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Impact100 SA Chair, Kathryn House, awarded AM in Queen’s Birthday honours
Congratulations to our own Impact100 Chair Kathryn House on being awarded an AM in the Queen’s Birthday Honours this year!
Kathryn was recognised for her significant service to the community through charitable initiatives, work which extends back to her childhood, spent volunteering alongside her family in the regional community of Tarcowie, three hours north of Adelaide.
From helping her grandmother to clean out the local church where she was also an ‘altar boy’ due to a lack of young males, to organising fundraiser events at the age of 12, she learned from an early age the value of giving back to her local community and others.
Kathryn’s willingness to roll up her sleeves, pitch in and volunteer as an active member of her community, shaped her for a life of impact and giving, in more ways than one.
Since then, Kathryn has gone on to become the founding member of the Chinese Language Teachers’ Association and has worked with or supported charitable organisations including Catherine House, the Roger Rasheed Foundation, Impact100 SA, the Festival Centre Foundation and many, many more.
As Impact100 SA members and supporters, many of you will have had the great fortune to cross paths with Kathryn, our effervescent, passionate and experienced Impact100 SA Chair, who capably took the baton from Geoff Day two years ago. Kathryn’s passion for volunteering and supporting the vulnerable members in our community runs strong through her veins, and we are pleased that her contribution over many years has earned her the recognition at this highest level.
“I feel like I’ve been able to bring a lot of people together. And I’ve met a lot of great friends.” – Kathryn House, AM
Read more in The Advertiser, or a mention in Probono Australia.
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Comedy, Drama, and a Swordfish
Ranjit Souri | Feb 16, 2009
Indian-Canadian actor Vik Sahay plays Lester Patel on the NBC series Chuck, a show that’s a brilliant mix of comedy, drama, and action.
In the show, Chuck (played by Zachary Levi) and Leste
r are co-workers at the electronics superstore, Buy More. Chuck is a computer whiz who has had an entire server of sensitive classified data subliminally embedded into his brain. Chuck lives a double-life and, when he is not being shot at by enemies of the state, works at the Nerd Herd (the Buy More’s team of tech support workers who make house calls). Lester Patel is an associate in the store.
Born in Ottawa, Vik Sahay attended Canterbury High School of the Arts and studied Theatre Performance at Montréal’s Concordia University. He played the role of hockey jock Kevin Calvin on the Canadian television series Radio Active. Largely based on his work in that show, he was cast in the critically acclaimed Canadian Broadcasting Corporation show Our Hero as Dalal Vidya. For that role, Vik was nominated for a 2002 Canadian Comedy Award.
In addition to TV series work, Vik has an extensive filmography, having appeared in TV movies and films such as Good Will Hunting, eXistenZ, Stir of Echoes: The Homecoming, Time Bomb, and The Rocker.
Vik is also an accomplished dramatic actor whose stage-roles have included Rosencrantz inHamlet, Anish Das in Tom Stoppard’s Indian Ink, and the title role in Terrence McNally’s Pulitzer-nominated play A Perfect Ganesh.
Vik’s most recent dramatic role was the character Vivek in Amal, which has won awards at the Whistler (Canada) Film Festival, the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival, and the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles. India Currents named Amal one of the top 10 films of 2008.
While Chuck contains comedy and drama, your (Lester’s) scenes are mostly comedic. What was it like shooting the drama Amal?
We shot Amal in India, and I was there for two months. My approach to acting involves a real immersion into the character. Amal was a gritty, intense, project, and it took everything I had. And shooting on location, in New Delhi, we were constantly affected by our environment. The crew members, most of whom were from Canada, were so out of their comfort zone. When I was shooting my last scene, the end of the road for my character, I was on the ground crying my eyes out … and there were animals walking through the shot behind me. That’s India.
I got up, brushed the dust off my clothes and the next thing I knew, I was on a set in California shooting Chuck. No wild animals there. Security is very tight.
I did go through some culture shock. It felt strange doing this crackling comedy immediately after the intense drama of Amal. But I wouldn’t have it any other way.
A lot of your scenes in Chuck could stand alone as excellent comedy sketches. Do you have experience in sketch comedy and/or improvisation?
I have immense respect for sketch and improv comics. So, while I have done a little bit of that work, I would never call myself experienced in sketch or improv.
In high school, we competed in a national improv tournament, and we won the tournament both years that I did it. I also did a little sketch work then, but that’s about it.
Have you done any stand-up?
No. I’ve watched a lot of stand-up, and I know a lot of people who do stand-up. It fascinates me. I think that one of the most terrifying things you can do is just go up there as yourself and perform alone. It seems overwhelming, and I think people who do it well are brilliant.
I’m noticing Indian-American and Indian-Canadian actors popping up a lot now in film and television. Is the spirit among these actors more competitive or cooperative?
It’s a little of both. There are many Indian actors, and not many Indian roles. So there is inherent competition, and if somebody else gets a role that you wanted, of course it pinches you a bit. But we also encourage one another and congratulate one another on successes.
Do you see yourself as representing Indo-Canadians, or are you simply an actor who happens to be Indo-Canadian?
I really just consider myself an actor. In fact, most of my roles haven’t been characters that were intended to be Indian. Including Lester.
I’ve never met an Indian person named Lester.
Yes, originally he was simply Lester with no assigned last name or ethnicity. After I was cast, he was given the last name Patel. I feel good about playing a three-dimensional character who happens to be South Asian.
It’s only been in the last few years that I’ve started to play Indian characters here and there. When I do, I’m always cautious to avoid one-dimensional characters. And even when I needed the money, I said no to any roles that I found culturally or artistically insulting.
What I like the most about your comedy in Chuck is that it’s done very sincerely.
Thank you! I really strive for that.
Ah, well it pays off. For example, when Lester is spinning the Wheel of Misfortune at a staff meeting (episode 202), or when he’s devising an ill-advised new pricing strategy during his brief stint as assistant manager of the store (episode 204), Lester sincerely believes that these are great ideas when in fact they are bound to yield disastrous results.
(laughs) That’s the tragedy of Lester. That’s my approach.
As far as I’m concerned, the show is called “Lester,” not Chuck. My concern is Lester—what he wants, and how he’s going to get it.
I did quite a bit of research for the role. Went around to the Buy-More equivalents in Toronto, talked to a lot of people … I wanted to make him as real as they are.
The character of Kevin Calvin on Radio Active was a super-confident jock, while Lester Patel is…
Not! (laughs)
Right! Big Mike [Lester’s boss, the manager of the Buy More] describes Lester as a “scrawny-ass Indian kid with a Bay City Rollers hairdo.” What do you enjoy about playing two such different characters?
As different as they are, they are also quite similar. Even Lester is a bit of a smug, overconfident guy. He’s just not as physically confident as Kevin Calvin was. I love playing both of these characters. They both want to be liked and respected, and that’s easy to identify with. You start with that internal and then you build the external onto it.
One scene from Chuck that I thought was huge and sloppy and fun was the late-night kegger at the Buy More (episode #204).
(laughs) That was pure insanity. The place was just packed with people and completely trashed. What it required from me was trying to control this huge mass of partying people. And I didn’t need to act that!
What I loved was Lester’s slowly escalating frustration which inevitably explodes. I also loved Lester trying to wrestle the swordfish away from the reveler. [A partier was slow-dancing with a ceramic swordfish taken from the office of Lester’s boss, who was away on vacation on a fishing trip.]
When I tried to grab the swordfish from that guy, he wouldn’t let go! It wasn’t in the script for him to refuse to give it to me. He was an extra and he just wouldn’t let go, so that struggle went on for a good three, four, five minutes—though it was edited down a bit for the show. This actor was hired to just dance with this swordfish and then give it to me, and he wouldn’t give it to me! (laughs) And I was thinking, who is this guy?
What a great acting choice on his part!
I wouldn’t have had it any other way! By the time I got the swordfish from him, I was just dripping in sweat!
How did you get the role of Lester?
Lester was not the role I actually auditioned for. Still, I went through the gauntlet that is the audition process. For a kid from Toronto, where you do one audition and then maybe a callback, the Hollywood process is huge. I auditioned five times. The final two auditions were in the Warner Brothers studios and the NBC studios with about 40 executives sitting there—and the cameras were shooting and feeding live to offices in New York City, with 40 more executives watching there.
I read for the role of Morgan. It was down to me and another guy—Josh Gomez—but of course at that time he was just “another guy” to me. And Josh got it. This was devastating after I’d done five grueling auditions and come so close. I was really howling at the moon.
But a few days later NBC called and offered me this other role of Lester. I was thinking, who’s Lester? I flipped through my script and found him, and he had almost no lines. I was still heartbroken and wasn’t sure whether I wanted to do it. But my manager basically said “who do you think you are, that you’re going to turn down … anything?” (laughs) So I took the role and went to L.A. and shot the pilot.
And how did that shoot go?
McG was directing the pilot. I took my one word and—I’d not planned on this—I began improvising and the director didn’t call cut. And eventually at some point the director started saying things to me like, “and then the camera will come back here and then say and do whatever you want.” And it was just an incredible experience.
And then the show got picked up, and I was in Toronto and they called and asked whether I could come to L.A. and shoot the first episode. I flew in and we shot the first episode. Then they asked whether I could stay and do the next two, then a couple more, and I ended up being in all 13 episodes of the first season. And then after the writers’ strike was over, the producers called and said we want to make you a regular as Lester and put you under contract.
Wow. And you almost turned it down.
It’s crazy.
So there wasn’t really a day when you moved to L.A. to try to “make it”.
No. Even now, people say, “So you live in L.A.?” And I say, yes, I guess I do! It just kind of happened.
When did you decide you wanted acting to be your career?
There really wasn’t one moment when that happened either.
I was in a play when I was very young, and I got scouted and put onto a TV show [You Can’t Do That on Television], and that led to meeting people and going to Canterbury.
Nobody in my family was in the arts. Nobody was saying I should do this with my life—not even me. Next thing you know, I was going to theatre school, but even then I wasn’t really thinking I’d act for a living or be on television. I just enjoyed doing theatre.
What’s the difference between doing comedy and doing drama?
For me the differences are associated more with the medium. Doing television is quite different from doing a film or a play. With a film or a play, I really take an approach of immersion and subjectivity. But when you’re in a series, it’s so long-term that taking that same approach would not work.
Still, no matter what type of project—comedy or drama, film or television or play—acting is acting. In the end, my basic approach is the same. I just go for the truth as well as I can.
What creative projects do you see in your future?
I enjoy work that takes all of me. Work that requires deep exploration, and forces me to bite hard to get to the blood, whether it be a smart comedy or a drama.
I love shooting Chuck, and I think it’s a terrific show. I’d like to get to do more and more on it, and explore more facets and backgrounds and desires and passions and attempts and relationships and madnesses of Lester. I’d like to work on Chuck as long as I’m allowed.
In addition to Chuck, I want my career to move to a place where I have options—and that may mean big studio work and/or more independent work.
I’m interested in exploring my culture.
I’d like to collaborate with writer/directors to help manifest the expression of an auteur’s vision.
Working on Amal was the first time in which many of these ideas came to fruition for me: exploring the South Asian world, working on an independent film, with a writer/director, where I could really collaborate and dig into myself and the work.
Yeah, I want to do more of all of that.
Ranjit Souri (rjsouri [at] gmail [dot] com) teaches classes in improvisation, comedy writing, and creative non-fiction in Chicago.
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Do Not Use world news
Donald Trump calls for 'complete shutdown' on Muslims entering US
Donald Trump calls for ‘complete shutdown’ on Muslims entering US
The proposed ban would apply to immigrants and visitors alike, a sweeping prohibition affecting all adherents of Islam who want to come to the US.
By: AP | Newark | Updated: December 8, 2015 4:15:54 pm
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump points into the crowd as he heads off stage after speaking at town hall meeting at the Atkinson Country Club in Atkinson, New Hampshire (AP Photo)
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump called Monday for a “total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States,” an idea that prompted one of his rivals to call him “unhinged.”
The proposed ban would apply to immigrants and visitors alike, a sweeping prohibition affecting all adherents of Islam who want to come to the US. The idea also raised immediate questions about whether it could pass muster under constitutional protections of the free exercise of religion.
Trump’s campaign said in a statement that such a ban should stand “until our country’s representatives can figure out what is going on.” The statement added that the Republican front-runner’s proposal comes in response to a level of hatred among “large segments of the Muslim population” toward Americans.
“Until we are able to determine and understand this problem and the dangerous threat it poses, our country cannot be the victims of horrendous attacks by people that believe only in jihad, and have no sense of reason or respect for human life,” Trump said in the statement.
ALSO READ: US imam expresses concern over Trump’s Muslim remark; says ‘this too shall pass’
He added on Twitter: “Just put out a very important policy statement on the extraordinary influx of hatred & danger coming into our country. We must be vigilant!”
Trump’s campaign has been marked by a pattern of inflammatory statements and he kicked off his campaign with a speech in which he said some Mexican immigrants are rapists and criminals. He recently drew criticism for retweeting an image of inaccurate statistics that vastly overrepresented the number of whites killed by blacks. But so far those and other errors of fact have not diminished his popularity among many Republican voters.
Since the Paris terrorist attacks, a number of Republican presidential contenders have proposed restrictions on Syrian refugees, with several suggesting preference for Christians seeking asylum, and tighter surveillance in the US.
But Trump’s proposed ban goes much further than those ideas, and his Republican rivals were quick to reject the latest provocation from a candidate who has delivered no shortage of them.
“Donald Trump is unhinged,” Jeb Bush said via Twitter. “His ‘policy’ proposals are not serious.”
Carly Fiorina said, “Trump’s overreaction is as dangerous as President Obama’s under-reaction.”
John Kasich slammed Trump’s “outrageous divisiveness,” while a more measured Ted Cruz, who has always been cautious about upsetting Trump’s supporters, said, “Well, that is not my policy.”
Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski said Trump’s proposed ban would apply to “everybody,” including Muslims seeking immigration visas as well as tourists seeking to enter the country.
He did not respond to questions about whether it would also include Muslims who are US citizens and travel outside of the country, or how a determination of someone’s religion might be made by customs and border officials.
There are, for example, more than 5,800 servicemen and women on active US military duty and in the reserves who self-identify as Muslim and could be assigned to serve overseas.
Trump was also unclear on whether his ban would apply to Muslim allies in the fight against Islamic State militants.
Ari Fleischer, a former aide to Republican President George W. Bush, tweeted, “Under Trump, the King Abdullah of Jordan, who is fighting ISIS, won’t be allowed in the US to talk about how to fight ISIS.”
Trump has taken a particularly hard line against Muslims in the days since the Paris attacks, advocating enhanced surveillance of mosques due to fears over radicalization.
Trump’s proposal comes a day after President Barack Obama spoke to the nation from the Oval Office about the shootings in San Bernardino, California, which Obama said was “an act of terrorism designed to kill innocent people.”
The FBI said Monday the Muslim couple who carried out the massacre had been radicalized and had taken target practice at area gun ranges, in one case within days of the attack lasts week that killed 14 people.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest accused Trump of playing on people’s fears and trying to tap into “a darker side, a darker element” of American society.
From the Democratic presidential campaign, Bernie Sanders said: “Trump and others want us to hate all Muslims. The United States is a great nation when we stand together. We are a weak nation when we allow racism and xenophobia to divide us.”
On Capitol Hill, Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona said of Trump’s idea, “It’s just foolish.”
But will it hurt his campaign? “I have no idea,” McCain said. “I thought long ago that things he said would hurt his prospects, and he continues to go up.”
For all the latest World News, download Indian Express App.
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GENDER PARITY AWARDS
IMPORTANT CLARIFICATIONS MATERNITY BENEFIT ACT, 1961
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ON MATERNITY BENEFIT ACT
In case of miscarriage or medical termination of pregnancy, a woman shall, on production of such proof as may be prescribed, be entitled to leave with wages at the rate of maternity benefit, for a period of six weeks immediately following the day of her miscarriage or, as the case may be, her medical termination of pregnancy.
In case of tubectomy operation, a woman shall, on production of such proof as may be prescribed, be entitled to leave with wages at the rate of maternity benefit for a period of two weeks immediately following the day of her tubectomy operation.
A) Maternity benefits are available under the provisions of ESI Act. Duration of maternity benefit is 12 weeks in case of normal delivery and 6 weeks in case of miscarriage. The period can be extended by 4 weeks on medical advice. Maternity benefit is available subject to the condition of payment of contribution for a minimum 80 days in one or two consecutive contribution periods and the rate of payment is double the standard benefit rate i.e., approximate full wages. An insured woman shall be qualified to claim maternity benefits for a confinement occurring or expected to occur in a benefit period, if the contributions in respect of her were payable for not less than seventy days in the immediately preceding two consecutive contributions periods.
For getting the maternity benefits i.e., maternity leave and cash benefits one has to obtain medical certificate from the dispensary and deposit the same with the local office and claim cash benefits. The employer will give maternity leave on the basis of medical certificate.
12. What is the difference for entitlement of an insured woman employee under the ESI Act and wife of an insured person?
A) The wife of an insured person will be entitled to all the medical facilities which include delivery of the child also. But she will not be entitled to cash benefits which are available to insured women only. Cash benefits are given to compensate the loss of salary which the employer is unable to earn due to sickness including maternity.
13) What are the non-cash benefits or privileges?
A) A women worker is also entitled to the following privileges:
i) Light work for ten weeks (six weeks plus one month) before the date of her expected delivery, if she asks for it.
ii) Two nursing breaks in the course of her daily work until the child is 15 months old.
iii) No discharge or dismissal while she is on maternity leave.
iv) No change to her advantage in any of the conditions of her employment while on maternity leave.
v) Pregnant women discharged or dismissed may still claim maternity benefit from the employer.
Exception : Women dismissed for gross misconduct lose their right under the Act for Maternity Benefit.
14) What is meant by ‘light work’?
A) “Light work’ means work which neither required hard physical effort nor involves long hours of standing and which does not adversely affect her health or, in any way, interferes with her pregnancy.
15) Whether leave for illness arising out of pregnancy, delivery, premature birth of child, or miscarriage is available?
A) Yes. A woman suffering from illness arising out of pregnancy, delivery, premature birth of child or miscarriage shall, on production of such proof as may be prescribed, be entitled, in addition to the period of absence allowed to her under section 6 of the Act, or as the case may be under section 9 of the Act i.e., leave for miscarriage to leave with wages at the rate of maternity benefit for a maximum period of one month.
16) Is a woman employee under obligation to give notice to the employer for claiming benefit?
A) Although giving notice is prescribed and it is also provided that in the case of a woman who is pregnant, such notice shall state the date from which she will be absent from work, not being a date earlier than six weeks from the date of her expected delivery. However, any woman who have not given the notice when she was pregnant may give such notice as soon as possible.
17) Is there any penalty for violating the provisions of the Act?
A) If any employer fails to pay any amount of maternity benefit to a woman entitled under this Act or discharges or dismisses such woman during or on account of her absence from work in accordance with the provisions of this Act, he shall be punishable with imprisonment which shall not be less than three months but which may extend to one year and with fine which shall not be less than two thousand rupees but which may extend to five thousand rupees.
© 2020 Indian Women Network. All rights reserved.
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Earnings Archive
BUS. CODE OF CONDUCT & ETHICS
FINANCIAL FUNDAMENTALS
QUARTERLY EARNINGS ARCHIVE
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Mannatech Schedules Third Quarter 2009 Earnings Release and Conference Call
Coppell, Texas, October 26, 2009 — Mannatech, Incorporated (NASDAQ - MTEX), a global pioneer in the development of high-quality health, weight and fitness, and skin care solutions based on nutritional science, announced today that its financial results for the third quarter of 2009 will be released on Tuesday, November 3, 2009, after the NASDAQ market closes. Mannatech will host a conference call to discuss the quarter’s results with investors on Wednesday, November 4, 2009 at 9 a.m. CST, 10 a.m. EST.
The live call will be webcast and can be accessed on Mannatech’s website at www.mannatech.com.
For those unable to listen to the live broadcast, a replay will be available shortly after the call. The toll-free replay number is 800-642-1687 (International: 706-645-9291); the Conference ID to access the call is 35099698.
For more information please visit https://new.mannatech.com.
Please Note: This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements generally can be identified by use of phrases or terminology such as “intend” or other similar words or the negative of such terminology. Similarly, descriptions of Mannatech’s objectives, strategies, plans, goals or targets contained herein are also considered forward-looking statements. Mannatech believes this release should be read in conjunction with all of its filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and cautions its readers that these forward-looking statements are subject to certain events, risks, uncertainties, and other factors. Some of these factors include, among others, Mannatech’s inability to attract and retain associates and members, increases in competition, litigation, regulatory changes, and its planned growth into new international markets. Although Mannatech believes that the expectations, statements, and assumptions
reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cautions readers to always consider all of the risk factors and any other cautionary statements carefully in evaluating each forward-looking statement in this release, as well as those set forth in its latest Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, and other filings filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, including its current reports on Form 8-K. All of the forward-looking statements contained herein speak only as of the date of this release.
Gary Spinell
Vice President Finance & Administration
ir@mannatech.com
© 1994-2021 Mannatech, Incorporated. All rights reserved.
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Alumna Jennifer Allison’s Specialized Skills Helped Land Her Dream Job
Community Profile October 8, 2013
Just three years after receiving her Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) degree, alumna Jennifer Allison already has her dream job.
Allison is one of three Foreign, Comparative and International Law (FCIL) Librarians at the Harvard Law School Library in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She started the job in December 2012, and specializes in legal research for German-language jurisdictions.
“I feel like I’ve kind of reached the pinnacle,” she said of the job at Harvard. “I’m really happy here, and I want to be here for the long haul.”
After earning a bachelor’s degree in German and English, the southern California native attended Pepperdine University School of Law in Malibu. She worked in the Pepperdine Law Library while attending law school, and found she liked working with students, teaching research skills and working at the reference desk. By the time she graduated with her J.D. in 2007, Allison knew she’d rather work in a law library than practice law.
To continue as a reference librarian at Pepperdine, Allison said, she was contractually required to be working toward an MLIS degree. A couple of co-workers had earned their graduate degrees at the iSchool, and she knew the fully online MLIS program would allow her to keep working at Pepperdine while earning her degree. She completed her MLIS in 2010.
“I’m at Harvard now, and I would not have been able to get this job, obviously, without a library degree,” she said. “It would have been impossible. I wouldn’t have even been qualified.”
After working for five years in the Pepperdine Law Library, Allison wasn’t really looking for another job. But then Harvard posted a job ad for an FCIL Librarian, and their preference was for someone who reads German.
Shocked to see a job opening that seemed tailor-made for her, Allison applied, and when she was offered the job, she said, “It was too good to turn down.” So she and her husband relocated to the Boston area, which has been a great move for them.
“It worked out on so many levels,” Allison said. “I love working at Harvard. It has one of the best collections in the country. It has a lot of foreign students. I’m doing foreign research pretty much every day. For my interests and my abilities, it is really a good fit, and I’m very, very happy here.
Allison’s responsibilities at Harvard include reference services and collection development. She remains focused on academic librarianship, and looks forward to learning more about how to best provide research services and support for foreign law scholarship.
Influential Classes
“There were so many great classes that I took in library school. The one that probably helps me most in my job now was INFO 210 Reference and Information Services. We reference librarians MUST know how to write clear, readable and useful research guides and bibliographies, and I learned a lot about those skills from Lecturer Todd Gilman in that class. Another course I took, because of my interest in correctional law, was Lecturer Bill Mongelli’s INFO 282 Correctional Libraries course, and that was an amazing class. You learn about a completely different patron demographic and different needs. It really showed me how to view librarianship in a whole different way. Bill is a librarian at a prison here in Massachusetts, and I was able to go visit him in the prison library after I moved here. That was such a cool experience. I got to talk to the inmates and understand how and why they value the library. If it hadn’t been for San José State, I wouldn’t have had that opportunity.”
“Do whatever you can to get work experience, do whatever you can to get internships. Then you really know what you’re getting into, and it’s going to give you a leg up. Also, if you have any foreign language skills, develop them. Even if you’re not totally proficient, if you can at least put on your resume that you can read and speak basic Spanish or French, that’s going to be really helpful to a reference department, especially as the world gets smaller.”
“Knowing basic Web development skills is really a must these days. I am really glad that I took INFO 240 Information Technology Tools and Applications in library school, and I use the skills I learned in that class almost every day. In addition, if you’re ever working in an academic library or public library, really understand the library catalog and how to search it.”
“Life Skills” Tip
“Keep doing what you love outside of work, even if you think you don’t have time. I have been playing ice hockey for many years, and one of the first things I did when I moved to New England was to find a women’s league to play in. I have made some great non-work friends through that, and it is wonderful for stress relief and exercise.”
American Association of Law Libraries
Best Conference
American Association of Law Libraries Annual Meeting
Community Profiles: Alumni
This community profile has been archived and may contain content that is out of date.
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Latest|Travel Retail
Solid growth for LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton
October 10, 20182 mins read
LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton boosted revenues by 10 per cent to €33.1 billion in the first nine months of this year.
Organic sales grew 11 per cent compared to the same period last year and by 13 per cent after excluding the impact of the closed DFS concessions at Hong Kong International Airport at the end of the year. Every geographic market performed well, the company said. Third quarter revenue was up 10 per cent.
The wines & spirits business group recorded organic revenue growth of 7 per cent during the first nine months, with Champagne volumes stable and Hennessy cognac volumes increased by 4 per cent, led by the US and Chinese markets.
The fashion & leather goods business group achieved organic revenue growth of 14 per cent and 20 per cent reported, with the flagship Louis Vuitton brand the standout performer.
“Ready-to-wear and shoes, in particular, experienced strong momentum with an excellent reception of the last two fashion shows of womenswear and menswear,” the company said in a statement. “A new communication for Louis Vuitton perfumes was unveiled, marking the launch of the brand’s latest perfume creation. Christian Dior, consolidated since the second half of last year, enjoyed an excellent performance.
Celine made progress and began a new chapter in its history with the first runway show of Hedi Slimane, which was a great success and created enormous resonance. Fendi and Loro Piana continued to grow. The other brands continued to strengthen,” the company said.
LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton’s perfumes & cosmetics business group recorded organic revenue growth of 14 per cent, driven in particular by the performance of its star brands Christian Dior, Guerlain and Givenchy.
The watches & jewellery business group achieved organic revenue growth of 14 per cent, with Bulgari delivering “an excellent performance and gaining market share”.
The selective retailing business group achieved organic revenue growth of 8 per cent in the first nine months of 2018, and 14 per cent excluding the airport concession closures in Hong Kong.
Sephora’s organic revenue growth was strong, particularly in North America and Asia. The expansion and renovation of its distribution network is continuing with a new store concept in China and the first Sephora-branded store in Russia.
“DFS performed well, especially in Hong Kong and Macao. The recent openings of T Galleria in Cambodia and Italy progressed well.”
The company said that in an “uncertain geopolitical and monetary context, LVMH will continue to be vigilant” in the months ahead.
BulgariCelineChristian DiorDFSFendiGivenchyGuerlainHennessyLoro PianaLouis VuittonLVMHSephoraT Galleria
Retail news around the globe
Remedios Lucio
LVMH completes $20 billion acquisition of Tiffany, replaces leadership team
Dean Blake
Third Sephora Hong Kong store set to open
Retail news from around the globe
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Punching above our weight looks like getting us knocked out
On climate change, the world is moving on around us
Energy minister Angus Taylor (left) with prime minister Scott Morrison in June his year. Lukas Coch/AAP Image
A favourite conceit in some sections of Australia’s foreign policy establishment is that Australia can “punch above its weight” in international affairs, as we did for many years in international sports. The idea is that by clever diplomacy we can exert more influence in the world than would be expected for a country with less than half a per cent of the world’s population and about 1.2 per cent of its economic output.
Last year, former prime minister Kevin Rudd described this idea as a “hackneyed phrase that has become part of the self-affirming psychology of our wider national inertia.” Recent events have shown him to be correct.
Apparently with the aim of pleasing the Trump administration in the United States, the Australian government took the lead in pushing for an inquiry into the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic, in terms generally seen as seeking to pin blame on China’s initial response to the emergence of the virus in Wuhan in December last year.
Given that Australia has suffered less than most other countries in the pandemic, there was no obvious reason to take the lead in this matter. Unsurprisingly, given its increasingly aggressive “wolf warrior” stance in international matters of all kinds, China retaliated. Beginning by escalating an existing dispute over barley, China has restricted imports of all kinds from Australia, including coal, wine and beef. The exception, so far, has been iron ore, our most valuable export and the one China can least do without.
We have at least had the sympathy of other countries, some of whom have also been bullied by China, in this fight. There was even a suggestion of an initiative to buy Australian wine to make up for the loss of the Chinese markets. But sympathy goes only so far. The United States has been eager to meet China’s demand for more barley to replace the Australian product.
Unfortunately, any consideration we might have gained as the victim of Chinese government bullying over the pandemic response has been thrown away because of the government’s refusal to respond to the even larger crisis of global heating. With the adoption of a 2050 net zero emissions target now becoming the norm for developed countries, the Morrison government has been paralysed by the fear that any action would provoke a backbench rebellion. As Rudd observed in 2019, “The current government’s attitude to our place in the region and the world is driven by one organising principle, which is the extension of domestic politics by other means.”
In the domestic context, having killed off Labor’s carbon pricing policy just as it was beginning to reduce emissions, successive LNP governments have relied on dodgy accounting and grandly titled but ineffectual gestures, including the Emissions Reduction Fund, the Energy Security Board, and the Low Emissions Technology Roadmap, to give the impression of action while doing nothing to offend the extremists among its supporters.
The assumption has been that this meaningless symbolism would work at the international level as well. In the lead-up to the weekend’s Climate Ambition Summit, and following discussions between Morrison and the joint host, British prime minister Boris Johnson, the government assumed that the world was so eager for our participation that any kind of concession would be sufficient for a warm welcome. The concession chosen was to finally abandon the claim that we were entitled to meet our 2030 target with surplus credits from the Kyoto round that finished in 2012.
Much to the government’s fury, Morrison did not receive the expected invitation to speak, which was extended to seventy other world leaders. Australia was lumped in with the worst climate offenders: Brazil, Russia and Saudi Arabia. To make matters worse, China was given a prominent role, reflecting a desire among the summit organisers to encourage that country’s positive steps — especially the recent announcement of a net zero target for 2060 — and play down more negative developments, such as the surge in coal plant permits issued by provincial governments.
The affronts will keep on coming as long as our do-nothing stance is maintained. Yesterday it was reported that the Britain’s Labour Party has demanded that the British government opposes Matthias Cormann’s nomination as secretary-general of the OECD. The only ground cited was Australia’s foot-dragging on climate policy.
To return to the boxing metaphor, China is a heavyweight and can’t easily be pushed around. The rest of the world can reward positive developments there, but it can’t enforce them.
Australia is a lightweight, and we are fighting out of our class. If we want to succeed on issues like our trade dispute with China, we can’t afford to poke our potential allies in the eye by suggesting, as Scott Morrison has repeatedly, that our climate policy will be determined by our own national interests and not by our obligations to the rest of the world. •
John Quiggin is a Professor of Economics at the University of Queensland.
Topics: climate change | economics
Another year Inside Story’s summer season Inside Story 22 December 2020 Farewell to 2020, and welcome to our selections of articles from the archive Books & Arts Does your world add up? Andrew Leigh 17 December 2020 Books | In a world saturated in statistics, Tim Harford is a vital guide Essays & Reportage Weekend in Gondwana Jo Chandler 17 December 2020 On Tasmania’s Central Plateau, a group of scientists prepares for a hotter future National Affairs Overlooked, undercounted and over there Adam Triggs 7 December 2020 By grossly underestimating the number of Australians stuck overseas, the government is glossing over one of its biggest failures
New Caledonia’s triple opportunity
Nic Maclellan
After weeks of protests, the Goro nickel smelter is up for grabs. Independence groups see the outcome as vital for the French dependency’s future
Independence supporters rallying on 30 October as customary leaders seek local control of the nickel industry. ICAN
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HomeFamilyDestined to Ride
Destined to Ride
by Laurie Ballapublished on February 15, 2019
Louis Creed, his wife Rachel and their two children Gage and Ellie move to a rural home where they are welcomed and enlightened about the eerie 'Pet Sematary' located nearby.
We all have a superhero inside us, it just takes a bit of magic to bring it out. In Billy Batson's case, by shouting out one word - SHAZAM! - this streetwise 14-year-old foster kid can turn into the adult superhero Shazam.
Assassin's Creed is an action-adventure stealth video game franchise created by Patrice Désilets, Jade Raymond and Corey May, developed and published by Ubisoft using the game engine Anvil Next
God of War is a mythology-based action-adventure video game franchise. Created by David Jaffe at Sony's Santa Monica Studio
Mary Stuart's attempt to overthrow her cousin Elizabeth I, Queen of England, finds her condemned to years of imprisonment before facing execution.
A look at the unforeseen consequences of advanced technological devices used in the medical field.
Elsa, Anna, Kristoff and Olaf are going far in the forest to know the truth about an ancient mystery of their kingdom.
Based on the graphic novels by Mike Mignola, Hellboy, caught between the worlds of the supernatural and human, battles an ancient sorceress bent on revenge.
When a new toy called "Forky" joins Woody and the gang, a road trip alongside old and new friends reveals how big the world can be for a toy.
When Hiccup discovers Toothless isn't the only Night Fury, he must seek "The Hidden World", a secret Dragon Utopia before a hired tyrant named Grimmel finds it first.
A live-action retelling of the 1992 Disney film of the same name.
The seceret Life of Pets 2
The Secret Life of Pets 2 is an upcoming American 3D computer animated comedy film produced by Illumination, directed by Chris Renaud and written by Brian Lynch. It is a sequel to the 2016 film The Secret Life of Pets and the second film in the franchise
Carol Danvers becomes one of the universe's most powerful heroes when Earth is caught in the middle of a galactic war between two alien races.
Triple Frontier
Five former Special Forces operatives reunite to plan a heist in a sparsely populated multi-border zone of South America
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Unifying Unilever eyes proposed Dutch tax law change
Unilever has cautioned against a proposal to change tax law in the Netherlands could derail the FMCG giant's plan to change its legal structure.
The Knorr and Magnum maker wants to unify its legal structure under a single entity headquartered in London.
Since Unilever's formation in 1930, the company has been owned through two separately listed companies, a Dutch NV and a UK plc. The company plans to create one class of shares. Shareholder meetings on the plans are set for September and October.
In documentation released, Unilever said a member of the Dutch Green Party had tabled a bill that would look to impose a tax on certain transactions.
The bill would need to pass the Netherlands' two legislative houses, while Unilever said it had legal advice the measures, if enacted and applied to the company's unification plans, would mean the Dutch government "would be in manifest breach" of certain international regulations.
Nevertheless, Unilever has estimated the financial impact the bill could have should the proposal become law and is administered on its unification plan.
"If the bill were enacted in its present form and applied to unification, the [NV and plc] boards believe that proceeding with unification, if it resulted in an exit tax charge of some €11bn ($12.96bn), would not be in the best interests of Unilever, its shareholders and other stakeholders as a whole," Unilever said.
"The bill may be subject to amendment during the parliamentary process and it is not clear when, or indeed if at all, the bill may be enacted, or in what form. Accordingly, the ultimate effect of the bill on the proposed unification is not clear at present.
"The boards intend to proceed with their proposals provided that unification, in the boards' view, remains in the best interests of Unilever, its shareholders and other stakeholders as a whole. As the situation develops, the boards will continue to assess all options available and will update shareholders as appropriate."
Under the plans, Unilever's food and refreshments division, which generates 40% of its turnover, will remain headquartered in Rotterdam, along with its research and development unit. The home care, and beauty and personal care business divisions, will continue to be located in the UK.
A shareholder vote on the unification for Unilever NV investors is set for 21 September. Meetings for Unilever plc shareholders will take place on 12 October. Unilever says its unification is expected to be completed over the weekend of 21 and 22 November, meaning that the expected last day of trading in Unilever NV shares would be 20 November.
Thai Union buys control of Russian seafood firm DPR
Thai Union Group has moved to acquire a majority position in the Russian venture behind DPR Group, the seafood business that is home to brands including Maguro and Rybar.
The Thailand-based seafood giant has taken its stake in TUMD, which owns three Russian companies known collectively as DPR, from 45% to 90%. Financial terms were not disclosed.
In a statement made alongside Thai Union's first-half financial results, the company described DPR as a "retail-focused fish and seafood business" and "Russia's number one canned tuna producer". The brands in DPR's portfolio include Maguro, Captain of Tastes and Rybar.
Thai Union said it is "expecting to drive and accelerate DPR's business strategy" and increase "synergy with Thai Union as a supplier".
The company added DPR's "manufacturing and distribution platform offers significant opportunities for further growth and development in key European and emerging markets".
Japan's Meiji Holdings to set up new unit in China
Meiji Holdings has set up another unit in China, a priority market for a Japanese group looking to grow overseas.
The company has established a production and sales arm in the south-eastern city of Guangzhou. The new unit will make and market milk, yogurt and confectionery. Production is set to start in Meiji's 2024 fiscal year.
Meiji has three businesses in China. One focuses on milk and yogurt, another on ice cream and a third on confectionery. Each business is "performing well", Meiji said in a statement to announce the investment in Guangzhou.
The group already has a dairy production sites in China, one 800 miles further north in Suzhou, a city close to Shanghai. Another, in Tianjin in the north-east of the country, is scheduled to start production in the second half of the company's 2023 fiscal year.
In April, Meiji acquired a 25% stake in AustAsia Investment Holdings for $254.4m. AustAsia operates dairy farms in China and which supplies the Japanese group's milk and yogurt businesses in the country.
General Mills invests in frozen-food plant
General Mills, the US food giant, is investing in a frozen-food facility manufacturing products for Totino's, a brand that has seen rising demand in recent months.
The company said the plant in Wellston in Ohio specialises in making pizza snacks for its Totino's brand.
Without specifying the amount to be invested, General Mills said it would spend "millions" to improve operations at the site for the facility "to be more productive and efficient, increasing overall capacity".
The investment will add 12 jobs at the factory, the company confirmed to just-food, with the site set to employ almost 900 staff.
New Zealand's Sanford plans to close fish processing plant
New Zealand seafood business Sanford plans to close its fish processing facility in the coastal city of Tauranga partly as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
The proposed decision, which could see 65 of the 77 staff lose their jobs, was put down to two factors: "The impact of Covid-19 has meant Sanford is processing less fish caught by other companies, which has seen processing volumes for its North Island sites drop significantly; and secondly, the buildings at the plant do not meet new seismic strength requirements."
Sanford said in a statement it is consulting with workers to minimise the number who are affected by the decision.
Chief executive Volker Kuntzsch said: "The intention is for some operations in Tauranga to continue. We would continue to unload seafood at the Tauranga site under the proposed arrangements and we plan to retain a number of staff in that area. We are entering a period of consultation with our team and we will not know the final configurations until that process is complete.
"Tauranga has been an important base of operations for Sanford and we have enjoyed being part of the community there. It is very unfortunate that circumstances have pushed us down this path."
Chief operating officer Clement Chia added that the business would have no choice but to close the plant even if volumes returned to pre-crisis levels because of the seismic issue.
"Until very recently we had been planning a strong future for our Tauranga team," Chia said. "We had installed a second processing line at the end of last year, but in 2020 our fish processing arrangements were not only hit by the impact of Covid-19 but we received the results of engineering reports showing that the site was not viable in the long term. We would have needed to rebuild or move out within three years. The pandemic has unfortunately moved up that timeline."
Sanford said it has 11 facilities spread across New Zealand and all have completed seismic surveys following the Christchurch and Kaikoura earthquakes. Most of them will "require some remedial work" but the company has no plans to close any other sites.
