys, Richard Rubin introduced readers to a forgotten generation of Americans: the men and women who fought and won the First World War. Interviewing the war’s last survivors face-to-face, he knew well the importance of ...
Colonial Days in Old New York: Before, During
Colonial Days in Old New York is a treasure trove of facts about the life ...
Colonial Days in Old New York is a treasure trove of facts about the life and times of the American colonists and the birth of our nation. Renowned historian and bestselling author Alice Morse Earle provides a vivid portrait ...
Divided Ground: Indians, Settlers, and the Northern Borderland
From the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of William Cooper's Town comes a dramatic and illuminating portrait ...
From the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of William Cooper's Town comes a dramatic and illuminating portrait of white and Native American relations in the aftermath of the American Revolution.The Divided Ground tells the story of two friends, a Mohawk Indian and ...
Lost Battalions: The Great War and the Crisis
A work of stunning density and penetrating analysis . . . Lost Battalions deploys a ...
A work of stunning density and penetrating analysis . . . Lost Battalions deploys a narrative symmetry of gratifying complexity.David Levering Lewis, The NationDuring the bloodiest days of World War I, no soldiers served more valiantly than the African American ...
On the Wild Edge: In Search of a
Opinionated and iconoclastic, Petersen writes with humor and a well-honed craft that will delight fans ...
Opinionated and iconoclastic, Petersen writes with humor and a well-honed craft that will delight fans of Edward Abbey. Library Journal (starred review) Twenty-five years ago David Petersen and his wife, Caroline, pulled up stakes, trading Laguna Beach, California, for a ...
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2908
|
__label__wiki
| 0.979575
| 0.979575
|
Dewsbury musician rocks his way to debut single release
Aiden Hatfield has released his debut single.
Published: 15:03 Monday 21 January 2019
A Dewsbury musician is looking ahead to a whirlwind 2019 after the release of his debut single last week.
Aiden Hatfield, who has a dedicated social media following of almost 200,000 people from across the world, is perhaps better known as a spokesperson and fundraiser for mental health issues.
For the past five years he has raised thousands for mental health charity Mind through his online clothing brand 'In Music We Trust'. Aiden suffers from depression himself and donates 50% of the profits from the clothing brand to the charity.
But now the 30-year-old is speeding forward with the music career that has always underpinned his campaign efforts.
His debut single, 'This is Never Ending', was released on Friday ahead of a five-track EP to be released on March 15. A UK tour will take part in March and April.
"It's exciting and it's always been a big part of what I do," he said, "it's half my livelihood.
"Music has always been the thing that I go to help with my mental health, but it's there for so many people on a day-to-day basis, not just people in my position.
"The clothing brand is all based around my love for music and doing what I love to do, so this is just the next step for that.
"A lot of people probably see me more for what I do in mental health and with the clothing brand, but I've been playing music since I was 13 years old."
Influenced by the likes of Taking Back Sunday, Aiden describes his sound as punk / emo with emotive and often dark lyrics, but says that while his music is influenced by his battle with mental health, that's not all he writes about.
"I guess that's the natural assumption because that's what I'm associated with for a lot of people," he said, "it does have an effect on my song-writing but it's not all about that.
"The single is about a relationship - that feeling of not feeling you're good enough for someone or that they could do better."
Cricketers in Batley hit by arson attack invite the culprits to join their club
Dewsbury schoolchildren unveil artwork at town’s railway station
Dewsbury man on sex offender list banned from town's markets
Housebuilder’s donation sees pupils communicate with BIGmack switches
More from Batley and Birstall News
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2909
|
__label__wiki
| 0.538039
| 0.538039
|
Home MMA News Overeem Says He Is Trying To Get Licensed Early | UFC NEWS
Overeem Says He Is Trying To Get Licensed Early | UFC NEWS
Alistair Overeem has had his share of legal troubles over the past few months and has been a ghost since his suspension from competition due to a failed drug test for elevated levels of testosterone.
Now, the Dutch UFC heavyweight says he plans to come back in December and continue his title hunt against his once-scheduled opponent, Junior dos Santos.
“That’s my goal. I know that the UFC will not promote me on their card as long as I’m not licensed. That being said, we’re going to try to get licensed sooner and I’m confident that I will succeed,” Overeem stated in his recent interview.
Overeem was banned by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) back on December 27th, 2011 after being pulled for a random drug screening before UFC 146, and has since moved to Florida to train and states that he is settled in and improving:
“The last few months have actually been calm media-wise, which was good. I moved to Miami. I’m full-time here now and I got all settled there. I’m still training, always training, always improving my game,”
Overeem will be looking for a statement win in his next fight, though no opponent has been announced yet.
For the latest news on UFC and MMA, stay tuned to BJPENN.com
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2914
|
__label__cc
| 0.627233
| 0.372767
|
This is how to get tickets for the Love Island final
Which islanders will see themselves crowned the winners? (Photo: ITV)
Rhona Shennan
Love Island is a staple of summer reality TV and ITV’s most popular show. The debut episode of 2019’s contest was watched by an average of 3.3 million people.
This season has been running for six weeks, and now the end is in sight.
When is the Love Island final?
It appears that the Love Island final will take place on Monday 29 July 2019.