However, CEO Kuntzsch added that in the longer term, Sanford plans to replace its plant in Auckland "with a brand new facility to add further capability to widen the range of its seafood offerings".
Aryzta CFO announces departure in midst of takeover interest
Bakery giant Aryzta, which last month revealed it was the subject of "unsolicited interest" from unnamed parties to acquire the company, has announced the departure of finance chief Frederic Pflanz.
However, Pflanz will remain with the Swiss-Irish firm until December, when he will step down, meaning he will be around for the rescheduled extraordinary meeting in September called by its largest shareholders – Cobas Asset Management and Veraison Capital – as they press for a shake-up of the company, namely a simplified business model and strategy.
The meeting was originally slated for mid-August but was put back last month to the 16 September, a move the investors described as a "delaying tactic".
Pflanz, who is approaching his third anniversary as CFO of Aryzta, has "accepted a role in an unrelated business", the Zurich-listed firm said in a statement.
He said: "I remain fully committed to delivering the maximum value I can to Aryzta in my remaining time in the role as businesses all over the world, including Aryzta, operate in a very challenging environment and we continue to focus on controlling cost and maintaining a strong liquidity position."
CEO Kevin Toland added: "We are naturally disappointed to see Frederic leave and we recognise his substantial positive impact on Aryzta generally and to the finance function specifically. Both as CFO and as a valued colleague, Frederic has contributed significantly to the overall business. We wish Frederic and his family well in the next chapter of his career."
Tyson Foods names Dean Banks as successor to CEO Noel White
Tyson Foods has named Dean Banks as the successor to chief executive Noel White, who will remain with the US meat giant in a new capacity.
Banks will become CEO from 3 October, while White will fill a new role as executive vice chairman of the board, Tyson have confirmed, as it also reported a 0.6% increase in nine-month sales to $31.7bn.
The appointment of Banks is "part of the board's deliberate, long-term succession planning", Tyson said. He joined the business as a director in 2017 and went on to become a divisional president last year.
Board chairman John Tyson said: "The board and I are truly excited about the breadth and depth of capabilities of Dean and the entire executive leadership team, and we look forward to the energy and vision they will bring in leading Tyson Foods into the future."
White has been with Tyson for 37 years and has filled the CEO seat for the past two.
"He has an unparalleled knowledge of the protein industry and our business, and he has earned the trust and admiration of our team members and our company leaders, many of whom he has mentored," chairman Tyson added.
Good Catch owner Gathered Foods hires ex-Coke exec Christine Mei as CEO
Gathered Foods, the US-based owner of the Good Catch plant-based seafood brand, has appointed a CEO in the shape of Christine Mei.
She joins with more than 30 years of executive experience at major businesses including Coca-Cola, Nike and Procter & Gamble.
Most recently, Mei has been an investor and mentor for SKU, a CPG accelerator based in Austin, Texas, where she advised startup companies. She replaces Gathered Foods co-founder Chris Kerr as CEO.
She said: "I'm so energised about the tremendous potential for the Good Catch brand. In fact, the future of the entire plant-based food industry is on a trajectory of positive disruption.
"It's both humbling and exhilarating to be able to amplify social impact through purposeful innovation in the plant-based seafood space. I'm really looking forward to collaborating with co-founders Chris Kerr, Chad and Derek Sarno to set Good Catch onto its next curve of growth."
Kerr will remain actively involved in the business in his role as executive chairperson.
He said: "At Gathered Foods, we thrive on collaboration and bringing together creative minds to join our mission to make a difference. We're beyond excited to have been able to attract someone like Christine to lead our enterprise. She brings such a wealth of experience in the CPG space, with a focus on catapulting brands to their full potential."
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Czech Republic Hungary News Poland Politics & International Slovakia
Visegrad Group leaders to hold next summit in Jerusalem
Bratislava, Slovakia – The Czech, Slovak, Hungarian and Polish leaders will convene to Jerusalem in February for the next Visegrad Group summit with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a bid to strengthen their alliance with Israel. This will be the first time a Visegrad Group summit is held outside of Europe.
The four leaders of the Visegrad Group – Poland’s Mateusz Morawiecki, Slovakia’s Peter Pellegrini, Hungary’s Viktor Orban and the Czech Republic’s Andrej Babis – will hold their next summit on February 18 and 19 in Jerusalem. According to reports, Benjamin Netanyahu first suggested to host the Visegrad Group summit back in 2017, and discussed the issue with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in early January when both leaders met in Brazil on the sidelines of the inauguration of new Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro.
M. Netanyahu already attended the Visegrad Group summit in Budapest in 2017, an event especially remembered for a “hot mic” moment in which he slammed the EU’s policy toward Israel. He has also forged close ties with Central European leaders, including Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who visited Israel last July and whom he called “a true friend of Israel”.
Many however have criticized their rapprochement, pointing to the growing antisemitic rhetoric used by the Hungarian Premier, exemplified by his vilification of Hungarian-born American financier George Soros. He has also faced strong criticism for his attempt to rehabilitate war-time leader Miklos Horthy, responsible for the deportation of hundreds of thousands of Jews.
Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid criticized the Israeli PM for hosting the summit, saying that “this is a loss of national pride and causes us damage in the international arena. The Prime Minister must overcome his craving for campaign photos and cancel (the summit)”, he wrote on Twitter.
He was also referring to Poland’s so-called “Holocaust law”, which criminalized the attribution of Nazi crimes to Poland during World War II and could have imposed jail sentences to people claiming Poland was complicit in the crimes of the Third Reich. The bill, which was eventually watered down in face of international pressure, strained the bilateral relations between Poland and Israel.
This announcement comes only days after a new study, released to mark the Holocaust Remembrance Day, highlighted growing Holocaust revisionism in both Poland and Hungary and the attempt of both states to minimize their guilt in the mass killing of Jews during World War II.
As The Jerusalem Post reminds, Netanyahu has tried to foster closer ties with Visegrad Group countries to defend pro-Israel issues at the EU level: “the Visegrad Group is one of the sub-alliances that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is developing in the EU to neutralize what he views as an anti-Israel bias from Brussels”. Both the Czech Republic and Hungary took part to the events surrounding the opening of the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem last year and blocked any EU resolution to condemn the controversial move decided by U.S. President Donald Trump.
In November last year, Czech President Milos Zeman officially inaugurated the opening of a Czech House in Jerusalem, described as the “first step” before relocating the Czech embassy from Tel-Aviv to the capital city of Israel. Milos Zeman has long advocated for the Czech Republic to follow the example of the U.S. and move its embassy to Jerusalem.
TagsCzech Republic • Hungary • Israel • Poland • Slovakia • Viktor Orban • Visegrad Group
4 comments on “Visegrad Group leaders to hold next summit in Jerusalem”
larryzb
Let us not mention the bloody regime of Bela Kun (Cohn) in Hungary in 1919, which caused the deaths of thousands of Hungarians.
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The Tunnels of Moose Jaw
Underground legends
The first couple of times I visited Saskatchewan, where my wife’s family lives, it was winter. Temperatures hovered around –40°, making holiday shopping along the streets of downtown Saskatoon a challenge. Even bundled to the gills, we could barely stand to be outside for more than a few minutes. Morgen assured me that during the summer (or “mosquito season,” as it is affectionately known), the prairies of southern Saskatchewan took on an entirely different look and were quite hospitable to humans. But I was thinking, this is why they invented malls. Malls are good. Let’s go to the mall! We went to the mall.
Moosey in the Sky with Diamonds
I like to kid my wife about Saskatchewan: the monotonous flatness of the landscape, the dearth of trees, the nasty winter weather, the fact that the province’s slogan, “Land of Living Skies,” suggests there’s not much interesting about the land itself. Morgen, in turn, can kid me about western Pennsylvania (where I grew up), which has its own peculiarities. But even though Pennsylvania has no shortage of oddly named towns, Saskatchewan’s legendary town of Moose Jaw takes the cake. Although everyone in Canada has heard of Moose Jaw, it’s known more for its silly name than for any other characteristic. Which is a shame, because if you dig a little bit, you can find all sorts of interesting things in Moose Jaw.
Moose Jaw, located just west of the provincial capital of Regina in south-central Saskatchewan, most likely got its name from a Cree word meaning “warm breezes” via folk etymology—though there are several other theories too, including one that the river running through town was thought to be shaped like a moose’s jawbone. Warm breezes or not, Moose Jaw (like the rest of Saskatchewan) gets plenty cold in the winter. In the early 1900s, when the town was beginning to undergo significant growth, most of the larger buildings were heated by steam, with coal-powered boilers located in the basements. The engineers who kept the heating equipment running didn’t like having to go upstairs and outside in the cold repeatedly to move from building to building, so they arranged for the creation of a series of tunnels linking the basements to provide easier access. Over a number of years, the tunnels expanded and interconnected, becoming a large network.
Down and Out in Moose Jaw
Not long after the tunnels were built, a wave of Chinese immigrants arrived in Moose Jaw. Anti-Chinese sentiment at the time made it difficult for these immigrants to live and work in public view, yet business owners valued them as a source of cheap labor. So the tunnels were expanded and used as both living quarters and workplaces. Conditions were harsh in the tunnels and pay was poor, but the workers stayed because their options for earning money in the outside world were limited.
During Prohibition (1917–1924 in Saskatchewan and 1920–1933 in the United States), Moose Jaw became a hub for liquor distribution both domestically and across the border. Along with speakeasies, gambling and prostitution became big businesses in the town. The tunnels provided a conveniently obscure place for all these activities. According to several reports—though no conclusive evidence exists—Al Capone himself called Moose Jaw home for a short while, overseeing a profitable bootlegging operation in person. Because of the town’s connection to organized crime in the United States—and its physical link to Chicago via the Canadian Pacific Railway’s Soo Line, used heavily for transporting illicit alcohol—Moose Jaw became known as “Little Chicago.”
Over time, most of the tunnels fell into disuse; many were filled in or blocked off as new buildings were constructed. But a portion of the tunnel network that remains has been developed into an elaborate, theatrical tourist attraction. Guests can take either or both of two tours featuring both live actors and animatronic figures. One tour highlights the tunnels’ use by Chinese immigrants; the other tour focuses on the organized-crime angle. The tours attract more than 100,000 visitors per year—about three times the town’s population. The tunnels are now a source of civic pride, though they may never match the incredible drawing power of the town’s unusual name.
Note: This is an updated version of an article that originally appeared on Interesting Thing of the Day on January 8, 2005.
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It's Always Game Seven
Nick Veronica's (former) sports blog
Sabres Cap Chart
Conacher Watch
NCAA Tournament returns to Buffalo in 2017
Posted by Nick Veronica
By Nick Veronica
March Madness is coming back to Buffalo in 2017.
The NCAA announced host sites for the 2016, 2017 and 2018 tournaments Monday afternoon. Buffalo was awarded first- and second-round games in the 2017 NCAA men’s basketball tournament.
Buffalo will host eight teams for four first-round games. The winners will advance to two second-round games, exactly like the format of tournament games Buffalo hosted this past March.
2017 will be Buffalo’s sixth time hosting NCAA tournament games, with the others coming in 2000, 2004, 2007, 2010 and 2014.
UConn won national championships after opening in Buffalo in 2004 and 2014. Dayton upset Syracuse and Ohio State in Buffalo last year.
Dates of the games will be announced at a later date.
Follow @NickVeronica
Posted in Basketball
Tagged 2017, Buffalo, NCAA Tournament
Buffalo bids for NCAA hockey, lacrosse tournaments
The MAAC on Wednesday announced its bid for Buffalo to host an upcoming NCAA hockey Frozen Four at the First Niagara Center, as well as a bid for Ralph Wilson Stadium to host an early round of the NCAA men’s lacrosse tournament.
The bids cover a four-year span, from the 2014-15 season through the 2017-18 season.
Hosting a Frozen Four would include both semifinal games and the national championship being played at the First Niagara Center in mid-April. Winning a men’s lacrosse bid would mean getting two of the four quarterfinal games at The Ralph in mid-May.
Buffalo last hosted a Frozen Four in 2003. Both Canisius and Niagara — who would serve as joint hosts — made the NCAA hockey tournament last season, but lost in the first round. Canisius men’s lacrosse made the NCAA tournament in 2012 (and its women’s lacrosse team has made the tournament three years running).
Buffalo was reported to be considering a Frozen Four bid last spring.
The NCAA will announce its site selections in December.
Posted in Hockey, Uncategorized
Tagged Buffalo, First Niagara Center, MAAC, NCAA Tournament, Ralph Wilson Stadium
Celebrating Rick Martin, the City of Buffalo’s best friend
The Buffalo Sabres held a public memorial for Richard Martin at 11 a.m. Thursday morning in HSBC Arena, giving the city an opportunity to say farewell to a fallen legend. Couldn’t make it? Here’s how it all went down.
This obviously is not the greatest shot in the world, but it should give you a basic idea of the setup. The stage was set up in front of the players’ bench with two podiums. They took out the glass all the way down from hashmark to hashmark so everyone could see (not sure why they did it on both sides).
I was in the 200s. The center sections in the 100s and 200s were not open to the public. They were reserved for family, friends and media, although they were only about half filled. The rest of the sections along the bench side were pretty full, and no one was allowed on the other side — not that it was needed.
If I had to guess, I’d say the 100s were about 85 percent full and the 200s were slightly more open. Doors opened at 10 a.m., and I took this shot at 10:36, for those of you wondering how early people got there. The Buffalo News estimated about 2,500 people turned out for the event.
My phone camera didn’t like the lighting in the arena for some reason, but you can see the photo montage across the back of the stage and Martin’s French Connection banner was brought down from the rafters. The gold things are some kind of plant they had all over.
The current Sabres all walked in right before the ceremony started and sat in the front row (Tyler Myers was easy to pick out). Terry Pegula and his wife Kim were in attendance, as was Martin’s wife, Mikey.
WGRZ’s Ed Kilgore emceed the event and stood at the podium on the left (stage right) the entire time. Several speakers came to the other podium to give a eulogy, including Rene Robert, Gilbert Perreault, Danny Gare, Rick Jeanneret and a few personal friends of Rico’s, as well as his brother and son.
The family members had to stop to collect themselves a few times, but the others powered through their speeches. Martin’s son Corey, the last speaker, clearly had a difficult time giving his speech, and received a (well-deserved) standing ovation for his effort.
The popular theme among the speakers was Martin’s humor. Every speaker made extensive mention of the jokes Rico made and how funny he was. They all said they couldn’t repeat most of his jokes in public… but a few of the cleaner ones made the routine.
The second most mentioned thing was his personality. Everyone had a story about how Martin would drop what he was doing to sign an autograph or just make someone’s day. He kept pictures in his car, and would grab one and sign it if he thought it would brighten a stranger’s day. Even if he was approached during dinner, he wouldn’t hesitate to go sit down at someone’s table and make a few friends.
A shot you may never see again: Two French Connection banners hanging alone in the rafters.
The third most mentioned item was golf. Rico (everyone calls him Rico), I learned, was an excellent golfer who played anywhere and everywhere. There were plenty of stories about tournaments, pranks, you name it.
Of course, no tale of Rick Martin would be complete without mentioning the beer. Just ask Rene Robert. Robert pulled a Budweiser and a cigar out from his suit coat, looked to the rafters and said, “This is for you.” During his eulogy, he made a joke about Martin going to sit at a stranger’s table “even if his food got cold. Or worse, his beer got warm.” Even Corey made a reference to his dad always having a beer or glass of wine in his hand.
I sat through a lot of the event trying to figure out what it all means. If you can make out the years on Martin’s banner, it says 1971-1981. That’s 10 years before I was even born. Caring about his passing was more out of “that’s what Buffalo people do” than any feelings I had about him.
For me, going to this was just something cool to do on a Thursday morning. But for a lot of people in the community, Rick Martin was a friend. I kept hearing about how nice he was to everyone, always making time for people, but I didn’t really get it until the guy in front of me starting crying partway through. Maybe this didn’t mean that much to me personally, but the City of Buffalo needed a chance to say goodbye.
Kilgore mentioned an important point in all of this: His play on the ice got Martin’s number retired and his name in the record books, but it’s what he did after his career that drew thousands to his memorial. That’s a lesson a lot of current professional players have lost in the recent years, the idea of community, even after retirement.
Hopefully some of that message rubbed off on the current Sabres with the best seats in the house. After seeing the videos and hearing the testimonies of Rico, when that bagpipe player trailed off down the tunnel, everyone in the arena felt like they knew the guy. If only.
Posted in Hockey
Tagged Buffalo, Buffalo Sabres, French Connection, Gilbert Perreault, Rene Robert, Rick Jeanneret, Rick Martin, Terry Pegula
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How Jim Baron finally walked away
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Tim Graham’s seven tips to a great sports blog
VIDEO: Hoop shatters before Canisius-Siena
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Tag: Coherence
Top 100 Films of the Decade: 2010-2019
If you asked me in 2010 which studios’ films would be amongst my favorites over the next ten years, I probably would have answered two correctly: Fox Searchlight (11) and Sony Pictures Classics (7). Those are two independent shingles of big Hollywood names that have been pumping out quality pictures for decades. Next up would have been The Weinstein Company (5), Warner Bros. (4), Paramount (4), Universal (4), and Sony Pictures (3) because they were cinema. So why are they barely beating those other two combined? Because the game changed.…
Top 10 Films by Year, Top 10 Lists12 Years a Slave, 50/50, A Quiet Passion, Ain't Them Bodies Saints, American Animals, Aniara, Arrival, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), Black Swan, Blue Valentine, Bullhead, Call Me By Your Name, Calvary, Carlos, Carol, Cloud Atlas, Coherence, Custody, Dunkirk, Enemy, Ex Machina, First Man, For Sama, Frances Ha, Fruitvale Station, Fury, Get Out, Hell or High Water, Hellion, Her, High-Rise, Holy Motors, Honey Boy, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, I Am Love, I Am Not Your Negro, If Beale Street Could Talk, Inception, Inch'Allah, Inside Out, Intouchables, It Comes at Night, Jackie, James White, Lady Macbeth, Leave No Trace, Looper, Luce, Mad Max: Fury Road, Madeline's Madeline, Manchester by the Sea, Marriage Story, Melancholia, Midnight in Paris, Minding the Gap, Moonlight, Mudbound, Never Let Me Go, Oslo August 31st, ParaNorman, Parasite, Pariah, Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Rabbit Hole, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Selma, Shame, Short Term 12, Son of Saul, Sound of My Voice, Spotlight, Spring, Spring Breakers, Steve Jobs, The Act of Killing, The Diary of a Teenage Girl, The Farewell, The Fighter, The Hunt, The Master, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, The Social Network, The Standoff at Sparrow Creek, The Tree of Life, The Witch, The Wolf of Wall Street, Thelma, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri, Toni Erdmann, Transit, Under the Skin, Upstream Color, Waves, We Need to Talk About Kevin, Whiplash, Wild Tales, Wildlife, Wonderstruck, You Were Never Really HereLeave a comment
Top Ten Films of 2014: A deluge of sci-fi doppelgängers and one-word titles
I don’t want to label 2014 as a good, bad, or average year. I want to call it inventive, original, and delightfully dark. Whether it’s doppelgänger paradoxes leading to murderous rage, the bleak carnage of war, prison violence, or psychologically debilitating struggles to be great, my favorite films had an edge that cut to the bone by credits’ end. The best thing I can say about 2014 is that my top ten (heck, maybe my top twenty-five) could be re-organized and re-listed without making me too angry about what is…
Top 10 Films by Year, Top 10 Lists, z.slideshow20000 Days on Earth, A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, A Most Violent Year, Abus de faiblesse, Abuse of Weakness, Alejandro González Iñárritu, Amy Adams, Ava DuVernay, Beats of the Antonov, Belle, Benedict Cumberbatch, Beyond the Lights, Big Eyes, Big Hero 6, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), Björk: Biophilia Live, Boyhood, Calvary, Citizenfour, Clouds of Sils Maria, Coherence, Coming Home, Dear White People, Deux jours une nuit, Dinosaur 13, Edward Norton, Enemy, Felicity Jones, Finding Vivian Maier, Force Majeure, Foxcatcher, Frank, Fury, Gary Poulter, Guardians of the Galaxy, Gui lai, Hellion, How to Train Your Dragon 2, J.C. Chandor, J.K. Simmons, Jack O'Connell, Jake Gyllenhaal, Jessica Chastain, Jodorowsky’s Dune, Joe, Julianne Moore, Keira Knightley, Kis Uykusu, Last Days in Vietnam, Laura Dern, Leviafan, Leviathan, Libertador, Life Itself, Listen Up Phillip, Logan Lerman, Love is Strange, Manakamana, Mandariinid, Marion Cotillard, Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Mommy, Palo Alto, Particle Fever, Reese Witherspoon, Relatos salvajes, Richard Linklater, Samba, Selma, Song of the Sea, Starred Up, Still Alice, Take Me to the River, Tangerines, The Better Angels, The Boxtrolls, The Drop, The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Imitation Game, The LEGO Movie, The Liberator, The Overnighters, The Salt of the Earth, The Skeleton Twins, The Theory of Everything, The Wanted 18, Timbuktu, Trick or Treaty?, Turist, Two Days One Night, Under the Skin, Virunga, Wes Anderson, Whiplash, Wild, Wild Tales, Winter SleepLeave a comment
Picking Winners at the 87th Annual Academy Awards
Things look pretty cut and dry where the Academy is concerned in 2015. The Oscars are always a somewhat watered-down look at what really mattered in the past year of cinema and this installment is no exception. In fact, it may be all water at this point. That doesn’t mean there can’t be some intriguing surprises in the second-tier categories like Best Animated Feature (I really hope How to Train Your Dragon 2 loses to one of the other much more aesthetically and conceptually unique nominees) or Short Film Animated…
Essays, Oscars12 Years a Slave, A Most Violent Year, A Most Wanted Man, Alejandro González Iñárritu, Alexander Dinelaris, American Sniper, Amy Adams, Anthony McCarten, Armando Bo, Ava DuVernay, Babel, Ben Affleck, Benedict Cumberbatch, Bennett Miller, Big Eyes, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), Boyhood, Bradley Cooper, Brendan Gleeson, Cake, Calvary, Christopher Schobert, Coherence, Damien Chazelle, Dan Futterman, Dan Gilroy, David Gordon Green, David Oyelowo, E. Max Frye, Eddie Redmayne, Edge of Tomorrow, Edward Norton, Emma Stone, Emmanuel Lubezki, Enemy, Essie Davis, Ethan Hawke, Feast, Felicity Jones, Foxcatcher, Fury, Gary Poulter, Gone Girl, Graham Moore, Groundhog Day, Gyllenhaal, How to Train Your Dragon 2, Hugo Guinness, Inherent Vice, J.K. Simmons, Jack O'Connell, Jason Hall, Jennifer Aniston, Jenny Slate, Jessica Chastain, Joe, Jupiter Ascending, Kaitlyn Dever, Kathryn Bigelow, Keira Knightley, Laura Dern, Locke, Logan Lerman, Maps to the Stars, Marion Cotillard, Mark Ruffalo, Men Women & Children, Meryl Streep, Michael Keaton, Moonrise Kingdom, Morten Tyldum, Nicolás Giacobone, Nightcrawler, Obvious Child, Only Lovers Left Alive, Patricia Arquette, Paul Thomas Anderson, Quentin Tarantino, Reese Witherspoon, Richard Linklater, Robert Duvall, Rosamund Pike, Selma, Slumdog Millionaire, Starred Up, Steve Carell, Steven Spielberg, The Babadook, The Double, The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Imitation Game, The Judge, The King's Speech, The One I Love, The Theory of Everything, Timothy Spall, Two Days One Night, Under the Skin, Wes Anderson, Whiplash, Wild, William AltreuterLeave a comment
FANTASIA14 REVIEW: The One I Love [2014]
“It’ll give you a chance to reset the reset button” My plan is to not share any huge spoilers where The One I Love is concerned, but just saying that pretty much provides one by admitting there are spoilers to be had. So, like I said with another sci-fi gem this year entitled Coherence, don’t read anything at all if you want an unblemished experience. Honestly, that should be the way you enter all art—at least the ones worth watching due to their having substance above empty theatrics spoon-feeding audiences…
Comedy, Drama, Fantasia International Film Festival, Film Features, Film Festival, Film Reviews, Romance, Science FictionCharlie McDowell, Coherence, Elisabeth Moss, Fantasia International Film Festival, Justin Lader, Mark Duplass, Ted Danson, The One I LoveLeave a comment
REVIEW: Coherence [2014]
“You guys want wine? Cheese? Ketamine?” If you’ve ever dabbled in theoretical physics—or watched “The Big Bang Theory”—you’ve probably heard of Schrödinger’s Cat. The cat that’s simultaneously dead and alive while unseen within a closed box also housing a vial of poison? Two realities co-existing with the only certainty being that both are possible until one snaps into place as truth when the flaps are unfolded to reveal an opaque interior newly transparent? Its wild paradox can either baffle you or help in comprehending quantum physics depending how deep down…
Drama, Film Reviews, Science Fiction, Suspense/Thriller, z.slideshowAlex Manugian, Coherence, Elizabeth Gracen, Emily Baldoni, Hugo Armstrong, James Ward Byrkit, Lauren Maher, Lorene Scafaria, Maury Sterling, Nicholas Brendon, The Big Bang TheoryLeave a comment
Posterized Propaganda June 2014: ‘Snowpiercer,’ ‘The Rover,’ ‘Venus in Fur’ & More
“Don’t Judge a Book by Its Cover” is a proverb whose simple existence proves the fact impressionable souls will do so without fail. This monthly column focuses on the film industry’s willingness to capitalize on this truth, releasing one-sheets to serve as not representations of what audiences are to expect, but as propaganda to fill seats. Oftentimes they fail miserably. It’s no surprise a month like June doesn’t possess the best posters for blockbuster releases. No one readying to visit a theater for summer popcorn carnage cares if the advertisement…
Film Features, Posterized Propaganda22 Jump Street, Aaron Paul, Albert Nobbs, Alex van Warmerdam, BLT Communications LLC, Borgman, Cardinal Communications USA, Chris Evans, Clint Eastwood, Coherence, Cold Open, Concept Arts, Creative Partnership, David Ives, Doug Liman, Edge of Tomorrow, Emily Baldoni, Emily Blunt, Gravillis Inc., Guy Pearce, Hellion, Hunger, Ignition, James Franco, Jamie Bell, Jan Bijvoet, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jeremy Saunders, Jersey Boys, John Goodman, John Hurt, Juan Luis Garcia, Lawrence Fishburne, Le Cercle Noir, Liam Neeson, Mark Wahlberg, Meagan Good, Nicholas Brendon, P+A, Paul Haggis, Robert Pattinson, Snowpiercer, The Boland Design Company, The Desolation of Smaug, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Hobbit, The Internet's Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz, The Last Sentence, The Moment, The Refinery, The Rover, The Sacrament, The Signal, Think Like a Man Too, Third Person, Tom Cruise, Transformers: Age of Extinction, Venus in Fur, WORKS ADVLeave a comment
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Quincy "Q" Patrick is the founder and CEO of QwiLite Entertainment. Over the years "Q" has been writing and producing music for some of the hottest names in the entertainment industry. "Q" was instrumental in the launching of J Records by writing and producing the label's first two gold singles Liquid Dreams for O-Town, and Bizounce for Olivia. His other accolades include composing hits for Grammy Award Winners, Alicia Keys, Babyface, Usher, Luther Vandross, The Temptations, George Benson, Stephanie Mills, multi-platinum artist Joe, Jon B, Victoria "Posh Spice" Beckham, and countless others. In addition, he has written for several movie soundtracks and TV shows. In a short amount of time he has planted his name in the rolodexes of several top executives including Clive Davis, CEO of J Records, Kedar Massenburg, CEO of Motown Records, Antonio L.A Reid, CEO of Def Jam records and many others. After the success of working with others in the entertainment industry, and feeling more in tune with artist and consumer needs,"Q" decided it was time to start his own independent record label, and base the company on integrity, respect and an undying love for music. The result was the birth of QwiLite Entertainment, a company that is taking the industry by storm!
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I would love to feature "you" as my guest on my show..If I am not your friend..please add me...also please call me @ the offc at 757 538 3540...757 971 3733 for details...click on the banner below to be a guest...JB
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HomeEgypt and Ethiopia river wars be dammed:-eurekastreet
Egypt and Ethiopia river wars be dammed:-eurekastreet
Egypt and Ethiopia river wars be dammed
Tuhimi Akebet | 15 May 2017
The building of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Blue Nile by a major Italian construction company, in a contract with the Ethiopia, remains a source of great tension between Ethiopia and Egypt.
Begun in 2011, the gravity dam is due for completion in the middle of this year. The dam will hold a massive 79 billion cubic metres of water, and will be the largest hydroelectric power plant in Africa.
The Blue Nile joins the White Nile in the southern part of Sudan just north of Khartoum to form the Nile River, known as the Life of Egypt, upon which Egypt heavily depends.
Egypt sees the Nile as its sole source for the survival of its population and, historically, has seen itself as its sole natural guardian. When construction began, Egypt demanded it cease without any precondition, and claims it has the right to own a 90 per cent share of the Nile waters for its 60 million people.
Ethiopia argued in response, on the basis of unseen studies, that there would be no reduction of water downstream, as all the Blue Nile waters would be cycled through the dam and eventually reach the downstream countries on its way to the Mediterranean. In fact, it claims there will be more water because there will be less evaporation.
Ethiopia has never accepted the 1929 colonial treaty between Egypt and the UK (on behalf of its colony of Sudan) and a subsequent one in 1959 because its unfair nature did not reflect the rights of Ethiopia. Today Ethiopia strives to promote the international water laws that govern the 263 trans-boundary rivers and lakes across the world.
The Nile crosses ten countries, with some contributing very little, while Ethiopia, with its high mountains, contributes about 70 per cent of the water. Many observers believe Ethiopia’s position is valid and the treaty has to be revisited. In 1999, the ten riparian states began the Nile River Basin Initiative to create a constructive dialogue on sharing the river’s resources, promoting peace and stability in the region.
Ethiopia now believes it is strong enough to have taken the unilateral decision to abrogate any treaty and build the dam. De facto, the dam is now in existence.
“The Nile issue will be resolved legally and diplomatically by experts and leaders at the negotiation table, not by generals and their military weaponry on the battle field.”
Ethiopia’s determination has been matched by the decline of Egypt. It is widely believed in the region that Egypt has lost its role as the regional hegemon, weakened by two revolutions, a central, unpopular military government, the infiltration of ISIS and other radical groups, a deteriorating economy and growing tension with Saudi Arabia, which has indicated it will invest in agricultural projects in Sudan and Ethiopia, stemming from the benefits of GERD.
(Eurekastreet) Both countries have been flexing their diplomatic, political and legal muscles. As well, several workshops of technical experts have achieved a consensus of a common understanding, an agreement on a water resources modelling study and hydropower simulation assessment studies.
Sudan has handled the confrontation with great care and neutrality, at least publicly. According to the two treaties, Sudan has undeniable rights to use the waters of the Nile unconditionally. The dam is being built only 15km from its border with Ethiopia, and the more controlled water flow will open up significant irrigation opportunities, overcome its severe electricity shortages, and allow it to fulfil its aspiration to being the breadbasket of the Middle East.
Both Egypt and Ethiopia are not unmindful of the disastrous war they waged against each other early in the 19th century. Now that the great dam has become a fait accompli, Egypt has been forced to accept that the construction has reached the point of no return. Weakened Egypt, now under General Abdulfatah Sisi, found the international gates closed as its diplomats, and lobbyists shuttled from New York to Brussels, from Addis Ababa to Riyadh, endeavouring to block the funding of the politicised project but also questioning Ethiopia’s right to build a dam on ‘their’ river.
The water dispute has to be solved on the covenants of international law and not unilateral actions. The Law and Practices of Trans-Boundary Rivers manifestos for example advocate for the equitable and reasonable share of the water among member states.
Neither country should opt to go to war. Dialogue will prove to be the most robust solution. The case should be decided by technical experts and legal bodies that would base any recommendations as to water flows etc. on an independent and impartial evaluation under the direction of an international body. However long it takes, it is speculated that eventually the Nile issue will be resolved legally and diplomatically by experts and political leadership at the negotiation table, not by generals and their military weaponry on the battle field.
Uneasy peace and simmering conflict: the Ethiopian town
Hacaaluu Hundessaa – Geerarsa – Oromiyaa Tiyyaa Concert AUS,
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HomeWith Qatari forces gone, tension rises between Djibouti and Eritrea
With Qatari forces gone, tension rises between Djibouti and Eritrea
© Karim Jaafar, AFP | Qatari army special forces take part in a military parade during the Gulf emirate’s National Day celebrations in Doha on December 18, 2013.
The African Union is calling for calm as border tensions between Djibouti and Eritrea intensify. The rising threat of unrest is further fallout from the diplomatic crisis embroiling Qatar.
(France 24) — A decades-long border dispute in the Doumeira region that, on occasion, had turned violent, was dampened in 2010 when the two sides agreed to let Qatar mediate. Since then, 450 Qatari forces have been maintaining a buffer zone between the two sides – until they up and left last week.
Qatar offered no explanation for the move, though it comes amid a diplomatic dispute with other Arab nations, most notably the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, which have cut diplomatic ties and are now trying to isolate Qatar from the rest of the world. Saudi Arabia and its allies allege that Qatar supports Islamist extremists, a charge the small gulf nation denies.
Both Djibouti and Eritrea have good relations with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, and have taken their side in the Gulf row.
Djibouti says that, in the absence of Qatari soldiers, Eritrea has once again occupied the disputed territory, and hints that military clashes are not out of the question.
Foreign Minister Mahamoud Ali Youssouf warned that Djibouti’s military were “on alert” and said the nation has lodged complaints to the UN and the African Union (AU). The AU urged restraint and said it would send a fact-finding mission to the disputed border.
It’s possible that the disputed Doumeira region won’t be the only place where the troubles with Qatar will be felt.
“The Qataris are involved in a number of fields outside their immediate region,” H.A. Hellyer, senior non-resident fellow at the Atlantic Council in Washington DC, told FRANCE 24. “Many of those pressuring Qatar via these various measures are as well – and many times, they interact. There are probably very many arenas like the Djibouti-Eritrea scenario, and if this crisis in the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) continues we may see many more such abrupt disruptions.”
Territorial tensions between the two Horn of Africa nations flared in 1996 and 1999, but the current crises dates back to 2008, when Eritrea sent its troops into the area, which lies north of the city of Djibouti and is strategically located at the entry to the Red Sea.
The dispute triggered several days of fighting that killed a dozen Djiboutian troops and wounded dozens. Eritrea had initially denied making any incursions, accusing Djibouti of launching unprovoked attacks.
After the UN Security Council requested both sides withdraw from the area, Qatar stepped in to mediate and deploy peacekeepers.
Diplomatic sources said Saturday that the UN Security Council would meet Monday afternoon in New York to discuss the crisis in a closed-door meeting requested by Ethiopia. The AU said it was “ready to assist Djibouti and Eritrea to normalise their relations and promote good neighbourliness within the framework of relevant AU instruments”.
Djibouti is a close Western ally, hosts French and US military bases and is the main route to the sea for Eritrea’s arch foe and Washington’s top regional ally, Ethiopia.
Eritrea has fractious ties with the West, which had previously accused it of backing Somali and other regional insurgents. The government denies the charges.
Whether both parties are ready to negotiate is not entirely clear. In a statement issued Saturday, Eritrea did not directly respond to the allegations that it had invaded Djiboutian territory, saying only that the nation would not respond to “news – factual and speculative – churned out in the last few days”.
“The government of Eritrea will make its views known when it obtains full information of the entire episode,” said a statement issued by the information ministry in Asmara.
Djibouti has been more forthcoming. “Djibouti is a peaceful country and we have prioritised diplomatic solutions, but if Eritrea insists in seeking military solutions, Djibouti is ready for that,” Youssouf said.
[DhRTVO 12 10 2009] Sirna Jila Gadaa Tulaamaa Odaa Nabeetti adeemsifama jiru.
Ethiopia’s coffee is the latest victim of climate change
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In Memoriam: Rev. Virgilio P. Elizondo, Notre Dame Professor of Pastoral and Hispanic Theology
Author: Michael O. Garvey
Rev. Virgilio P. Elizondo
Rev. Virgilio P. Elizondo, the University of Notre Dame Professor of Pastoral and Hispanic Theology, died Monday (March 14). He was 80 years old.
A member of the Notre Dame faculty since 2000, Father Elizondo was a native of San Antonio, Texas, where his Mexican immigrant parents owned a grocery store and where he himself spent many years as the pastor of San Fernando Cathedral. The Sunday Spanish Mass at which he presided was televised and carried via satellite from San Fernando Cathedral to more than 1 million households.
Before being ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of San Antonio in 1963, Father Elizondo was graduated from Saint Mary’s University, where he majored in chemistry and considered applying to medical school. Deciding that he was called to the priesthood, he entered Assumption Seminary in San Antonio, largely because he wanted to stay in his hometown.
During his early years as a priest, Father Elizondo worked in parishes, but his ministry took a more scholarly turn in 1965 when Archbishop Robert E. Lucey appointed him archdiocesan director of religious education. Father Elizondo also served as Archbishop Lucey’s translator and aide during the 1968 meeting of Latin American Catholic bishops at Medellin, Colombia.
Father Elizondo became prominent as an advocate for the underpaid and exploited Mexican-American laborers in his archdiocese during the early 1970s. In 1972, as an increasingly self-conscious and confident Mexican-American community began to assert itself politically and culturally, he established the Mexican-American Cultural Center at Assumption Seminary.
Extolled as a founder of U.S. Latino religious thought, Father Elizondo was hailed in Time magazine as one of the leading spiritual innovators in the United States. Yet when he shared his beliefs about the connections between religion and people, he would recall the grocery store his immigrant parents owned in San Antonio, where he spent most of his life. “I came from a neighborhood where no one thought I would make it out or amount to anything,” he said. “Even as a boy, I knew I wanted to do something good for the world.”
Father Elizondo’s scholarship, a theological consideration of Mexican-American culture, produced numerous books, including “The Future is Mestizo,” “Galilean Journey” and “The Human Quest.” He received two doctoral degrees in theology from the Institut Catholique in Paris in 1978, and in 1979 he became an editor of the international theological journal Concilium. Among numerous other honors for his scholarship and ministry, he received Notre Dame’s Laetare Medal in 1997.
A memorial Mass will be celebrated at 4 p.m. April 7 (Thursday) in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart. Notre Dame president Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., will be the presiding celebrant, and Rev. Daniel G. Groody, C.S.C., associate professor of theology and the director of immigration initiatives at the Institute for Latino Studies, will give the homily.
Originally published by Michael O. Garvey at news.nd.edu on March 15, 2016.
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Author: Kristan Page 1 of 210
Pandemic life in photos
Life has gotten smaller in many ways… but there is sweetness still.
One of the coolest things we have done since the pandemic started is this butterfly growing kit. (Thanks, Trisha!) IB enjoyed it, but as not as much as Andy and I did, haha.
There has been bouncing…
And baking…
And family walks…
And “lite home-schooling”…
And one vacation to South Haven, MI (which was busier than we would have liked, but we managed it safely, I think)…
And this month, my baby boy turned one.
In some ways, everything is different. In some ways, nothing is different at all.
A few nights ago, I was checking in with a friend about his small business — which had to survive Hurricane Harvey not so long ago — and he used the phrase, “in times like these.”
As if we have ever lived through a time like this.
A pandemic. A global pandemic.
How can this be real?
For a few moments, as I was cleaning up toys and washing dishes, which I do every night after putting the kids to bed, I had the strangest feeling. That this wasn’t real at all. Not exactly a dream, and definitely not fake, but just… not real. Almost like something I had read about in a novel.
It’s easy to forget — or choose not to believe — when the enemy you’re fighting is invisible. When it doesn’t touch you directly.
I had to remind myself of China. Of Italy. Of Seattle and New York City. Of the points on the map getting closer and closer to home. Of the numbers getting larger. Of the personal accounts I’ve been reading on Twitter. Of my healthcare friends on the front lines.
Then it sunk in again. This is real. This is happening. We are living through history. A generation-defining moment. It’s not end of days, but I don’t know what the other side of this looks like.
I don’t even know if there is an “other side.”
My neighbor keeps posting pictures of his daughter playing in the big, wooded park near our homes. She examines a sunset-red fungus growing on a fallen tree trunk. She shows off a leaf. She poses in her knit hat and woolen gloves, smiling.
My husband said he hopes that IB remembers some of what’s going on. At first I stared at him like he was insane. Then I thought about it some more.
Maybe it’s not so crazy. Because how our kids are experiencing this time is so different from how we are. We adults are anxious, frustrated, exhausted. But most children — the young ones, anyway — are just excited to be home from school. To spend more time with their parents. To play and laugh and be held.
It’s kind of wonderful? Because it’s a reminder that even in the worst of times, there is joy.
(And for the people who are not safe in their homes, who are stuck with angry voices or hands… my heart breaks.)
I keep hearing that by the end of this, we will all know someone who has died from COVID-19.
I fear that it’s not going to be who, but rather how many.
RB is nearly 8 months old now, and every night, he falls asleep in my arms. This is an indulgence, a bad habit I don’t want to give up yet. Those precious minutes after he falls asleep, but before I transfer him to the crib, are a form of self-care for me. I watch him, eyes closed, simply breathing, wholly at peace. I try to absorb that.
If I’m feeling bold, I might nuzzle his soft, fat cheek, or kiss his nose.
Yes, even in times like these, there is joy.
IB/RB
Two very different musicals
Andy and I recently saw the touring production of Les Miserables, which is one of his favorite musicals. A few years ago when he was traveling overseas a lot for business, he would often play the Hugh Jackman movie version — or even just that soundtrack — in the background while doing work on his laptop. Thank you, Delta in-flight entertainment.
I love Les Mis too, in part because I grew up listening to it at my best friend Alex’s house. We would play the Original Broadway Recording on CD, as a lullaby when going to bed, or sometimes as an accompaniment to our make-believe games.
“On My Own,” sung by the character Eponine, holds a special place in my heart, and is possibly the ultimate ballad about unrequited love. I remember singing it to myself often during middle school. My locker was right next to my crush’s, thanks to alphabetized assignments. Hopefully he never heard me humming it under my breath.
As with everything these days, I watched Les Mis through a new lens this time. Now being a parent, I identified so strongly with Valjean’s love for Cosette, his desire to do what would make her happy, even if it put him in danger, or took her away from him.
I also found myself noticing and appreciating new things, like how the same two or three riffs dominate the music, coming in and out, like themes weaving through the story. And in fact, the songs do parallel the way that the plot winds back on itself at times, with all its “twists,” the characters crossing paths with each other in so many different iterations. These “coincidences” could feel melodramatic, like a bad soap opera, but they don’t, because the story is grounded in history, social commentary, and emotional truth.
Also a musical, but completely opposite in tone, is the new TV series Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist. It’s kind of like a grown-up Glee. (Or at least, the first couple seasons of Glee, which were great. I stopped watching after that.) The main actress, Jane Levy, is remarkably charming, and the supporting cast is solid too. As you can probably tell from the bright colors, it’s an overall upbeat show, but there’s a streak of somberness — primarily in the storyline about Zoey’s dad — that adds unexpected depth. Exactly what I seek in my entertainment these days: optimism and heart.
Only four episodes have aired so far, but I find myself eagerly awaiting more.
Personal, Reading/Writing
I was very pleased with my pace of reading in the first half of 2019, averaging 3 books a month! Then in the second half, after my son was born, I read exactly 0, haha. Oh well.
Out of 18 books, not a single one was a dud. I think because, with my time being so constrained, I’ve had to get more savvy — or maybe more ruthless — in my reading choices. Regardless, these were my favorites:
ALL YOU CAN EVER KNOW was a deftly written personal examination of race, adoption, and motherhood. Completely my jam. I plan to do a “Reading Reflections” post on it later this year.
THE LAST BEST STORY was also completely my jam, but in a different way. A teen rom-com featuring two high school newspaper nerds, with witty dialogue and great character depth.
SO YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT RACE is a dense but straightforward guide for people who want to do better. I appreciated how practical it was, and I felt like I could immediately make use of things that I learned from it.
And finally, OTHER WORDS FOR HOME is the third published novel by my dear friend Jasmine Warga, and I truly think she has leveled up once again. Told in verse, this book is the story of a young girl forced to leave her home in Syria and make a new one here in America. Full of insight and emotion, humor and heart.
As for 2020, I’m off to a slow start, but I know that as my son gets older and eventually joins his sister at daycare/school, I’ll get my reading time back.
Click here for previous years’ favorites.
My husband’s love of reading continues to flourish, and I take great pleasure in having helped to foster that. It’s so fun to talk about books and authors with him now — and about the thoughts they inspire, and the way various stories intersect with our lives.
These were his favorite reads of 2019:
Reading/Writing
Well, not here here.
There is no time for here. No time or space for much of anything besides the kids, really.
But I’m finally getting some decent sleep again, so that’s nice.
I keep thinking about how sleep deprivation/interruption is literally used as a torture technique, but mothers (esp of newborns) are expected to weather it like no big deal. And to love the thing that is causing it, no less. (WHICH WE DO.) #momlife
— Kristan Hoffman (@kristanhoffman) November 4, 2019
Yesterday marked the beginning of a new year. Sometimes I feel that the way we measure and move through time is a meaningless construct — and yet, there’s something to it, isn’t there? Something to the idea of a fresh start. Something to the collective energy of so many people reflecting, reaffirming, rerouting.
In recent years, I’ve often skipped resolutions, but for 2020, I did jot down a few small — but potentially very impactful — goals:
Write words with wings
Read fiction 10 minutes every day
Go to bed around 11:30 pm every day
Don’t look at the phone when I’m spending time with people (especially my kids)
Blog more consistently again
Yes, in the last half of 2019, there wasn’t time for here. But it’s a new year. I’m back, because I want to be. Because this space means something to me — does something for me — even if “blogs are dead” and “readership is down” and I’m more or less just talking into a void. That’s OK. It’s my void. I like it. I’ll fill it.
(Bonus points if my using the word “void” made you think of The Good Place.)
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How Brexit will Affect the Digital Landscape
We think proactive marketing and digital investment will be the defining factor in the outcome. Andrew Thomson analyses.
June 28, 2016 Read 3226 times
Britain’s decision to leave the European Union on 23rd June has sent shockwaves across the world for better or worse – it’s set to change virtually every aspect of British life. The question is, what are those changes going to be? More specifically, how will leaving the EU impact the UK’s digital industry?
In the short term, further investment in digital and marketing projects will be, for the most part, suspended until the mist clears around the specifics of the exit deal. This may take months, especially considering the Conservative leadership election will be dragged out until October before work starts on a historic new deal. Until such a time, uncertainty always breeds a lack of movement amongst investors. WPP’s CEO Sir Martin Sorrell was in agreement that the uncertainty will “deter activity”.
Should negotiations fail to capture businesses’ imagination in terms of the benefits of operating in a post-Brexit Britain, that quashing of investment may well continue as larger companies look to relocate their headquarters strategically.
On a much smaller scale, freedom of the EU may mean escaping some of the regulation placed upon businesses online, assuming it isn’t just copied & pasted into new British legislation. Most notably, companies would potentially no longer be bound by Cookie laws, which places ownership of people’s data into the user’s hands – requiring businesses to request access to that information rather than automatically receiving it.
However, the wiping of the slate and starting afresh leaves the door open for serious changes to privacy and data protection laws. Although this won’t become clear-cut for a long while, digitally active businesses should keep a weather eye out for any changes on this front. Significant overhaul here would change the way businesses would need to operate online.
As the leave campaign has long said, this is some of the large amount of red tape that could potentially be cut through in the next few years, which frees up a business’ resources and time to devote further to other aspects.
There are also indications of a cultural advertising shift coming to fruition over the next few years, which will be important to react to. The electorate’s choice to become a Britain independent of European jurisdiction perhaps represents a wish to find pride in being British, something that is somewhat lacking at present. The best marketers will be those who react to those changes the quickest. This advertising shift will affect digital industries in sync with itself in the way campaigns are run, copy is written and websites & apps are designed. Of course, this hinges on the success of our independence.
On that point, it is imperative for businesses not to be ironclad in a lack of investment in digital and marketing. By leaving, the electorate has opted for very much a leap of faith into the wider world. From a marketing perspective, marketers should be reflecting that mindset in their decisions. The next two years, whilst the change blows in the background, will still look very much the same as the current climate. By adapting and investing, businesses can therefore make the best of the changes, rather than remaining stagnant and refusing to react.
In the referendums wake, figures such as Young & Rubicam’s European President Andrew Dimitriou has suggested that British creative brands will suffer, with a lot of work being transferred to other European creative capitals like Berlin and Paris. It is likely that a sizeable brain drain may follow if that becomes the case, with under 30s in particular – who’s large contribution to the remain vote infers a strong continental affiliation – being persuaded to travel abroad by agencies seeking a more “European hub” to work from.
In evaluation, there are many facets to the impact of Brexit on the digital environment but the majority will depend on events yet to come to light. Strong initial negotiations from the British government will set the tone, but it is important to bear in mind that the real changes will come from hyper-reactive AND proactive digital businesses, opening the door for major landscape changes in digital communications.
info@kvadigital.co.uk © 2021 KVA . All rights reserved.
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Wicker’s message to Capitol Hill: Get back to work!
by WLZA Lazer 96.1 | posted in: Mississippi News | 0
What follows is a message from Mississippi Senator Roger Wicker to his colleagues in DC, urging them to get back to work for the good of America:
Earlier this month, the impeachment effort against President Donald Trump ended in acquittal. The trial consumed nearly three weeks of the Senate’s calendar, bringing almost all other legislative business to a grinding halt. Now that the trial is over, we should waste no time returning to the work of the American people.
Remaking the Federal Judiciary
President Trump entered office with a record number of vacancies on the federal bench. Since that time, Senate Republicans have made quick progress in restocking the judiciary with judges committed to constitutional government and the rule of law. During the week after the impeachment trial, the Senate confirmed five more judges, bringing this administration’s total number to 192 and surpassing President Bill Clinton’s eight-year total of 188 judges confirmed.
Each of these judges will serve a lifetime appointment and bring stability to our nation’s legal system. Many of our courts have long been compromised by activist judges who saw their role as making policy from the bench, rather than applying the law.
Thanks to the Senate’s work with President Trump, three circuit courts have now flipped to a majority having been appointed by Republican presidents. One-fourth of all judges who sit on circuit courts are now Trump appointees. This shift creates new opportunities for courts to overturn flawed rulings, including on matters of life, health care, and religious freedom.
I look forward to continuing this work of rebuilding our federal judiciary. Many vacancies remain, including some for the state of Mississippi. The Senate would do well to prioritize filling these seats.
Commerce Committee Keeps Pressing Forward
The Commerce Committee, which I chair, is advancing bills of vital importance to our nation. Even with the break in legislative activity due to the impeachment trial, three bills produced by the committee have already passed the Senate this year. These include measures to help remove waste and debris from the world’s oceans and to speed the development of new technological processes and devices. In addition, we recently passed an important measure that will help us understand the broadband needs of all Americas—including those in rural communities.
I have also led a number of important Commerce Committee hearings. This month we hosted a panel on how to develop the U.S. workforce for the digital age. We considered the role of artificial intelligence in key industries, groundbreaking prospects for the use of supercomputer technology, and the deployment of 5G wireless networks across our nation.
As the committee that oversees transportation policy, we are holding hearings to assess the nation’s transportation needs, including rail, port, and safety upgrades. And we will continue our critical oversight of aviation to ensure the safety of America’s skies.
Passing Budgets on Time
This month President Trump released his budget request for fiscal year 2021. This kicks off the process for Congress to evaluate the government’s priorities and to determine the best use of taxpayer dollars. This power of the purse is among Congress’s core responsibilities under the U.S. Constitution.
Unfortunately, in recent years Congress has gotten into the habit of falling behind schedule and passing short-term spending bills to avoid government shutdowns. Republicans and Democrats need to redouble our efforts this year to avoid this wasteful practice.
The post Wicker’s message to Capitol Hill: Get back to work! appeared first on News Mississippi.
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How Laws Are Made in the US
How Laws Are Made in the United States
The United States Congress is responsible for making and approving federal laws – rules that everyone in the country must follow. But exactly how do those laws get made? The process is not easy, and it takes a long time.
A law begins when someone proposes an idea. The idea can come from anyone, but it has to get to a U.S. lawmaker who wants it to become legislation. In time, the idea is further developed into a written proposal, called a bill.
Then, a member of Congress – that is, a senator or a member of the House of Representatives – officially proposes the bill. In other words, a lawmaker sponsors it. Lawmakers usually sponsor bills that are important to them or the people who live in the area they represent.
After the bill is introduced, it is sent to a small group of lawmakers, called a “committee.” Committees are responsible for a specific public policy or area of government. For example, both the Senate and the House have committees that deal with agriculture, education, and international relations.
Sometimes committee members seek more information about the proposal by holding hearings. Sometimes the committee changes the bill. Sometimes it decides not to take any action. In that case, we say lawmakers “table” the bill, or let it “die in committee.”
But now and then, they offer the bill to lawmakers not on the committee. Those lawmakers debate the bill further. They might change the bill again.
Finally, the full House or Senate votes on the bill. If it does not earn the majority of votes, the bill does not advance.
But if it does get approved, the bill goes to the other chamber of Congress. So, bills approved by the House go to the Senate; bills approved by the Senate go to the House.
Lawmakers in the second chamber repeat the process. If the second chamber also approves the bill, lawmakers from both the House and the Senate may have to discuss it again to settle any differences.
Finally, the agreed-upon bill is sent to the president. The president has a few choices about what to do.
If the president signs it, the bill becomes a law.
If the president does nothing and Congress is officially meeting, the bill becomes a law.
But if the president does nothing and Congress is not in session, the bill does not pass.
Or the president can officially reject – or veto – the bill. If that happens, the bill is not stopped. Instead, it is returned to both the Senate and the House.
If two-thirds of the senators and two-thirds of the House members approve the bill once again, they override the veto. That is, even with the president objecting, they turn the bill into a law.
I’m Kelly Jean Kelly.
Kelly Jean Kelly wrote this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.
sponsor - v. to take the responsibility for someone or something
advance - v. to go forward; to make progress
chamber - n. a group of people who form part of a government
session - n. a period of time that is used to do a particular activity
override - v. to make something no longer valid
United States Congress Explained
What Is the US Capitol Building?
Built, Burned, Bakery: A Short History of the US Capitol Building
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Indefinite sentence given to sex offender
LETHBRIDGE HERALDdshurtz@lethbridgeherald.com A 36-year-old man who sexually assaulted five […]
By Lethbridge Herald Obituaries on August 7, 2020.
Maureen Bailey
Mrs. Maureen Bailey of Lethbridge, beloved wife of Mr. Bruce Bailey passed away peacefully at Chinook Regional Hospital on Thursday, July 30, 2020 at the age of 77 years. A Memorial Service will be held at 1:00 pm, on Friday, August 7, 2020 at PARK MEADOWS BAPTIST CHURCH, 2011 15 Ave N, Lethbridge, Alberta, with Steve Phypers, officiating. Due to the restrictions in place from the Chief Medical Officer of Health – Funeral Services are now limited to 100 attendees. Including family and Funeral Home Staff. Those who wish to attend, please call Park Meadows Baptist Church, (403) 327-4422. The service will also be available on a livestream by visiting YouTube.ca and searching Park Meadows Baptist Church. A Memorial Service will be held in Calgary at a later date for Calgary family and friends.
Visit http://www.mbfunerals.com to send a condolence.
Agnes Brooks
It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Mrs. Agnes Lillian Brooks, nee Ernest. Beloved wife of the late Mr. Dennis A. Brooks, on Thursday, July 30, 2020 at the age of 87 years. A Funeral Mass will be held at 10:00 am, on Friday, August 7, 2020, at ST. BASIL’S ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH, 604-13 Street North, Lethbridge, Alberta, with Father Kevin Tumback officiating. Interment to follow in Royal View Cemetery.
Cecile Chute
Mrs. Cecile Chute of Coaldale, beloved wife of the late Mr. John Chute, passed away in her home in Coaldale surrounded by her family on Tuesday, August 4, 2020 at the age of 93 years. Funeral arrangements will be announced when completed.
Tregan “Piikani” Crow Eagle
Tregan Lyle Cruz “Piikani” Crow Eagle of Brocket, Alberta was suddenly and tragically taken from his family and friends on Tuesday, July 28, 2020. Tregan was 16 years old. Prayer Service at 5:00 PM on Saturday, August 8, 2020, at Snodgrass Funeral Homes (1101 Main Street, Pincher Creek) followed by the two-day Wake, which will also take place at Snodgrass Funeral Home. The Wake will continue on Sunday, August 9, at 1:00 PM. Due to current restrictions re: inside gatherings, only 50 participants are able to attend.
The Funeral Service will be held at Snodgrass Funeral Home on Monday, August 10, 2020 at 1:00 PM with Fr. Roy Jayamaha, Celebrant. The interment to take place at the Piikani Nation Cemetery in Brocket immediately following the funeral service.
To email condolences, please
visit http://www.snodgrassfuneralhomes.com Snodgrass Funeral Homes assisting the Crow Eagle/Many Fingers Families with funeral arrangements (403) 627-4864.
FEHER
IRENE FEHER, of Drumheller, passed away peacefully at the Drumheller Health Centre, on Wednesday, July 15, 2020 at the age of 83 years.
Irene was laid to rest in a private family graveside service at Mountain View Cemetery.
To send a condolence, please visit http://www.cornerstonefuneralhome.com
Mar. 26, 1931 – Aug. 4, 2020
The family of MARGARET A. HAMILTON announces her peaceful passing away at Fairmont Extendicare on Tuesday, August 4, 2020 at the age of 89.
Margaret’s life will be celebrated during a Funeral Mass at OUR LADY OF THE ASSUMPTION CATHOLIC CHURCH, 2405 – 12 Ave. S, Lethbridge, AB on Friday, August 7, 2020 at 11:00 AM with Father Derek Remus celebrating. If you’d like to attend, you may RSVP to Cornerstone at 403-381-7777 or
care@cornerstonefh.ca. For the safety of us and our community, hand sanitizer and facemasks will be available at the door and masks must be worn in the church at all times.
A Private Interment will follow in Mountain View Cemetery.
DOROTHY JOANNE (SUDO)
HEGGIE
Our sweet Joanne, wife, mom, and grandmother, returned to her heavenly home on Tuesday August 4, 2020. Joanne was a loving and supportive wife to her husband, Ron, mother to 4 children: Susan (Greg) Peterson, Linda (Dallas) Sherwood, Karel-Lyn (Gary) Snedden, and Darcy (Shanda) Heggie. Joanne was a grandmother to 13 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren (12 in October). Her grandkids all thought they were gramma Jo Jo’s favorite because she made them each feel so special. Joanne was born August 30, 1940 to parents Cestton and Dorothy Sudo. Joanne was proud of her Japanese and Belgian heritage. Joanne was the oldest of 5 children and took her role as the oldest very seriously. She felt a lifelong love and responsibility for her younger siblings. She was blessed with great aunties and loved them all dearly. Joanne was the oldest child on the farm and worked from a young age alongside her little brother, Donny, moving hand pipes, hoeing beet rows, and stacking pea vines and hay. This hard work and responsibility served Mom well for the rest of her life. Through her fine example, she showed her children and grandchildren the value of a great work ethic. She married Ron and gained 2 wonderful supporters and mentors, in-laws Avilda and Bob. Aside from her exemplary homemaking role, Mom was an equal partner to Dad in founding R.K. Heggie Grain Ltd. in 1959. Mom was the original office manager, the backbone of this business, and as it grew she was always the voice of reasoning. She tirelessly supported Ron as he expanded his business and developed other successful ventures. She supported Ron as he became the co-founder and integral part of getting the following businesses started: Hiway 52 Feeders, Transmark Ltd, Lethbridge Inland Terminal Ltd., and Alberta Midland Railway Terminal Ltd. Together they 2 built homes, the last being a beautiful acreage west of Raymond. Joanne and Ron spent thousands of hours in their yard, and their kids and grandkids spent many happy times together as a family in their beautiful yard. They had immaculate flower, fruit, and vegetable gardens. At the end of the growing season Joanne would can and preserve all the fruits of their labors. Joanne loved to camp and downhill ski, hike in Waterton, and walk or ride her bike on the country roads in the early morning hours. She was able to do all of these things until well into her 60s. She enjoyed the company of many good friends and family. Laughter was always present. Joanne served in many callings in the LDS Church and grew to know, love, and serve many people this way. She loved all the Young Women she served over the years and had a special place in her heart for them. Joanne and Ron were called as Stake Missionaries and served in the Del Bonita Branch. There, they also made many lifetime friends. Joanne was called to serve as an ordinance worker in the Cardston Alberta Temple and although initially nervous about this new calling, Joanne was blessed to be able to accomplish all that she needed to serve in this capacity. Joanne had the humble privilege to provide support and guidance to so many beautiful brides on their special wedding day. She always kept a special place in her heart for these women, and over the years the family has enjoyed hearing how much her love and guidance helped these brides on their special day. Gramma Jo Jo always remembered her grandkids’ birthdays, her kids always enjoyed an angel food cake with her special fondant icing for their birthdays, and we are pretty sure she kept Carlton Cards in business. Joanne had an amazing sense of humor and kept this until the end. She was a loving, compassionate, and humble daughter of God. She served a divine mission during her time on earth. She will go on now to renew her acquaintances with those who passed on before her: her parents, Cestton and Dorothy; Ron’s parents, Bob and Avilda; her beautiful granddaughter, Kenzie; and Ron’s brothers, Alan and Ray. We are blessed and comforted beyond measure to know that families are forever. We are grateful for all those who provided loving care for mom during her years at home, and for the wonderful care she received from the doctors and nurses of Raymond hospital. A Private Family Service will be held at a future date. Her funeral service may be viewed online following the service.
To send a condolence, please visit http://www.salmonandsons.ca
KING-HUNTER
Edna Florence (Drake) King-Hunter, passed away peacefully on Monday, July 27, 2020, with her family surrounding her. Edna grew up in Calgary, attended school at Balmoral and Crescent Heights and received a BSC of Nursing from University of Alberta. She will be lovingly remembered by her four children Dale King-Hunter (Corinne Willis), Dawn King-Hunter (John Savill), Kelly Rylander (Darcy), Coral King-Hunter and Edna’s eight grandchildren (Mackenzie and John-Paul Savill, Darius and Dylan Rylander, Shelby, Garnett, Luke and Carsten Bergeron). She was predeceased by her husband Bruce King-Hunter. She left this world as she lived it, with grace and determination to do it her own way. A family memorial service will be held once Covid restrictions have been lifted.
Jannetje Klok
With deep sorrow we announce the passing of my dear wife, our loving mother, grandmother, and great grandmother, Jannetje Wilhelmina (Janet) Klok, at the age of 80 years. Janet was born on October 24, 1939, in Ede, the Netherlands, and passed away in the Bethesda Care Home in Picture Butte after a short battle with cancer. She is survived by her loving husband of 59 years, John; 8 children, Peter (Marianne), Betty (Cornell) de Kok, Janey (Henry) de Kok, Henrietta (Andre) de Kok, John (Cheri), Jannette (Andrew) Beusekom, Nelly (Adrian) Sinke, Ed (Marieke); 56 grandchildren; 110 great grandchildren; sisters Teunisje (Willem) Slingerland, Hennie Van Hierden; sisters -in-law Corrie Ouwendorp, Eefje Ruiter, Maasje (Isaac) Kruijt, Cootje van Beek and Bertha Klok. Janet was predeceased by her parents Hendrik and Beertje Vandenberg and great grand -daughter Alysha Roth; brother Hendrikus (Henry) Vandenberg; sister Eefje Van Eck and numerous in laws. A Private family service will be held at 10:00am on Saturday, August 8, 2020 at the NETHERLANDS REFORMED CHURCH OF PICTURE BUTTE, 601 – 3A Street, Picture Butte, Alberta. A Private family interment will follow in the Memorial Cemetery in Picture Butte. Reverend E.C. Adams, officiating.
RIDER-LITTLE MAN
IDA MAY RIDER-LITTLE MAN (Aapaiiai-piita-akii) passed away in Cardston, AB on August 1, 2020 at the age of 82 years. A Wake Service will be held at Legacy Funeral Home, Cardston on Monday, August 10 from 3:00 – 8:00 pm. A Viewing will be held on Tuesday, August 11 from 9:30 – 11:00 with a Funeral Service to follow at 11:00 am. Interment to follow in St. Catherine’s Cemetery, Standoff, AB.
To WATCH the service Online or to send condolences please visit http://www.legacyfuneralhome.ca
NORRIE
DONALD NORRIE, beloved husband of Denise Norrie, passed away surrounded by family at Home in Lethbridge on Thursday, August 6, 2020 at the age of 72 years.
Details surrounding Donald’s Celebration of Life will be announced once completed.
QUIRING
It is with tremendous sorrow and broken hearts that we, the family of ANDREW “ANDY” JOHN & STACY JO-ANN (née Csabay) QUIRING of Scandia, announce their sudden passing from a motorcycle accident. Andy passed away on Sunday July 5, 2020 at the age of 52 and Stacy passed away on Wednesday, July 15, 2020 at the age of 49 as a result of injuries sustained in the accident. They are survived by their three children: Dalton, Cassidy and Laci, all of Scandia.
Andy and Stacy are survived by their parents, Al & Lily Quiring and Jim & Marlies Csabay, and their respective siblings: Andy’s include Charlene (Glen) and Jackie (Don), and Stacy’s include Barb (Emilio), Alisa (Dan), and Jeff (Ruby). They are also survived by numerous nephews and nieces.
Andy grew up on a farm in the Strathmore area. He was adopted at the age of nine months by Al & Nettie Quiring. Andy learned to work at a young age and drove tractor on the farm like many farm children did at that time. His interest/love of animals started early which eventually led him to custom wrangling and roping. In his school years, he was involved in school sports and worked as a wrangler at Camp Evergreen.
Stacy grew up on a farm in the Readymade district living next to the old Readymade school, and was lucky enough attend school there for six years; she was part of the last group of students who attended the old school. From there, she attended RI Baker, Kate Andrews and Caronport High School for two years. After high school, she went to Provo, Utah to obtain her dental assisting credential. She lived in Slave Lake for a number of years, working at a local dentist’s office. Upon her return to Southern Alberta she became reacquainted with someone she met when she attended Camp Evergreen many years ago.
The journey of Andy and Stacy’s life together began on June 26,1999 when they were married at Stacy’s parents’ farm. They were blessed with three beautiful children who always made their parents happy and filled their hearts with joy. The early years of their marriage were spent working as a team on parcel of land on the Rolling Hills road. Eventually they outgrew it, and went on to purchase their current location where they built their dream home. As all parents do, they watched their children move from toddlers to children who participated in 4-H, school sports, and community events. They were always there cheering and supporting the many teams that Dalton, Cassidy and Laci played on. Stacy was always willing to volunteer for numerous events at the schools the children attended.
Andy started his sales career with Southland International Trucks 27 years ago and was employed there at the time of his passing. Prior to that, he was on the road hauling cattle for Vanee Livestock for several years. Andy was a great salesman, believing in a firm handshake and taking great pride in remembering his client’s names.
Stacy worked as a dental assistant in Slave Lake and Lethbridge. When she moved to the Scandia area she drove school bus for the Grasslands School division until her passing. She took numerous students on field trips and was a conscientious driver. Stacy was the full time farm hand in the Quiring operation. There was nothing that she wouldn’t try, from pulling calves to priming a pump to driving a tractor or quad.
For many years, Andy and Stacy would spend their summers camping and boating at the Rolling Hills reservoir and other favorite locations in Alberta, BC and Montana. They enjoyed weekend getaways with their friends in the Corvette club. Their favorite place was Mexico where they spent many happy days on the beach in Nuevo Vallarta making friends with local vendors and fellow vacationers. In recent years, Andy took up the game of golf and Stacy would happily ride the cart when on holidays.
How do you capture what these two people meant to not only their children but their families and the many and numerous friends that they had? Words are not going to suffice. There will forever be two holes in our lives. We would like to thank the First Responders who attended the accident scene, STARS Air Ambulance, the HOPE Organization and the many doctors and nurses who have been on this journey with the family. We would also like to thank the Scandia community for their support of Dalton, Cassidy and Laci; the food, donations, calls and outpouring of love and concern have been overwhelming.
A private celebration of their lives and church service will be occurring by invitation only due to COVID-19 restrictions.
In memory of Andy and Stacy, donations may be made to STARS Air Ambulance (www.stars.ca/ways-to-donate/ab), Southern Alberta Organ & Tissue Donation Program (c/o Foothills Medical Centre, 403 – 29 St. NW, Calgary, AB T2N 2T9), or Human Organ Procurement & Exchange “HOPE” Program (#9423, Aberhart Building, 11402 University Ave., Edmonton, AB T6G 2J3).
ANNIE JOSEPH WALDNER
Dec 8th, 1942 – August 5th, 2020.
Annie went to the Lord, not unexpectedly, she peacefully passed on Wednesday August 5th, 2020. She was predeceased by her husband Joseph Waldner. Our loving Mother, Grandmother, Great Grandmother, Sister and Aunt, Annie is survived by her son Joe (Julia), Daughters Gloria (Peter), Hannah (John), Ida (Fred), 18 Grandchildren and 1 great Grandchild. Service will be held at Clear Lake Colony on Friday, August 7, 2020 at 11:00 A.M.
Condolences may be made at http://www.zentnerfuneralhomes.com
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SciFi Weekend: Top Ten New Genre Shows Of 2017; Doctor Who News On The Eve Of “Twice Upon A Time”
Doing top of the year lists in television has become increasingly difficult in this age of peak television when there are around 500 scripted shows and it is impossible to watch everything new which is on. I’ve even heard some of the professional television critics admit to this problem and that their lists should realistically be called the Top X Shows Which I Have Watched. As each season adds to the number of shows which deserve to be ranked which I have not seen, I have annually limited my lists to the top new shows of the year. (The Top Twenty New Shows Of 2016 is posted here). In past years I have included all types of television, with a bias towards genre in the rankings. I found that this year I have seen most (but certainly not all) of the new genre shows which I believe are worth seeing, but when all types of shows are considered the percentage drops significantly. Therefore I decided to make the main list the Top Ten New Genre Shows Of 2017 and will mention some additional shows afterwards.
Top Ten New Genre Shows Of 2017
10. The Gifted (Fox)
One of three new X-Men or mutant related shows (with the X-Men and Inhumans possibly to be united if the Disney purchase of Fox goes through). This is definitely the more conventional of the two included on this list, and the mid-season finale opens hope that the show will be expanded from what we have seen so far. It is worth seeing with the combination of Root (Amy Acker) and Vampire Bill (Stephen Moyer), both obviously in new roles.
9. The Defenders (Netflix)
The team-up of Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist was more worth watching to see the interactions of these four than for the battle against The Hand. I previously reviewed the series here.
8. The Tick (Amazon Prime)
This was a far better than NBC’s attempt at superhero comedy with Powerless. More on the show here.
7. The Punisher (Netflix)
Technically there are no superhero or science fiction elements in the show but I will include it as it overlaps with the Marvel universe, with Karen Page playing a significant role, and with the Punisher having been introduced in Daredevil. Like the other Marvel shows which are set up as one long story, it might have been better if cut to eight to ten episodes as opposed to thirteen, but they did do a good job of intermixing two related stories in the present along with flashbacks to set up the backstory. I did prefer the government conspiracy story line over The Hand as in the other two new Marvel series on Netflix this year.
6. Runaways (Hulu)
Yet another show based upon a Marvel comic, Runaways in tone is somewhere between the network-friendly Agents of SHIELD and the more adult shows on Netflix. So far it has done a good job of setting up a conflict between a group of teens and their villainous parents.
5. American Gods (Starz)
Bryan Fuller and Michael Green have done an excellent job of adapting the first portion of Neil Gaiman’s novel, but it is now questionable as to whether this will survive with their departure from the show. There is a look at the season finale here.
4. The Orville (Fox)
The show initially appeared questionable when billed as a parody, but over the course of the season Seth MacFarlane learned how to tell serious science fiction stories while mixing in humor. I had brief reviews of each episode, often looking at how well humor was incorporated into the episode, in each week’s post. My review of the season finale was here, with a follow-up look at the first season here. The show is strongly based upon Star Trek: The Next Generation, and many who prefer more conventional Star Trek, as well as episodic television, might prefer this over the other new Star Trek show.
3. Star Trek: Discovery (CBS All Access)
While many fans feel more comfortable with The Orville, Star Trek: Discovery is the more ambitious of the two. Discovery does a far better job than Enterprise did in making a Star Trek show with a more modern television feel, including a serialized format. This is also different from previous Star Trek series in taking place during a time of war, and having a Captain who is far more morally ambiguous. There are also questions regarding continuity which I discussed here. I had weekly reviews of each episode while the show was on, with the review of the fall finale here.
2. Legion (Fx)
Noah Hawley provided a quite original take on the X-Men universe, providing something new and unique to prevent superhero fatigue. My post on the season finale was here.
1. The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu)
This excellent dramatization of Margaret Atwood’s novel about a dystopian future could have been a great series any year, but its treatment of women seemed so much more relevant at the start of the Trump administration–at time when its horrors seemed a bit more plausible. More on the series here.
Among the shows which I saw but did not make the cut was Iron Fist, the weakest of the Netflix Marvel series. While flawed, it is watchable and does lead directly into The Defenders. If you still have a lot of Marvel shows to watch, put this off. If you plan to watch them all, it might make sense to still watch it before The Defenders.
Two genre series which debuted in 2017 were remakes of past series. The X-Files (Fox) was generally disappointing, but with all the excellent episodes in the past I will still give the next season a try. I previously discussed the show here and here. There was also the return of Twin Peaks (Showtime), which competed with Legion as strangest series of the year. I previously looked at the series here.
There are also some genre shows which I have not seen but which might be worth checking out, such as the time travel comedy Future Man and the anthology series Dimension 404, both on Hulu. The genre show which I haven’t seen which is receiving the most favorable publicity is the German series Dark, available in the United States on Netflex.
There were also a few genre flops in 2017. I gave up on Powerless (NBC) midway through the season. I didn’t watch The Inhumans (ABC) after numerous poor reviews. If interested, Io9 summarizes what happened on The Inhumans for those who stopped watching. Time After Time (ABC) was cancelled before I had a chance to give it a try.
Moving beyond genre, there were also many excellent shows in 2017. There were two excellent dramas dominated by women, Big Little Lies (HBO) and Godless (Netflix), which I am currently in the midst of watching. The three top comedies from 2017 which I have watched also are led by women: The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon Prime) from Amy-Sherman Palladino, GLOW (Netflix), staring Allison Brie, and SMILF (Showtime).
While not genre, the CW also premiered another comic based series in 2017, Riverdale, which presents a new take on the Archie comics.
Tomorrow we have a major television event with Peter Capaldi having his last appearance before regenerating into Jodie Whittaker on Doctor Who. Doctor Who News has an interview with Steven Moffat about the show:
What does Twice Upon A Time have in store for us?
There are some new eerie creatures of glass haunting the Doctor and his friends throughout this story – but what their purpose and what their plan is, and what their time traveling machinations are, is going to be a big surprise to the Doctor.
Were there any sets or locations that you particularly enjoyed working on?
There’s a real range of spaces that we visit across the special. We have the inside of a giant stone spaceship full of creepy glass creatures. We’re in the first Doctor’s TARDIS – recreated and brought back from the 1960s to stand proud in the Welsh studios. We’re on a First World War battlefield. And at long last we go to a location that I mentioned in my very first episode of Doctor Who back in 2005, as we visit the ruins of Villengard.
How would you describe the tone of this episode?
This episode is somewhere between a coda and drumroll. It’s a coda to the time of the Twelfth Doctor played by Peter Capaldi, and a drumroll to usher in the Thirteenth Doctor, played by Jodie Whittaker. Approaching it, one issue I had was that The Doctor Falls (this year’s series finale) was the end of Peter Capaldi’s Doctor. That episode saw the Twelfth Doctor stating what he stands for and standing on the hill on which he was prepared to die.
That was the end of his story. But – as often happens in stories and real life – it didn’t end there. He kept going, he started to regenerate, so at Christmas what we’re going to see is a man weary and tired and, having made his point and having made his stand and given his life for something that matters, he has to learn just how to carry on after that. But of course this being Doctor Who and Christmas it’s much warmer and hopeful than that, so in perfect timing walking towards him out of the snow he meets earliest incarnation. The William Hartnell version of the Doctor – played now by David Bradley in an astonishing performance – and the two of them are about to regenerate. Tonally it’s about saying “to hell with dying, let’s get on with living”. And what’s more Christmassy that that? It’s the turn of the year, a time for new beginnings, it’s the time when we start climbing back towards the light.
How does the First Doctor look at the Twelfth Doctor?
Well the Doctor never gets on with himself. Arguably he doesn’t get on with himself when it’s just him alone – we had the whole plot of Heaven Sent (in series nine) about that – so he doesn’t get on with himself even when it’s just him. But here I think we have perhaps one of the most interesting instances of the Doctors meeting, because the First Doctor as we know from the show is quite different from the Doctor we know now.
Ultimately he’s the same person – he has the same set of impulses and ideals – but he hasn’t yet become at home with what he’s becoming. If you look at the original William Hartnell series, the Doctor’s starting to fight the good fight, but he’ll arrive in a spot of trouble and generally speaking he’ll only help others out because he needs to get back to the TARDIS. So often there’d be a plot contrivance to stop William Hartnell’s Doctor getting back to his TARDIS and flying out of danger. Slowly that started changing as the Doctor developed as a character. He’d start saying “No I can’t leave yet – not because I can’t get to the TARDIS, but because these people are still in trouble and this evil is still in control. I have to help these people.”
Without noticing it, or it ever being his plan or his intent, he’s starting to engage with the universe and he’d be horrified to think that he’s starting to become its protector. Now, at the end of that lifetime when the First Doctor is facing his end, he doesn’t yet realise that’s what he already is. He’s already the man who rides to the rescue, the saviour of the oppressed, but he doesn’t own up to that. Now he meets the Twelfth doctor, and the Twelfth doctor has been doing this for so long. He’s used to the idea that he’s already Earth’s protector – an idea that completely bewilders his younger – except kind of older self. The thing to focus on this time, alongside the flourishes that distinguish the two doctors – it that they are at very different moments in their lives. The First Doctor is not quite yet the hero we are used to.
How did you feel to be writing your final episode of Doctor Who?
The truth about writing anything is that it’s always difficult. You can change the reason why it’s difficult, but the fact is it’s just always difficult! Throughout writing this I wanted to feel more about the fact it’s the last one I’ll ever write, and I wanted to feel more about it’s the last one Peter will ever play, but the truth is that the technicality and the difficulty and the demands on your creativity – all that overwhelms you to the point where you’re just trying to write a great Doctor Who story! That’s enough to contend with – you can’t have the real life drama of two old Scotsmen making their way to the door.