While ITV has not yet officially confirmed this as the date for the finale, the tickets are a strong indication that this will be finale date.
It would also mean that the series will last for eight weeks, which is the same length of the last series.
How do I get tickets?
The good news is that tickets for the final episode are free – the bad news is that there’s no way to guarantee that you’ll get one.
What you have to do is go online and request a ticket – whether you’ll get a ticket or not is entirely up to luck.
The ticket site states, “Why not request your free audience tickets right now and if you are selected, you will be joining us inside the Villa compound for an evening you will never forget!”
The terms and conditions explain, “Some of our shows are incredibly popular, so all tickets are sent at random.”
You’ll also be responsible for getting yourself to Mallorca in Spain.
You can request your tickets via Applause Store here. Those looking to request tickets need to be over the age of 18.
What happens at the final?
At the final, you’ll see Caroline Flack, Love Island host, announce the winners of this years series.
The winning couple will then have the chance to take home £50,000.
They are given two cards, one with the word ‘love’ on it and one with the word ‘money’. If they both pick love, then the prize money is split between them.
If one picks love and the other picks money, then the person who chose money will leave with all the prize winnings.
This article originally appeared on our sister site Edinburgh Evening News
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2915
|
__label__wiki
| 0.519975
| 0.519975
|
Free Things to Do in Boston, February 2018
Including free ice skating at the Frog Pond, a free day at the MFA, and more.
By Antonia DeBianchi· 2/1/2018, 7:40 a.m.
Keep your weekends full of the coolest things to do around Boston with our weekly Weekender newsletter.
Photo Courtesy of Funimation Entertainment
Your Name Screening
Start off your month with a free screening of the critically acclaimed animated Japanese film, Your Name. The screening is a celebration of the opening night of the Boston Festival of Films from Japan. Teeming with free offers, the culturally immersive night includes live music, art-making activities, and free admission to the highly renowned “Takashi Murakami: Lineage of Eccentrics” exhibition.
February 1, 7:30 p.m.-9:35 p.m., Museum of Fine Arts, 465 Huntington Ave., Boston, mfa.org.
Giorgian MicroJamZ Clinic and Performance
Pianist and composer Giorgi Mikadze is heating up Berklee’s Oliver Colvin Recital Hall with a clinic, which integrates traditional Georgian folk music with jazz, African music, funk, and more. Following the event, Mikadze will hit the stage at 7 p.m. for a concert with Berklee Professor David Fiuczynski, Sean “Chopz” Wright, and Panagiotis Andreou.
February 1, 1 p.m., Oliver Colvin Recital Hall, 1140 Boylston St., Boston, berklee.edu.
“Some Like it Hot” Chili Cook-Off at Harvard Square
Jump start your Super Bowl festivities at Harvard Square’s 10th Annual “Some Like it Hot” Chili Cook-Off. The outdoor event features chili samples from a handful of top-notch Boston restaurants. Once you reach your chili limit, vote for the restaurant most worthy of the illustrious “Harvard Square Chili Pot” title.
February 3, 1 p.m. – 2:30 p.m., Harvard Square, in front of 27 Brattle St., Boston, harvardsquare.com.
Swing Dance at Faneuil Hall
If you consider yourself a swing dance aficionado, skip on over to Faneuil Hall to enhance your skills. Inside the Quincy Market Rotunda, the event is set to strip away your winter gloom one step at a time. After the free lesson, visitors will put their skills to the test at a social dance where they’ll boogie along to live music.
February 6 and 13, 6:30 p.m.-9 p.m., Quincy Market, 4 S Market St., Boston, faneuilhallmarketplace.com.
“Before Projection: Video Sculpture 1974-1995” Opening Reception
Join MIT List Visual Art Center in celebrating the opening of the new exhibition, “Before Projection: Video Sculpture 1974-1995.” Linking the present moment with the time when video-art entered the gallery space, the exhibition re-thinks monitor-based sculptures. “As part of the city-wide collaboration on Art & Tech, the List Center’s Before Projection looks at the relationship between the availability of historical video display technology and the ingenious ways in which artists have used it to formal and thematic ends,” says Henriette Huldisch, Director of Exhibitions and Curator at MIT List Visual Arts Center. “Highlighting this underappreciated moment in video art history, the show presents twelve works using television monitors, many of which have rarely been seen since their inception, made from the mid-1970s to the mid ’90s, before the arrival of cinematic projection in the gallery.” To ensure you have the chance to view the work of artists Dara Birnbaum, Ernst Caramelle, Maria Vedder, and more, RSVP while space is still available.
February 7, 6 p.m.-8 p.m., MIT List Visual Arts Center, 20 Ames St., Cambridge, listart.mit.edu.
All the Things I Lost in the Flood Screening and Discussion
Celebrating the release of her new book, All the Things I Lost in the Flood, artist Laurie Anderson is heading to Boston University for a presentation of her work—she is set to read and perform using text and visual images. Her book is a sequence of essays, which delves into the nature of stories and language across an expanse of disciplines. “She is the ultimate renaissance women—she has mastered many things, invented many things, created many things, and continues to astonish and perform at the highest level,” says Lynne Allen, professor in the School of Visual Arts at Boston University. “In her recent book, All The Things I Lost In The Flood, she brings together a collection of her work to date, and looking with fresh eyes, tells us the story of what she sees.”
February 7, 7 p.m., Tsai Performance Center, 685 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, bu.edu.
“Inventur – Art in Germany, 1943-55” Opening and Discussion
If you’re a history buff and an art connoisseur, then the new exhibition at Harvard Art Museums has you covered. “Inventur – Art in Germany, 1943-55,” explores the historical, political, and artistic scene during and after World War II in Germany. One featured artist, Konrad Klapheck, will lead a discussion on his pieces, while exhibition curator Lynette Roth will later join in the conversation. Centered on modern art, the exhibition includes nearly 50 artists who each contribute various eye-opening pieces.
February 8, 5 p.m.-9 p.m., Harvard Art Museums, 32 Quincy St., Cambridge, harvardartmuseums.org.
Photo Courtesy of Silex Films, and kamel mennour, Paris
Feature Tour: “Art in the Age of the Internet, 1989 to Today”
In the current digital age, have you ever wondered how radically the Internet converges with art? The ICA’s new exhibition, “Art in the Age of the Internet, 1989 to Today,” explores just that, featuring a myriad of paintings, sculptures, and performances that all portray an aspect of contemporary culture. Eva Respini, the ICA’s Barbara Lee Chief Curator, says “the exhibition also establishes important historical links between ideas pioneered by artists before the Internet age and artists working today.” Join the free interactive tour to learn about emergent ideas of the body and human enhancement, as well as how the Internet is a place of both surveillance and resistance.
February 8, February 15, and February 22, 7 p.m., Institute of Contemporary Art, 25 Harbor Shore Dr., Boston, icaboston.org.
Celebrate the Lunar New Year with free admission at the MFA / Photo Courtesy of Helene Norton Russell
MFA Lunar New Year Celebration
Ring in the Lunar New Year at the MFA with free admission all day. “The event offers the community an opportunity to learn about and experience Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese traditions while exploring how the holiday is celebrated around the world,” says Linda Apple, director of volunteer and community engagement at the MFA. The fun-filled day is one not to be missed: Festivities for the Year of the Dog include dance performances, family art-making activities, and gallery talks in the Art of Asia galleries.
February 10, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Museum of Fine Arts, 465 Huntington Ave., mfa.org.
Tavi Gevinson Signing and Discussion
If you were a 21st century teenage girl, or you know one, then it is likely you’ve visited the quirky, relatable online shelves of Tavi Gevinson’s Rookie Magazine. Founder and editor-in-chief of Rookie, Gevinson has written an extension of the magazine—her latest book, called Rookie on Love. The book is a unique blend of essays, comics, and interviews with contributors including Rainbow Rowell, John Green, and Jenny Zhang. Seats are available on a first come, first served basis, so be sure to arrive early to snag a spot.
February 12, 6:30 p.m., Cambridge Public Library, 449 Broadway, Cambridge, harvard.com.
The Book of Negroes Screening
In honor of Black History Month, head to The Loring-Greenough House for a two-day screening of The Book of Negroes. The six-part miniseries, based on author Lawrence Hill’s novel, stars Aunjanue Ellis and Cuba Gooding Jr., and portrays the stories of Black Loyalists in the American Revolution. Be sure to RSVP online before seats fill up.
February 17, 1:30 p.m.-4:30 and February 18, 1:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m., the Loring-Greenough House, 12 South St., Jamaica Plain, loring-greenough.org.
Davis Museum Black History Month Tour
Enjoy free admission at the Davis Museum during the Black History Month Tour. Led by student guides, the tours will bring visitors to marvel at artworks from Africa and the African Diaspora. Pieces on view include both permanent collections and the temporary exhibition, “Soulful Stitching: Patchwork Quilts by Africans (Siddis) in India.”
February 17 and 24, 2 p.m., the Davis Museum, 106 Central St., Wellesley, wellesley.edu.
Perfect Strangers Book Signing
Looking for an afternoon of inspiration and empowerment? Head to the Prudential Center for Roseann Sdoia’s book signing. Her book, Perfect Strangers focuses on recovery and discovering joy after “Boston’s Worst Day.” Sdoia shares a heartwarming tale of how she met her current husband, firefighter Mike Materia, the day she lost her leg in the Boston Marathon Bombing. This February, pick up the book and meet Sdoia—someone who embodies the meaning of “Boston Strong.”
February 18, 12 p.m., Prudential Center Barnes and Noble, 800 Boylston St., Boston, barnesandnoble.com.
ICA Presidents’ Day Free Admission
This Presidents’ Day, enjoy free admission and soak up everything contemporary at the Institute of Contemporary Art. Drop in to visit the museum’s newest exhibitions, including “Art in the Age of the Internet, 1989 to Today,” “Nicholas Nixon: Persistence of Vision,” and more.
February 19, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Institute of Contemporary Art, 25 Harbor Shore Dr., Boston, icaboston.org.
Photo Courtesy of Mark Hunt
Free Ice Skating at the Frog Pond
If you’re searching for an activity for the kids, take them to the Boston Common Frog Pond for some classic winter fun. The Highland Street Foundation created Winter Camp 2018 to sponsor free outings for children and families during public school vacation week. “Based on feedback from many of our community partners, we understand that February break is one of the most challenging weeks to keep children active and engaged,” says Executive Director of Highland Street Foundation Blake Jordan. “The goal with free ice skating at the Frog Pond is to get them outside, participating in a fun activity with friends, family and other members of the community.” This program sponsors free ice skating at the Frog Pond, including free skate rentals, skating aids, and lockers.