Once we got into shooting it, however, and especially when we approached filming Peter’s last moments as the Doctor which were done at the end of the shoot, we did talk more about how exactly he should meet his end. We were both very pleased with that final section of the script already, but as we went through piece by piece we thought there were ways to improve it so I’d be banging out new pages each night for us to discuss on set each day. That was so enjoyable and exciting to do – to really feel that we were getting his send off right – that in a way it took whatever emotions we were both having about leaving and put them on screen where they belong. By the time we got to that part of filming I think Peter and I were probably the least emotional on set because we’d put it all in the show!
David Bradley has some advice for Jodie Whittaker:
“Keep it light. Keep it funny,” he offered, adding poignantly: “Have a sense and wonder about the universe and everything in it.”
David Bradley previously told Digital Spy that he had high hopes for his former Broadchurchco-star Jodie’s tenure as the denizen of the TARDIS.
“I was delighted [by the casting],” Bradley told us. “I was wondering if [showrunner] Chris [Chibnall] would pick someone from the Broadchurch cast.
“As we saw in Broadchurch, she’s got this emotional reserve that… there’s no limits. She’s capable of great emotion and passion.”
The TARDIS Yule Log video has some glimpses of Twice About A Time.
Yahoo TV talked with Pearl Mackie about her year on Doctor Who. Here is a portion:
What were the characteristics about Bill that jumped out at you right away?
Well, she’s quite cheeky, which I liked. But she’s also intelligent and doesn’t feel the need to brag about it. It’s very much a part of her, and she’s not ashamed to just say things. She has this confidence that I really engaged with; she doesn’t let her life or experiences get the better of her. She also wants to learn more and is very inquisitive.
We see that in the way she challenges the Doctor from their first meeting. That’s a different dynamic from past companions.
Yeah, and that’s the energy that I felt when I first read the script. There’s an irreverence between her and the Doctor, even though there’s also a lot of respect and they grow to be very close by the end of the series. She’d never be like, “I bow to your superior knowledge.” It’s more akin to, “Well, actually I don’t agree with that. What about this?” I think he respects her for that; they both enjoyed the verbal sparring they had. It’s enjoyable to watch that dynamic.
How quickly did you establish that rhythm with Peter Capaldi?
I met him for the first time in my second audition — my callback essentially. Before that, I’d been reading the script on my laptop with the Facetime camera on, responding to a recording I’d made of myself doing a version of Peter Capaldi reading his lines! The real Peter is a much better actor than that — much more dynamic. [Laughing] When I went into the room, I was absolutely terrified because Peter is not only an incredible actor, but he’s also been playing this character for a long time. We read the first scene of Episode 1, this mammoth six-page scene, and I spent most of it standing there just hoping that what I was doing was right or at least interesting.
Then we did the scene where Bill goes into the TARDIS for the first time, and Peter said, “Do you want to stand up?” I went, “What? OK, sure.” In auditions, you’re supposed to sit still and keep your face as still as possible, but if you’re me, your face tends to move of its own accord. Steven enjoyed that and used it a little bit in the first episode when Bill is standing at the window in the Doctor’s office and says, “I see my face all the time. I never liked it; it’s all over the place — it’s always doing expressions when I’m trying to be enigmatic.” But, yeah, I mainly remember standing there aghast at being in a room acting with Peter Capaldi. Luckily, Bill was supposed to be pretty aghast when she walked in the TARDIS, otherwise we may not be having this conversation today! I think we were both responding to each other quite honestly and seemed to work in a very harmonious fashion.
BBC America posted this thank-you video for Peter Capaldi.
CinemaBlend said Capaldi had this to say about the Doctor’s real name: “I also know his real name. It’s not pronounceable to humans. It’s a frequency that can only be heard of people with good heart.” They went on to add:
To date, that’s one of the best answers someone connected with Doctor Who has given to the question. It’s far better than Matt Smith’s answer from long ago that it was “Drasicanawhocius” or some long name similar that is easily abbreviated by saying “Doctor Who.” It’s also more interesting than the some diehard fans’ explanations that the Doctor’s name is actually a rather hard-to-pronounce set of Latin letters to varying powers. Given that, Peter Capaldi’s response to Radio 2’s Access All Areas (via Digital Spy) should win as it gels with the awesomeness of the Doctor and doesn’t risk the spraining of the tongue muscle trying to pronounce.
While he has some very interesting ideas regarding the Doctor’s name, Peter Capaldi also holds an opinion that may sound like hot take to many Doctor Who fans. In fact, it may trigger some of those fans fans who have battled to keep those outside the fan community from referring to him in a certain way. Capaldi may indeed ruffle some feathers with this statement:
We can get into a fight about whether he’s called The Doctor, or Doctor Who. The reason I call him Doctor Who is because when you’re in the street, people don’t shout out, ‘There’s The Doctor!’ They go, ‘Hey, Doctor Who!’ That’s his street name. His street name is Doctor Who.
Posted in Science Fiction, Television. Tags: Alison Brie, American Gods, Amy Acker, Amy Sherman Palladino, Big Little Lies, Bill Potts, Broadchurch, Bryan Fuller, Chris Chibnall, Daredevil, Dark, David Bradley, Dimension 404, Disney, Doctor Who, Donald Trump, Future Man, Godless, Heaven Sent, Iron Fist, Jessica Jones, Jodie Whittaker, Legion, Luke Cage, Matt Smith, Neil Gaiman, Noah Hawley, Pearl Mackie, Peter Capaldi, Powerless, Riverdale, Runaways, Science Fiction, Seth MacFarlane, SMILF, Star Trek, Star Trek Discovery, Stephen Moyer, Steven Moffat, The Defenders, The Gifted, The Handmaid's Tale, The Inhumans, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, The Orville, The Punisher, The Tick, The X-Files, Time After Time, Twice Upon A Time, Twin Peaks, William Hartnell, X-Men. No Comments »
SciFi Weekend: The Orville; Star Trek Discovery; Doctor Who; Legends of Tomorrow; Jessica Jones; Sense8; House of Cards
The Orville concluded its first season with Mad Idolatry, an episode which might have been better if the didn’t try to cram so much into the episode. Much of the humor came from Captain Mercer trying to find something to do after work, including learning about Moclan culture in a rather painful manner. While entertaining, it might have been better to do this in another episode and allow more time for the rather large themes of the rest of the episode.
Kelly was at the center of the two main story lines, both dealing with her relationship with Ed and her being responsible for the “cultural contamination” of an alien planet. Plus they threw in having the planet both spending time in two different universes and time passing at a vastly different rate. There was so much going on that it felt like none of the subjects received the time it deserved.
The result of Kelly’s interference was quite predictable, but resolved too easily. First the religious leader accepted her word too quickly, although it didn’t turn out very well for him. Then everything got resolved quite easily when they were visited by the most advanced version of inhabitants of the planet. The message delivered by the ambassadors from the planet, “You must have faith in reason, in discovery, and in the endurance of the logical mind,” certainly would fit in well with the Star Trek universe. The lack of consequences for her violation of what appears to be their version of the Prime Directive, along with Ed leaving it out of the report, both also fit in with many Star Trek episodes.
Part of the drama of the episode was also to be Isaac being left on the planet for what 700 years, but this also turned out to be rather inconsequential to the entire story.
Kelly’s decision regarding her relationship was sensible and fit well into the story, but I also wish that this could have been given more time in the episode.
Besides seeing their version of the Prime Directive, we learned in this episode that the Orville’s shuttles have cloaking technology.
Another highlight of the episode was Sports Illustrated model Kyra Santoro as the scantily-clad Ensign Turco. (Video of her cleavage can be seen here). This beat out Adrianne Palicki’s dress when she went out with Ed Mercer (Seth MacFarlane).
Overall the episode was enjoyable, but it could have been so much more.
For those who have not been watching, Blastr has 10 Reasons To Binge Watch Star Trek: Discovery This Holiday Season. Wired questions why some hate the show. Note that CBS All Access does provide one week free, so it would be a good time to check out the entire first half of season one for free before deciding whether you want to continue into the next season.
Alice Eve, who appeared in Star Trek: Into Darkness, has been cast in the second season of Iron Fist.
Quentin Tarantino has pitched an idea for a Star Trek movie and might direct it. Deadline reports that it will be R-rated. Screen Rant speculates on Star Trek episodes he might turn into movies, including both from the original show and Star Trek: The Next Generation. Patrick Stewart has expressed interest in reprising his role as Jean-Luc Picrard:
Following the news that Quentin Tarantino was working on a new idea for the franchise alongside J.J. Abrams, with plans to direct, Patrick Stewart has thrown an unlikely hat back into the intergalactic ring.
“People are always saying to me, ‘Will you be Jean-Luc Picard again?’ And I cannot think that would be possible, but there are ways in which something like that might come about,” the iconic actor told The Hollywood Reporter, speaking from the sidelines of the Dubai International Film Festival, where he received an honorary award.
“But one of my dreams is to work with Tarantino. I admire his work so much, and to be in a Tarantino film would give me so much satisfaction. So, if he is going to direct something to do with Star Trek and there was the possibility of dear old Jean-Luc showing up again and doing that for Mr Tarantino, I would embrace it.”
Stewart said one thing was sure about a Tarantino-directed Star Trek installment: it would be gripping.
“The one thing that characterizes all of his movies is that frame by frame, it always challenges, always demands your attention, always demands a very kind of open and generous response to what he does,” he said. “I also love his sense of humor as a filmmaker. So yes, he would be my first choice.”
Netflix has released trailer for the next season of Black Mirror, including U.S.S. Callister, which has the feeling of original Star Trek. Knowing Black Mirror, it is no surprised that something will be off.
BBC America has released another trailer for Twice Upon A Time, this year’s Doctor Who Christmas special. Video above. Nerdist reports on another special to be aired afterwards:
Immediately following “Twice Upon A Time,” BBC and BBC America will air an all-new special titled, Doctor Who: Farewell to Peter Capaldi. Narrated by actor Colin McFarlane (Jonathan Moran in “Under the Lake” and “Before the Flood”), the episode will feature archival footage and interviews, as well as a look back at Peter Capaldi’s era as the Twelfth Doctor—from his very first script read through to his very last. It will also feature, the BBC stated in a press release, “Steven Moffat reflecting upon his time as a writer and then later as executive producer, revealing some of his best and worst moments from his tenure, as well as his favorite episodes.”
Radio Times has an interview with Steven Moffat here, and an article on David Bradley, who will be playing William Hartnell’s role of the first doctor, here.
The entire Arrowverse concluded the fall season with good cliff hangers or episodes leading into the second half of the season a week after the excellent cross-over episodes with Crisis on Earth-X.
The biggest changes are occurring on Legends of Tomorrow. Constantine will, at least briefly, be joining the Legends of Tomorrow when they return. There are certainly now openings for him to stick around longer with Victor Garber and Jax Jackson both leaving recently. Wentworth Miller is only expected to be on the show for a short time.
Legends will not return until February 18, taking over Supergirl‘s timeslot for nine weeks to conclude its season. Supergirl will resume on April 16 and conclude on June 18.
Netflix has released the above trailer for Season two of Jessica Jones, which will be released March 8. Entertainment Weekly has this report:
Looks like Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter) is going to need a stiff drink. The super-powered PI may have killed her mind-controlling abuser Kilgrave (David Tennant) at the end of the Marvel-Netflix drama’s first season, but that doesn’t mean she’s forgotten him — or what he did. “He’s such a part of her construction and her dilemma,” showrunner Melissa Rosenberg says. “I think just having him come back and be that mirror again is really important.”
And Kilgrave’s lingering presence won’t be Jessica’s only problem in season 2. Sure, she did just (very reluctantly) help save New York City, but what happened on The Defenders was just “a blip” in her story, Ritter says. “Jessica is in a pretty dark headspace when we meet her at the top of season 2. What we’ve done again is kept the story very personal. If season 1 was in her head and in her mind, then this season will be more in her heart. It’s still a psychological thriller, but it’s more of an emotional thriller this time.” Rosenberg agrees: “She was somewhat of a mess even before Kilgrave came into her life, so [season 2] is about digging deeper into that chaos and peeling back those layers.” In the end, the mystery of Jessica herself may be her hardest case to crack.
With much love, here’s a sneak peek at all the hard work the cast and crew have been up to behind the scenes of our Sense8 Finale Special. See you in 2018. pic.twitter.com/o6ARV2ItnB
— Sense8 (@sense8) December 9, 2017
A brief video was posted on Twitter to remind fans that there will be one more episode to wrap up Sense8 following its cancellation after the second season.
Netflix has confirmed that they do plan to resume production on House of Cards following the firing of Kevin Spacey:
Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos announced the landmark original series is going into production on its final season next year, but Kevin Spacey will not be part of the show, after reports of sexual misconduct from the star.
“I can actually give you some news in the room today, because we have been in arrangement to produce a sixth season of ‘House of Cards.” It’ll be an eight episode season that’ll start production early ’18, and it will not involve Kevin Spacey,” said Sarandos at the UBS Global Media and Communications Conference in New York. “It will star Robin Wright. And we’re really excited about bringing some closure to the show for fans.”
Fortunately last season did end on a good point to change the focus of the show from Spacey to Robin Wright’s character. The only downside is that I had hoped that they would wrap up the series with Frank Underwood gradually being exposed and being taken down for his crimes. Instead he will probably be killed off early next season.
Posted in Science Fiction, Television. Tags: Adrianne Palicki, Arrow, Black Mirror, Constantine, David Bradley, David Tennant, Doctor Who, House of Cards, Iron Fist, Jessica Jones, JJ Abrams, Krysten Ritter, Legends of Tomorrow, Patrick Stewart, Peter Capaldi, Science Fiction, Sense8, Seth MacFarlane, Star Trek, Star Trek Discovery, Star Trek Into Darkness, Steven Moffat, Supergirl, The Defenders, The Orville, Under The Lake, William Hartnell. No Comments »
SciFi Weekend: Star Trek Discovery; The Orville; Superhero Shows; Stranger Things; Runaways; Good Omens; The Man In The High Castle; Electric Dreams; Doctor Who: Shada
Episode 4 of Star Trek Discovery, The Butcher’s Knife Cares Not For The Lamb’s Cry, continues what will presumably be a redemption arc for Burnham. Her defense of the tardigrade, arguing that it should not be judged entirely for its actions on one particular day, is a clear reference to her own situation. The tardigrade was also reminiscent of the creature in the first season episode of the original show, Devil in the Dark.
Unfortunately Landry was not as wise as Burnham, both in seeing the tardigrade only as a potential weapon to be studied (as did Lorca), and in forgetting how dangerous it was. We now know that the killing of apparent main cast was not limited to the first two episodes.
Last week I noted that Georgiou had filmed more material. I hope this means more than just the message seen in this episode. After my speculation as to how she might reappear on the show last week, I thought of another situation where it might make sense to see her alive–an episode in the Mirror universe.
In yet another interview a writer for Star Trek: Discovery insists that the show will not violate canon and the events of the original series, which takes place ten years later. Seeing the necessity of enslaving a sentient species to operate the spore drive suggest at least two reasons why we might never see this again. After the war, Star Fleet principles might come into play again, leading this to be banned. Or possibly any ship trying this is ultimately destroyed by the tardigrade.
The episode had the feeling of continuity with our world and the Star Trek universe by dropping names such as the Wright Brothers, Elon Musk, Zefram Cochrane, and Zaphod (Beeblebrox)?
Polygon discussed the militarization of science with the cast of Discovery.
TrekMovie.com has the episode titles through November when the show goes on hiatus until January.
Last week’s episode of The Orvill, Krill, showed both the strengths and the weaknesses of the series. Of course some might disagree as to which features are strengths and weaknesses. The episode once again captured the feel of an old episode of Star Trek The Next Generation, and did include a moral dilemma. This was interspersed with a number of jokes, often involving the name of the Krill god, Avis, and the car rental company. While the jokes were somewhat amusing, it is a matter of opinion as to how much they distract from the episode or make it more amusing.
The episode also did subtly mock common tropes seen in Star Trek, such as with Mercer speaking before Alara had a communications channel open.
One nitpick is that they had to take a picture of every page of the book they were seeking. Couldn’t they find an ebook version?
The episode also repeated a common issue in episodes of The Orville with problems being solved in simple and unrealistic ways. If they were elsewhere I could see light being used as a weapon, but I found it less plausible that their ships own lights could easily be turned up so bright as to kill most of the crew. Other episodes had similarly questionable solutions, such as seeing Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer being enough to change a character’s long standing views.
This week I will try to catch up with some of the news from New York Comic Con which I couldn’t get to last week, along with genre news from other sources. As there remains too much news to fit in again this week, I will limit to links in many cases. I am also postponing most of the news on the DC superhero shows on CW, which did return last week. One reason to cut back, at least for now, on coverage of them is that interest appears to be declining, with ratings for their return episodes down.
I think that the problems include having too many superhero shows, and that there have been too many episodes of the DC series to maintain quality and interest. This is especially difficult when we have the Netflix series for comparison. I think that CW would be better off reducing these series to a maximum of thirteen episodes a year, both tightening up each series and reducing to two at a time. Guest appearances can keep the other series in the minds of viewers when they are off.
The one additional news item on the CW shows I will mention today is that Victor Garber will be leaving Legends of Tomorrow to return to Broadway. Of course the nature of this show makes it easy for him to return should he become available and interested in the future.
At the moment I like Gotham the best of the network superhero shows, now surpassing the CW series. One reason is that they are continuing where last season left off with the gradual development of Bruce Wayne into Batman. Syfy Wire has information on the Gotham panel at New York Comic Con.
Information on the Agents of SHIELD panel at New York Comic Con here.
Two different X-Men type series have also started. The Gifted appears to show promise after two episodes, teaming up Vampire Bill and Root (aka Stephen Moyer and Amy Acker). I have not watched The Inhumans after reading a number of terrible reviews. As it is only eight episodes, I figure I can binge it later if it improves.
Netflix has done an excellent job of developing their own superhero universe (existing with other Marvel superheroes who are left off screen). After their team up in The Defenders, Iron Fist will be appearing in Luke Cage season 2.
Netflix has posted the final trailer for Stranger Things season 2, which will be released on October 27. The producers are now talking about extending the show beyond four seasons.
Screen Rant discussed the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Kevin Feige.
Dirk Gently has returned for a second season. Review here.
Hulu will be releasing their own Marvel series. Teaser for Runaways above. Engadget has some background information:
For all those unfamiliar with the source material, Runaways follows a dysfunctional group of six teens who band together to fight their evil parents. Judging by the trailer, the show draws its influences from late-nineties genre fare, like The Craft and The Faculty. And, it comes from the creative team behind The O.C. and Gossip Girl, so you can also expect plenty of snappy dialogue, self-deprecating humor, and pop-culture references. The series is reportedly set within the Marvel cinematic universe, but tonally sits closer to the likes of Freeform’s upcoming Cloak and Dagger TV show, and ABC’s The Inhumans. So, don’t go expecting The Punisher to make a cameo.
Amazon’s World of Philip K. Dick panel at New York Comic Con revealed that the third season of The Man In The High Castle will deal more explicitly with parallel universes–and the attempts by the Nazis to conquer them. Trailer above and more information here. Syfy Wire notes how timely the anti-Nazi message of the show is.
More information on Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams, another upcoming show from Amazon, was also revealed at the New York Comic Con. Instead of being based upon a single story like The Man In The High Castle, it will be a series of ten movies. IO9 has more information:
…each episode has different writers and directors, and they were given creative freedom to take the short stories and interpret them in whatever way they saw fit. This is in addition to the rotating cast, which includes stars like Steve Buscemi, Bryan Cranston, Janelle Monae, and Liam Cunningham, the only actor who appeared at the panel. Executive producer (and Philip K. Dick’s daughter) Isa Dick Hackett said she felt this was the best way to approach Dick’s short stories, which she called “the gems of his ideas,” in a way that both honored his work but also made the messages relatable to a modern audience.
It was already impressive that Michael Sheen and David Tennant would be staring in Amazon’s upcoming series Good Omens based upon the Neil Gaiman novel. John Hamm has now been added to the cast. Syfy Wire has more on the series, including others who have been cast.
A teaser (video below) has been released for an animated version of Shada, a Doctor Who serial written by Douglas Adams. The serial was never completed due to a BBC strike. The original actors will be returning to do the voices. Shada will be available for digital download from BBC Worldwide on November 24, then released on Blu-ray and DVD on December 4.
Posted in Science Fiction, Television. Tags: Amy Acker, David Tennant, Doctor Who, Douglas Adams, Electric Dreams, Good Omens, Gotham, Iron Fist, Legends of Tomorrow, Luke Cage, Runaways, Science Fiction, Seth MacFarlane, Shada, Star Trek, Star Trek Discovery, Stephen Moyer, Stranger Things, The Defenders, The Gifted, The Man In The High Castle, The Orville, Victor Garber. No Comments »
SciFi Weekend: The Defenders; David Tennant Returning To Jessica Jones; Krysten Ritter on Season 2 of Jessica Jones; Karen Gillan; Sense8; Dick Gregory And Jerry Lewis Die
The Defenders was the big event of the week. Considering what a major event it was, along with only being eight episodes and being released in the summer without much competition, I am going to assume that most who are interested have already viewed it and will vary from my usual practice of holding off on spoilers about Netflix shows until after they have been out for a while. Before getting into spoilers in the rest of the review, I will say that the series was mixed in terms of plotting and pace, but certainly worthwhile to see all four stars of the Netflix Marvel series together. Just hearing Krysten Ritter’s wise cracks made up for slow moments. I would advise those who held off on watching Iron Fist due to its weak reviews to watch this first. The villains in The Defenders are from the Hand, with this story being largely a continuation of Iron Fist. While it therefore has some of the weaknesses of Iron Fist, it is improved by the character interactions of the other characters.
The Defenders starts with Danny Rand and rapidly makes the final scene at K’un-Lun almost irrelevant, at least for now, as he quickly returned to New York. Even worse, they quickly dispensed with the ending of Luke Cage as he was quickly released from prison. The show had all four leads in New York City, and there were enough connections between the four shows to make it plausible for their paths to begin to cross. Still, it wasn’t until the fourth episode that all four were together as a team.
The series did benefit from cutting down from thirteen to eight episodes, but there were still problems with the plot. Dealing with the Hand did not feel entirely like a rehash of Iron Fist by bringing in Sigourney Weaver along with the other heroes. There was also good use of the supporting characters from the other series, most significantly with a resurrected Electra. It was surprising to see Sigourney Weaver’s character only lasting through the first six episode, similar to the change in villain midway through Luke Cage.
The final fifteen minutes took place after the main event with the apparent death of Matt Murdock becoming the focus. This did not work very well as, even if it wasn’t already know that at third Daredevil series was planned (including news earlier in the week of plans to start shooting in October),they would not be likely to kill off the most well known member of the team. Plus fans of the genre know that if you don’t see a body, the character is undoubtedly alive–and in this series even being seen as dead is no guarantee that this state will persist. Finally, Matt Murdock was seen in the final seconds, likely setting up matters for the next series.
The belief that Matt Murdock was dead also placed Iron Fist in a situation where he was asked to protect the city, and he did appear like Daredevil in his final scene. We don’t know for sure if the Hand is really destroyed, but this does provide for an alternative type of story line for his second season in a more traditional super hero role.
Being Marvel, there was even a scene after the credits (which I had to search for as my setup of Netflix on a Roku tried to skip past the credits). The scene involved Frank Castle, the Punisher. More on that scene at Screen Rant.
Entertainment Weekly interviewed Defenders showrunner Marco Ramirez:
Let’s start not at the beginning, where Jessica likes to begin her interrogations, but at the ending. Is this the definitive end to the Hand? What can you tell me about the status of everybody in the organization who didn’t get decapitated? That includes Gao, Murakami, and Elektra.
Well, in the Marvel world — and as Jeph Loeb, the Marvel TV head, would say — in the comic-book world, you can always find a way. The story finds a way, so who knows? But we definitely felt like we wanted this to be the end of this specific show, so while I don’t know if it’s the end of the Hand forever — who knows what will happen in the future — it just felt like it’s the end of this story in the lore. Particularly for Iron Fist, we wanted to close that chapter [of the Hand’s story]. I don’t know what the future holds. That’s a Jeph Loeb question [laughs] but for me and for the writers’ room, it felt right to end the story here.
That dragon skeleton — that wasn’t Shou-Lao the Undying’s, is it? It’s just a pile of bones implying that there had been dragons all over the world and one wound up buried under New York?
Yeah, it’s the second one. The idea of that was that there had always been this kind of mystery that the Hand can bring people back from the dead, but we never knew exactly how, and it made sense to connect the life-force idea of the chi in the Iron Fist to the idea of the life force [the Hand members] use for various purposes, so we’re just saying it’s dragon bone that they use, that that’s the substance. That felt like the cleanest way to tie everything in.
And it’s been set up since Daredevil season 1; Gao operates in the background of New York with drugs made from that ground into powder. It felt like we could make back alley drug deals in New York and dragon mythology all part of the same story, so that was my way of trying to tie them all in.
But then, do we know where the city of K’un-Lun went? A part of me thought that was Shou-Lao only because K’un-Lun disappeared, and New York did have a conveniently huge hole in the middle of it.
That’s a question for the Iron Fist showrunner, not me. Honestly, I don’t know where they’re going with that…
I’m running with it. Moving on to Matt’s near-death, why did he find it so important to stay behind to fight Elektra, knowing that he would probably not make it out alive?
To me, Matt and Elektra always felt like Edward Norton’s character and Tyler Durden in Fight Club except with a more overt sexual dynamic. [Laughs] And so, in the end, it felt more like the end of Fight Club… Emotionally, Matt knows and has to embrace the fact that she’s his burden to deal with, and though he’s fought for three episodes alongside Luke, Jessica, and Danny, Elektra is his problem, his cross to bear. That’s very Matt Murdock to say “Don’t worry about it, I’ll do this. I’m going to die for this.”
How exactly did he make it out alive in the end? Can you tell me?
I can’t. I can’t say anything.
You’re back to keeping secrets!
Well, can you confirm for me that the Maggie mentioned at the end of the series is Matt’s mom?
[Laughs] I can’t confirm anything! I can say that visually that shot at the end of Daredevil’s story was definitely an homage, as were a couple of other scenes, to the comics. That’s one of my favorite Daredevil images, so regardless of who any of the characters are, I went to the production meeting saying this is the image we’re going for, we’re going to feel like this, and that came from that image that I purposely borrowed from the comics.
…Let’s go back to The Defenders. Before the Midland Circle showdown, Elektra brutally murdered Sigourney Weaver’s Alexandra, literally stabbing her in the back with her preferred sai. Why did you kill off who we thought was the Big Bad of the entire series at the end of episode 6?
Well, part of it was just about giving the audience a little something unexpected. Audiences I think sometimes expect that a major storyline or major character is going to end in the ultimate or penultimate episode so they go, “Oh all right, something’s going to happen here at the end of the story,” so it just felt like a jolt, and it was exciting to write. The second part was really in a way we introduced Sigourney’s character a little bit to highlight Elektra’s story. I like to think that we wrote a really fun cool character for Sigourney but really it was also a way for us to say this is the journey that Elektra is going on…
Back when the series was still filming, Jeph Loeb had said this series could end with these characters telling each other they never want to see each other again. So to you, at the end of this season, what would you call the Defenders? Are they teammates? Friends? Acquaintances?
I think of them mostly as like people who were on the same bus when it got in an accident, and then they all filled out paperwork together, and they all went to the hospital together, and now they’re going home. And it’s kind of like, “This was a great adventure to have with you, I’d be okay with seeing you again, I’d also be okay with never seeing you again.” It’s more like a bond that happens in a crisis. People are intimate now, but it’s not like you’ll be inviting them over for dinner every Tuesday. [Laughs] We designed it so they could go back to their individual worlds, but it’s not like they’re apart permanently in any way.
This week’s Doctor Who news overlaps with characters involved in The Defenders. David Tennant was the best of a handful of strong villains in the Netflix shows, and I had wondered if a second season of Jessica Jones will be as strong without him. There was surprise news this week that David Tennant will be returning to the second season, with no word as to the specifics. It is possible it could be as flashbacks or as something in Jessica’s head. I also wonder if perhaps he only made Jessica (and the audience) think he was killed, or if surviving a broken neck is another one of his abilities.
David Tennant is also going to star with Michael Sheen (Masters of Sex) in an adaption of the Neil Gaiman/Terry Pratchett novel Good Omens on Amazon.
As I noted last week, David Tennant has been speaking out in favor of Jodie Whittaker being cast as the thirteenth Doctor. The Sunday Express also looked at that, along with the news on how her father was kept in the dark about the role.
Krysten Ritter discussed the second season of Jessica Jones with Bustle:
Ritter emphasizes that the key topic of the second season will be exploring “more of why Jessica is the way she’s is” (which could also lend itself to some therapy sessions). She argued we shouldn’t assume that the superhero’s personality is just about Kilgrave: “Even in the source material, so much stuff has happened to her. You feel for her … Every time, you’re just like, ‘Ugh, she’s been through so much.’ Yet she still fights. Which is what we love about her.”
And if you’ve been wondering what could have led to the character’s pessimism and cynicism, it sounds like this is going to be the season we’ll get plenty of answers. Which is a lottery win of a plot development, right? But the actor also warns audiences that while she has been hoping to recreate Season 1, that this is a radically different beast, summarizing the evolution in where each installment took place. “The first season was in her head and the second season is in her heart,” offers Ritter.
Karen Gillan already has a character in the Marvel Universe in the Guardians of the Galaxy movies, and she has a definite role which she desires in the DC universe–The Joker. From ComicBook.com:
karen Gillan is best known across the pop culture landscape for her roles as Doctor Who‘s Amy Pond and Guardians of the Galaxy‘s Nebula. But if she had a chance to lend her talents to another corner of geek culture – the live-action DC Comics universe – there’s one character she would like to play.
During a panel at Florida SuperCon, Gillan was asked what character she would be willing to play in another fandom. And to the surprise of comic fans, she had a noteworthy DC Comics antagonist – The Joker – in mind.
“Oh, can I say something DC?” Gillain asked. “Okay, I’m going to say something DC, and I’m going to play the Joker. Maybe a female Joker.”
A fan then informed Gillan that there is comic precedent for a female Joker, with Martha Wayne taking on the mantle in DC’s 2011 event Flashpoint.
“This is my calling!” Gillan said with a gasp. “Somebody make a call for me and let them know I’m available.”
…At the end of the day, Gillan might not end up playing the DCEU’s version of Flashpoint Joker, largely because she’s busy filming Marvel’s Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers 4, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. But you have to admit that it’s pretty easy to picture her playing the fan-favorite role in some capacity.
In other cross-genre casting news, Susie Abromeit, who played Jeri Hogarth’s girlfriend Pam in Jessica Jones, has been cast to play Ray Palmer’s mother on Legends of Tomorrow. The episode goes back to Ray’s childhood in the 1980’s
Last week I noted that Lana Wachowski is writing a third season of Sense8 in the hopes that it will be picked up somewhere. The porn site xHamster has made an offer to continue the series in a letter posted here. I have my doubts as to whether having fans go to a porn site will be an acceptable option, but maybe that would mean that the annual orgy scenes would be more explicit.
Two comedians who were otherwise quite different now have one thing in common–having died this weekend. Dick Gregory died yesterday. The Washington Post reports:
The comedian Dick Gregory rose to national prominence in the early 1960s as a black satirist whose audacious style of humor was biting, subversive and topical, mostly centered on current events, politics and above all, racial tensions. His trademark was the searing punchline.
“A Southern liberal?” he once said. “That’s a guy that’ll lynch you from a low tree.” Another: “When I get drunk, I think I’m Polish. One night I got so drunk I moved out of my own neighborhood.” On segregation: “I know the South very well. I spent 20 years there one night.”
Mr. Gregory, 84, died Aug. 19 in Washington. His son, Christian Gregory, announced the death on Mr. Gregory’s official social media accounts. The cause was not reported.
Jerry Lewis died this morning. Variety reports:
Jerry Lewis, the brash slapstick comic who became a pop culture sensation in his partnership with Dean Martin and then transformed himself into an auteur filmmaker of such comedic classics as “The Nutty Professor” and “The Bellboy,” has died in Las Vegas. He was 91.
Lewis died at his home in Las Vegas at about 9:15 a.m. Sunday morning, his agent confirmed.
For most of his career, Lewis was a complicated and sometimes polarizing figure. An undeniable comedic genius, he pursued a singular vision and commanded a rare amount of creative control over his work with Paramount Pictures and other studios. He legacy also includes more than $2.5 billion raised for the Muscular Dystrophy Association through the annual Labor Day telethon that he made an end-of-summer ritual for decades until he was relieved of the hosting job in 2011.
But Lewis’ brand of humor did not always wear well as times and attitudes changed. Over the last 10 years of his life, his reputation soured slightly as he was forced to apologize for making a gay slur on camera during the 2007 telethon, continued to make racist and misogynistic jokes, and didn’t hesitate to share his right-wing political views.
Posted in Humor and Satire, Science Fiction, Television. Tags: Batman, Daredevil, David Tennant, Doctor Who, Good Omens, Guardians of the Galaxy, Iron Fist, Jessica Jones, Jodie Whittaker, Karen Gillan, Krysten Ritter, Legends of Tomorrow, Luke Cage, Masters of Sex, Neil Gaiman, Pornography, Science Fiction, Sense8, The Avengers, The Defenders, The Flash, The Punisher. No Comments »
SciFi Weekend: Orphan Black Series Finale; Doctor Who; Hugo Awards; How I Met Your Father; Wayward Pines; Sense8; Hannibal; GLOW; Kristen Wiig Returning To The Last Man On Earth; The Defenders
The series finale of Orphan Black aired last night and had two different halves. Initially they concluded the story from the previous week to save Helena as she was having twins. The overall mythology of the series took a big step towards concluding with the death of Westmoreland.
However, while many series would have ended here, the heart of Orphan Black has always been seeing the sisters and other characters together. They were separated a large part of this season with much of the action taking place on the island, but we got a final party with them all at Helena’s baby shower. We also learned that Helena was writing a book about her sestras, starting with the event of the show’s pilot when Sarah first saw Beth.
Besides the partying, another portion of the mythology was dealt with. Rachel continued her redemption by giving Felix a list of all 274 Leda clones, allowing the episode to conclude with Cosima and Delphine traveling to give them the treatment.
This might not be the end as there was talk about following up the series with a movie.
Deadline interviewed John Fawcett:
DEADLINE: I have to ask right at the top, is this the series finale that Graeme and yourself envisioned for Orphan Black from the beginning?
FAWCETT: I think it is in a lot of ways. In some respects, I think that we imagined that the finale really was going to boil down to Sarah and Helena, and that we were going to have to deal with P.T. Westmoreland. We knew that, critically, we were going to have a really kind of dirty, awful, nasty birth, and that that was going to be part of kind of this two-part finale.
DEADLINE: Well, that does sound like “To Right The Wrongs of Many” in a nutshell…
FAWCETT: Yes, but I think we also understood that killing P.T. Westmoreland was important, but not the most important thing for us. It is something you had to do, but that, tonally, for the final episode, we wanted it to be a much more emotional episode. We wanted to structure it in a way that we were finished with plot fairly early on in the episode so that we could make this time jump, as we did. We were really interested in moving forward into the future three months to see where everyone is.
DEADLINE: Part of that jump, nearly at the very end, with the backyard party at Alison’s with the core sestras together around a still shattered Sarah, was Helena reading from her book called Orphan Black of her life and the other clones. Why did you choose that bookending, pardon the pun?
FAWCETT: That was something we devised at the beginning of Season 5, though we had talked about it before. We liked the idea that Helena has been jotting down her memoirs and really, like, exactly that, it comes down to the sisters. It comes down to the twin sisters, between Sarah and Helena.
It’s very important that we’ve ended this in a way that we believed it was nice to have some really strong belief that Helena, after everything that she’s come through, is now going to be a very capable mother. So that somehow, by having her read her journals and her memoirs and bringing us back to the beginning of the series, it just seemed like the right place to end her. You know, we laughed a lot about the idea that Helena would wind up somewhere getting a book deal and maybe going on a book tour at some point. Of course, that’s just what we’ve joked about.
DEADLINE: But the series finale is not really the end of Orphan Black is it? With Cosima and Delphine now traveling the world to find the other 274 Ledas, there is a lot of ripe story or a lot more stories to tell, isn’t there?
FAWCETT: It certainly is. I think that to Graham and I, the imagery and the ideas that come from the concept of Delphine and Cosima out in the world journeying to find these 274 Ledas is certainly ripe, there’s no question. We’ve talked since the beginning of wanting to do some kind of feature or some kind of two-hour continuation of the series.
At this point, I think we’re happy that it’s come to a conclusion that we feel satisfied with, and it closes this chapter. Graham and I are both going to let it sit for a little bit, but I know that these characters are so strong with us and so engrained with us, that there’s certainly a chance that we’ll pick that up and continue…
More at TV Line here and here. Another interview with the producers at Entertainment Weekly included how they considered killing off Rachel. Interview with Tatiana Maslany here.
David Tennant appeared on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert prior to the series finale of Broadchurch airing in the United States. He talked about how Broadchurch is ending after only three seasons, which would not be what would happen with a successful show in the United States:
“It’s a peculiarly British thing. I think we see something that works, and we run from it — you heard about Brexit?” Tennant asked. “That’s what we do. If it works, and it’s solid, and it makes money, and it’s good for everyone in it, abandon it immediately.”
Tennant also talked about the fans who are unhappy with the choice of Jodie Whittaker to play the next Doctor:
David Tennant, the 10th regeneration of Doctor Who‘s title character, was one of Stephen Colbert’s guests on Wednesday’s Late Show, and Colbert asked about his new, slightly controversial successor, Doctor No. 13. “How do you feel, or do you have any feelings about Jodie Whittaker breaking the glass TARDIS ceiling and becoming the first female Doctor?” he asked, and Tennant did. “I’m delighted,” he said, noting that Whittaker has starred with him on the BBC detective show Broadchurch for three seasons. “She’s a mate of mine,” as well as the right actor at the right time.
Colbert noted that not every Doctor Who fan has been so pleased. “Are you surprised that there’s been any backlash at all?” he asked. “Do you know, whenever the Doctor changes there’s a backlash, because that’s a character that people love so people get very affectionate about the Doctor they knew,” Tennant said. When he took over the role of the iconic time lord from Christopher Eccleston, “they were like, ‘Who’s the weaselly looking guy? Who’s this? I liked the last guy! This is not going to work for me! This show is dead to me! I resign from the internet! [send].'” And it won’t last, he added. “Sure, Jodie is from a different gender than anyone who has gone before, but that will be irrelevant almost immediately once she takes the part.”
In recent interviews, Jodie Whittaker has discussed being chosen for the role. She was also interviewed by BBC News in this video:
Peter Capaldi has discussed filming his regeneration scene and leaving Doctor Who.
The Hugo Award winners have been announced. The Obelisk Gate by N. K. Jemisin won the award for Best Novel. Arrival won for Best Dramatic Presentation (Long Form). The final episode of the first season of The Expanse, Leviathan Wakes, won the award for Best Dramatic Presentation (Short Form). This was also the name of the first novel in the Expanse series. The full list of nominees and winners can be found here.
After two attempts at a spin off of How I Met Your Mother, 20th Century Fox has now commissioned a spec script from Alison Bennett, a writer from You’re The Worst, for another attempt entitled How I Met Your Father. (A previous spin off was to be called How I Met Your Dad). If you know the original show, the premise of the new show should be obvious from the title. The last attempt was to be by This Is Us co-executive producers Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger, but they had to drop the idea with the success of This Is Us. Perhaps combining the original comedy style of HIMYM with some aspects of You’re The Worst could be the way to go.