February 19-23, 10 a.m., Boston Common, bostonfrogpond.com.
Movie Night at Faneuil Hall Marketplace
Faneuil Hall Marketplace has a fun-filled week planned out during public school February vacation. The historic Lower Rotunda in Quincy Market takes the role of a movie theater for one week, playing Iron Giant, Moana, Despicable Me 3, and Beauty and the Beast. Bring the kids to any one of these PG-rated movies for a night of relaxation and family fun.
February 19-23, 6:30 p.m., Quincy Market, 4 S Market St., Boston, faneuilhallmarketplace.com.
Fifty Years Since MLK Discussion
Join the Harvard Book Store, Boston Review, Mass Humanities, and the Cambridge Public Library in their panel discussion on the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.. With panelists Elizabeth Hinton, Cornel West, Brandon M. Terry, and Tommie Shelby, the evening features the latest issue of Boston Review, Fifty Years Since MLK, edited by Terry, as well as To Shape a New World: Essays on the Political Philosophy of Martin Luther King, Jr., edited by Shelby and Terry. According to Terry, the panelists “aim, with this discussion, to rescue King’s brilliant mind and most challenging and enduring ideas from myth, and make them come alive in the hope that they can provide some light in these dark times for American democracy and the ideal of equality.”
Boston Picnic Guide: Where to Order, and Where to Eat
What's In Season Right Now?
Our Day Trip Guide to Rockport
An Open Concept Kitchen in Needham
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2919
|
__label__wiki
| 0.82954
| 0.82954
|
100,000 Remember Rabin in Tel-Aviv Ceremony
By Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz November 1, 2015 , 1:23 am
“In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.” (Psalm 4:8)
Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin with President Clinton and Yasser Arafat during the signing of the Oslo I Accord in 1993. (Credit: IDF Spokesperson’s Unit)
A rally at Rabin Square in Tel Aviv commemorating the 20th anniversary of the assassination of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin drew 100,000 participants on Saturday night, and was attended by former US President Bill Clinton. The gathering, organized under the slogan, “Remembering the murder, fighting for democracy”, was intended to be a non-political gathering honoring the Nobel Peace Prize winning former leader and his efforts to bring Peace to the the Middle East.
Israeli President Reuven Rivlin opened the rally by greeting Clinton with the phrase, “Shalom, Chaver (Welcome Friend).” This was a reference to the motto that had dominated the eulogies given at Rabin’s funeral, since the Hebrew word ‘Shalom’, also means ‘Goodbye’ and ‘Peace’. Clinton himself, as the serving US president, had spoken at Rabin’s funeral, using the very same phrase.
“Two decades have gone by, and still we remain overly focused on the wounds of the past, and not enough on building the future,” Rivlin said. “We should have no fear, Israel’s democracy is solid enough, and we are brave and strong enough to open wide Israel’s gates, so that all the groups within us may play an equal part in shaping the character and future of the State of Israel.”
Clinton, introduced by Dalia Rabin, the daughter of Yitzchak Rabin, addressed the crowd from behind a shield of bullet proof glass. He said, “The day he was killed was probably the worst day of my 8 years as president.”
“After all the fighting and battles he engaged in, he never stopped seeing other people, including his adversaries, as human beings,” said Clinton. “All of you must decide… how to finish his legacy, for the last chapter must be written by the people he gave his life to save and to nourish. You have to decide that the risks for peace are not as severe as the risks of walking away from it.”
A pre-recorded video of US President Barack Obama was shown on a large screen at the event. He took the opportunity to promote the two-state solution.
“The Jewish people have the right to live in their homeland, and Palestinians have the right to be a free people in their own land. And peace is possible, if both parties are willing to truly compromise and take risks for the only real solution — two states for two people; a democratic Jewish state living side-by-side in peace and security with a viable, independent and sovereign Palestinian state,” President Obama said.
“A bullet can take a man’s life, but his spirit and his dream of peace will never die.”
Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz is a features writer for Breaking Israel News. He made Aliyah to Israel in 1991 and served in the IDF as a combat medic. Berkowitz studied Jewish law and received rabbinical ordination in Israel. He has worked as a freelance writer and two works of fiction, The Hope Merchant and Dolphins on the Moon, are available on Amazon. He lives in the Golan Heights with his wife and their four children.
By Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz
Luxembourg Prime Minister Boycotts Israel Event After Education Minister Praises Conversion Therapy
Gaza Leader: ‘Palestinians Around the World Are Preparing to Kill Jews in Diaspora’
Scandal: Greek Orthodox Church Caught Receiving Bribes Over Luxury Jerusalem Property
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2922
|
__label__wiki
| 0.559682
| 0.559682
|
Search within journal Search within society
ASIL Spotlight Collections
Latest AJIL issue
AJIL all issues
Latest Unbound volume
AJIL Unbound by Symposium
Only show content I have access to (106)
Only show open access (106)
Last 3 years (106)
Symposium on Framing Global Migration Law – Part II (8)
Symposium on Framing Global Migration Law – Part III (8)
Symposium on Treaty Exit at the Interface of Domestic and International Law (8)
Symposium on Revisiting Israel's Settlements (7)
Symposium on the Marshall Islands Case (7)
Symposium on Comparative Foreign Relations Law (6)
Symposium on Fleur Johns, “Data, Detection, and the Redistribution of the Sensible in International Law” (6)
Symposium on Framing Global Migration Law (6)
Symposium on Global Animal Law (Part I) (6)
Symposium on Global Animal Law, Part II: The Case for Global Legal Animal Studies (6)
Symposium on Industry Associations and Transnational Legal Ordering (6)
Symposium on Jeffrey L. Dunoff and Mark A. Pollack, “The Judicial Trilemma” (6)
Symposium on Sovereignty, Cyberspace, and Tallinn Manual 2.0 (6)
Symposium on Unauthorized Military Interventions for the Public Good (6)
Symposium on Africa and the Future of International Trade Regimes (5)
Symposium on International Institutional Bypass (5)
Symposium on Megan Donaldson, “The Survival of the Secret Treaty: Publicity, Secrecy, and Legality in the International Order” (3)
< Back to all volumes
Volume 111 - 2017
Symposium on Framing Global Migration Law
Introduction to Symposium on Framing Global Migration Law
Framing Global Migration Law - Parts I, II and III
Jaya Ramji-Nogales, Peter J. Spiro
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 April 2017, pp. 1-2
The Possibilities of Global Migration Law
Peter J. Spiro
When I started teaching international law more than twenty years ago, it was still possible to be an international law generalist. In the U.S. legal academy, the likes of Henkin, Schachter, Franck, and McDougal covered the full range of public international law subjects. (Some even managed to stay on top of private international law, too.) Today, being an international law generalist is impractical; it's simply too difficult to keep current with the breadth of international law. From the scholar's perspective, it's a case of “be careful what you wish for.” A generalist international law orientation used to be possible because there was so little of it, both on the ground and in the scholarship. Those mid-century saplings—the various distinctive fields within international law—have grown to mature oaks, and expert knowledge of their many crevices and branches is beyond the capacity of any single observer. Not only does international law defy individual mastery, but the level of specialization now makes it difficult to talk across these different areas. My colleague in international criminal law might as well be a domestic family law person for purposes of professional points of connection. We both attend the ASIL Annual Meeting, but we no longer really speak the same language.
Moving Beyond the Refugee Law Paradigm
Jaya Ramji-Nogales
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 April 2017, pp. 8-12
Refugees dominate contemporary headlines. The migration “emergencies” at the southern U.S. border and the southern borders of the European Union, as well as the “crisis” in the Bay of Bengal, have drawn global attention to the dire inadequacies of the international refugee regime, even as extended through various principles of non-refoulement, in governing modern migration flows. Political responses to these mass movements, from the Brexit vote to the election of Donald Trump and his executive order halting the refugee resettlement process in the United States, have threatened the viability of refugee law's protections. At the policy level, numerous high-level stakeholders have convened in different constellations, through the United Nations and other bodies; many commentators agree that these meetings have accomplished little thus far in terms of law reform. The refugee law paradigm consumes so much space in the imagination of international lawyers and policymakers that it is hard even to begin to conceptualize an alternate approach to global migration law. The fear of losing even the narrow ground staked out to protect refugees stiffens the resistance to change. Proposals for reform tend to follow the tired old path of suggesting ways in which the refugee definition can be expanded to include new groups of migrants (ranging from climate change refugees to anyone fleeing serious human rights abuses) rather than critically evaluating the structure of global migration law more broadly.
Transnational Mobility, the International Law of Aliens, and the Origins of Global Migration Law
Frédéric Mégret
To speak of a “global migration law” is challenging, perhaps even quite provocative, in an era in which walls are being continuously erected at borders and seas transformed into mass graves. The ambition of international law often seems to be to rescue what can still be saved: the refugee regime for example, or minimally decent treatment of migrants once under the jurisdiction of a third country. A global law of migration, then, might be as much if not more the law of obstacles to human mobility than a body of law premised on a more fundamental commitment to freedom of movement.
The Architecture of International Migration Law: A Deconstructivist Design of Complexity and Contradiction
Vincent Chetail
International migration law (hereinafter IML) can be described and conceptualized as a deconstructivist architecture both literally and metaphorically. It is an architecture of fragmentation based on dissonance and asymmetry that questions the traditions of harmony, unity, and stability. Initiated by the French philosopher Jacques Derrida, the deconstructivist architectural movement distorts the conventional oppositions between form and function, center and margin, outside and inside.