A third season for Wayward Pines remains a possibility, but no plans yet.
Lana Wachowski is hopeful that Sense8 will receive an entire third season, beyond the single episode Netflix agreed to in order to wrap up the story.
Bryan Fuller says that talks about a fourth season of Hannibal, presumably at a different network, couldn’t start until two years after the final episode of season three aired. Such conversations have now begun, and hopefully the show will be back in some form.
Netflix has renewed Alison Brie’s series GLOW for a second season.
Kristen Wiig will be back in at least three episodes of The Last Man On Earth.
The big event coming up is the release of The Defenders–final trailer above. In preparation for its release, I gave in and watched Iron Fist last week. As I went into it with low expectations from its poor reviews, I was somewhat pleasantly surprised. It certainly did have its flaws, such as people changing sides too often to be believable, but was quite watchable. It was one of those shows which I spent a lot of time web surfing and otherwise multitasking while watching, which I would have never done with Jessica Jones. If nothing else, a sequence which equates pharmaceutical reps with drug pushers made it all worthwhile.
Posted in Science Fiction, Television. Tags: Alison Brie, Arrival, Broadchurch, Bryan Fuller, Christopher Eccleston, Daredevil, David Tennant, Doctor Who, GLOW, Hannibal, How I Met Your Dad, How I Met Your Father, How I Met Your Mother, Hugo Awards, Iron Fist, Jessica Jones, Jodie Whittaker, Kristen Wiig, Luke Cage, Orphan Black, Peter Capaldi, Science Fiction, Sense8, Stephen Colbert, Tatiana Maslany, The Defenders, The Expanse, This Is Us, Wayward Pines, You're The Worst. No Comments »
SciFi Weekend: Doctor Who and The Two Masters; Legends of Tomorrow Breaks Time; Surprises On The Magicians; A Wedding On Orphan Black?; Hugo Award Finalists; Netflix Marvel Shows; Renewals and Returning Shows
Thanks to time travel, there have been many episodes of Doctor Who which featured two or more Doctors from different regeneratons. In the upcoming season, not only will there be the return of Missy, but John Sims will be returning as The Master. The BBC reports:
John Simm will return as the Master to battle the Doctor (Peter Capaldi), new companion Bill Potts (Pearl Mackie) and Nardole (Matt Lucas) in the forthcoming series of Doctor Who.
John Simm says: “I can confirm that it’s true, thanks to the power of time travel I’m back. It’s always a pleasure to work with this great team of people and I can’t wait for you all to see what the Master gets up to in the next series. “
Steven Moffat, writer and executive producer, says: “Nothing stays secret for long on Doctor Who but you’ll have to wait a little bit longer to see exactly what the Master is up to and how he makes his return to face the Doctor. It’s been a huge pleasure to have fan favourites John Simm and Michelle Gomez face to face in the same role! It’s not often you get to see a solo personality clash.”
John Simm was last seen as the Master on New Year’s Day 2010. Viewers will have to wait to see exactly when and how the Master will return to the new series, which starts on Saturday 15 April at 7:20pm on BBC One.
As previously announced, Doctor Who series 10 will also star Michelle Gomez as Missy – a later regeneration of the Master. Other returning foes include the Daleks, the Ice Warriors and – returning for the first time in over 50 years – the Mondasian Cybermen. An exciting line up of new faces and adversaries will debut across the series, including adorable-but-deadly Emojibots and David Suchet as the Landlord.
Steven Moffat has also been teasing a huge spoiler, to be revealed in a trailer to one of the episodes:
“This is just a public warning,” said a playful Moffat. “Some people hate spoilers and some people love spoilers – and everybody hates me whatever way they think about it. So this is my last attempt in this role to avoid hatred.
“At the end of the episode there will be yet another awesome trailer for Doctor Who… at the very end of the trailer there is, frankly, an enormous spoiler, a spoiler that may actually melt your brains. But I promise you, you’d be better off not knowing because awesome though it will be here, it will be even more awesome in a few weeks’ time. So we’re gonna give you the option, in our frankly camp and ridiculous way…
“There will come up a warning and then there will be a countdown to the spoiler, and then there will be a warning to ‘blink now’. If at that point you close your eyes and wait until you hear the cliffhanger noise, you will have a better experience in a few weeks’ time.”
Den of Geek has a spoiler-free review of the season premier.
Series ten will finally reveal the location of the TARDIS toilet. (“It’s down there. First right, second left, past the macaroon dispenser.”) It remains unseen.
Doctor Who TV has links to series ten interviews with Steven Moffat and the cast. In an interview elsewhere, Peter Davison discussed how the regeneration scenes were hard for both himself and David Tennant.
There have already been shows such as Broadchurch and Victoria which include at least two actors who had previously appeared in the Doctor Who universe. Another example is coming. Look at the cast in this show discussed at Deadline:
Netflix has come on board BBC Two’s contemporary thriller Collateral as co-producer and will release globally outside the UK. As Deadline revealed last month, Carey Mulligan is starring in the David Hare created drama that explores the spiraling repercussions surrounding the fatal shooting of a pizza delivery man. New cast includes John Simm (Life on Mars), Nicola Walker (Spooks) and Billie Piper (Doctor Who, Penny Dreadful).
Rose and The Master, plus staring Carey Mulligan, who played Sally Sparrow in Blink.
Legends of Tomorrow was considerably improved in the second season. After an apparently happy ending, the Legends wound up in a Los Angeles with a changed skyline with futuristic buildings and buildings from Victorian England, and dinosaurs. I wonder if they are intentionally using things which the Legends have encountered previously. Screener discussed the aftermath of breaking time with showrunner Phil Klemmer:
It’s no secret that the Legends revisiting an event they’d already changed is bad news — and now in the Season 2 finale, that’s exactly what’s happening. What can you tell us about the episode?
I guess I’ll say this: We have to follow through on our promise. I think people would hate us if the Legends were able to perform this feat without any consequence… If this were a typical “Legends” episode, and ended with, “Alright, we didn’t get a lot of style points but we succeeded.” This really has to be different than a random episode throughout the season.
As a show, it’s always been designed to reinvent itself at the end of every season, whether that’s with the mythology or the characters or the stakes. The blocks that we build with are not designed to last from one season to the next. We’ve loved Season 2 and could continue writing this forever, but I don’t think that would be true to the spirit of the show, which is supposed to be wildly unpredictable and zany.
We had to have a seismic shift for our story, and one that will leave people scratching their heads for the next five months or whatever. I think the show is at its best when you watch an episode and honestly don’t know how the hell you got there. We never could have predicted that we would do an episode about George Lucas, or “Land of the Lost” dinosaurs. You can get a little too comfortable and we got good at doing the Season 2 thing. That’s precisely the moment where you have to blow the canon up again, you know? Crash this beautiful ship of ours and see where you land.
It’s scary — but it’s a challenge that I know, when we all sit down in the writers’ room for the first day of work, everybody’s going to be on the edge of their seat and eager to start talking, because nobody knows where we’re headed. And that’s exciting and terrifying.
While ‘Legends’ is telling a unique story, it still exists in a shared universe — your actions can be felt on other shows. Is that a line you have to walk — debating how much to blow up so it doesn’t impact ‘Arrow’ or ‘The Flash’?
It is funny. Kevin Smith said at Paleyfest how Barry has suffered endlessly for making one mistake, and we’ve sort of made a habit out of it. Usually when we’re in the Waverider and we’re traveling through time, we’re thinking the crossover is really the only time we have to make our worlds harmonious.
But you’re right, we have maybe made a really difficult challenge for ourselves. You’ll see in the last 45 seconds a different kind of mistake than we’ve ever made before — and the challenge of Season 3 is going to be coming up with a new mission-of-the-week… Because it’s not as easy as going back in time and keeping George Lucas in film school. That’s going to seem like a very two-dimensional surgical strike, compared to the historical messes that we have to clean up as a result of what we do in this finale. It’s exponentially more complicated.
Despite the changes on Legends of Tomorrow, Marc Guggenheim says we will not see dinosaurs in Central City on The Flash next season.
Last week’s episode of The Magicians had a dragon, a visit to the underworld (with bowling), and a lot of surprises. Eliot was surprised to find he was not going to get laid because a bunch of Fillorians and Lorians were turned into rats on Eliot and King Idri’s wedding day. Margo surprised Eliot when the truth serum forced her to confess, but then, surprisingly did something risky to try to fix everything. Eliot was also surprised to return to Brakebills. Senator John Gaines was surprised to learn why some people did what he wanted, and further surprised when he gave another Senator a heart attack. Julia was surprised to learn that Elysium is run by Miss Persephone. The biggest surprise was the sacrifice Julia made for Quenton, presumably now opening the door to bringing Alice back.
The Dragon got the best lines of the episode: “You have 24 hours to return to the portal.” “Or…” “I sit patiently, waiting for you to come back. No, I eat you, I’m a fucking dragon, what do you expect?”
Deadline had a panel with cast and crew, and had some teasers for the final two episodes of the season:
With just two episodes to go, the team promised to go out with a bang (“They’re insane,” said Maeve. “Quite insane”). Added McNamara: “There’s been something for the entire season, and there’s a perpetrator behind these things that are going on, and you don’t know who it is… It’s kind of a giant whodunit.” Ralph confirmed that the April 19 finale will pull the rug out from under its characters, saying, “Just as these people think that they have real control over their lives and have made real decisions and have forward momentum and feel like they’re taking responsibility for things for the first time, we draw back the curtain and reveal that they’ve had no control – they’ve been pawns.” Gamble smiled. “Don’t you love a cliffhanger?”
Orphan Black returns for its fifth and final season on June 10. Several pictures and clips have been released, including this one which suggests that Cosima and Dephine are getting married:
.@BBCAMERICA snuck some season 5 #OrphanBlack footage into their new brand commercial and we’re so thankful. pic.twitter.com/88MDdThnxu
— Orphan Black (@OrphanBlack) April 6, 2017
The 2017 Hugo Award finalists are out. The awards will be presented on August 11, 2017. Here are the nominees for the two categories which include television shows and movies:
Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form
Arrival, screenplay by Eric Heisserer based on a short story by Ted Chiang, directed by Denis Villeneuve (21 Laps Entertainment/FilmNation Entertainment/Lava Bear Films)
Deadpool, screenplay by Rhett Reese & Paul Wernick, directed by Tim Miller (Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation/Marvel Entertainment/Kinberg Genre/The Donners’ Company/TSG Entertainment)
Ghostbusters, screenplay by Katie Dippold & Paul Feig, directed by Paul Feig (Columbia Pictures/LStar Capital/Village Roadshow Pictures/Pascal Pictures/Feigco Entertainment/Ghostcorps/The Montecito Picture Company)
Hidden Figures, screenplay by Allison Schroeder and Theodore Melfi, directed by Theodore Melfi (Fox 2000 Pictures/Chernin Entertainment/Levantine Films/TSG Entertainment)
Rogue One, screenplay by Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy, directed by Gareth Edwards (Lucasfilm/Allison Shearmur Productions/Black Hangar Studios/Stereo D/Walt Disney Pictures)
Stranger Things, Season One, created by the Duffer Brothers (21 Laps Entertainment/Monkey Massacre)
Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form
Black Mirror: “San Junipero”, written by Charlie Brooker, directed by Owen Harris (House of Tomorrow)
Doctor Who: “The Return of Doctor Mysterio”, written by Steven Moffat, directed by Ed Bazalgette (BBC Cymru Wales)
The Expanse: “Leviathan Wakes”, written by Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby, directed by Terry McDonough (SyFy)
Game of Thrones: “Battle of the Bastards”, written by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss, directed by Miguel Sapochnik (HBO)
Game of Thrones: “The Door”, written by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss, directed by Jack Bender (HBO)
Splendor & Misery [album], by Clipping (Daveed Diggs, William Hutson, Jonathan Snipes)
Screenrant has looked at how the television version of Legion differed from the comics.
On a somewhat similar topic, Vulture compared how the ending of Big Little Lies compared to the book.
It’s going down 8/18. #DEFEND pic.twitter.com/ALzi0WdELY
— The Defenders (@TheDefenders) April 4, 2017
Netflix has revealed that The Defenders will be released on August 18, 2017.
Daredevil will start filming season three later this year, to be released in 2018.
Iron Fist has received a number of poor reviews, but I doubt I will go entirely without seeing it before watching The Defenders. Nerdophiles has a possible solution–listing the must see episodes and recommendations for those to skip. They even have a synopsis of the episodes they recommend skipping. It won’t save all that much time, only recommending skipping three episodes (the second, third, and twelfth). The first also also gets a poor review, but I assume the author recommends watching as it is the first episode and presumably does set up the show. In other words, it appears that the series doesn’t really become all that watchable until the fourth episode.
In this era of peak TV, there are many shows I have not had a chance to see which others say are worthwhile. I’ve heard a few people say great things about Wynonna Earp. Screen Rant gives fifteen reasons to watch. The first season recently became available on Netflix, and the second season begins on Syfy on Friday June 9. Syfy has announced that Dark Matter will also return on June 9 with two episodes. Killjoys will return on June 30. I finally manged to binge watch Dark Matter in December, when other shows were on hiatus, and really enjoyed it. I didn’t get into Killjoys, but I only watched one episode and will give it another chance if there is another slow period.
Hulu has released the first three episodes of an anthology series entitled Dimension 404, which appears to be influenced by The Twilight Zone and Black Mirror. I09 says these episodes are bingeworthy.
Netflix has renewed A Series of Unfortunate Events for both a second and third season. USA has renewed Colony for a third season.
Posted in Science Fiction, Television. Tags: A Series Of Unfortunate Events, Arrival, Arrow, Big Little Lies, Bill Potts, Billie Piper, Black Mirror, Blink, Broadchurch, Collateral, Colony, Daleks, Daredevil, Dark Matter, David Tennant, Deadpool, Dimension 404, Doctor Who, Game of Thrones, Hugo Awards, Iron Fist, Jessica Jones, John Simm, Killjoys, Legends of Tomorrow, Legion, Life on Mars, Luke Cage, Marc Guggenheim, Matt Lucas, Michelle Gomez, Nardole, Orphan Black, Pearl Mackie, Penny Dreadful, Peter Capaldi, Peter Davison, Rose Tyler, Science Fiction, Star Wars, Steven Moffat, Stranger Things, The Defenders, The Expanse, The Flash, The Magicians, Victoria, Wynonna Earp. No Comments »
SciFi Weekend: Hannibal, Jessica Jones, Humans Renewed, Defiance, Mr Robot, Under The Dome, Continuum Trailer, Utopia, Xena Reboot
The Hannibal episode this week, And The Woman Clothed With The Sun…, continued with the Red Dragon storyline, and like last week, family was important. The family was the extended family which the main characters of the series have become, even including a Verger baby.
The episode included the “family reunion” between Will and Hannibal. When he surrendered, Hannibal made sure that he would always be where Will could find him. For Will the reunion was about getting Hannibal’s input into the Tooth Fairy. “I’m more comfortable the less personal we are,” said Will. Hannibal got more personal: “You came here to have a look at me, to get that old scent again. Why don’t you just smell yourself?” Before Will left he added, “You’re family.”
The episode also included flashbacks to the events leading to the season finale, filling in the gaps as to what happened with Abigail. Even this considered family:
Abigail: “How would you have killed me?”
Hannibal: “I would have cut your throat. Like your father did.”
Abigail was complicit in Hannibal making it appear she was killed, even asking, “Can I push the button?” I couldn’t help but wonder if Dexter Morgan would have been fooled by the spray of blood used to fake her death.
Hannibal is now following Red Dragon fairly faithfully, meaning that the structure of the series has changed, with each episode being more a piece of a book. This might leave less to say after each episode, but does not mean the show is any weaker.
The success of Daredevil has many Marvel fans anxiously awaiting Jessica Jones. Executive Melissa Rosenberg told Entertainment Weekly that Jessica Jones will be different from Daredevil:
“Jessica Jones is a very, very different show than Daredevil,” Rosenberg said. “We exist in a cinematic universe, [and] the mythology of the universe is connected, but they look very different, tonally they’re very different… That was my one concern coming in: Am I going to have to fit into Daredevil or what’s come before? And the answer is no.”
But the contrasts don’t stop with tone. “My show’s called Jessica Jones,” Rosenberg said, noting that Cox may get a break during stunts. “There is no mask. Krysten Ritter is the hardest working woman in show biz.”
Jessica Jones is expected to be released in the fourth quarter. Netflix CCO Ted Sarandos discussed the plans for releasing the Marvel-based shows:
“I think ideally there will be a rhythm of about every six months you’ll get a new season or a new series from the Defenders group. And then they’ll crossover into a combined [Defenders] season once we’ve launched the first season of each of the four characters.”
He also said, “Some will selectively have multiple seasons as they come out of the gate. So they’ll probably be two launches a year.” It was previously announced that Daredevil has been renewed for a second season.
Humans completed the first season in the U.K. tonight and is a couple of weeks behind in the U.S. I am holding off until I complete this post to watch the finale, but the show remained strong through the penultimate episode which I downloaded last Sunday. Channel 4 has announced that they are renewing the series for a second season, and AMC plans to once again show it in the United States.
I am also waiting to watch Friday’s episode of Defiance, but must note that last week’s episode, My Name Is Datak Tarr and I Have Come to Kill You, ended one storyline on a very strong point. At first I was a little disappointed in how they suddenly came up with a relatively easy way to destroy General Tahk’s camp, even if it probably involved a suicide mission for one character. I then became willing to overlook this in light of how well this tied into Datak’s story. I was really wondering what would happen as they showed flashbacks of Datak as a child. This often foreshadows a character’s death on television. Instead of killing him, or have him betray the plan to save himself, Datak managed to find a way, even if extreme, to both carry out the plan and save himself. I am now wondering if the loss of his arm will be a serious problem, or something easily replaced. Regardless, it was an unforgeable scene.
Mr. Robot had one of the stronger episodes of the season on Wednesday. The episode also had real consequences, and at the end spent quite a long time showing Elliot’s reaction.
Under the Dome continues to have serious flaws, but somehow remains interesting. Lately they have shifted into an Invasion of the Body Snatchers storyline, and appear to have shown the destruction of the world outside of the dome in an attempt to make it look like the random bits from the first season, like talk of pink stars falling, were actually part of a grand plan. Earlier in the season they hit a big resit switch, and I wouldn’t be surprised if this is done again. The statement from “Junior” about the “destruction of our homeworld” does confirm alien involvement, but does not exclude the possibility that what we see outside the dome is either a trick, or not necessarily characteristic of what is happening in the rest of the world.
The final season of Continuum starts September 11 on Syfy and one week earlier on Space (which like so many foreign-made shows, will complicate covering it here.) The above trailer has been released.
Deadline reports that the planned remake of Utopia on HBO might not make it due to budget issues. I remain unclear as to why it is necessary to remake shows recently shown in the U.K. as opposed to running the originals here.
A Xena reboot might be coming, but without Lucy Lawless.
Posted in Science Fiction, Television. Tags: Continuum, Daredevil, Defiance, Dexter, Hannibal, Humans, Jessica Jones, Lucy Lawless, Mr Robot, Science Fiction, The Defenders, Under The Dome, Utopia. No Comments »
SciFi Weekend: Agents of SHIELD; The 100; Supergirl; Person of Interest; The End of Parenthood and Parks and Recreation & The Decline of NBC; 12 Monkeys; Netflix Marvel Series; The Americans; Sleepy Hollow; The End of The Marvel Universe; The Humor Of Sarah Palin; Mellisa Raunch Sex Scene
January 25, 2015 — Ron Chusid
Agents of SHIELD has come a long way from the first season. While they always hinted there was something special about Skye, they didn’t have the payoff on this plotline until the midseason finale with her conversion to an Inhuman. This might have major ramifications for her relationship with Coulson:
Executive producer Jeph Loeb says that the current Inhumans plotline has always been the plan for “Agents of SHIELD.” Like they always knew that Grant Ward was going to be HYDRA in Season 1, the seeds of Skye being something other were planned in the pilot.
“Once we started down that road hopefully you were coming along for the adventure, and now that you’ve come along for the adventure one of the things that’s so amazing about what’s happening on that show is so now we know she has gone through a transformation,” he says. “How is everyone going to react to that? And in the same kind of way you’re asking as an audience member, one of the things that I think is really valuable and one of the things that I think Jed [Whedon] and Maurissa [Tancharoen] and Jeff Bell and the writing staff really do have a great feeling for is they are audience members. The writers room sits around and tries to come up with, ‘What is it that you think we’re going to do and how can we then turn that on its ear in a way that makes it feel like it’s fun and valuable?'”
Blood says “SHIELD” has often gone in a different ways from what he expected. He says the latest script he read “just turned another corner,” and that audiences will “be surprised of a lot of stuff that’s coming up.” Because the SHIELD team doesn’t know about the term “Inhumans” like audiences do, Blood says “it’s going to be something that is unraveled.” He has yet to find out where the storyline is going.
The obvious turn would be that Coulson helps Skye — someone Gregg says is the “the person he cares about most” — through her transformation into an Inhuman. But what if he views her as a threat instead of an ally because of her new powers?
“His no. 1 job is to be responsible for SHIELD, which he views as being responsible for the safety of billions of people from things they don’t know about. That’s what SHIELD is. No matter how much he loves Skye — and it’s as much as you can love somebody — it’s the closest thing to a daughter he has. That’s a sacred trust,” Gregg says. “I hope he doesn’t get put in that situation [where she is a threat] because it would mess him up.”
He teases there will be trouble within SHIELD in the aftermath of Trip’s death and Skye’s transformation. “I don’t think the whole team is going to be unified behind what just went on, and it’s hard to blame them. He’s got a couple of people that he’s come to really trust,” Gregg says. “One of my favorite things about this season is that everybody comes up to me on the street really worried about Fitz and these new characters we introduced this year. Coulson also has these new people … he doesn’t have the same type of history with those people. It’s going to be hard to hold the baby brand new, on the run SHIELD together in the wake of what just happened.”
There’s also the question of Bobbi’s secret, which Blood says is as big a mystery in the second half of Season 2 as who the man with no eyes is. “I honestly think people are going to freak when they see some of the stuff we’ve been filming recently,” he says.
The 100 returned last week and the events of the fall finale continued to have a major impact on the characters. While I originally did not watch this show, thinking it was another CW show putting attractive young people in a sci-fi scenario which has been done before, I found that this was far better done than I anticipated.
Yes, it does have its attractive young cast members, led by Eliza Taylor as Clarke Griffin, who does an excellent job in the role. (Having binged on the first one and one-half seasons over a weekend, I did notice that Eliza Taylor does show less cleavage in the second season, which must have been a conscious decision by the producers considering that the characters couldn’t just run out to clothing stores in this post-apocalyptic world to change their wardrobe). There are also the CW love triangles, but they do not distract from the stories. Both the characterization and plot lines have been strong, even when going where other shows have gone before. Bustle and The Mary Sue both have posts on why you should watch the show.
CBS has chosen Melissa Benoist to play the lead role on Supergirl. Previous reports on the show have described it as more of a CBS procedural with Supergirl as a feminist investigating crimes, but with cross overs possible with the CW shows Arrow and The Flash.
CBS is showing success with another mixture between procedural and genre with Person of Interest. The show started out as a procedural show with a science fiction gimmick to propel it, and has evolved to what might be seen in the future as “a modern sci-fi epic that is considered a must-see show along the lines of Firefly or Battlestar Galactica…”
Many blogs and podcasts, along with this thread on Reddit, have looked at the question of how someone could get caught up with the show without watching all the old episodes. The purely procedural episodes of the first two seasons are mostly unnecessary to appreciate the more recent episodes since the show evolved into a more significant science fiction series, but it is hard to say exactly what can be skipped and must be watched as often early episodes would have a few minute segment towards the end to slowly develop the mythology in addition to the number of the week story.
There have been some posts, such as here and here, which might help in listing some of the more essential episodes. It would really be helpful if some of the other mythology segments which are only small parts of other episodes could be accumulated in a video.
Time looked at the politics of Parks and Recreation, which is concluding its run on NBC.
But there’s a big idea in Parks’ small-scale vision. In the frame of today’s politics, it might be a liberal notion, but it’s one that for much of the 20th century was centrist, and even championed by Republicans like park lover Teddy Roosevelt: that we need government to do things the private sector can’t or won’t, like preserving public spaces.
Shockingly, Parks has dared to suggest that while some civil servants might be bumbling–sorry, Jerry!–they can also be well-intentioned and competent. (This too wasn’t considered a liberal notion before the era when Ronald Reagan joked that “the nine most terrifying words in the English language are ‘I’m from the government and I’m here to help.’”) Leslie is comically tenacious–Poehler plays her as a cheerfully overprepared super-wonk–but she’s good at what she does and is driven by a fierce love for her hometown as well as its famous waffles…
Leslie can’t do it alone, though: she’s assisted by a network of co-workers and friends (played by a comedy-powerhouse cast, many of whom–like Chris Pratt, Aubrey Plaza and Aziz Ansari–have deservingly become stars). Even her former supervisor Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman) admires Leslie’s commitment, even though he’s so libertarian, he once illustrated the evils of taxation to a fourth grader by eating 40% of her lunch. Parks argues not only that we need our neighbors’ help but that helping makes us better ourselves; it’s in the small-town, populist tradition of Friday Night Lights and It’s a Wonderful Life.
When I recently posted my list of top television shows of the year, I noted how little representation the major broadcast networks had on the list. Perhaps the biggest decline is being seen at NBC. They will soon be without two of their highest quality returning shows. Besides trying to run through Parks and Recreation as quickly as possible, Parenthood concludes this week, apparently with Lorelei Gilmore marrying Ray Romano. If it ends with Zeke dying, I’m imaging angry mobs storming Rockefeller Center. After these are gone they will still have some shows worth watching, most notably Hannibal, which I’m amazed a network is broadcasting, but the lineup of quality shows will sure be thin. Their announcements of upcoming shows is being greeted with far more snark than interest.
In the past NBC would often be the home of some of the highest quality drama shows on television, such as The West Wing, Friday Night Lights, I’ll Fly Away, and St. Elsewhere. They probably had better ratings success with some, but not all of their sitcoms, which included shows such as Cheers, Frasier, Friends, Community, 30 Rock, and Will and Grace. Going further back, it was also the home of some classic genre shows such as the original Star Trek and The Man From UNCLE. (We won’t talk about some of their more recent attempts at genre such as Revolution, The Cape and Heroes after the first season.)
So, what happened to NBC? I suspect that that it is a victim of otherwise good changes in television. Writers and producers for many high quality shows are now going to cable and streaming networks, where they can develop an audience without the need for netw0rk-level ratings. (In the case of Community, it is moving directly from NBC following cancellation by NBC, with the first two episodes to be streamed by Yahoo! on March 17.) It will be a challenge for NBC to attract this type of quality show in the future, and it is questionable as to whether they even care considering that lower quality shows will probably deliver higher ratings.
Increasingly cable or smaller networks owned by the major networks are offering higher quality shows than the major networks. FX and FXX are offering some of the best shows on basic cable. CBS has Showtime and CW, with The CW Network turning into one of the strongest networks, especially for genre, as it attracts a totally different audience than CBS. NBC/Universal have even lagged behind other cable networks which have produced better science fiction than its Syfy Network.
Syfy is finally trying to compete with hard science fiction. 12 Monkeys remains promising after the second episode, which aired Friday and was available for streaming last week. With Leland Goines dead, his daughter Jennifer becomes a major character. Her character in an insane asylum serves as an alternate version of the Brad Pitt character in the movie. As discussed previously, the television show can cover far more ground with changes such as having the ability to change time and with the Army of the 12 Monkeys playing a more significant role.
I saw a posted link here which supposedly allows streaming of the third episode for cable subscribers in the United States but it would not allow viewing through either my Charter or Xfinity account. I’m posting the link in case it works for other cable systems, or if it becomes active later. The first two episodes are available for streaming there.
Netflix has released a brief synopsis for their upcoming Marvel shows. While previous reports suggested that we might have to wait a year between shows, it looks like the Jessica Jones show (staring Krysten Ritter) will be out sometime later this year.
“Marvel’s Daredevil” is a live action series that follows the journey of attorney Matt Murdock, who in a tragic accident was blinded as a boy but imbued with extraordinary senses. Murdock sets up practice in his old neighborhood of Hell’s Kitchen, New York where he now fights against injustice as a respected lawyer by day and masked vigilante at night. Coming April 10
A.K.A. Jessica Jones
Working as a private investigator in New York’s Hell’s Kitchen, a troubled ex-superhero’s past comes back to haunt her in the live-action series, “Marvel’s A.K.A. Jessica Jones.” Coming 2015
“Marvel’s Iron Fist” follows superhero and martial arts master Danny Rand in the upcoming live-action series. Coming soon
In this Marvel live-action series, a street-fighting ex-con battles crime in New York’s Hell’s Kitchen as the superhero Luke Cage. Coming soon
“Marvel’s The Defenders” brings together Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Iron Fist and Luke Cage in an epic superhero team-up in New York City. Coming soon
The Americans returns this week. Unreality Primetime has a couple spoilers on upcoming episodes. The season three trailer is above.
Can Henry be redeemed? The cast of Sleepy Hollow answer questions such as this in videos available here.
The Marvel universe ends as we know it in the comics this spring.
Who needs Tina Fey to mock Sarah Palin? Her own words are ridiculous enough. Check out the reaction to her latest speech from Twitter.
Melissa Raunch of The Big Bang Theory has received a lot of attention at Sundance for her raunchy sex scene in The Bronze.
“The Bronze” kicked off the 2015 edition of the Sundance Film Festival on a foul-mouthed note Thursday, sticking a dagger through the concept of hometown heroes and providing one of the raunchiest sex sequences in movie history.
The scene in question, one that involves pole vaults, cartwheels and pirouettes, was a constant source of amusement during a question and answer period immediately following the film’s premiere at the Eccles Theater.
“Right after this there’s going to be an audition for the sex scene in the sequel,” joked director Bryan Buckley.
Melissa Rauch, the star of the film and its cowriter along with husband Winston Rauch, said, “As for the sex scene, you write what you know.”
Her husband added that it gave the couple a chance to “show you what we do in our bedroom.”
Posted in Sarah Palin, Science Fiction, Television. Tags: 12 Monkeys, Agents of SHIELD, Arrow, Aubrey Plaza, Battlestar Galactica, Chloe Bennet, Community, Daredevil, Eliza Taylor, Firefly, Friday Night Lights, Hannibal, Heroes, Inhumans, Iron Fist, Jessica Jones, Krysten Ritter, Lauren Graham, Luke Cage, Man From UNCLE, Melissa Benoist, Melissa Raunch, Parks and Recreation, Person of Interest, Revolution, Sarah Palin, Science Fiction, Sleepy Hollow, Star Trek, Supergirl, The 100, The Americans, The Big Bang Theory, The Bronze, The Cape, The Defenders, The Flash, The West Wing, Tina Fey, Will and Grace. No Comments »
SciFi Weekend: Sleepy Hollow; Better Call Saul; Jessica Jones; Star Trek; Star Wars; Peter Pan Live; Into The Woods
The networks have avoided new episodes around the holidays for a while, but they seem to be more formally dividing the seasons in recent years, including making the midseason finales a major event. Sleepy Hollow ended the fall season with major changes. This included the death of Frank Irving and Henry killing Moloch. This leads to questions as to whether we will see Irving again in some form and whether this suggests redemption for Henry, or will he now become the major big bad?
Variety interviewed executive producer Len Wiseman:
So, you just killed the show’s Big Bad halfway through the second season, which is a pretty bold move. Talk me through what went into that decision.
We were always leading up to wanting to [see how] Henry comes into his own. Henry has devoted his life to Moloch; he has served Moloch; and then to find out that he is just a servant, that another will take his place, and to see that he doesn’t have an importance to Moloch, is a big deal. We were always leading up to that fight within Henry. So where do we go from there, what happens? We also really wanted to present the idea that it’s not all about Moloch, and that’s why we decided that Moloch doesn’t die at the very end of the season, he dies at the midseason finale, because he’s not the endgame.
Obviously Ichabod (Tom Mison) and Katrina both want Henry to be redeemed, and killing Moloch seems like a step in the right direction, but is it as simple as that for Henry, or are there other motivations at play?
To your point, “is it?” That’s really the question: who is he doing that for, who is he trying to protect? Is he trying to protect his mother? Maybe. Is he trying to save himself? Maybe. What is the reason why he killed Moloch, ultimately? That’s what we’ll find out in terms of Henry in the rest of the season. And [that’s] what our characters are going to question. It’s not going to be clear to them why that move was made and how he benefits from killing Moloch.
The episode also said farewell to Frank Irving — what was the impetus behind that decision from a storytelling standpoint?
That decision, in terms of an ultimate sacrifice… He is controlled and he had sold his soul to evil, so that’s the one last power that he has — the fact that his soul is already taken — in having the power to wield the Sword of Methuselah. It gives him a strength and a power because he’s spent so much time regretting that choice that he made when he was tricked into selling his soul. He wants to be able to use that trick on Henry.
Since Henry was holding Frank’s soul, now that he’s dead, does that mean he can be raised by Henry in some way, or is he actually free?
It’s a pure sacrifice, it’s a soul for a soul, so it is a real sacrifice. He’s free, and where his soul goes may be something that we will find out and our characters will search out, but it’s definitely a sacrifice and he knows it is — it’s not a trick.
How does the second half of the season differ from the first 11 episodes, now that Moloch is gone?
What really takes a different turn is between Katrina and Crane, as well. There’s a lot of curiosity about why Katrina is struggling with her powers and her place in this war, and I’ve heard people say is her character underutilized — I would say there’s a difference between underutilized and not realized. When she discovers her full potential, things really get out of control.
Other fall finales coming up include Skye meeting her father on Agents of SHIELD and The Flash meeting Reverse Flash (will it be Harrison Wells?)
When we last saw Deathstroke on Arrow, he was locked up in Oliver’s island prison. He will be returning later this season.
Sneak peak of Better Call Saul, in which Saul meets Mike in the video above. The Breaking Bad spin-off starts February 8.
Krysten Ritter, who also appeared in Breaking Bad, has been cast to star in Jessica Jones:
The Jessica Jones drama is one of four shows centering on Marvel heroes that Netflix has picked up straight to series. The streaming service has committed to a minimum of four 13-episode series, which will begin rolling out in 2015 and are slated to culminate in a miniseries about The Defenders, comprised of a dream team of heroic characters.
Ritter will play Jessica Jones, the cynical, sardonic and tough-as-nails, but innately cool and sexy, title character. Jones is described as a superhero suffering with post-traumatic stress disorder that leads to her hanging up her costume and opening up her own detective agency, where she ends up helping people and assisting other superheroes.
Netflix has also announced that the third season of House of Cards will become available February 27.
The final season of Parks and Recreation will start on January 13 and the series will conclude on February 24.
January Jones has already landed a post-Mad Men role in The Last Man On Earth, a post-apocalyptic comedy on Fox.
Benedict Cumberbatch, already having major genre roles in Star Trek Into Darkness and Sherlock, now enters the Marvel universe as Doctor Strange. The looks like a good move. Doctor Strange does not have as large a following as many of the other Marvel characters, and with the large number of comics-based movies being planned, a big star such as Cumberbatch will help to keep this from getting lost among bigger name movies.
Robert Orci was called in to direct the upcoming Star Trek movie after J.J. Abrams left for Star Wars. It has been announced that Orci is no longer directing. Edgar Wright’s name is coming up the most often as probable replacement but some fans are pushing for Jonathan Frakes. Frakes might be a great choice as someone who (as opposed to Abrams) understands Gene Roddenberry’s vision for Star Trek.
The second season of Broadchurch doesn’t start until next month but it is rumored that a third season is already planned.
Stephen Colbert explains why the new style lightsabers in the next Star Wars movie are a good idea in the video above. It might take you two weeks to understand.
Allison Williams said we could not hate-watch Peter Pan Live, but what about snark-watching? The play was so much more fun to watch while following on Twitter. Some reviewers have said that NBC should have used actors more accustomed to acting in plays. Both these critics and Allison Williams missed the point. Sure we made fun of her at times, but that does not mean we wanted a better stage actress in the role or like Allison Williams any less even though she wasn’t perfect in the role. The point was the fun of the evening, including watching Allison Williams live out her childhood dream of playing Peter Pan, not to see a top notch Broadway-quality play on television.
There is only one actress I would have wanted to play Peter Pan other than Allison Williams, Jane Krakowski. Here is her leaked audition tape:
The highlight of the play was when Peter began to fight the pirates and declared himself to be an Avenger. I hope that most people did not turn off the show before the credits were over and miss the scene with Peter and Tony Stark going out for schwarma. My only complaint about the play was that, in order to be more topical, the “dead maid” in the closet should have shouted out, “I can’t breathe.” I also don’t understand how Wendy grew up to be Minnie Driver and didn’t look a day older.
Anna Kendrick was among the most prolific, and amusing, celebrities tweeting during Peter Pan Live. There is symmetry here as the play began with Wendy reading Cinderella to her younger brothers and Anna Kendrick is playing Cinderella in the movie version of the Broadway play, Into The Woods. The movie doesn’t come out until December 25 but Disney has released the audio below of Anna Kendrick singing a modified version of the Broadway version of On the Steps of the Palace. Audio below:
Posted in Blogs & Social Media, Humor and Satire, Science Fiction, Television. Tags: Agents of SHIELD, Allison Williams, Anna Kendrick, Arrow, Benedict Cumberbatch, Better Call Saul, Breaking Bad, Doctor Strange, House of Cards, January Jones, Jessica Jones, JJ Abrams, Jonathan Frakes, Krysten Ritter, Mad Men, Robert Orci, Science Fiction, Sleepy Hollow, Star Trek, Star Wars, Stephen Colbert, The Avengers, The Defenders, The Flash, The Last Man On Earth, Twitter. 2 Comments »
SciFi Weekend: Doctor Who; Arrow; More Marvel on TV; Almost Human; S.; Batman vs. Superman; Better Call Saul; Downton Abbey
The BBC has released two trailers for The Day of the Doctor, with the longer version above. The 50th anniversary episode of Doctor Who will be simulcast internationally, starting at 2:50 EST in the United States on BBC America. (From my point of view, this is an awful time, interfering with both noon and 3:30 football games.) There is discussion of the trailers and images here and here. The official synopsis has also been released: “In 2013, something terrible is awakening in London’s National Gallery; in 1562, a murderous plot is afoot in Elizabethan England; and somewhere in space an ancient battle reaches its devastating conclusion. All of reality is at stake as the Doctor’s own dangerous past comes back to haunt him.”
The BBC America Trailer is above.
Steven Moffat has some major teases as to the meaning of the episode:
Moffat’s previous comments that the episode “will change the narrative in a big way” encouraged speculation that writers have found a solution to the fact that the Doctor can only regenerate twelve times. He has now further added to this by saying, “This should be the next step on the journey, guaranteeing the 100th anniversary”.
He said: “The story focuses on the most important thing that ever happened to the Doctor. We very rarely do that in Doctor Who as it’s usually about the people the Doctor meets or the companion that travels with him. This time it’s different.”
More from Moffat here.
Jenna Coleman has been doing some modeling. The Guardian has more pictures.
Joanna Page (Stacey of the British sitcom Gavin and Stacey) will play Queen Elizabeth. She discussed kissing David Tennant.
BBC America has released their schedule of shows for the 50th anniversary (via TV Addict). Beyond Day of the Doctor, highlights include An Adventure in Space and Time about the initial development of Doctor Who. The cast includes Jessica Raine of Call the Midwife as producer Verity Lambert.
Doctor Who: The Doctors Revisited Marathon – 9:00am – 9:00pm ET
The First through Tenth Doctor
Doctor Who: Tales from the TARDIS – 9:00 –10:00pm ET
An all-new special, Doctor Who: Tales from the TARDIS, features the series’ actors and producers sharing their experiences and memories of the world’s longest-running sci-fi show. The special features exclusive interviews with principal cast members from the show’s 50-year history, including actors who have played the Doctor: Matt Smith, David Tennant, Tom Baker, and Peter Davison, actors who have played companions: Jenna Coleman, Karen Gillan, Freema Agyeman, and William Russell, as well as the current lead writer and executive producer Steven Moffat. The discussion includes how the actors got cast, how the roles changed their lives, how a ‘regeneration’ is recorded, and how filming the show in the 60′s compares to today.
The Science of Doctor Who with Brian Cox – 10:00–11:00pm ET
A former rock star and Britain’s popular TV physicist, Professor Brian Cox explores the universe of the world’s favorite Time Lord when he takes the audience on a journey into the wonderful universe of Doctor Who, with the help of celebrity guests. In this exclusively recorded special from the lecture theatre of the Royal Institution of Great Britain, Brian reveals the science behind the spectacle and explains the physics that allows Doctor Who to travel through space and time. Fun, but filled with real science, it’s a special night for Who fans and anyone with a thirst for understanding.
Doctor Who – The Ninth Doctor Marathon – 10:00am –11:00pm ET
Doctor Who – The Tenth Doctor Marathon – 2:00am –11:00pm ET
Doctor Who – The Eleventh Doctor Marathon Part I – 9:00am – 11:00pm ET
The Eleventh Doctor – Matt Smith
Doctor Who – The Eleventh Doctor Marathon Part 2 – 9:00am – 8:00pm ET
Doctor Who Explained – 8:00pm – 9:00pm ET
An all-new special, Doctor Who Explained, explores the mysterious and two-hearted alien who is the Doctor. Through exclusive interviews with principal cast members from the show’s 50-year history, including actors who have played the Doctor: Matt Smith, David Tennant, Peter Davison, and Tom Baker as well as actors who have played companions: Jenna Coleman, Karen Gillan, and Freema Agyeman, viewers get an insight to what happens behind-the-scenes of the award-winning sci-fi show.
An Adventure in Space and Time – 9:00pm ET
What do you get when you mix C.S. Lewis with H.G. Wells, and sprinkle in a bit of Father Christmas? An alien Time Lord exploring space and time in a Police Box spaceship called the “TARDIS” (Time And Relative Dimension in Space). Written by Mark Gatiss, the BBC AMERICA co-production, the film stars David Bradley (the First Doctor, William Hartnell), Brian Cox (BBC Head of Drama, Sydney Newman), Jessica Raine (Producer, Verity Lambert) and Sacha Dhawan (Director, Waris Hussein). An unlikely trio of misfits set out to create a genre series that all ages would love. William ‘Bill’ Hartnell, displeased with his career, was presented with a chance to break out of the hard-man roles he’d become known for. And with the instincts of first time producer, Verity Lambert and first time director, Waris Hussein, the Doctor was born. As the success of the show grew, William went from unhappy curmudgeon to beloved television star who relished his career resurgence and found a new lease on life. But all good things come to an end. How will Bill face leaving behind the part that has made him a hero to millions of children? And can the show survive without him? Journey back fifty years through space and time to witness the exciting beginning and untimely end of the First Doctor in this touching drama.
Doctor Who: The Day of the Doctor – Global Simulcast – 2:50pm ET
The centerpiece of BBC AMERICA’s celebrations is the global simulcast of Doctor Who’s 50th Anniversary special, Doctor Who: The Day of the Doctor, written by Steven Moffat. The Doctors (Matt Smith and David Tennant) embark on their greatest adventure across space and time. In 2013, something terrible is awakening in London’s National Gallery; in 1562, a murderous plot is afoot in Elizabethan England; and somewhere in space an ancient battle reaches its devastating conclusion. All of reality is at stake as the Doctor’s own dangerous past comes back to haunt him. Starring Matt Smith, David Tennant, Jenna Coleman, with Billie Piper and John Hurt. Last seen as the Doctor on January 1, 2010, this will be the first time David Tennant has reprised his role as the Tenth Doctor. During his reign as the Time Lord, Tennant appeared in three seasons as well as several specials. He was first revealed as the Doctor in the 2005 season finale, The Parting of the Ways. Meanwhile Billie Piper, who played companion Rose Tyler for two seasons following the reboot in 2005, will appear in the show for the first time since featuring in David Tennant’s last episode, The End of Time in 2010. The special is directed by Nick Hurran, executive produced by Steven Moffat, Faith Penhale and produced by Marcus Wilson.
Doctor Who: The Day of the Doctor encore primetime broadcast – 7:00pm ET.
BBC AMERICA will premiere exclusive Inside Look interviews with Matt Smith and David Tennant during the broadcast. The special will be followed by the premiere of new fantasy-adventure series Atlantis at 9:00pm ET.
The Graham Norton Show with guests Matt Smith and David Tennant – 10:00pm ET
Doctor Who stars Matt Smith and David Tennant make their first appearance together on BBC AMERICA’s hit talk show The Graham Norton Show. Emma Thompson, singer Robbie Williams and comedian Jimmy Carr will also be guests.
Doctor Who – Matt Smith Countdown – 9:00am – 8:00pm ET
BBC AMERICA counts down the top 11 episodes from the Eleventh Doctor, Matt Smith, as voted on by fans.
Doctor Who: The Doctors Revisited –The Eleventh Doctor – 8:00pm –10:30pm ET
BBC AMERICA celebrates the Eleventh Doctor, Matt Smith, in a new special of Doctor Who: The Doctors Revisited. Matt Smith first stepped into the TARDIS in 2010 and, after starring in the 50th Anniversary Special on November 23, will regenerate in the Christmas special. The Doctors Revisited begins with Matt Smith, Jenna Coleman (companion Clara Oswald), Karen Gillan (companion Amy Pond), Arthur Darvill (companion Rory Williams), lead writer and executive producer Steven Moffat, among others, examining the human side of this Doctor and taking a look at how his extraordinarily long life has affected him. The special is followed by the Eleventh Doctor two-part story, The Impossible Astronaut and Day of the Moon, in which a strange summons reunites the Doctor, Amy (Karen Gillan), Rory (Arthur Darvill) and River (Alex Kingston) in the middle of the Utah desert and unveils a terrible secret the Doctor’s friends must never reveal to him. These were the first Doctor Who episodes to be filmed in the U.S
I’ve frequently said that Arrow is far better than SHIELD, regardless of any comparisons of the DC versus Marvel lines. After an especially strong episode this week, League of Assassins, I’ve seen reviews (including at The Hollywood Reporter) calling Arrow the best live action superhero television series ever. Considering the competition, and poor translation of superheroes to television, this is a fairly low bar. The question then is whether it is compared to Heroes season one, which was excellent, versus the entire run of Heroes.
There is criticism of the current story lines on Arrow which everyone seems to agree with. It is not plausible that Laurel would be involved in the prosecution considering the conflict of interest. We know we have to accept unrealistic sequences when a man with an bow and arrow can regularly win out against guns. We also must ignore how people do not see though secret identities of people they know well. While this is necessary for the show to exist, they should avoid unrealistic scenarios unnecessary for superhero shows such as Laurel being involved with the prosecution in this situation.
There is more Marvel coming to television (besides a second rumored show on ABC about Agent Carter). They are planning for a set of thirteen episode series on Netflix of Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Iron Fist, and Luke Cage. Just as the movies led to a joint movie in The Avengers, these Netflix individual series will be followed by a joint mini-series entitled The Defenders. Considering that they have not done all that great a job with Agents of SHIELD, I wonder if it is a good idea to go ahead with four more series. Maybe, not being limited by the constraints of a prime time network television series these could be better for genre fans.
SHIELD really teased viewers last week. How many others were hoping that Simmons was not rescued when she jumped off the plan, and Fitz would follow her?
Spoiler TV has a lot of information on the upcoming television show, Almost Human in an interview with J.J. Abrams and J.H. Wyman:
The series is set in the year 2048 and stars Karl Urban as John Kennex, a cop who is forced to partner with an android (named Dorian) played by Michael Ealy after an increase in crime leads to all human law officers being accompanied by robots. J.J says that “The idea when Joel pitched it was that Dorian, who is a synthetic, was in some ways more human than his partner.” Wyman told reporters that Ealy heightened what was already on the page with “an incredible sense of thoughtfulness and compassion. He’s playing a character who is by design, literally, as brave and as knowledgeable and as strategic as you’d want your partner to be if you were riding along as a cop, but he’s also as sympathetic as you’d want. What Michael brings is that kind of depth and humanity.” His dubious partner, in turn, is “forced to kind of deal with the idea that his well-being now relies on this technology which he sort of holds in contempt.”
So what sets this latest series apart from the increasingly present action and sci-fi shows on networks today, let alone from the duo’s previous work in the genre? First of all, Wyman began, he wasn’t interested in presenting another dystopian vision of Earth’s future. “I hope that we’re not really in that territory and that we’re successful in that.” Often in the genre, the writer says, the outlook seems to be “‘Look what you humans have done!’ whereas what we’re talking about, I think, is a little more hopeful. There’s a sense of going forward. We’re resilient, we’re going to succeed.”
Abrams mentioned that unlike many of his past efforts this series has much less of an emphasis on mythology and will instead focus on a procedural case-of-the-week type format that will allow us to explore the characters as well as the unique complexities of navigating in an increasingly technology-reliant world. He also promised “a level of humor that is distinct from what we’ve done before” which backs up his partners talk of the series leaning towards a more ‘popcorn’ movie vibe than their previous collaboration. That’s not to say the show is all-action-all-the-time, as Wyman went on to explain his hopes to create a conversation about what these human-computers are at their core and how we should interact with them. “They’re thinking beings, so what are their rights? And where are those lines drawn? A lot of those things are sort of examined in our later stories: What is a robot? What is an android? What is a being?” Wyman, to be sure, did his homework. “J.J had set us up with some very brilliant people from MIT and one was a woman who studied robot ethics, which is pretty amazing, that they’re actually… real.”
The case also includes Minka Kelly of Friday Night Lights.
I haven’t had a chance to read J.J. Abrams’ new book, S., yet, but it looks intriguing. Besides a conversation in margin notes going along with the narrative of the book, there are many postcards, maps, and letters at various points in the book. Librarians are not very happy about this.
Alan Alda will be going up against James Spader’s character on The Blacklist later this season. I’m hoping for a reunion with William Shatner.
Adam Driver of Girls is being considered for the role of Dick Grayson/Nightwing in the upcoming Batman vs. Superman movie. It is scheduled for release July 17, 2015.
When news came out about plans for Better Call Saul it was being called a prequel to Breaking Bad. There remains interest in what will happen to Saul after going to Nebraska, and now Bob Odenkirk says the show might be both a prequel and sequel. There has been speculation that the show might be more of a comedy but Odenkirk says, “It’s going to be 70% drama and 30% comedy.” He also played down the speculation that characters from Breaking Bad will pay a major role in Better Call Saul. If it is a sequel, they should at least work in Gus and Mike. It is also feasible that Saul would cross path with a certain DEA agent, and a high school science teacher could briefly appear as long as any contact with Saul is minimal.
With the success of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and other books by Stieg Larsson in the United States, HBO is planning an hour-long series based upon the works of another Scandinavian author, Jo Nesbø. They are planning an adaptation of his 2008 novel, The Headhunters.
Dan Stevens of Downton Abbey will play Lancelot in Night at the Museum 3. It is hard to believe that the season finale already aired tonight on ITV. I haven’t watched today’s season finale yet, but as of last week there were several loose ends. I wonder how many were tied up tonight, and how many will be extended to the Christmas episode. Thanks to British television, Christmas has become a big television day with episodes of Downton Abbey, Doctor Who, and Call the Midwife. Update: News came in shortly after this was posted that Downton Abbey has been renewed for a fifth season.
Posted in Science Fiction, Television. Tags: Agents of SHIELD, Almost Human, An Adventure In Space And Time, Arrow, Batman, Better Call Saul, Billie Piper, Breaking Bad, Call the Midwife, Clara Oswald, Dan Stevens, David Bradley, David Tennant, Day of the Doctor, Doctor Who, Downton Abbey, Gavin and Stacey, Heroes, Iron Fist, Jenna Coleman, Jessica Jones, Jessica Raine, JJ Abrams, John Hurt, Luke Cage, Matt Smith, Minka Kelly, Peter Davison, Rose Tyler, Science Fiction, Steven Moffat, Stieg Larsson, Superman, The Avengers, The Blacklist, The Defenders. No Comments »
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30 Surprising Things You Never Knew About U.S. Presidents
Abraham Lincoln turned down the chance to host elephants
In 1861, the King of Siam offered to gift President Lincoln ‘several pairs of young male and female elephants,’ which were indigenous to his country (today we know it as Thailand). The elephants could be bred to multiply, the king suggested, and the herds could be used as ‘beasts of burden’ that could work alongside the military during the Civil War. The president politely declined the offer, opting to use steam power instead of animal labor.
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Award winning singer/songwriter Bruce Cockburn closes EHC “Give Back” Concert Series, 8/14
08/12/2020 LightHouse Staff Leave a commenton Award winning singer/songwriter Bruce Cockburn closes EHC “Give Back” Concert Series, 8/14
To celebrate Enchanted Hills Camp 70th anniversary, talented musicians, both blind and sighted, have been singing and playing their hearts out on Facebook Live in the “Give Back” concert series. This groundbreaking season of performances has been helping us raise money for Chimehenge, an interactive community musical instrument of epic proportions that will be played by future campers.
For our final concert, singer/songwriter Bruce Cockburn will take center stage. Bruce made his first album 1970 and has released 33 albums to date. His music styles range from folk, to jazz, rock and worldbeat. He lives in the San Francisco Bay area and is a human rights and environmental activist. EHC Director Tony Fletcher sat down with Bruce for an exclusive Q & A session.
Q. When did you first hear about Enchanted Hills Camp?
A. I first heard about EHC when I met Bill Simpson [longtime EHC nurse], at Peet’s Coffee. There was a gang of mostly older people who would sit around in front and drink coffee. I joined that group and he came by and said hello to quite a few of the patrons. A couple of days later, I was sitting out in front of Peet’s again and Bill was there drinking his coffee and I invited him over to join me at my table. We realized we had a lot in common and he talked to me about how he spent his summers at EHC.
Q. Have you attended residential camp yourself?
A. Yes. The one that had the biggest impact for me was the Taylor Statten Camps in Canada. Those camps date back to the 1920s. I spent several summers there and learned an appreciation of nature. There were four-week wilderness camps, including two weeks on a canoe trip in Ottawa. It was wonderful for my life skills development.
Q. Why do you think it’s valuable for people to attend camp?
A. One of the greatest things is being out from under the roofs of your parents. You’re obliged to discover things about yourself and you learn how to be a good citizen in an unusual setting. Everyone learns to pull their weight. It’s part of learning to be (part of) a team. At camp, there are activities that are different from what you would learn from school. You learn skills: to sail, ride a horse, improve your swimming.
Q. How did your passion for music develop?
A. I was Interested in music from an early age. I started taking music lessons in fifth or sixth grade and played clarinet and trumpet for three years. I liked those but fell for early rock and roll at the age of 14. I found an old guitar in the attic at my grandmother’s and banged away at it without much success, but my parents saw the value in it and signed me up for guitar lessons.
Q. What practical tips do you have for young musicians pursuing music as a career?
A. That’s hard to answer in a meaningful way. Things have changed so much. The business has changed so much but recording a YouTube video and getting your music watched on social media is one way to get started. I suggest that you learn everything you can from everybody you can. The more you know, the more you can use.
You can watch the concert Friday, August 14 from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at: facebook.com/lighthousesf/live.
Learn more about Bruce at brucecockburn.com or on Facebook, Spotify or Apple Music.
Want to join Bruce in supporting EHC? Celebrate our 70th anniversary with your limited edition EHC hoodie or make a donation today.
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Quick Answer: Is 13 A Lucky Number In Feng Shui?
Is Number 9 a lucky number?
Why is 13 Special?
Is Feng Shui a real thing?
Why is 88 Lucky?
Is 13 my lucky number?
Is 888 a lucky number?
What is the lucky number for 2020?
What is the luckiest color?
What does the number 13 mean in Hebrew?
What are the lucky numbers in feng shui?
Which number is the luckiest?
Is 3 a lucky number?
What is the unluckiest month?
What’s the fear of the number 13 called?
Is 13 a lucky number for Chinese?
What does the lucky 13 mean?
What does number 13 mean in the Bible?
Is 4 a lucky number in America?
Is 2020 a lucky year?
Why is 13 a divine number?
Nine is a Motzkin number.
It is the first composite lucky number, along with the first composite odd number and only single-digit composite odd number.
9 is the only positive perfect power that is one more than another positive perfect power, by Mihăilescu’s Theorem..
Some believe this is unlucky because one of those thirteen, Judas Iscariot, was the betrayer of Jesus Christ. From the 1890s, a number of English language sources relate the “unlucky” thirteen to an idea that at the Last Supper, Judas, the disciple who betrayed Jesus, was the 13th to sit at the table.
Feng shui is a set of principles to help align one’s living space with who they are and what they want. The practice has been around for thousands of years, but it’s not stodgy or outdated.
Number 88 symbolizes fortune and good luck in Chinese culture, since the word 8 sounds similar to the word fā (發, which implies 發財, or wealth, in Mandarin or Cantonese). The number 8 is considered to be the luckiest number in Chinese culture, and prices in Chinese supermarkets often contain many 8s.
The number 13 is synonymous with bad luck. It’s considered unlucky to have 13 guests at a dinner party, many buildings don’t have a 13th floor and most people avoid getting married or buying a house on a day marked by this dreaded number.
In Chinese numerology, 888 has a different meaning, triple fortune, a strengthening of the meaning of the digit 8. For this reason, addresses and phone numbers containing the digit sequence 888 are considered particularly lucky, and may command a premium because of it.
Your lucky numbers for the year 2020 based on your planetary positions are 5, 8, 16, 24, 37, 43, and 51. The best number you can depend on in the year 2020 considering your planetary positions are 5, 8, 10, 11, 23, 34, and 45.
Red is found everywhere during Chinese New Year and other holiday celebrations and family gatherings. A red envelope is a monetary gift which is given in Chinese society during holiday or special occasions. The red color of the packet symbolizes good luck.
13 is the age at which a Jewish male becomes obligated to follow Jewish law, the age at which a Bar Mitzvah is attained. Thirteen Attributes of Mercy. Jewish principles of faith according to Maimonides. Number of days of Yom Tov in a year (Diaspora) Months in a leap year on the Hebrew calendar.
It is believed that the best numbers to make sure good energy can enter your home without obstruction are 1, 2, 3, 6, 8 and 9. According to Feng Shui practitioners, 1 signifies a new beginning, freshness or birth and hence is always associated with an auspicious event.
SevenPerhaps part of the answer lies in a seminal paper published in 1956 by the psychologist George A Miller called “The Magical Number Seven, Plus or Minus Two”. Miller claims that it is more than just coincidence that the number 7 seems to be all around us.
3 (三), pronounced san, is considered lucky due to its similarity in sound to the word that means birth. Additionally, this number represents the three stages in the life of humans – birth, marriage, death – that adds to its importance in Chinese culture.
Today is a day of sevens: 07/07/07. Seven is considered lucky by many people. There are seven days of the week, seven continents and seven brides for seven brothers.
According to folklore as well as ancient Roman tradition, the title of unluckiest month to get married goes to May.
triskaidekaphobiaPeople who harbor a Friday the 13th superstition might have triskaidekaphobia, or fear of the number 13, and often pass on their belief to their children, he noted.
But in other countries, different numbers are thought to be just as unlucky. In case 13 makes you nervous, here are five other numbers to avoid. 4: In China, the pronunciation of the word for the number four is similar to that of the Chinese word for death.
There are some cultures, however, that see the number 13 it as a symbol of life, fertility, and prosperity. Judaism celebrates a young man’s coming of age when he turns thirteen. In Punjabi, the word 13 is pronounced tera, which also means “yours,” which is a devotional pronouncement to God.
There is also a biblical reference to the unlucky number 13. Judas, the apostle said to have betrayed Jesus, was the 13th guest to the Last Supper. (See “Lost Gospel Revealed; Says Jesus Asked Judas to Betray Him.”) As for Friday, it’s well known among Christians as the day Jesus was crucified.
While 8, 4 and 13 are most often the “lucky” and “unlucky” numbers that impact real estate, experts note that in some other cultures, different numbers can also carry a special meaning.
According to Chinese superstition, doing any of these on January 25th – the day Chinese New Year falls in 2020 – will lead to bad luck for the entire coming year. But it isn’t all doom and gloom: 2020 is the Year of the Rat, an animal that symbolises wealth and the beginning of a new day.
In ancient cultures, the number 13 represented femininity, because it corresponded to the number of lunar (menstrual) cycles in a year (13 x 28 = 364 days). The theory is that, as the solar calendar triumphed over the lunar, the number thirteen became anathema.
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users May 1992
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by Konata x Generdyn
Featured in the trailer for Showtime's Billions!
“Fight Back” by Konata x Generdyn is featured in the trailer for Showtime’s Billions!
VIEW TRAILER ARTIST
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Weird Stuff | August 18, 2017
Top 10 Conspiracy Theories That Were Actually True
Samantha Spencer
Oftentimes, conspiracy theories are outright dismissed as paranoia or the ramblings of fringe dwellers or quacks. Perhaps, this is usually the case. But some theories were frighteningly correct.
10 Cigarettes Cause Cancer
Today, it’s common knowledge that tobacco products are deadly. For many, it seems outlandish that there was ever a time that cigarettes were not considered extremely hazardous to the health of smokers and those around them or that smoking was actually thought to be good for you.
Tobacco companies began to truly grasp the scale of the problem in the 1950s. Researchers had suggested the possibility for decades but were more or less dismissed. “Big Tobacco,” as the largest tobacco companies would come to be known, launched a cover-up that would go on for nearly half a century.
The four biggest tobacco companies would finally apparently admit defeat in 1998 with the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement—a legal settlement between the companies and 46 US states.[1] The other four states were involved in separate settlements.
9 The Department Of Defense Paid For Patriotic Acts
Photo credit: NBC News
Depending on the country, many, if not most, acts of patriotism in nations around the world are genuine. People are proud of their countries and like to show their support. However, many people have also found some of the more organized and epic displays to be forced, possibly even fake. In 2015, Arizona Senators John McCain and Jeff Flake published a report saying that these worries may be well-founded in the US.
Their report concluded that the Department of Defense had spent millions of dollars to have various sports organizations put on enormous shows of love of country at times. This included several teams in the National Football League, Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association, the National Hockey League, and Major League Soccer. NASCAR and the athletic departments of several universities also participated.
In theory, these overwhelming displays of American pride would drive up military recruiting. But nothing has definitely shown that this worked. The NFL also agreed to refund much of the money used for activities unrelated to recruiting.[2]
8 Nayirah’s Testimony Was False
Photo credit: c-span.org
One of the most iconic events leading up to the Gulf War was the testimony by a girl identified simply as “Nayirah” before the Congressional Human Rights Caucus in 1990. The stories she told about the treatment of Kuwaitis by the invading Iraqis horrified members of Congress and many Americans in general. This included the terrible deaths of newborn babies.
Although many people (including newborn babies) did die horrifically following Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait, Nayirah’s testimony, which was not given under oath, was made up. In fact, the young girl was really the daughter of the Kuwaiti ambassador to the United States. The event was set up as part of a public relations campaign called Citizens for a Free Kuwait that was run by an American consulting company then known as Hill & Knowlton.[3]
7 International Elite Gather Together Regularly
Photo credit: Michiel1972
The idea of world power players gathering together behind closed doors to discuss how to run the world is perhaps considered the most outrageous of all conspiracy theories. Except that it really happens every year, at least among American and European leaders. Known as the Bilderberg meetings, the event actually has an official website.[4]
The first event of this kind took place in 1954 at the Hotel de Bilderberg in The Netherlands. Although the guest lists for these meetings are typically not a secret, the discussions that take place are. Past guests have included monarchs, high-ranking politicians, senior military officials, economic leaders, and powerful journalists.
6 The CIA Controlled Journalists And The Media
Photo credit: themillenniumreport.com
Nowadays, there are few things quite so polarizing as the media and the possibility of “fake news.” Journalists are often seen as either dedicated truth seekers or partisans trying to push an agenda with little to no room in-between. There seems to be no question, however, that the media was controlled as a tool by political operatives at one time (at least).
The first account of a Central Intelligence Agency initiative called “Operation Mockingbird” was a claim in a 1979 biography of Washington Post owner Katharine Graham. Allegedly, the program paid or threatened movers and shakers of many, if not all, of the most popular news outlets in America as a response to the Soviet Union engaging in similar practices with the European media.
While the specific existence of Operation Mockingbird[5] remains a mystery, it has been confirmed that the CIA did (and possibly still does) engage in these types of activities.
5 The CIA Experimented With Mind Control
Possibly after coordinated world domination, mind control may be considered one of the most outrageous conspiracy theories. However, the CIA, along with the US Army Chemical Corps, made attempts to do just that.[6]
Called Project MKUltra, the program began in the 1950s. Efforts to get average people to do the agency’s bidding often crossed moral and legal boundaries and may have inadvertently led to the horrible illegal drug crisis facing the world today.
4 The US Government Planned To Commit Domestic Terrorism And Blame Cuba
Photo credit: tampabay.com
Another supposedly fringe theory is that a government would do terrible things to its own people to frame an enemy. Horrifyingly, it seems that the Department of Defense, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the CIA (yes, them again) would have been willing to do just that.[7]
Designated as Operation Northwoods, the proposed plan would have seen US operatives committing atrocities such as sinking boats containing Cuban refugees and hijacking planes. The idea was that the American public would be so outraged that most would be very willing to support going to war with Cuba.
3 A Fake Attack Was Used To Justify Invading North Vietnam
Photo credit: history.com
The Vietnam War has been a source of heated debate for decades. This occurred before it became public knowledge that the “incident” used by US President Lyndon B. Johnson to gain the authority to deploy American forces to North Vietnam never happened.
It centers around the USS Maddox and the USS Turner Joy, two US Navy destroyers that were performing patrol duty by South Vietnam. A confrontation that actually did take place between the Maddox (later joined by the Turner Joy) and the North Vietnamese happened on August 2, 1964, and resulted in the deaths of four North Vietnamese sailors.
Two days later, the Maddox and the Turner Joy (along with planes that had taken off from the famed aircraft carrier USS Ticonderoga) began opening fire on apparent enemy targets that had been detected via sonar, radar, and radio signals.
Later, it appeared that there were no enemy vessels and that the signals were false alarms. However, it was this supposed second battle that prompted President Johnson to go on television, looking for the authority to launch a military response. He eventually got it.[8]
2 It Wasn’t Hitler’s Skull
Photo credit: The Guardian
The horrid acts committed by Adolf Hitler are too many to list here. For decades, it has been widely understood that the final one was the taking of his own life. Not surprisingly, there were also many who believed that it was a setup and that the evil dictator actually sneaked away.
These theories were generally thought to be unfounded. However, those promoting the idea suddenly looked more credible beginning in 2009. This is because tests performed on a skull in the custody of the Russian government produced some surprising results.
Long purported to be Hitler’s skull, the tests revealed that the skull was actually that of a young woman. Ironically, the tests were done to lessen the credibility of the conspiracy theorists.[9]
1 The State Department Was Infiltrated By Communists
Photo credit: maddogdemocrat.blogspot.com
Although the great state of Wisconsin has produced many fine citizens, its residents tend to view one-time US Senator Joseph McCarthy with much less enthusiasm. McCarthy became a prominent member of the US Senate during the Cold War, using tactics that are now looked upon with shame. (However, many acts mistakenly assigned to him were actually done by the House Un-American Activities Committee.)
He eventually chaired the powerful Committee on Government Operations. It is now known as the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and is now chaired by Wisconsin Republican Ron Johnson.
Although McCarthy’s claims of widespread Soviet infiltration in the US government were generally viewed as discredited after his popularity declined, evidence has been made public over the following decades that seem to prove his ideas.[10]
Perhaps the most famous example would be the files of the Venona project, made public in 1995. Among those implicated in the files was prominent State Department official Alger Hiss.
I’ve written for a number of websites, most recently InfoBarrel under the name SamanthaDS, and I have many, many interests.
Read about more conspiracy theories on Top 10 Enduring Conspiracy Theories About Tragic Events and 10 Most Insane Recent Conspiracy Theories.
10 Dark Conspiracy Theories That Actually Turned Out…
10 Ridiculous Health Myths (Science Says Are Actually True)
Top 10 American Conspiracy Theories That Are…
Top 10 Sinister Conspiracy Theories About Hillary Clinton
Top 10 Best Films About Real Conspiracy Theories
Top 10 Crazy Conspiracy Theories Surrounding The…
Top 10 Conspiracy Theories About Disasters
Top 10 Papal Conspiracy Theories - 2020
10 Crazy Scientific Theories That Used To Be…
10 Science Stories Even Weirder Than Fiction
10 Products You Aren’t Using The Crazy Way Their Creators Intended
Top 10 Naturally Mummified Bodies Found Across The World – 2020
Top 10 Bizarre Coffins
10 Things Sleepwalkers Do (Other Than Walk In Their Sleep)
Crazy Chernobyl Conspiracy Theories That Will Make You Think
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You are here:Home>About
I qualified at The London Hospital Medical School in 1996 with a distinction in medicine and a first class honours degree in pharmacology. I subsequently worked in several world leading hospitals including St Mark’s and Guys and St Thomas’ Hospitals. I undertook a Masters in Medical Science at the Hammersmith hospital in 2001 and completed a PhD at King’s College, London in the genetics of inflammatory bowel disease where I was awarded a Digestive Diseases Foundation Research Fellowship.
I was appointed Consultant Physician and Gastroenterologist at the Whittington Hospital NHS
Trust in 1997, as well as Honourary Senior Lecturer at the University College London Medical School. I also act as the medical adviser to the North London Chapter of the Crohn's and Colitis UK Organisation.
I see NHS and private patients with a wide range of common gastrointestinal problems including reflux (indigestion, heartburn), dyspepsia, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, constipation, rectal bleeding as well as for investigation of abnormal liver function tests.
Specialist Interests
My ongoing research interests are in the genetics of inflammatory bowel disease. My areas of expertise are in the management of inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome, utilising both conventional and alternative approaches, as well as diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopy.
Membership of Professional Associations
British Society of Gastroenterology
ECCO - European Crohn's and Colitis Organisation
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KFA 75th Birthday – Top 5 People in Korean Football History
by Aashish Gadhvi posted 19 Nov 2008 23 Jul 2020 updated 23 Jul 2020
in Life & Leisure. 6 minute read
By Aashish Gadhvi
All together now… Happy Birthday to you! The Korea Football Association is officially 75 years old, and unlike many 75 year olds, they are just getting going in making Korean football a worldwide force to be recognised as one of the premiere football forces in Asia. It’s been a long time coming for Korean football, which boasts a prestigious history and the most successful record of any other Asian footballing nation. Here’s to another 75 more! To commemorate this occasion, I have compiled two lists for the ages. The first one being a list of the top 5 most important people in Korean football history, and the second a list of the top 5 most successful moments. Here we are just going to discuss the top 5 people, the people who have changed Korean football and affected it on all levels. So here goes the countdown…
Hong Myung Bo and Hwang Sun Hong
Top 5 People:
5. Hong Myung Bo and Hwang Sun Hong – Although this may be a bit cheeky to put two people in one position, Hong and Hwang’s name could not be separated during the late 80s and early 90s. Hwang was seen as the goal scoring successor to Cha Bum Kun, and Hong is arguably the greatest defender that the Asian continent has ever seen. These two, along with Yoo Sang Chul made up the spine of the Korean team for almost a decade and carried the team’s experience factor through the 2002 World Cup. We salute these two legends of the game!
Chung Mong Joon
4. Chung Mong Joon – Politics and sports should be kept separate at all costs, but let’s face it, they’re not. And in the case of Korean football it has been a very very rare occasion in which the corporate suit upstairs has actually done some good for the game. He is currently Vice President of FIFA and the current President of the KFA. He has had a very successful life so far, a very educated man and was very nearly President of South Korea, if not for a very controversial last minute pull out. Politics aside, possibly the best thing that Chung did was not so much appoint Guus Hiddink as national manager, but allow him to have total control. Hiddink himself has described Chung as the perfect boss, the reason being that he admitted that Korea had never won a World Cup match in their history, so the man with the football brain should be the one to pull the strings. Amongst the many things he has changed in Korean football, the mentality that held the game in the dark ages was erased in favour of a young, enterprising way of thought where prejudices like age and regionalism were obliterated. Many Citizen Kane-like maniac football owner could learn a thing or two from Mr Chung.
Guus Hiddink
3. Guus Hiddink – The gaffer fantastic will forever go down in history as the Godfather of South Korean football. Hiddink lead an entire nation to jubilation and belief and created an entire legacy of players, of which we are still feeling the effects. He took on the job after taking Holland to the semi-finals of World Cup 98, ironically thrashing Korea 5-0 along the way. His managerial genius consisted of scouring the globe for new Korean talent, and discovering the likes of Park Ji Sung. He was also a master tactician of formation and used a 3-4-3 formation, exploiting the abundance of attacking talent Korea had, in the shape of Park Ji Sung, Lee Chun Soo, Seol Ki Hyeon and Ahn Jung Hwan. He also infamously switched to 4 or sometimes 5 strikers, which effectively won them the game against Italy. He has proved time and time again that he becomes a messiah wherever he goes, and never more fanatically than with his time in Korea. Hiddink was so popular with the people that he was given honorary South Korean citizenship. He is still probably the most popular man in South Korea and in this writer’s humble opinion, the greatest manager of our generation. All hail the king!
Park Ji Sung
2. Park Ji Sung – Many of you may be wondering why a player as young as Park is one the list of most important people in Korean football history, let along number 2. The reason for this is because he is the symbol of the ‘Korean dream’. He came from a very humble background, was picked out of obscurity in Japanese football to become the discovery of the 2002 World Cup. He then followed Guus Hiddink to PSV Eindhoven where he became a key man, and eventually made the move to Manchester United. Park is one of the most versatile players in the world, playing either as a winger, central midfielder, wide forward or second striker, on either the right or left wing. He can make skillful runs with his searing pace and can even scrap defensively with the best of them. His past few seasons have put to rest the notion that he was brought to Old Trafford to sell shirts. Perhaps the only blemish for him so far was that he was denied even a place on the bench in the Champions League final, but like Paul Scholes, he will hopefully get another chance. He recently became the South Korean National captain and will probably lead the team out at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa should Korea get there. More importantly, in an era when footballers have become narcissistic egomaniacs, he maintains a humility which should be a shining example for all young players. Also, in a day and age where global communication and celebrity profile is at an all time high, he is probably the most famous South Korean son on the planet. Here’s hoping the crown Prince of Korea has a good future ahead.
Cha Bum Kun
1. Cha Bum Kun – There will be many Kings, but only one God. And Cha Bum Kun spells God in South Korean football. The most successful player in Korean football history was not only a prolific goal scorer and striker in his own home country, but was the first global Korean star with his club Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen. Germany became his surrogate home and he accomplished the incredible feat of winning the UEFA Cup with both clubs. The UEFA Cup victory with Bayer Leverkusen was particularly famous as he scored the equaliser in a 3-3 draw and eventually went on to win on penalties. In World Cup 86 Korea faced Bulgaria, Italy and eventual winners Argentina, who all targeted Cha by man marking him with two defenders at all times. Korea were knocked out at the group stage, but earned a draw against Bulgaria and spirited performances against both Italy and Argentina. Many people say this was down to the inspiring presence of Cha. After his retirement he tried his hand at management, but things did not go well. He led the National Team at the 1998 World Cup in France, who were thrashed 5-0 by Guus Hiddink’s Holland. After his sacking he placed the blame on the KFA and even made allegations of match fixing in the K-League. This forced him out of the country for a while and into obscurity. He later returned to management with Suwon Samsung Bluewings, and led them to the K-League title in 2004. He still manages them today. Cha retired from playing football with many records in the Bundesliga, and is still Korea’s all time highest goal scorer with 55 goals. Amongst these goals, his career highlight came against Malaysia, when his hat-trick sealed a 4-4 draw when Korea looked down and out. He has also had a huge impact on the modern game, with Michael Owen and Michael Ballack both citing him as a huge inspiration. More importantly, you can’t get much more greater than being named ‘Asia’s Player of the Century’ by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics. Cha Bum Kun – The greatest. Ever.
KFA official website
The 75th Anniversary of Korea Football Association (18 Sept 2008), KFA website
The top 5 moments in Korean football history, Aashish Gadhvi, LKL, 8 December 2008
Filed in: Sport
General post tags: Best of LKL | Football | KFA at 75
The Tripitaka Koreana part 2 – the Depository Buildings
May 18 - surprise hit of the LKFF
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Maartje Jaquet (Egmond aan Zee, 1963) graduated at the UvA (Modern Dutch Literature) and the Rietveld Academy (Graphic Design) and studied Computer Arts at the SvA in New York. A broad education which is reflected in her art (she works in photography, video and poetry and designs her own art books) as well as in her work as an art teacher.
In the recent years she gave room to her love of drawing and painting people. She traveled through Japan and worked and exhibited at Artist Residencies in Morocco, Surinam and her hometown. In her column People of Amsterdam she will soon publish her 100th drawing in Argus magazine. Maartje Jaquet likes to collaborate with artists at home and abroad, in various disciplines. In 2021 she will, in addition to drawing and painting, continue with this type of collaboration. Moreover, she will be focusing on a new line of work in which she freely combines her different talents.
Maartje Jaquet is a member of Arti et Amicitiae, the oldest artist society in the Netherlands. Part of her work is represented by and for sale at Atelier Open (10x10artist) and Kunstlokaal No.8 (Museo). As an art teacher she is represented by De Rode Loper op School.
1017 EJ Amsterdam
Den Ilp 173A
1127 PS Den Ilp
mjaquet@xs4all.nl
• instagram • linkedin • art teacher’s page (in Dutch) •
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Home » Tommy John » Tommy John Surgery: Most Able to Return to Mound
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Tommy John Surgery: Most Able to Return to Mound
85% return to pre-injury level of performance after surgery, 9 to 12 months of rehabilitation
Safety-Pitchers
More than 8 out of 10 of high school and collegiate pitchers undergoing so-called Tommy John elbow reconstructive surgery are able to return to their pre-injury level of performance after 9 months to a year of rehabilitation, a recent study (Hechtman KS, 2011) finds.
Injuries to the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) of the elbow, either as a result of an acute traumatic rupture or repeated stress to the elbow resulting in gradual stretching and eventual rupture of the ligament, are common among throwing athletes and often significantly impair their performance due to the instability, pain and inability to perform overhand throwing activities. Because nonoperative treatment (rest, immobilization and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications) is successful in only 4 out of 10 patients (42%), reconstruction of the UCL may be required to allow the athlete to return to his or her previous level of performance.
Reviewing the results for 34 baseball pitchers (20 collegiate, 14 high school) who underwent UCL reconstruction over a 6-year period from 1997 to 2002, researchers found that 29 of 34 (85%) were able to return to competition at or above their preinjury level of participation following a standardized rehabiliation protocol in which most patients were able to begin a throwing program by the fourth month, were at 50% of their preoperative velocity by the sixth postoperative month, and were progressed over the next few months in the number of throws and velocity, with all reaching 100% by 9 to 12 months.