Toward a Global System of Human Mobility: Three Thoughts
T. Alexander Aleinikoff
Migration is already a significant global phenomenon, and it is likely to become more so. According to a recent World Bank report, there are two hundred million international migrants. The study reports that “migration pressures” will continue “for the foreseeable future.” It will take “decades” to close income gaps between developed and developing countries; in 2015, the ratio between the average income of the high-income countries and that of the low-income countries stood at 70:1. A “well-documented demographic divergence” will add further pressure: “Population aging will produce large labor-market imbalances and fiscal pressures in high-income countries as the tax base narrows and the cost of caring for the old surges.” This increase in demand will complement an increase in supply. “If current fertility and national employment rates remain as they are in the developing world,” the Bank reports, by 2050 “nearly 900 million [will be] in search of work.” Climate change and disasters will have a more modest impact on the international level, although “increased drought and desertification, rising sea levels, repeated crop failures, and more intense and frequent storms are likely to increase internal migration.” And these numbers—measuring persons outside their home country for more than a year—do not include hundreds of millions of persons who cross international borders for shorter periods of time: tourists, students, temporary workers, business persons, asylum-seekers.
Symposium on Revisiting Israel's Settlements
Introduction to Symposium on Revisiting Israel's Settlements
Revisiting Israel's Settlements
José E. Alvarez
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 May 2017, pp. 29-30
The Missing Argument: The Article that Changed the Course of History?
Eyal Benvenisti
In July 1967, one month after Israel's occupation of the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Sinai Peninsula, and Golan Heights, Israel's Military Advocate General (MAG), Colonel Meir Shamgar, appeared before a Knesset committee to discuss the Israel Defense Forces (IDF)’s duties in the areas under its control. Col. Shamgar had led the MAG Corps in the preparations in the event that a future war would find the army occupying beyond Israel's borders. Col. Shamgar began his presentation by stating:
In terms of the legal background, our point of departure is that we have to respect both the fundamental pursuits of the State of Israel as its military forces begin to control an area that has been liberated by the IDF, and the rules of public international law that apply to the actions of any military in control of an area that was, until its entry, subject to the sovereignty of a foreign political entity.
The guiding rules in this realm are the rules of public international law, which are reflected in The Hague Regulations of 1907 … and in the … Fourth Geneva Convention on the Protection of Civilians in Times of War.
Understanding the Settlements Debate
Pnina Sharvit Baruch
Theodor Meron's editorial comment revisits the question of the legality of settlements. I will try to offer an additional perspective which looks at the underlying values of the laws of occupation and how these impact the legal analysis of settlement activity in the Israeli context.
Settlements in the Supreme Court of Israel
David Kretzmer
One of the unique features of Israel's legal, military, and political control over the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) has been the review by the Supreme Court of Israel of the actions and decisions of the authorities in those territories. Sitting as a High Court of Justice that has the competence to review the actions of all persons exercising public functions under law, the Court has entertained thousands of petitions relating to the legality of such varied actions as house demolitions, deportations, land requisition, entry permits, and establishment of settlements. There can be little doubt that the very existence of judicial review has had a restraining effect on the authorities. While the Court has not ruled against the government that often, and has provided legitimization for acts of dubious legality, such as punitive house demolitions and deportations, it has handed down some important rulings on questions of principle. Furthermore, in the shadow of the Court, many petitions have been settled without a court ruling, allowing for a full or partial remedy for the Palestinian petitioner.
Resistance to Military Occupation: An Enduring Problem in International Law
The fiftieth anniversary of Israel's occupation of certain Arab-inhabited territories following its victory in the June 1967 war is a good time to reflect on the question of how international law addresses resistance to military occupation. This issue—and its counterpart, the rights of an occupying power vis-à-vis resistance—has arisen repeatedly in connection with this occupation. It has been at the center of polemical debates involving Israel, neighboring states, and the Palestine Liberation Organization, in a wide range of international fora including the United Nations. It has also arisen in numerous other conflicts in the past half-century, including in Namibia before it achieved independence in 1990, and in Iraq following the 2003 U.S.-led intervention. The legal focus of this contribution is on the jus in bello. Certain jus ad bellum and human rights issues raised by occupation and resistance that inevitably intrude at certain points will be mentioned in passing.
Israel's Creeping Annexation
Omar M. Dajani
A raft of legislative proposals introduced in the Knesset over the last several years has raised the specter of Israeli annexation of additional West Bank territory. One bill would provide for nearly automatic application of new Knesset legislation to Israelis residing in the West Bank. A second would authorize the expropriation under certain circumstances of privately-owned Palestinian land for incorporation into Israeli settlements, extending the Knesset's reach to the regulation of West Bank land use by non-Israelis. A third, entitled the “Maale Adumim Annexation Law,” provides for the full application of Israeli law in Israel's largest West Bank settlement, as well as in an adjacent twelve square kilometer area called the “E1 Zone,” one of the few remaining land reserves available for the development of Palestinian East Jerusalem.
Taking the Settlements to the ICC? Substantive Issues
Yaël Ronen
Interest in the criminal aspects of the Israeli settlement project in the West Bank is hardly new; it informed the drafting of Additional Protocol I (AP I) and of the Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), and motivated Israel's rejection of both instruments. The 2009 Palestinian attempt to establish ICC jurisdiction prompted extensive scholarly debate on the preconditions for jurisdiction and on its territorial and temporal aspects, as well as on specific admissibility questions, primarily gravity. (Complementarity is not an issue with regard to the establishment of West Bank settlements, since Israeli law and jurisprudence do not prohibit it, although they regulate some aspects related thereto).