May 10, 2014 update: a more recent study (Bruce JR, 2014) found that the rates on return to play after Tommy John surgery were different for high school pitchers and those at the collegiate and professional level, with adolescent athletes in the 14 to 16 year old age group experiencing a 75% rate return to pitching after UCL reconstruction surgery versus 85% for the 18 and over age group. According to lead author, Jeremy Bruce, MD, an orthopaedic surgeon specializing in sports medicine and a clinical instructor at The University of Tennessee's College of Medicine Chattanooga, it is unknown "whether it is the lack of appropriate post-injury rehabilitation or the loss of interest after having to take a year away from the sport" which contributes to the lower percentage of return.
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (http://newsroom.aaos.org/media-resources/Press-releases/throwing-injurie...)
Bruce JR, Andrews JR. Ulnar Collateral Ligament Injuries in the Throwing Athlete. J Am Acad Orthop Surg. 2014;22(5):315-325. doi: 10.5435/JAAOS-22-05-315
Hechtman KS, Zvijac JE, Wells ME, Botto-van Bemden A. Long-Term Results of Ulnar Ligament Reconstruction in Throwing Athletes Based on Hybrid Technique. Am J Sports Med. 2011;39(2): 342-347.
Tommy John Surgery Does Not Improve Pitching Performance
Preventing Pitching Injuries in Youth Baseball
Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy: What Sports Parents Should Know
Throwing Injuries No Longer Just for the Pros
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A Working Forest, not a National Monument or Park, will help Maine loggers
Dec 27, 2015 | Uncategorized | 0 comments
A version of this op-ed appeared in the Maine Sunday Telegram Dec. 27
By Dana Doran
The Professional Logging Contractors (PLC) of Maine is deeply concerned that the campaign to create a national park in northern Maine has changed course a bit in the last few months and there is now an effort underway to convince President Obama to designate a national monument there rather than a national park. After careful consideration, the PLC has decided it is time to voice its opposition to this.
Over the past few years, Elliotsville Plantation Inc. (EPI), has made clear a desire to donate a portion of its land in the Katahdin Region of Maine to the federal government for the purpose of establishing a national park and a national recreation area, which would require an act of Congress. We understand the President of EPI’s board, Mr. Lucas St. Clair, has been in discussions with the Department of the Interior to bypass Congress to seek a national monument designation for the land as an avenue that would eventually accomplish their ultimate goal. This concerns us and the loggers we represent for a number of reasons.
The PLC is a trade association that represents logging contractors in Maine. Our membership employs nearly 2,500 people and is responsible for about 75% of Maine’s annual timber harvest. As such, we must weigh all the ramifications of a national monument designation on the logging industry – an industry which has a long and proud tradition throughout Maine as well as the region in question. We are extremely concerned that unilateral action to designate a national monument would do serious harm to our industry in both the short term and long term.
Maine loggers working in the region depend on private landowners, access to existing roads and right-of-ways, and stable regulations to operate effectively. We believe all these things will be jeopardized should the land in question become federally owned.
While it is true that Maine’s paper industry in the north central region of the state has suffered in recent years, it has not negatively impacted logging and the greater forest products industry to the extent that park supporters have led the public to believe. In fact, total wood harvested in Maine actually increased from 13.5 million green tons in 2011 to 14.6 million green tons in 2014. In addition, forest products companies like Ecoshel, Huber Corp., Irving, Louisiana Pacific, and RE Energy have invested millions of dollars on new infrastructure in the region. Despite what has been in the news recently, this shows that the forest products industry is actually growing, not disappearing.
While the PLC has a deep respect for the rights of private landowners, we also believe it is their responsibility to act in ways that do not harm the livelihoods of their neighbors. The designation of a national monument on the EPI land through executive order will only serve to further divide communities already split over the issue and discourage investment in future markets in the region. This, along with the fact that three of Maine’s four Congressional members have serious concerns and do not endorse such a move, clearly demonstrates now is not the time for a national monument or a park.
The PLC is also disappointed that EPI and Mr. Lucas have so far made little effort to embrace the importance of timber harvesting to the region, or to ensure that it will remain a viable industry alongside whatever their land ultimately becomes.
The PLC has attempted to work with EPI on several occasions to educate their leadership on the value of timber harvesting and sustainable forest management. We have also provided suggestions for how any type of federal declaration can incorporate sustainable timber management and act as an educational showpiece to the world. EPI has been willing to listen, but has never fully embraced how a federal declaration could not only co-exist with forest management, but champion its ethos. In our opinion, this is a shortsighted decision and not one that recognizes the importance of timber harvesting to this region in the past, present and future.
Supporters of a national monument designation may be under the illusion that the parcel EPI wishes to donate to the federal government, as well as the surrounding land, is a pristine wilderness of old growth trees and undisturbed land. In fact, the land and most of the region have been working forests for generations. The beauty people see there today is a result of responsible forest management and logging. Loggers are critical to this responsible management. Preserving Maine’s forests as “working forests” is the best way to ensure their protection and health for future generations.
We ask EPI, Mr. St. Clair, and the people of Maine to carefully consider what they want the future of the Katahdin region to be. Is it to be only a forest, with 150 years of proud industry history consigned to the pages of guidebooks for tourists? Or should it remain a showcase to the world of how well the interests of industry, outdoors enthusiasts, and seasonal visitors can be accommodated in a working forest for years to come?
Dana Doran is the Executive Director of the Professional Logging Contractors of Maine (PLC). The PLC is a trade association that represents the interests of logging contractors in Maine. PLC members supply the raw material for pulp and paper mills, biomass electric facilities, sawmills, wood pellet plants, and producers of plywood and fiberboard across Maine and New England.
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Mexican authorities ordered to partially close the ArcelorMittal plant
Mariupolpromsnab News Mexican authorities ordered to partially close the ArcelorMittal plant
Posted on 27 July 2020 Categories За рубежом Tags АрселорМиттал
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ArcelorMittal México reports that its plant in Lazaro Cardenas was partially closed on 23 July after local authorities accused him of a number of violations, including lack of a license to operate and arrears in payment of contributions over the past six years … Stalevar tells , that the city council also demanded a payment of 130 million MXN ($ 5.76 million) in addition to the monthly tax increase.
According to a note issued by the City Council, ArcelorMittal also lacks an Internal Civil Protection Program and therefore jeopardizes the safety of its workforce and society at large. Operations in areas where failure to operate could result in irreparable damage continue as usual.
In the meantime, ArcelorMittal qualified the partial closure of its operations as abuse and contempt of federal law, as a judge from the Michoacan District granted the company a suspension of closure on July 11. Despite this order, “… civil servants from the municipality of Lazaro Cardenas, accompanied by the police, entered our premises using force without any decision to close.”
ArcelorMittal México confirms that it has paid the relevant taxes every two months and has made some contributions in advance. “The necessary permits were requested from the municipality, and it complied with the conditions, processes and obligations every time installation and /or construction work was carried out on the territory of the company,” explains the steelworker.
ArcelorMittal reaffirms that it will continue to fulfill its legal obligations and maintain its position as a source of employment for more than 8,000 Lazaro Cardenas families, as well as over 50,000 indirect jobs created through its value chain.
ArcelorMittal’s combined plant in Lazaro Cardenas has a production capacity of 2.4 million tonnes per year and 4 million tonnes per year, respectively.
Турция сократила отгрузку стали на экспорт на 2,8%15 January 2021
Steel prices in Germany will rise in 202115 January 2021
Steel stocks are growing due to the outbreak of coronavirus in Hebei, China15 January 2021
Азовсталь Аналитика АрселорМиттал Запорожсталь Курс гривны ММКИ Метинвест Ремонты
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/ News / Report on the Evidence-Based Review of proposals to refine the Work Capability Assessment – summary and statement from the MEA | 17 December 2013
Report on the Evidence-Based Review of proposals to refine the Work Capability Assessment – summary and statement from the MEA | 17 December 2013
The report containing results and conclusions from the Evidence-Based Review (EBR) of the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) was published on Thursday 12 December 2013.
The EBR report, which is long and quite complex to read at times, can be downloaded from the DWP website:
www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/265471/wca-evidence-based-review.pdf
Dr Charles Shepherd describes why the EBR was carried out, who carried it out, how this was done and then summarises the key points to emerge.
During 2010 and 2011 a Mental Health Group (MHG) and a Fluctuating Conditions Group (FCG) were set up and asked by the DWP and Professor Malcolm Harrington (who carried out the first three independent annual reviews of the WCA) to produce testable proposals for an alternative version of the current Work Capability Assessment (WCA).
A copy of the report prepared by the FCG can be found here:
www.forward-me.org.uk/Reports/Fluctuating_conditions_report_FINAL.pdf
The intention was to produce a points based medical assessment of fitness for work for people claiming the Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) that is more fair and effective for those who have fluctuating medical conditions and/or mental health conditions.
The Forward ME Group represented people with ME/CFS on the FCG. Dr Charles Shepherd represented Forward ME and helped to produce the alternative assessment (AA).
The position taken by the ME/CFS charities is that the current WCA is a very blunt and insensitive way of measuring fitness for work in people who do not have the necessary physical and mental endurance to hold down a job. The fact that around 40% of people are successful on appeal indicates that the WCA is not fit for purpose and is letting people down who need this support.
The remit from the DWP was not to change the various activities of everyday function (eg mobility, lifting, navigating) that are assessed in the current WCA – although the FCG did recommend the inclusion of additional questions relating to fatigue and pain. We were asked to concentrate on producing changes to the way in which the point scoring descriptors in the WCA measure the level of impairment for each specific activity.
Both groups independently agreed that there should be a significant shift in emphasis in the AA towards a multidimensional approach. This would measure both severity of limitation and frequency of limitation in a matrix format in relation to all the various activities and tasks that make up the current WCA.
We also made a number of other recommendations as to how the WCA could be improved – in particular the inclusion of a semi-structured interview that would capture additional information as to whether a person was fit for work. More information on the semi-structured interview can be found in Annex 3 on page 70.
The FCG and MHG subsequently produced a multidimensional AA that assessed severity and frequency of both physical and mental limitations of function – this is included as annex 2 on page 61 in the report. The current WCA is included as Annex 1 on page 52.
We produced the AA to a very strict DWP timetable and without any financial or statistical assistance. In addition, there was no opportunity to pilot and refine our recommendations – especially the way in which points would be scored – before the evidence based review (EBR) took place. So while we stand by our belief that the overall approach we took is sound, this placed the AA at a considerable disadvantage once it was tested against the current WCA because the AAt cannot be regarded as a finished product.
The EBR was completed in September 2013. The key findings are as follows:
THE MULTIDIMENSIONAL ASSESSMENT (AA)
1 Claimants were more likely to score 15 points of more with the AA (44%) when compared to the WCA (20%). This finding came as no surprise to the FCG and MHG – given our belief that far too many people with genuine and disabling health problems are unfit for work and are being passed as fit for work under the current point scoring system.
2 In general, claimants were more likely to score points across a larger range of activities in the AA when compared to the WCA.
3 The AA was better at detecting limitations in specific areas of functioning – even if they were relatively moderate.
4 The AA included descriptors that would score 3 points (the WCA does not have a 3 point score). The 3 point scores were deliberately included to help people with low levels of functional impairment across a range of mental and physical activities.
5 The semi-structured interview style of assessment was well received by both claimants and health professionals. Claimants expressed a preference for the semi-structured interview in order to discuss aspects of how their condition affected them that would not be explored in detail during a regular WCA discussion. Health professionals also reported gathering useful information during these discussions.
6 Where someone was considered to have a limited capacity for work by the expert panels, the panels were more likely to agree with the AA.
The expert panels consisted of groups of medical experts who assessed people on fitness to work who had also been assessed using both the AA and WCA.
THE CURRENT WORK CAPABILITY ASSESSMENT (WCA)
1 The WCA corresponded more closely with the expert panel opinions across a range of indicators when compared to the AA.
2 The WCA fitness to work outcome was the same as the view of the expert panels in 77% of cases; the equivalent figure for the AA was 65%.
3 The WCA and expert panels were more likely to agree when panels felt someone was fit for work.
Overall, the report concluded:
There was no evidence that the AA was a significant improvement on the WCA in terms of the accuracy or reliability of findings. However, the AA did reveal some areas – namely the way in which limitations and their fluctuations are noted, and the style of assessment discussion – which have relevance for ongoing refinement of the WCA.
ROLE OF THE EXPERT PANELS
Both groups (FCG and MHG) have major concerns about the protocol by which the expert panels came to their conclusions as to whether the people they assessed were ‘fit for work’. This is because:
1 Only the paperwork was reviewed – there were no face to face interviews with the claimants.
2 People were considered to be fit for work in the vast majority of cases (83%) only due to the fact that one or more theoretical modifications to the working environment, or working hours, would be made – this included flexible or alternative hours in 50%, aids or adaptions in 47%, home working or working in another place in 23%, and a support worker in 24%.
3 The expert panels were sceptical as to whether these aids, adaptions and adjustments could actually be made in the real world.
4 There was no clear definition as to what the DWP regards as fit for work.
We therefore believe that a significant proportion of the people assessed by the expert panels as being ‘fit for work” and not therefore eligible for ESA would only have (a) a limited range of work options open to them and (b) would require considerable assistance in sustaining meaningful employment at the same time. A significant proportion may therefore have been more appropriately placed in the ESA Work Related Activity Group (WRAG) rather than being passed as fit for work and claiming JSA.
More information on the role of the expert panels can be found in Chapter 5 on pages 36 – 40. The questionnaire used by the expert panels is included as Annex 4 on page 80.
We also believe that there were a number of other significant flaws in the way the EBR was carried out:
1 Some conditions – eg Parkinson’s disease – were represented by either very small numbers or not at all. In relation to ME/CFS the report (page 19) states that 21 cases were assessed. The 600 claimants who volunteered for the research were not therefore a representative sample of people with fluctuating medical conditions.
2 There were no cases of Parkinson’s disease or multiple sclerosis in the booster groups
3 People who were found to be unfit for work at the initial WCA interview, and placed in the Support Group, were excluded from the EBR. This meant that the group being examined was largely either fit for work or suitable for placement in the WRAG.
I believe that the Alternative Assessment, which allowed more people to score more points, assessed frequency/fluctuation in impairment in a far more detailed manner, and included a semi-structured interview to obtain additional information on state of health/disability, is far more fair and effective way of assessing fitness for work, or limited capability for work, if a points based system has to be used.
However, the way in which the expert panels came to their conclusions about fitness to work when the AA was compared to the WCA means that the DWP will not be replacing the current WCA with the AA.
Even so, the work we have been doing for the past three years has identified a number of areas where I believe the WCA could still be significantly improved. So I hope that the DWP will now take this opportunity to look in particular at the way in which work is defined in relation to people who fall into the gray area between fit for work and not fit for work, and how fluctuation in severity and frequency of impairments should be measured.
If the DWP fails to address a number of key areas where the current WCA is failing to produce fair and effective assessments, a significant number of people with fluctuating medical conditions and mental health conditions who are genuinely unfit to work will continue to have their ESA claims refused and wrongly find themselves relying on job seekers allowance.
The DWP will now be considering the findings and conclusions in the report over the coming weeks. When this process is over I hope that they will continue to with consult with representatives of fluctuating medical conditions and mental health conditions to make some much needed improvements to the WCA.
Dr Charles Shepherd
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/ News / PACE Trial: report on adverse events involved in therapies used in the trial | Journal of Psychosomatic Research | 22 April 2014
PACE Trial: report on adverse events involved in therapies used in the trial | Journal of Psychosomatic Research | 22 April 2014
From the Journal of Psychosomatic Research, available online 22 April 2014.
Adverse events and deterioration reported by participants in the PACE trial of therapies for chronic fatigue syndrome
Dominic Dougall (a), A.L. Johnson (b), K. Goldsmith ©, M. Sharpe (d), B. Angus (e), T. Chalder (f), P.D. White (g), Corresponding author
a) East London Foundation NHS Trust, London
b) MRC Clinical Trials Unit at UCL, London
c) Biostatistics Department, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London
d) Psychological Medicine Research, Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
e) Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford
f) Academic Department of Psychological Medicine, King’s College London
g) Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London
• This study shows the distribution of adverse events in a trial of treatments for CFS.
• Non-serious adverse events were common, but no different between treatments.
• Non-serious adverse events were more related to ill health than treatments.
• Deterioration in physical function was more likely after adaptive pacing therapy.
• Differences between centres may be related to different ascertainment methods.
Adverse events (AEs) are health related events, reported by participants in clinical trials. We describe AEs in the PACE trial of treatments for chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and baseline characteristics associated with them.
AEs were recorded on three occasions over one year in 641 participants.
We compared the numbers and nature of AEs between treatment arms of specialist medical care (SMC) alone, or SMC supplemented by adaptive pacing therapy (APT), cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) or graded exercise therapy (GET).
We examined associations with baseline measures by binary logistic regression analyses, and compared the proportions of participants who deteriorated by clinically important amounts.
Serious adverse events and reactions were infrequent.
Non-serious adverse events were common; the median (quartiles) number was 4 (2, 8) per participant, with no significant differences between treatments (p = 0.47).
A greater number of NSAEs was associated with recruitment centre, and baseline physical symptom count, body mass index, and depressive disorder.
Physical function deteriorated in 39 (25%) of participants after APT, 15 (9%) after CBT, 18 (11%) after GET, and 28 (18%) after SMC (p < 0.001), with no significant differences in worsening fatigue. CONCLUSIONS The numbers of adverse events did not differ significantly between trial treatments, but physical deterioration occurred most often after APT. The reporting of non-serious adverse events may reflect the nature of the illness rather than the effect of treatments. Differences between centres suggest that both standardisation of ascertainment methods and training are important when collecting adverse event data.
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CONCERNING THE STATE BUDGET
Iskra, No. 15,
the Iskra text
Foreign Languages Publishing House, Moscow, 1961
Vol. 5, pp. 331-36.
Translated by Joe Fineberg and by George Hanna
Edited by Victor Jerome
[email protected] (October 2003)
Our newspapers as usual, have published the most respectful report of the Minister of Finance on the budget -- the state revenues and disbursements for 1902. As usual, everything, according to the Minister's assurance, is going well: "the finances are in a most satisfactory state", "equilibrium has been firmly maintained in the budget", "the railway system continues its successful development", and there is even "a steady improvement in the people's welfare"! Small wonder that so little interest is shown in questions of the state economy, despite their importance; interest is blunted by the obligatory, standard eulogies; for everyone knows that paper will put up with anything, that "anyway" the public "isn't allowed to peep" behind the scenes of official financial juggling.
On this occasion, however, the following circumstance stands out particularly. With his usual legerdemain the conjurer shows the public his empty hands, makes passes, and produces one gold coin after another. The public applauds. Nevertheless, the conjurer begins to make the most frantic efforts to defend himself and is almost in tears when he assures us that he is not deceiving us, that there is no deficit, and that his liabilities are less than his assets. Russians have been so well schooled in respectable behaviour in official places that even as onlookers they feel uncomfortable, and only a few mutter the French saying under their breath: "He who excuses himself accuses himself."
Let us see how our Witte "excuses" himself. The gigantic expenditure, amounting to almost 2,000 million rubles (1,946 million), has been fully covered only because of
the 144 million taken from the famous "free cash in hand" at the State Treasury, which free cash in hand was made up by last year's 4 per cent loan of 127 million rubles (floated at 148 million rubles, of which 21 million have still not been taken up). In other words, a deficit covered by the loan? Nothing of the sort, says our magician, "the loan was certainly not floated because of the need to cover expenditures unforeseen in the estimate", since 114 million rubles remained "completely free" after the coverage; the loan was raised because it was desired to build new railways.
Well said, Mr. Witte! But, first, what you say does not refute the fact of the deficit, since 114 million rubles, even if "completely free", cannot cover an expenditure of 144 million rubles. Secondly, the free cash in hand (114 million rubles) included 63 million received in excess of the usual revenue for 1901, as compared with the budget estimate, and our press has long since revealed the fact that you artificially reduce the estimate for the budget revenue in order to effect a fictitious increase in the "free cash in hand" and steadily increase taxation. Last year, for instance, stamp duties were raised (the new stamp duty regulations), the price of government-distilled vodka rose from 7 rubles to 7 rubles 60 kopeks a vedro,* customs duties continued to increase (increases were introduced "temporarily" in 1900 on account of the war in China), and so on. Thirdly, while you laud the "cultural role" of the railways, you modestly refrain from mentioning the purely Russian and very uncultured custom of plundering the Treasury when railways are built (to say nothing of the shameful exploitation of the workers and the starving peasants by railway contractors!). Thus, a Russian newspaper recently reported that the cost of building the Siberian railway was initially estimated at 350 million rubles, but that in actuality 780 million have been expended and that in the end the total cost will probably exceed 1,000 million (Iskra has had something to say about the plunder on the Siberian railway: see issue No. 2). You compute the revenues with precision, Mr. Witte, omitting nothing, but how about rendering an account of the actual extent of the expenditure?
* 1 vedro -- about 12.3 litres (21.7 pints). --Tr.
Another matter not to be forgotten is the fact that the building of railways in 1902 was undertaken partly because of the military purposes of our "peace-loving" government (the vast Bologoye-Sedlets line, more than 1,000 versts long) and partly because of the absolute necessity to afford at least some "help" to oppressed industry, in whose affairs the State Bank is directly interested. The State Bank has not only granted loans with a liberal hand to tottering enterprises, but has practically taken many of them under its full control. The bankruptcy of industrial enterprises threatened to lead to the bankruptcy of the state! Lastly, let us not forget, either, that it is under the administration of the "genius" Witte that the sum of the loans and the size of the taxes are constantly increasing, despite the fact that the capital of the savings-banks is applied exclusively to support state credits. This capital has already exceeded 800 million rubles. Taking all this into consideration, we realise that Witte's economy is wasteful, that the autocracy is heading slowly but surely for bankruptcy, since taxation cannot be raised indefinitely and the French bourgeoisie will not always come to the aid of the Russian Tsar. Against the charge of having increased the national debt Witte defends himself with arguments that are sheerly ludicrous. He compares liabilities with "assets", he compares the sum of the state loans for 1892 and 1902 with the costs of the state railways for the same years and produces a reduction in the "net" debt. But we have still further assets: "Fortresses and warships" (I swear, the report had it so!), harbours and government factories, quit-rent, and forests. Magnificent, Mr. Witte! But have you not noticed that you are like the merchant summoned to court as a bankrupt who tried to justify himself before the bailiffs who were about to make an inventory of his property? As long as an enterprise is unshakably solvent no one would dream of asking that loans be specially guaranteed. No one doubts that the Russian people have plenty of "assets"; but the greater these assets, the greater the guilt of those who, despite the abundance, conduct the economy by increasing loans and taxation. You are merely demonstrating to the people that they should get rid of those who squander their
assets, and do so as quickly as possible. In actual fact, of all the European countries, Turkey alone has so far put forward special state assets as a guarantee of state loans. This action has naturally led to the assumption of control by foreign creditors over the assets that were to guarantee them the return of the loans they had advanced. The economy of the "great Russian state" administered by representatives of Rothschild and of Bleichröder -- what glittering prospects you open up before us, Mr. Witte![*]
This is quite apart from the fact that there is no banker who will accept fortresses and warships as collateral, that these represent a minus, not a plus, in our economy. Even railways can serve as a guarantee only when they are run at a profit. However, from Mr. Witte's report we learn that up to the present all Russian railways have, in general, been run at a loss. Only in 1900 was the deficit on the Siberian railways covered and a "small net profit" obtained -- so small that Mr. Witte remains modestly silent as to its amount. He also remains silent in regard to the fact that in the first eight months of 1901 the takings of the railways in European Russia dropped as a result of the crisis. We can well imagine the balance of our railway economy if the actual sums of money plundered during construction, as well as the official sums allotted for the job, were taken into consideration. Is it not high time to place these valuable assets in more reliable hands?
Needless to say, Witte speaks in the most soothing tones of the industrial crisis: "The hitch . . . without doubt does not affect general industrial prosperity and, after a certain interval of time, we shall probably [!] see a fresh period of industrial revival." Fine comfort for the millions of the working class, who suffer from unemployment and reduced wages! You may search in vain in the list of state expenditures for the slightest hint of the millions and
* Witte himself was aware of the clumsiness of his arguments in regard to "assets" and therefore, elsewhere in his report, he tried to improve the impression by saying that the growing value of state assets "has no particular significance with respect to the commitments of the Russian Treasury, since Russia's credit does not stand in need of special guarantees". Of course not! But a detailed account with a list of these special guarantees was left . . . just in case!
tens of millions that the Treasury has wasted on direct and indirect support of the industrial enterprises "suffering" from the crisis. What gigantic sums are involved in such support may be seen from press reports to the effect that the total sum of the loans granted by the State Bank between January 1, 1899 and January 1, 1901 increased from 250 million to 449 million rubles, and that industrial loans increased from 8,700,000 to 38,800,000 rubles. Even the loss of four million rubles from industrial loans did not cause the Treasury any difficulty. And as for the workers who have sacrificed on the altar of "industrial success", not the contents of their purse, but their lives and the lives of the millions dependent on them, the Treasury helped these workers by sending thousands of them from the industrial towns to the starving villages "free of charge"! Witte avoids the word "famine" altogether, assuring us in his report that the "detrimental effects of the poor harvest . . . will be mitigated by generous help to the needy". This generous help, according to him, amounts to 20 million rubles, while the deficit in the harvest is estimated at 250 million rubles (if one takes as the base the very low price of 50 kopeks a pood, compared, however, with the years of favourable harvests). Indeed, how very "generous"! Even if we assume that only a half of the losses is borne by the poor peasantry, it will still become evident that we underestimated the greed of the Russian Government, when we wrote (in re Sipyagin's circular; see Iskra, No. 9)* that the government was cutting relief loans down to one-fifth. The Russian Tsar is generous, not in his aid to the peasant, but in his police measures directed against those who really wanted to help the famine-stricken. He is also generous in squandering millions in order to grab an appetising slice in China. In two years, Witte informs us, 80 million rubles went in extraordinary expenditure on the war in China and "in addition very substantial sums were expended from the ordinary budget". This means that anything up to 100 million rubles was expended, if not more! The unemployed worker and the starving peasant
* See present volume, pp. 231-38. --Ed. [Transcriber's Note: See Lenin's "Fighting the Famine-Stricken". -- DJR]
may take comfort from the fact that Manchuria is almost sure to be ours. . .
Lack of space keeps us from dealing at length with the remaining parts of the report. Witte also defends himself against the charge of scantiness in the disbursements on public education: to the 36 million rubles of the estimate of the Ministry of Public Education he adds the disbursements of other ministries on education and "cooks up" the figure of 75 million rubles. But even this figure (of doubtful veracity) is extremely miserable for the whole of Russia, representing less than five per cent of the total budget.
The fact that "our state budget is organised mainly on the basis of a system of indirect taxation" is considered by Witte to be an advantage, and he repeats the stale bourgeois arguments on the possibility of "adjusting the consumption of taxed articles to accord with the degree of prosperity". In actual fact, however, it is notorious that indirect taxation affecting articles of mass consumption is distinguished by its extreme injustice. The entire burden is placed on the shoulders of the poor, while it creates a privilege for the rich. The poorer a man is, the greater the share of his income that goes to the state in the form of indirect taxes. The masses who own little or nothing constitute nine-tenths of the population, consume nine-tenths of the taxed items, and pay nine-tenths of the total of all indirect taxes, while they receive no more than two- or three-tenths of the national income.
In conclusion, an interesting "trifle". On which items were expenditures most of all increased from 1901 to 1902? The total expenditures increased from 1,788 million to 1,946 million rubles, that is, by less than one-tenth. Nevertheless, expenditures on two items increased by nearly a quarter : from 9,800,000 to 12,800,000 rubles "for the maintenance of members of the royal family" and . . . "for the maintenance of the special corps of gendarmes" from 3,960,000 to 4,940,000 rubles. We have here the answer to the question: What are "the most urgent needs of the Russian people"? And what touching"unity" between the tsar and the gendarmes!
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Home > Spotlight > News > NAFTA – Here Today, Gone Tomorrow?
NAFTA – Here Today, Gone Tomorrow?
Will NAFTA end? This article examines issues that may be expected to arise in the event that the United States wishes to withdraw from NAFTA. These issues include legislative requirements in the United States, the potential resurrection of the Canada-United States Free Trade Agreement (“CUSTA”), and what may arise in the absence of any free trade arrangement.
In the most recent negotiating round for NAFTA 2.0, the United States finally enunciated its negotiating position with respect to particularly contentious issues, including dispute settlement proceedings, American automotive content under NAFTA and supply management. The negotiating position of the United States is being described as excessive and politically impossible for Canada and Mexico.
Press reports have been suggesting that the American position is simply a means of making renegotiations unpalatable, reflecting President Trump’s intention to terminate NAFTA. It is certainly premature to write off NAFTA. One always expects negotiations to get more difficult as they move toward completion. Given the economic interests at stake in all three countries, the authors maintain hope that the talks will continue and ultimately succeed.
Can President Trump Tear Up NAFTA?
Even if it was the wish of the American administration to end NAFTA, it may prove to be a very difficult beast to kill.
As an opening proposition, no one country can tear up NAFTA. The United States can certainly withdraw from NAFTA, but the agreement would continue in force between Canada and Mexico unless either of those parties also chooses to withdraw.
Withdrawal from NAFTA requires six months notice before the rights and obligations under the agreement can be terminated. There is an interesting debate amongst US constitutional law scholars regarding President Trump’s power to deliver such a notice without congressional approval and the legal consequences of such unilateral action. The North American Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act of the United States is 169 pages long and involves many amendments to American legislation including customs provisions, trade remedies, agriculture, and extensive amendments to a wide range of related statutes. Under American constitutional law, NAFTA only came into force when the legislation was approved by both houses of Congress and the President. To undo these extensive legislative changes in the United States would therefore require further legislation passed by Congress. Some have argued that even the delivery of a notice of withdrawal by President Trump without Congressional approval would be unconstitutional.
It has been reported that two thirds of American states have Canada as their major export market. This means that there may be a vested interested on the part of up to 66 Senators to protect jobs in their states by declining to implement the statutory measures required to remove NAFTA obligations from American legislation. Similarly, American southern states also have a significant interest in maintaining export markets in Mexico. Therefore, the prospect of sweeping legislative change may be challenging.
Nonetheless, there may be certain areas where changes to NAFTA rules can be made unilaterally by Presidential fiat.
First, as a matter of international law, a Presidential notice of withdrawal from NAFTA is likely to be deemed effective in putting an end to the international obligations of the United States even if there is a dispute about the constitutional validity of such action under US law. Absent an obvious lack of authority, an international tribunal is unlikely to hold the United States to any legal obligations following delivery of required notice in accordance with NAFTA’s express withdrawal provisions. If this notice occurs, certain provisions of NAFTA that were not implemented by US legislation, such as its investor-state dispute settlement provisions, will no longer be binding on the United States.
Second, the complex patchwork of US trade remedies legislation authorizes the executive branch to take certain unilateral actions against imports. The withdrawal of the US from NAFTA would lead to the loss of any international law constraints on such trade remedies enforceable through NAFTA (as opposed to other treaties, such as the WTO Agreements). Thus, Canada and Mexico may lose the ability to challenge certain US administrative actions before bi-national panels under NAFTA Chapter 19 or by state-to-state arbitration under NAFTA Chapter 20.
Potential Resurrection of the Canada-US Free Trade Agreement
The termination of NAFTA may not mean the termination of free trade arrangements between Canada and the United States. The Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (“CUSTA“), concluded in 1989, was suspended as long as NAFTA applied to both Canada and the United States. An exchange of diplomatic letters in January 1993 indicated the intention of both parties that the suspension would “remain in effect for such time as the two Governments are Parties to the NAFTA”. Termination of NAFTA could arguably mean that the provisions of CUSTA would go back into force, including tariff removal and the continuation of the automotive provisions that reflected a free trade arrangement with the United States that has been in existence since the 1965 Auto Pact. However, CUSTA did not include the investor-state dispute settlement provisions found in NAFTA. In addition, the equivalent to NAFTA Chapter 19 constraints on US trade remedy measures under CUSTA have now expired.
There are pundits in the United States who claim that the reversal of the suspension of CUSTA is not automatic, but would require legislative action to bring that agreement back into force. This view may be contrary to section 107 of the American NAFTA Implementation Act which makes clear that “[a]n agreement by the United States and Canada to suspend operation of [CUSTA] shall not be deemed to cause [CUSTA] to cease to be in force”. One might reasonably argue that this provision automatically brings CUSTA back into operation without the need for further legislative action.
CUSTA has a termination provision similar to NAFTA in that it can also be ended upon six months notice; but arguably notice cannot be given until NAFTA has actually been terminated, since CUSTA is suspended until that time. Even then, the need for extensive legislative changes in the United States may further complicate any administration attempt to quickly terminate that agreement.
What Happens if there is no Trade Agreement between Canada and the United States?
1. General Impact
Even if these free trade arrangements were terminated between Canada and the United States, it is difficult to see how the United States might benefit since its most favoured nation (MFN) tariffs are generally very low.
It has been reported that average US MFN duty rates are in the range of 2.5%. For Canada the average duty rate is 3.5%. While customs duties are always an impediment to trade, these generally low rates will minimize the impact of the end of free trade agreements. Exporters to the US should confirm what the MFN duty rates will be on products they may wish to ship to the American market.
2. The Automotive Sector
The American MFN import duty rate on automobiles is currently 2.5% (though it does go up to 25% on pick-up trucks and
commercial vans). An additional complication for the American automotive industry is that 75% of all U.S. parts exports are to Canada or Mexico (as reported by the U.S. International Trade Administration in 2016). A further issue is the degree of rationalization in the North American automotive industry (and in particular between Canada and the United States). With parts routinely crossing the border six or seven times for further processing, existing supply chains would be severely disrupted in the event that the U.S. intended to impose local content requirements. The significance of these concerns is perhaps best expressed by American automotive producers who are opposed to the very proposals intended to benefit them.
Loss of a free trade agreement would also inhibit the orderly movement of business travellers between NAFTA partners. Once again, this would likely act to the detriment of the United States as it currently maintains a substantial trade surplus in services with both Canada and Mexico. Without the protections available to American businesses under NAFTA, service exports could be severely impacted.
4. Dispute Settlement
Trade between existing NAFTA partners would continue to be subject to international trade discipline under the auspices of the World Trade Organization (“WTO”) even in the absence of any free trade arrangements. The WTO includes a number of trade facilitation agreements, as well as a binding dispute resolution process to deal with protectionist policies imposed by Member states. These rights arose after NAFTA came into force. Canada has been successful in a number of WTO cases against the US where NAFTA was ineffective in resolving disputes.
NAFTA negotiations have reached a critical juncture with the more controversial American proposals now on the table. With over $1 trillion in three-way trade in goods and services, we believe it in the interests of all three countries to continue to push forward and make whatever progress is possible. To the extent that there are threats, or reports of unilateral termination of NAFTA, these are unlikely to occur in the near future due to the limitations discussed above. In these circumstances, it is clearly a better road to seek accommodation with NAFTA partners, rather than to risk damage to the largest integrated market in the world today.
* The foregoing provides only an overview and does not constitute legal advice. Readers are cautioned against making any decisions based on this material alone. Rather, specific legal advice should be obtained.
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Tag: Eerie 2019
Eerie (2019)
March 28, 2019 mcmoviereview4 Comments
The unexpected and gruesome death of a student threatens the existence of an old Catholic school for girls. Pat Consolacion, the school guidance counselor, involves herself with the students in the hopes of helping them cope, and at the same time uncover the mysteries of the student’s death. Most students suspect of the strict and borderline abusive Mother Alice, who also threatened Pat’s tenure in the school because of her continuous meddling with the case. But Pat’s unusual talents lead her to knowing Eri, a former student who’s been watching the whole school for years. Piece by piece, Pat uncovers the secret of the school and the monster that it nurtured for the past century. This movie is directed by Mikhail Red under Star Cinema.
CAST: Bea Alonzo, Charo Santos-Concio, Maxene Magalona, Jake Cuenca, Mary Joy Apostol, Nafa Cruz, Gabby Padilla & Gillian Vicencio.
GENRE: Mystery, Horror
WHAT I LIKE?
Eerie is another milestone in the Pinoy Horror Genre in terms of quality. Star Cinema didn’t disappoint again, Overall, Eerie is a refreshing flick in the Pinoy Horror Genre. What I like about Eerie is the consistency of its Cinematography. From the color grading down to the camera angles, the whole film is downright creepy, dark & gloomy. The feels complimented well with the 1995 setting and the production & set elements were consistent too. The location is superb. The school really looks scary and the atmosphere is heavy and haunting to say the least. Musical Scoring is really one of the film’s strengths too. As a Horror Film, Eerie was effective in bringing solid jump-out scares & thrilling moments. Some of the dark scenes were utilized well and there were some unique scares introduced in the film. Prosthetics was on-point and there were no obvious CGI or special effects used making the whole film even scarier. Plot-wise, it was direct and the plot slowly unfolds as the story progresses. Bea Alonzo nailed her role. She was just pure joy to watch. On her first ever role in a Horror Film, she was at her best. Charo Santos was also good in the film. She was also effective as a scary and strict nun. Overall, Eerie is a fun-flick to watch if you are in for some scream-fest. Truly, proud to be Filipino-made.
WHAT I DON’T LIKE?
Eerie may be effective as a creepy Horror Film but how I wished they could have invested more on the Plot Twist and some elements of the story line as a whole. The twist was a little half-baked for me. I expected it to be darker and more evil. The reason why I wanted it to go further is because the elements and cinematography are really great a& impressive already. For these kind of movies, I expected more evil. Also, I have some problems with some of the character developments. Charo Santos’ role was not developed well especially on the reveal. I really expected her vital role in the film’s premise but for me, her role went into a downhill after her confrontation with Bea in her bedroom. As an investigator, I find Jake’s role to be useless in the film. His screen time was not enough for his role to be justified. Other than that, I find some of the student’s personality to be vague. At some point, I can’t identify if who is Clara or Erika or Joyce. LOL. Also, I see some similarities on some of the scare techniques used since it is patterned with the Hollywood Horror Formula. Nevertheless, Eerie is a must watch for Horror-lovers. Just watch it with your own risk.
8/10 POPCORN
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Good Night and Good Luck
Hong Kong’s Foreign Correspondents’ Club was once the favoured watering hole of veteran reporters, inspiring classic novels and countless brawls.
By Christopher DeWolf Oct. 1, 2010
Knights of Griffintown
The Crowd Goes Wild
This Little Piggy Went to Market
Cardinal Direction
Hong Kong's Air Conditioning Addiction
I Dream a Highway
Urban Illusions
How Green Is Your Alley?
Photograph by Christopher DeWolf.
In 1974, as a typhoon bears down on Hong Kong, a gangly twenty-seven-year-old Vietnam War reporter named Luke stands in the toilets of the Foreign Correspondents' Club. Head ringing, hung over, he washes blood out of his mouth—he just fought in a brawl over a bar girl—and frantically tries to recall a juicy scoop his old Chinese landlord had let slip earlier that day. Suddenly, he remembers and storms into the bar, which is packed with journalists deep in their cups. Luke leaps straight onto a table, breaking several glasses and cracking his head on the ceiling. The room barely looks up.
So begins The Honourable Schoolboy, a 1977 Cold War spy novel by John le Carré. The book sealed the reputation of the Foreign Correspondents' Club as a place of mischievousness, harebrained schemes and occasional sobriety. For sixty-one years, the FCC has served as a hangout for some of the world's legendary reporters. Hugh van Es, the photographer who took the famous picture of Americans scrambling desperately into a helicopter during the evacuation of Saigon, was a regular until his death last year. His frequent barmate was Clare Hollingworth, the first reporter to break the news of the German invasion of Poland. (She had been driving along the Polish border when she noticed an ominous massing-up of Nazi troops.) Pushing one hundred, she still manages to drop in every day.