Symposium on the Marshall Islands Case
Politic, Cautious, and Meticulous: An Introduction to the Symposium on the Marshall Islands Case
The Marshall Islands Case
Antony T. Anghie
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 02 June 2017, pp. 62-67
Public Interests in the International Court of Justice—A Comparison Between Nuclear Arms Race (2016) and South West Africa (1966)
In the present essay I compare the 2016 judgment of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in Nuclear Arms Race (Marshall Islands v. United Kingdom) with the Court's 1966 judgment in South West Africa (Ethiopia v. South Africa; Liberia v. South Africa). A series of similarities between the two judgments are obvious: They are two of the three cases in the history of the Court in which the judges were equally split and the President had to cast his tie-breaking vote. The critique of the judgments has been exceptionally strong, in 2016 as in 1966. The core of the critique, then as now, has practically been the same—the Court retreats into an excessive formalism that protects great powers.
On Form, Substance, and Equality Between States
George R. B. Galindo
The International Court of Justice (ICJ)’s 2016 judgments on the three cases Obligations concerning negotiations relating to cessation of the nuclear arms race and to nuclear disarmament show the omnipresence of the dichotomy between form and substance in the Court's case-law. Commentators and several dissenting judges have stressed that the judgments represent a landmark in the sense that the Court has radically departed from the consideration of flexible standards in applying procedural rules to the determination of the issue of identification of a legal dispute. In other words, it made form prevail over substance.
Choice and (the Awareness of) its Consequences: The ICJ's “Structural Bias” Strikes Again in the Marshall Islands Case
My very first publication, admittedly written in a language that many AJIL Unbound readers might be unable or unwilling to read, was an essay on the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and its effects vis-à-vis third parties. Already back then, I found it difficult to justify how an international treaty could rubber-stamp such a highly uneven state of affairs. The overt acknowledgement of the discrimination between nuclear and nonnuclear states, the hypocrisy about “unofficial” nuclear states, and the Article VI obligation for nuclear states to negotiate effective measures of disarmament, largely ignored in the first twenty years of the treaty, were all elements that contributed to my perception of unfairness, if not blatant injustice. As a young researcher approaching international law with the enthusiasm of the neophyte, however, this looked like a little anomaly in an otherwise fair and equitable international legal order. It did not set off warning bells about the system as such. After all, international law was geared, at least in my eyes, towards enhancing the wellbeing of humanity. It must have been so. And it is not that I leaned particularly on the idealistic side; it seemed normal to me … at the time.
Nuclear Weapons and the Court
Surabhi Ranganathan
Although caution must be exercised in attributing a policy to the International Court of Justice, it is difficult not to see the Marshall Islands judgments as part of a longer trend of the Court using formalistic reasoning to decline cases concerning nuclear weapons.
The Marshall Islands Judgments and Multilateral Disputes at the World Court: Whither Access to International Justice?
Vincent-Joël Proulx
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 02 June 2017, pp. 96-101
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has mostly emphasized substance over form and developed a pragmatic, flexible, objective, and fact-based analytical approach to jurisdiction. That is until a recent series of judgments veering towards jurisdictional formalism. However, to truly reflect its designation as the “World” Court, the UN's principal judicial organ must surely adjudicate some of the “big cases” with global security implications and involving important obligations erga omnes beyond strictly bilateral dynamics: the Marshall Islands cases were as good contenders as any for the Court to enhance its legitimacy capital. 1 As a corollary, accepting this role might entail that the Court interpret its jurisdiction in a flexible and progressive manner, which had always been its mantra up until recently, so that the “big cases” have a chance of getting their foot in the door and being litigated.
Politic, Cautious, and Meticulous: An Introduction to the Symposium on the Marshall Islands Case–Corrigendum
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 26 June 2017, p. 102
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2924
|
__label__wiki
| 0.659244
| 0.659244
|
Bentley teases new SUV in video
Tantalising glance at looks of 2015 Bentley SUV.
Bentley continues its new SUV tease, this time releasing a stylish video that offers tantalising glimpses of the new model's lines and detailing without letting us see the car in its entirety.
Filled with lights and reflections the teaser video does not give away too much detail other than the new car will not look like too much like the original EXP-9 concept car that debuted at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show - and which was widely criticised. What Bentley did reveal, and which we already sort of knew, is that when it arrives in 2016 the SUV will be available as a plug-in hybrid.
The make-up of this system is as yet unknown as Bentley has not detailed the powertrain that was used in the Mulsanne Concept revealed at the Chinese Motor Show, but it is expected the hybrid system uses a twin-turbocharged petrol V8 engine, which will deliver in excess of 630hp.
The plug-in hybrid version of the as yet unnamed SUV will be joined by a 6.0-litre W12 engined car - for those who do not need to care about fuel costs or emissions.
Paul Healy - 28 May 2014
- images
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2927
|
__label__cc
| 0.579386
| 0.420614
|
Cookies consist of portions of code installed inside the browser that assist the Owner in providing the service according to the purposes described. Some of the purposes for which cookies are installed may also require the User’s consent.
Aggregate technical and statistical cookies
Activities strictly necessary for operation
This Application uses cookies to save the User’s session and to carry out other activities strictly necessary for the User’s operation, for example in relation to traffic distribution.
Preferences saving, optimization and statistics
This Application uses cookies to save your browsing preferences and optimize your browsing experience. These cookies include, for example, those for setting the language and currency or for the management of statistics by the Site Holder.
Other types of cookies or third party tools that could make use of them
Some of the services listed below collect statistics in aggregate form and may not require your consent or may be managed directly by the Owner – depending on what has been described – without the help of third parties.
If any of the tools indicated below include services managed by third parties, these may – in addition to what has been specified and without the Holder’s knowledge – carry out user tracking activities. For detailed information on this subject, please refer to the privacy policies of the listed services.
Interaction with external social networks and platforms
This type of services allows you to interact with social networks or other external platforms directly from the pages of this Application.
The interactions and information acquired by this Application are in any case subject to the User’s privacy settings for each social network.
If an interaction service with social networks is installed, it is possible that, even if Users do not use the service, it may collect traffic data related to the pages in which it is installed.
Google+ +1 button and social widgets (Google Inc.)
The +1 button and social widgets of Google+ are Google+ social networking services provided by Google Inc.
Place of processing: USA – Privacy Policy
LinkedIn Corporation Linkedin Social Button and Widgets
LinkedIn’s social widgets and button are LinkedIn’s social networking services, provided by LinkedIn Corporation.
Facebook social widgets and like button (Facebook, Inc.)
The “Like” button and social widgets on Facebook are interaction services with Facebook social network, provided by Facebook, Inc.
Twitter Tweet button and social widgets (Twitter, Inc.)
The Tweet button and social widgets on Twitter are social networking services provided by Twitter, Inc.
The services contained in this section allow the Data Controller to monitor and analyze traffic data and serve to keep track of the User’s behaviour.
Google Analytics is a web analysis service provided by Google Inc. (‘ Google’). Google uses the Personal Data collected in order to track and review your use of this Application, compile reports and share them with other services developed by Google. Google may use your Personal Data to contextualize and personalize the ads of your advertising network.
Place of treatment: USA – Privacy Policy – Opt Out
How can I check the installation of Cookie?
In addition to what is indicated in this document, the User can manage the preferences related to cookies directly within his browser and prevent – for example – third parties from installing them. Through browser preferences you can also delete the cookies installed in the past, including the Cookie in which consent to the installation of cookies by this site is saved. Important to note that by disabling all cookies, the operation of this site may be compromised. You can find information on how to manage cookies in your browser at the following addresses: Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari and Microsoft Windows Explorer.
In the case of services provided by third parties, the User may also exercise his or her right to oppose tracking by informing through the privacy policy of the third party, by means of the opt out link if explicitly provided or by contacting the third party directly.
Without prejudice to the foregoing, the Holder informs you that you may make use of Your Online Choices. Through this service it is possible to manage the tracking preferences of most advertising tools. The Owner, therefore, advises Users to use this resource in addition to the information provided in this document.
Data Controller of the Data Processing
Email address of the Holder:.
Since the installation of Cookie and other tracking systems by third parties through the services used within this Application cannot be technically controlled by the Owner, any specific reference to cookies and tracking systems installed by third parties is considered as indicative. To obtain complete information, please see the privacy policy of any third party services listed in this document.
Given the objective complexity linked to the identification of technologies based on cookies and their very close integration with the operation of the web, the User is invited to contact the Owner if he wishes to receive any further information about the use of cookies and any use of the same – for example by third parties – made through this site.
Definitions and legal references
Personal Data (or Data)
Personal data is any information relating to a natural person, identified or identifiable, even indirectly, by reference to any other information, including a personal identification number.
Use Data
This is the information collected automatically by this Application (or by third party applications that this Application uses), including: IP addresses or domain names of computers used by the User connecting to this Application, URI (Uniform Resource Identifier) notation addresses, the time of the request, the method used to submit the request to the server, the size of the file obtained in response, the numerical code indicating the status of the response from the server (good end, good end, etc.).
The individual who uses this Application, which must coincide with or be authorized by the data subject and whose Personal Data is being processed.
The natural or legal person to whom the Personal Data relates.
Responsible for the treatment (or Responsible)
The natural person, legal entity, public administration and any other body, association or body appointed by the Data Controller to process Personal Data, in accordance with the provisions of this privacy policy.
Data Controller (or Owner)
The natural person, legal entity, public administration and any other body, association or body to which it is their responsibility, also together with another data controller, to decide on the purposes, methods of processing of personal data and on the tools used, including the security profile, in relation to the functioning and use of this Application. Unless otherwise specified, the Data Controller is the owner of this Application.
This Application
The hardware or software tool by which the User’s Personal Data is collected.
Small amount of data stored in your device.
Notice to European Users: this privacy policy has been drawn up in compliance with the obligations of Art. Directive 95/46/EC, as well as Directive 2002/58/EC, as updated by Directive 2009/136/EC, on Cookie.
This privacy policy applies exclusively to this Application.
Home | Apartments | Reviews |Booking | Contact | Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy
© Copyright 2017 - All Right Reserved | Website created by Pin.go scsi
This website or its third party tools use cookies, which are necessary to its functioning and required to achieve the purposes illustrated in the cookie policy. If you want to know more or withdraw your consent to all or some of the cookies, please refer to the cookie policy. By closing this banner, scrolling this page, clicking a link or continuing to browse otherwise, you agree to the use of cookies.CloseCookie policy
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0034.json.gz/line2928
|
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.