The club has changed almost beyond recognition since the day Hollingworth joined. The big-game reporting, and the men who pursued it, are gone. When Hong Kong was returned to China in 1997, many foreign news organizations closed their Hong Kong bureaus and opened offices in Beijing instead. More recently, the collapse of traditional news media has taken its toll, eliminating correspondent jobs and killing some of Asia's best English-language publications, like the muckraking Far Eastern Economic Review. These days, only business journalism and luxury lifestyle writing make money. Few well-established journalists practice the sort of broad-minded, general-interest reporting that was once the mainstay of good foreign correspondence.
Founded in Chongqing in 1943, the FCC briefly moved to Shanghai before ending up in Hong Kong in 1949. Its first home in the then-colonial free port was an old mansion halfway up Victoria Peak, overlooking the city, at which scenes for the 1955 Hollywood romance Love is a Many-Splendored Thing were shot. In the 1970s, when le Carré's novel was written, it was located on the fourteenth floor of Sutherland House, an office block in the heart of Hong Kong. The men's room, noted le Carré, "provided the Club's best view of the harbour." Its bar, according to long-time member Arthur Hacker, was "womb-shaped," which allowed conversations at one end to be picked up by those sitting at the other, "resulting in some spectacular punch-ups." The last stop for the club was in 1982, when it moved to its present quarters inside a Victorian-era ice warehouse at the top of a steep hill. Along with offices and meeting rooms, the club includes a bar, a dining room, a basement jazz bar and a gym. A photo of a man standing at a urinal while gazing out on the famous view from the fourteenth floor of Sutherland House hangs in the men's room.
Last February, on a warm winter evening, I met Diane Stormont at the FCC. Stormont worked for Reuters, the South China Morning Post and the Daily Telegraph. She was also president of the FCC in 1998 and 1999, the transformative period that immediately followed Hong Kong's handover to China. In other words, she belongs to the old guard.
I found Stormont sitting at the bar, dressed in her usual baggy polo shirt, jeans and runners, drinking Pinot gris. She ordered me a glass. "Until the early 1980s, there weren't many places to drink in Hong Kong," she said, and the FCC was a good spot to live by the old hack's maxim, "Never get a hangover on your own time." It was also the best place to get the gossip, both on the government—usually spread by staffers themselves—and on colleagues. "The gossip was usually only bad if it had to do with sex," she said, in which case someone would get a good thumping.
Stormont was born in Hong Kong to a British family. She was sent to England for school, but Hong Kong stayed in her thoughts, and she didn't wait long to return after she graduated in 1980. She found a job writing for Cathay Pacific's in-flight magazine. "They took me here for lunch and I joined the next day," she said. Back then, there was more drinking, more machismo and fewer rules. (Smoking made its exit with the bar fights; every twenty minutes or so during our meeting, Stormont would excuse herself and dash outside for a cigarette.)
"It was for women with no past and men with no future," she said with a wry smile and a journalist's calculated hyberbole. "Some of the members today would faint at what happened and was considered normal." Though Stormont felt out of place, both as a woman and as a young reporter with no war stories to share, it was a good opportunity to make connections and soak up the atmosphere of what everyone imagines journalism to be like.
There were some uproarious moments. When the FCC was located in Sutherland House, a policeman member stumbled into the club after a long day, stripped naked, reached behind the bar for a beer and sat down to watch television. He thought he was at home.
But that was then. Like most bits of FCC folklore, the exact details of such incidents have been lost in the hazy minds of journalists—those who deal with hard facts every day have no use for them after deadline. In his 1990 novel The Hong Kong Foreign Correspondents' Club, former Time Asia editor Anthony Spaeth called the FCC "an organization that satisfies mundane demands of its several hundred members—food, drink, companionship—but which, at the same time, labours to sustain its own slightly chimerical reputation of an exciting past." The FCC, in other words, is now in the business of creating a permanent nostalgia for better days that may or may not have existed.
That nostalgia extends to journalism as a whole. "Young journalists now work like slaves," said Stormont. In 1981, when she got into the trade, a proofreader's starting salary in Hong Kong was $7,500 HK ($1,000 CDN) per month. These days, a fresh graduate with a bachelor's degree in journalism won't make much more—most new junior reporters earn $10,000 HK. Of course, that's if they can find a staff job at all.
Few young faces are visible at the FCC; it's no surprise why. Back in the day, Stormont said, news organizations would take time to train their reporters. Now young journalists are little more than cheap labour who spend half their time rewriting press releases. The situation is bad even for veteran journalists. "I don't see the light at the end of the tunnel. I don't think anybody does," said Anthony Spaeth when I called him in Seoul, where he is now the editor of the JoongAng Daily, an English-language newspaper for expats, diplomats and Koreans learning English. "Everyone is just scrambling for whatever jobs still exist."
Spaeth was part of a wave of foreign correspondents writing for the new Asian editions of the Wall Street Journal, Time and the
International Herald Tribune. For the first time, correspondents were writing for both local and overseas readers. "That was a big revolution," he said, and Spaeth was on the front lines, working as the Asian Wall Street Journal's Manila bureau chief in the final days of the Marcos regime. "The Asian Wall Street Journal was very powerful in dictatorships like the Philippines and Korea. People would get their hands on copies, xeroxing them, faxing them around."
In 1994, Spaeth helped launch the Asian edition of Time, which took a broad, thorough look at the region. In 2006, Time-Warner gutted the magazine. "I don't read it anymore—they ended my free subscription," said Spaeth. He was one of several experienced correspondents to launch the Asia Sentinel, a web-based current affairs magazine, but it failed to find investors.
Great foreign correspondents have holes in their shoe leather and passports full of visas. They make complex stories digestible to readers, but they also unearth hidden information, hush-hush stuff, especially in countries that lack a free press. That's what happened in Cambodia in 1997, when Nate Thayer interviewed Pol Pot for the Far Eastern Economic Review, or 2006, when Tim McGirk, working for Time, discovered evidence that American troops massacred Iraqi civilians.
The FCC tries to keep this culture alive by organizing discussions with controversial leaders like Thailand's deposed prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, and by serving as a watchdog for press freedom. But the broader forces of news media remain beyond its control. Few outlets still support risky investigative journalism. Some parts of Asia have been written off almost entirely. "Time doesn't have a Tokyo bureau anymore," said Spaeth. "It was a robust bureau just a few years ago. Pick anything except for China and the quantity and quality of coverage has declined."
If there's a new generation of foreign correspondents, it's made up of freelancers writing for a smattering of print and online publications. Mitch Moxley has worked in Asia since 2006, when he travelled to Vietnam and reported on the lingering devastation of Agent Orange for Maisonneuve. He moved to Beijing the following year, which he uses as a base to travel around Asia; some of his most remarkable journeys to date have sent him on the trail of human traffickers to Macau and into
the bizarre underworld of Mongolian neo-Nazis. Moxley self-finances his trips and spins five or six stories out of each one, mostly for travel publications, which often pay better than news magazines or websites. It's exhausting. "I flirt with the idea of leaving every six months," he said.
Most of the reporting coming out of Asia these days is from the desks of wire services like Reuters and Bloomberg. They have been a boon to the FCC, buying corporate memberships and letting their staff loose on the bar. They have also been a lifesaver for journalists who jumped off the sinking ship of general-interest media: salaries are good, expense budgets generous and, in Bloomberg's Hong Kong office, there are free lattes and pastries. But their focus is mostly on business and financial news, and some doubt the ability of the financial media to carry the torch of foreign correspondence. One veteran journalist I spoke to, who didn't want to be named, recalled a story that Bloomberg submitted to be considered for a journalism award. It claimed to be an exposé on the backroom machinations of the Chinese Communist Party, but it was "just thoroughly nonsensical," said the journalist. "It probably took months to do the reporting, but they didn't know how to write or edit it. Bloomberg has a real hard time with enterprise stories."
The most upbeat journalist I encountered was Tom Mitchell, sitting president of the FCC. I met him in the club's top-floor dining room, where he sat in the corner with an entire table to himself. Mitchell is handsome, with tousled brown hair and strong features—like a Hollywood version of a veteran journalist. He was born in Massachusetts but raised for several years in Tehran, where his father worked for IBM and "sold computers to the Shah." His family returned to the US just before the Iranian Revolution. He found life in America excruciatingly boring, especially when he watched TV and saw what was going on in Iran. "I became a news junkie at eight years old," he said.
In 1992, he came to Hong Kong on a university exchange and ended up staying. He remembers his first visit to the FCC and how it reeked of smoke. "It was a grisly, intimidating place full of adults," he said. "Now it's totally smoke-free, thank God." He didn't join until 2003, when he was thirty-three.
Mitchell is now the South China correspondent for the Financial Times. He doesn't have the same tendency to indulge in boozy nostalgia as some of his colleagues. "I work for the Financial Times," he joked. "I can afford to be optimistic." Still, he acknowledges the extent to which foreign correspondence has crumbled, especially in Hong Kong. "The sad thing," he said, "is the loss of the titles—no more Washington Post, Times of London, Guardian, BBC. I mean, who is writing for the Globe and Mail from Hong Kong?"
There's also the loss of what once separated journalism from any other profession. "One of the things I like about journalism," said Mitchell, "is that it harbours interesting characters." Web-based, updated-by-the-minute journalism, however, doesn't leave much room for colour. Mitchell has to cover his daily beat, work on trend stories, long-term investigative projects—and write a daily blog if he has any time to spare.
After an hour of chatting with me, Mitchell's phone began to buzz. He had to go back to work. (Phones are meant to be turned off in the club, but nobody follows this rule, not even the president.) I followed him downstairs and gazed into the bar, which was full of men in suits and women in prim office wear. It reminded me of the private club where my dad was a member when I was a kid—it had the same businessy buzz, the same empty laughter and eager networking. The early days of Stormont's presidency were dominated by uncertainty—the club was in dire need of renovations, and the shaky political and economic atmosphere of the first post-handover years threw its very existence into question. Now, according to Mitchell, the FCC has around two thousand members, about 70 percent of whom are associate members: business executives, public relations people and lawyers. The correspondents might be leaving, but Mitchell seems satisfied with the direction the club is heading. "My operating philosophy is: it's not broke, so don't fix it," he said.
During our drink, Stormont told me the club had become more "politically correct" since the handover—the correspondent members who left were replaced by members who pay significantly more than journalists, all for the privilege of belonging to a club with a colourful history.
Stormont's presidency was the end of an era, and it passed with appropriate flourish. A week or so before Stormont's term was about to end, she was sitting in the FCC's basement sauna with Hugh van Es—who had all but retired from photojournalism at the time—drinking scotch and reminiscing. He decided to toast Stormont by throwing his scotch on the sauna's hot coals. The entire thing went up in flames. "He was following a Scandinavian tradition of throwing vodka on the coals, except we were drinking scotch," she said, chuckling. Stormont and van Es were unhurt, though a $45,000 HK repair bill was sent to the FCC's insurance company. "We had to act contrite and hide how we really felt," said Stormont. And how was that? She lowered her voice. "We thought it was hilarious!"
By that point, Stormont and I were on our second glasses of wine, and the bar was growing increasingly boisterous. I looked around: a high-ceilinged space with beige-painted brick walls, a dark wood bar, a tiled mosaic floor, pillars decorated by old magazine covers and photographs. It was cozy and agreeable, the kind of clubhouse I would seek if I were a more sociable journalist. Stormont seemed especially comfortable—it's her second home, really, a regular stopover between work at the University of Hong Kong and her home on Lantau Island. I counted a little over forty other people in the bar. I asked Stormont
how many of them were journalists. She examined the crowd. "Four," she replied. Ten minutes later, Patrick Smith, a correspondent for the International Herald Tribune, sat down next to us with a newspaper under his arm. "Now there's five."
See the rest of Issue 37 (Fall 2010).
Related on maisonneuve.org:
—How to Become a Street Artist in Hong Kong
—Adult Language
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MintLife Blog > Saving > What Different States Are Saving For According to Google
What Different States Are Saving For According to Google
August 13, 2020 (Last Modified: August 19, 2020 ) / Mint
As our lifestyles and budgets have drastically changed since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us have found ourselves spending less and saving more. With the personal savings rate in the US hitting a record high of 33 percent, it’s clear that consumers’ priorities have shifted. We decided to dive into Google search data to figure out which long-term savings goals were most important to people in different states across America.
To find out, we compiled some of the top Google searches from the SEO analysis tool Ahrefs related to saving money. Then, we picked five of the top savings-related terms over the last 12 months to analyze using the tool Google Trends, allowing us to determine Americans’ savings goals in different states. These top goals included saving for a car, college, house, retirement, and an emergency fund. We showcased our findings in the illustrations below.
Our high-level findings include:
Searches around saving for retirement topped the list, followed by saving for a house.
States in the Midwest and the Northeast were most concerned with saving for retirement, with New York, Iowa, Wisconsin, Massachusetts, and Nebraska in the top five.
Western states are searching for how to save for a house more than states in any other region, with Colorado, Utah, and Idaho ranking in the top three.
What Savings Topics are States Searching for the Most?
Google search data shows that people searching for information related to retirement savings and saving for a house significantly outnumber people searching about other savings goals.
Could Americans be having a change in heart when it comes to retirement savings? Could increased interest in saving for a house in the West be a byproduct of the mass exodus from coastal cities post-COVID-19? Take a look at the various search volumes of savings-related Google searches to gauge how collective interest in saving overpowers the desire to spend on non-essentials.
States Most Concerned With Retirement Savings
Although the Midwest and the Northeast have quite different costs of living, states in these two regions are considered most concerned with saving for retirement according to Google. Regardless of their current living expenses, Internet search interest in long-term savings goals trumps interest in discretionary spending.
With increased concern regarding health and security in the wake of the pandemic, it’s no surprise that people across the country are reevaluating their saving habits. After all, the US doesn’t have the strongest track record when it comes to saving for retirement.
According to the Economic Policy Institute (EPI), most American families — including those approaching the age of retirement — have minimal retirement savings. In fact, the EPI’s 2016 study found that nearly half of all working-age families have zero retirement account savings, while the median (50th percentile) family had only $7,800 saved in these accounts.
Even most workers in the top 10 percentile do not have enough in savings to maintain their standard of living in retirement — the median balance nationwide for this group is $200,000. Hopefully, Americans will keep up the momentum with prioritizing saving post-pandemic. One major challenge will be not dipping into their retirement funds during periods of financial stress.
States Where Saving for a House is the Priority
We found that people from Western states had the highest intent of saving for a home, with the top three most interested states being Colorado, Utah, and Idaho.
With lower mortgage interest rates due to the ongoing pandemic, prospective home buyers are getting into bidding wars over high demand and low supply. According to a report from the Colorado Association of Realtors, buyers have been quickly jumping on limited inventory now since strict stay-at-home orders were lifted.
However, with home prices on the rise nationwide, it makes sense that people would be fervently saving in order to afford the house of their choice. When you consider how expensive home prices are, it’s unsurprising that saving for a downpayment must be a financial priority.
This is especially true for residents of Hawaii and California, states that ranked #4 and #9 respectively for the highest volume of searches related to saving to buy a house. Hawaii and California are two of the states where saving for a down payment takes the longest. Not only are the houses pricey, but also renting in these states often won’t save you a considerable amount compared to getting a mortgage.
Median Down Payment Required*
Colorado $81,759
Utah $71,097
Idaho $41,040
Hawaii $145,586
Oregon $74,574
Nebraska $29,965
Wisconsin $40,535
Alabama $28,614
California $117,610
Nevada $61,946
*An estimated median savings per month (20%) based on the median household income per state is used to determine how many months it would take to save for a 20% deposit based on each state’s median home value.
Although different states are prioritizing different types of savings and investments, it’s clear that there has been an increased collective interest in saving over the past year. It’s interesting to consider the role of the pandemic in contributing to “forced savings”. As a result of nationwide shutdowns, there are fewer natural opportunities to spend money and Americans are honing in on saving to be more prepared for their futures.
There’s no question that Americans are refocusing on the importance of having a financial safety net in preparation for crises like COVID-19. As the pandemic wears on, it gives people opportunities to develop budgeting habits and prioritize their financial health. With the right mindset and budget, reaching a huge savings goal is feasible for anyone.
First, we gathered some of the top Google searches from Ahrefs related to saving money. Next, we analyzed the search volumes of these savings-related terms in different states using Google Trends. This allowed us to determine which savings goals are the most important to people in different states, according to their Google searches. These goals included saving for a car, college, house, retirement, and an emergency fund.
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Our Attendees
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Paintings and Miniatures
Miniature portrait of the Grand Duke Pavel Alexandrovich in childhood
the 1850-1860's
Ivory, glass, metal, enamel, lapis lazuli, leather; watercolours, gouache, casting, gilding
16.2 х 12.0 х 8.7 cm
A double-sided portrait miniature with a chest-high portrait of a boy in a coral-coloured Russian-style shirt is inserted in an oval glass plate. It is fixed flexible. The viewer sees not only the face of the child, but his back and neck, that is, the reverse of the miniature. The miniature is fixed on an artistically decorated stand with four Renaissance male and female figurines. The whole composition is mounted on a rectangular base lined with lapis lazuli, on the reverse side of which is the name and title of the depicted person: "ВЕЛИКIЙ КНЯЗЬ ПАВЕЛЪ АЛЕКСАНДРОВИЧЬ" (GRAND DUKE PAVEL ALEKSANDROVICH).
Presented series of portraits is stylistically and compositionally close to children's portraits of the 1850s by the Court artist Woldemar Hau (1816-1895). This miniature could be executed on the master's layout original.
Pavel Alexandrovich (1860-1919) - the Grand Duke, the youngest son of the Emperor Alexander II (1818-1881) and the Empress Maria Alexandrovna (1824-1880), the brother of the Emperor Alexander III. In 1889, he married the Princess Alexandra of Greece (1870-1891). After her death in 1902, he re-entered a morganatic marriage with Olga Valerianovna Pistolkors (1865-1929, from 1915 - Princess Paley), after which he was dismissed from service, stripped of his rank and expelled from Russia. In 1908, on the occasion of his daughter's from his first marriage wedding, he was forgiven by the Emperor Nicholas II and got a permission to return to Russia. He was shot by the Bolsheviks on the night of January 29-30, 1919 in the Peter and Paul fortress. The place of his burial is unknown.
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The Grizzlies gets into only a few minor scrapes on its way to a rousing finale
Chris Knight: Canada continues to push forward with stories of Aboriginal culture, sometimes stumbling badly
A scene from The Grizzlies. Photo by Shane Mahood / Mongrel Media
With so much talk these days of cultural appropriation and well-meaning but kind of racist movies (see The Upside, Green Book, The Best of Enemies), this based-in-fact story gave me pause. It’s the tale of a small town in Nunavut whose youth were inspired and given a sense of pride by the formation of a sports team.
On the one hand, the guy who creates the team is a white teacher from the south, played by Ben Schnetzer. And the film’s writing and directing talents are white too – Canadians Moira Wally-Beckett (Breaking Bad) and Graham Yost crafted the screenplay, while Miranda de Pencier makes her feature directing debut.
But the game in question is lacrosse, a First Nations sport (though not Inuit) with at least a thousand-year history. It was once played with teams numbering in the hundreds, the goals up to 10 kilometres apart. Imagine the intensity of football on a field the size of a golf course with more players than the Blue Jays have spectators these days.
Schnetzer plays Russ Sheppard, looking to bulk up his teaching resume with a year in the hamlet of Kugluktuk. But he’s unprepared for the students’ unenthusiastic response to education. Some need to spend time out on the land to help with hunting; others find it hard to get motivated when they can’t picture a future; and a few are dead. As the film notes darkly, the suicide rate in 2004, when it’s set, was 11 times the national rate, or 121 per 100,000 people. It’s come down in the years since, but not nearly enough.
The film highlights many of the problems facing the First Nations of the Far North, including the lasting impact of the residential school system, and the fact – recently “rediscovered” by the CBC – that basic groceries are several times more expensive there. There’s a quiet subplot about one of the kids (Paul Nutarariaq) not having enough to eat. And Will Sasso in comic-relief mode tells Russ how he handles the isolation of the North: “I do the same thing everyone else does; I drink.”
Monty Python’s Life of Brian is resurrected
Breakthrough feels like it would be more at home on small screens than the big one
But the film really clicks thanks to the strong performances of its First Nations actors, including Tantoo Cardinal as a cynical council member and Emerald MacDonald as the quietly brilliant student Miranda. First-timers like Ricky Marty-Pahtaykan (his character has to sneak out to lacrosse practice so his grandparents won’t find out) rub shoulders with the likes of Booboo Stewart, whose credits include the Twilight and X-Men franchises. And there’s no better aid to verisimilitude than filming in the Arctic, with Iqaluit standing in for Kugluktuk.
Canada continues to push forward with stories of Aboriginal culture, sometimes stumbling badly. (At the risk of drawing forth more angry letters, I’ll repeat that last year’s Indian Horse was a great story told poorly.) The Grizzlies gets into only a few minor scrapes on its way to a rousing finale that beautifully subverts the sports-movie trope of the come-from-behind victory. And the soundtrack, stocked with wildly modern First Nations music, has almost as much to say as the story on the screen.
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Conservation example momentum of of law
Conservation of momentum definition and synonyms of. An important theory in physics is the law of momentum conservation. the momentum of each object may change, but the total momentum must remain the same. example:.
Law Of Conservation Of Linear Momentum Examples and
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Physics for Kids Momentum and Collisions Ducksters
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Law of Conservation of Momentum Example Video YouTube. A conservation law is a statement used in physics that says that the amount of something does not change in time. that thing could be as simple as mass or charge, or, the law of conservation of momentum tells us that the amount of momentum for a system doesn't change. in this lesson, we'll explore how that can be....
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Law of Conservation of Momentum Lab Answers – SchoolWorkHelper. Example 1! a 50-gram tennis ball is traveling at law of conservation of momentum! whenever two isolated, unchanged particles interact with each other, https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservation_law The law of conservation of momentum. total momentum and a closed system.
Conservation of momentum with examples. finally using conservation of momentum law we find the velocity of the system. impulse momentum exams and solutions. define conservation of momentum we also discuss the examples that law of conservation of momentum and law of conservation of angular momentum are
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Conservation of momentum is a fundamental law of physics which states that the momentum of a system is constant if there are no external forces acting on the system. a really good example, and one you've probably seen before is the toy newton's cradle. five balls suspended on strings hang in a line, you pull one back and release
Conservation of momentum is a fundamental law of physics which states that the momentum of a system is constant if there are no external forces acting on the system. law of conservation of linear momentum states that the total momentum of a system of particles remains constant, so long as no external forces act on the...
21 sentence examples: 1. conservation of momentum, the law of restitution that sort of stuff. 2. the principle of conservation of momentum holds whatever the nature 21 sentence examples: 1. conservation of momentum, the law of restitution that sort of stuff. 2. the principle of conservation of momentum holds whatever the nature
Conservation of momentum with examples. finally using conservation of momentum law we find the velocity of the system. impulse momentum exams and solutions. law of conservation of momentum states that "when no external force acts on system of bodies and there is collision among them then the total linear
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GayNZ.com Blogger Zone
GayNZ.com Blogs
The Archers Hand
Some very different LGBT New Zealand writers are here to amuse, surprise, educate and at times unsettle you in GayNZ.com’s Blogger Zone.
Let’s meet our blogging crew…
Chaz Harris is an award-winning writer and filmmaker originally from the UK now based in Wellington. Chaz previously won Stuff.co.nz’s Blog Idol 2 competition with his blog “Over the Rainbow”. He is currently working on getting his first feature film made and is a co-founder of film technology start-up eHoncho.
Me Again get the last word?
Michael Stevens knows he’s going to piss a few people off with his blogging views – “but hell, that’s their problem, right?” Writing, like cigarettes and good sex, can get to be an addictive vice, and Michael says he’s a happy addict of at least two of these. As he types about Auckland’s gay nightlife and culture, keep your eye on the comments section of the blog… will the knives be out for him, or will The Gay Blade get the last word?
Craig Young is a well-respected commentator on the influences of politics and religion on LGBT New Zealanders. We let him loose on whatever topic captures his attention. Craig humbly describes himself as a forty-*mumble* cat-slave and Doctor Who fan… but his opinions on his Proclamations of the Red Queen blog will be anything but humble.
Craig Hoyle a city boy living the metropolitan dream. Arriving in Auckland from the darkest reaches of the South Island, he now struggles to imagine a life without traffic or homeless people. His fellow students don’t believe him when he tells them h used to know how to drive tractors. Country music is one of his guilty pleasures, and David Bain sweaters are also right up there. Visit Que Sera
Christopher Banks is a filmmaker, journalist and musician with experience of bipolar disorder. He’s also a bear, hence the title of the blog. He works for the Mental Health Foundation and is a founding trustee of Number 8 Films. He lives in West Auckland, New Zealand, and is married to Dean, his partner of fifteen years. Bipolar Bear
Jeremy Lambert is a communications and management consultant based in Auckland. He is a former senior public servant and parliamentary secretary. He has also served as the Chair of the New Zealand AIDS Foundation, and was part of the campaign team for civil unions in 2002-2003. Jeremy’s blog is The Archer’s Hand
Lesbotron lives life like there’s no tomorrow. And when tomorrow comes she has a moment of “did I really do that?” and then writes about her experiences be it hilarious, weird or insane. A little like the Real L Word and a pinch of Jersey Shore, Les-be-fun is worth a bit of a laugh over. Les-be-fun
Archived posts of Vanity Rules and Kitten Power will return soon.
Sorry, I couldn't find any recent posts matching your parameters.
Opinions presented in our Blogger Zone are those of the individual blog
authors and do not necessarily represent the opinions of GayNZ.com
Copyright © GayNZ.com New Zealand
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Paying Pentagon to Rob Pell?
DC Shuttle …
U.S. Senate Debates Education Appropriations with Focus on Pell Funds.
The Senate began debate on an $857 billion spending bill for the departments of Defense, Labor, Health and Human Services, as well as Education and other agencies. It is the first time education appropriations had been debated on the Senate floor since 2007 and the amendment process is expected to be tedious. The bill would allocate $179 billion for labor, health and education programs. The bill includes domestic and military appropriations. Tying the two together, it is thought, would put pressure on President Trump to sign the spending measure. The administration said it’s “concerned” the bill would fund 28 “unnecessary” education programs, totaling $6 billion, that Trump had cut in his budget request. The White House said that those programs “are duplicative, narrowly focused or unable to demonstrate effectiveness.” House leadership may also bring up a vote on the military and domestic spending together in order to pressure members. There’s a difference between how the two chambers would handle Pell funding, Roll Call reports. Both chambers and the White House would fund the program at $22.5 billion in fiscal 2019, the same as the current year. To fund Pell, the House version (H.R. 6470) would tap into Pell’s remaining $7.4 billion surplus. The Senate bill (S. 3158) would add another $100 increase in the maximum award and would access an additional $39 million in mandatory fiscal 2019 Pell funds. But the Senate would also rescind $600 million from Pell surplus balances to pay for other spending in the bill. Leadership will announce the lineup for amendments this week.
U.S. Dept of Ed Announces Plan to Rescind Gainful Employment. The Education Department announced a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that proposes to rescind Gainful Employment (GE) regulations. The announcement opens a 30-day comment period on the proposed change. Following the comment period, the department then must review and respond to the comments, with the timeline after that unknown. The Education Department had signaled its intention to rescind the rule last month. The department said that in place of the GE regulations, it intends to expand disclosure of data on student debt and graduate earnings through the government College Scorecard website or a similar online venture. The announcement can be found in the Federal Register here, and readers can comment here on the proposed change. Comments are due by Sept. 13. The Washington Post reported on the announcement. Inside Higher Ed joined a chorus in reporting that the change will benefit for-profit institutions. Roll Call reported that the change will cost the government. The Daily World of Washington state reported that Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), the ranking Democrat on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, has spoken out against the proposal.
Federal Commission on School Safety Holds final Meeting.
The Federal Commission on School Safety held its fifth, and final scheduled meeting at the White House. The meeting highlighted an Indiana school’s high-tech security features with a focus “on best practices for school building security, active shooter training for schools, and practitioner experience with school-based threat assessment.” The Department of Homeland Security, hosted the session. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and fellow commission members Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and HHS Secretary Alex Azar were all in attendance.
We publish the DC Shuttle each week featuring higher ed news from Washington collected by the New England Council, of which NEBHE is a member. This edition is drawn from the Higher Education Update in the Council’s Weekly Washington Report of Aug. 20, 2018. For more information, please visit: www.newenglandcouncil.com.
Filed under DC Shuttle.
Tags: DC Shuttle, federal education policy, the New England Council
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Reference photo: Franco Origlia/Getty
Alexander Zaitchik/ November 14, 2019
Can the Catholic Church Save the Amazon?
A dispatch from Pope Francis’s efforts to combat climate change—and to give a diminished Church a new indigenous face
Illustration by Mallory Heyer
On a blue-skied October Sunday morning in Rome, an 85-year-old cardinal of the Catholic Church named Cláudio Hummes celebrated mass at the stone altar of the Catacombs of Santa Domitilla, a crypt of early Christian martyrs beneath the city’s southern outskirts. Even by the standards of the Roman Church, the sepulchral ceremony ran thick with symbolism. The vestment draped around Hummes’s neck once belonged to Dom Hélder Câmara, Brazil’s “archbishop of the slums,” who famously said, “When I feed the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why they are poor, they call me a communist.” And it was at Santa Domitilla, 54 years earlier, that Câmara led the signing of the “Catacombs’ Pact of the Poor and Servant Church,” a signal event in the rise of liberation theology, a Christian-Marxist hybrid movement that for decades aligned many leading figures of the Latin clergy with popular struggles from Chile to Chiapas.
Hummes and 40 bishops had followed Câmara’s footsteps to Santa Domitilla to renew the 1965 pact and sign another in the same vein, called the “Catacombs Pact for the Common Home.” The 2019 pact vows commitment “to an integral ecology in which all is interconnected [and] all beings are sons and daughters of the earth.” The text expresses urgency before a climate crisis driven by the “violence of a predatory and consumerist economic system” that threatens all of creation—nowhere more critically than in the supernova of life that is the Amazon rain forest.
The bishops gathered in Rome marked the pact by singing Latin canticles, backed by indigenous attendees from Peru and Brazil who rattled shell-shakers in time. The mass had the look, sound, and politics of what Pope Francis hopes will be a Church with an “Amazonian face,” a project that could carry profound implications for an institution that claims the attention, if not quite the old allegiance, of 1.2 billion people.
Just as Câmara’s 1965 pact was signed in the final weeks of the Second Vatican Council, reflecting the reform agenda of Pope Paul VI, the 2019 sequel follows the thrust of Catholic social teaching under Pope Francis. The pact takes its name from Francis’s 2015 encyclical—On Care for Our Common Home, better known as Laudato Si—which introduced the concept of “integral ecology” to Church doctrine. Building on seven centuries of Church writings, from St. Aquinas to Pope Benedict XVI, Laudato Si makes the Catholic case for a holistic approach to climate change, inequality, resource depletion, social breakdown, pollution, and development. It put a radical concept at the center of an institution not known for radicalism.
Laudato Si put a radical concept at the center of an institution not known for radicalism.
Integral ecology was the animating idea behind last month’s Synod on the Amazon, a 21-day convocation of senior clergy that brought 185 bishops and cardinals, including the signatories to the Catacombs Pact, to Rome. The gathering was the fourth synod of Francis’s papacy. But this one was different. Along with the usual red and pink skullcaps, the synodal chamber featured the headdresses of dozens of indigenous “auditors” from the Amazon, invited by the Pope not to be baptized, but in a spirit of reconciliation and humilitus.
The overture was a clear expression of the ethos of Laudato Si. As developed in Francis’s signature encyclical, integral ecology demands “a new and universal solidarity” that approaches nature with “openness to awe and wonder” and fights to replace fossil fuels “without delay.” By seeking to address the spiritual dimension of humanity’s predicament, the idea complements secular conversations happening around the need for new social and economic thinking in the face of the climate crisis. Just about any section of Laudato Si could have been excerpted in the Extinction Rebellion Handbook.
Francis’s vision as expressed in the October synod naturally has its skeptics and outright opponents. Many would-be secular allies see the Church as a deeply compromised force for moral leadership. There are reactionary Catholics who fear any adulteration of “divine revelation” and what they consider the Church’s narrow evangelical mission. There are Amazonian governments, notably that of the right-wing strongman Jair Bolsonaro, who bristle at outside attention and involvement in regional land conflicts. And there are, of course, the myriad corporate interests that would prefer the Church to stick to the business of saving souls.
For the Pope’s enemies within the Church, the Amazon Synod was a parade of horrors. Days after the June release of its working document, or Instrumentum Laboris, the German Cardinal Walter Brandmüller wrote that the agenda constituted a “heretical” attack on the “hierarchical-sacramental constitution of the Church.” The Pope’s respectful inclusion of indigenous cultures in a discussion of Church doctrine and reforms—“getting out of the boat of colonialism and into the canoes,” as one bishop put it—was for the 90-year-old prelate an “apostasy” that reduced the Church to “a secular NGO with an ecological-social-psychological mandate.”
Pope Francis receives a plant from an Amazon native as he celebrates the closing mass of the Synod on Amazonia on October 27, 2019, at Saint Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican.
Andreas Solaro/AFP/ Getty
A week before the synod opened, the U.S. Archbishop Raymond Burke, in a First Things interview with Sohrab Ahmari, repeated Brandmüller’s charge of apostasy and assailed the notion that the Church “should learn from the culture [of the Amazon]” as a wicked role reversal that “denies the fact that the Church brings the message of Christ, who alone is our salvation.”
Then came the synod’s opening ceremony, followed by a metaphorical—and, for some traditionalists, literal—breaking loose of all hell.
On the afternoon of October 4, the Pope consecrated the synod to St. Francis of Assisi at a service in the Vatican Gardens. Following a Catholic liturgy, a delegation of indigenous women performed a prayer for the Earth and presented the Pope with three small, wood-carved statuettes of pregnant women, which they carried aloft in a canoe. The Pope blessed the rough-hewn figures, described by one of the women as “Our Lady of the Amazon.”
When images of the ceremony hit the internet, conservative Catholic commentators rent their garments over the sacrilege of “pagan idols” in the Vatican Gardens. Where the assembled bishops saw symbols of fertility and maternity, traditionalist websites saw the “naked demon Pachamama” and “a dragon smuggled into the Vatican in the guise of a woman.” In a post titled “The Pachamama Pope,” Rod Dreher of The American Conservative wondered if the statues didn’t herald the fulfillment of an end-times prophecy known as the “abomination of desolation in the temple.”
During the synod, the statues were put on display at the Church of St. Mary in Traspontina, a basilica near the Vatican. They remained there until the predawn hours of October 21, when they were stolen by two men who traveled to Rome from Austria after reading about the “idols” on conservative Catholic websites. Because the culprits posted a video on YouTube showing where they threw the three statues into the Tiber River, they were recovered the next day. The Pope asked forgiveness for the theft, his second public apology to the synod’s indigenous guests in as many weeks.
The conservative outrage on display during the synod was about much more than the Pope’s blessing of a few wooden fertility statues, or even the project of an Amazonian church reflecting local cultures and sensibilities. The synod was centered around a larger debate suggesting a general recalibration of the role of women in local ministries and, perhaps eventually, the Church hierarchy. This was reflected in the makeup of the synod—an unprecedented 39 women took part, including lay Catholics, nuns, and nine indigenous women.
It was very likely the first-ever use of the word “vagina” in a synodal chamber.
The latter brought an earthiness that was previously unknown to the stiff, rarefied atmosphere of Vatican debate. This was especially true of Anitalia Pijachi, a Huitoto woman from the rain forests of southern Colombia, whose frank speech earned her the unofficial synodal nickname “Terror of the Bishops.” Early in the sessions, she reminded every man in the room, including the Pope, exactly how they came into the world. It was very likely the first-ever use of the word “vagina” in a synodal chamber. This was as the Pope intended. At the opening session, he told participants to speak with parrhesia, a Greek word for testifying boldly and without fear.
Much of the media coverage of the synod focused on the conversations around allowing married priests and female deacons to administer sacraments in remote regions of the Amazon. But dwelling too narrowly on these marquee doctrinal debates risked missing their larger significance. The absorption, or “incultration” in Church terms, of indigenous culture and spirituality in Amazonian churches promises—or, depending on your politics, threatens—to exert a feminizing and democratizing influence on the Latin Church and beyond.
“We must reinterpret the traditions and give women the role that belongs to them,” said Eleazar Lopez Hernandez, an indigenous Catholic priest and leader in the movement of indigenous clergy from Tehuantepec, Mexico.
“The mercy and tenderness of Mary helped indigenous cultures in Latin America understand Jesus from a female perspective, because in the ancestral Mesoamerican religions, the father and mother together generate life,” said Hernandez, who wore a Zapotec patterned coat over his black clergy shirt and priest’s collar. “It’s time to recover this and be in tune with local traditions, with reverence expressed in local schemes. The wisdom of indigenous people is valid, it predates the Church, and it will help the world.”
Indigenous leaders take part in a procession with prelates on October 19, 2019.
Vincenzo Pinto/AFP/Getty
The final synod document recommends several reforms and conceptual refinements related to the role of women in the church. Quoting Francis and Paul VI, it advises the church to strengthen female participation and leadership in pastoral councils and government, and “recognize them as protagonists and guardians of creation and our ‘common home.’” It pledges to fight abuse and trafficking in the region, and notes that “the ancestral wisdom of the peoples affirms that mother earth has a feminine face.”
This is no squishy theological shift. In 2018, two indigenous people were killed every week in the Amazon fighting to protect its forests and rivers. Bearing witness in the region is a bloody business and not a pursuit for anyone feeling skittish about martyrdom. (One of the longest-running records of this violence is maintained by the Brazilian Church’s Pastoral Land Commission, created in the mid-1970s, at the crest of liberation theology.)
This was the message delivered in Rome by Patricia Gualinga, a Kichwa leader from Ecuador living under a state protection program due to death threats from local loggers. She described the atmosphere of violence while standing beneath photos of Amazon Church martyrs that lined the walls of the synodal chamber. Among them was the image of Sister Dorothy Stang, an Ohio-born nun and candidate for patron saint of the Amazonian Church. In 2005, Stang was shot six times at close range by two cattlemen on a remote road in Para, Brazil. According to a witness, she opened her Bible and read proverbs from the Beatitudes to her killers as they took aim with their weapons.
It was a Brazilian bishop at the synod who noted, “It is not for lack of holiness that we don’t have female priests.”
The movement to canonize Stang is a good reminder that culture-war bloggers and the odd traditionalist cardinal are not the real enemies of a Church with an Amazonian face. Francis and the bishops are vowing spiritual war against earthly powers that defend their interests with lawyers and lobbyists, with investments in think tanks and media networks, and with guns and armies.
The earliest critics of the synod were the far-right president of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, and members of his inner circle. In February, the general who runs Brazil’s domestic intelligence told a São Paulo newspaper, “We are worried, and we want to neutralize this thing.” Inside the Vatican, rumors circulated that Brazil had sent agents to Rome to monitor synod participants.
It’s easy to see why Bolsonaro is troubled: Polls show that 85 percent of Brazil’s 123 million Catholics see destroying the Amazon as a sin. Nor is Bolsonaro’s the only government in the region displeased by the prospect of a globally connected and environmentally committed Amazonian Church.
Polls show that 85 percent of Brazil’s 123 million Catholics see destroying the Amazon as a sin.
“Opposition will grow,” said Patricia Gualinga, the Kichwa leader from Ecuador. “Those who say the synod is an ugly thing have invested a lot of money into activities that violate our rights and communities. Many are very close to governments who back extractive industries. They are upset because we are touching their comfort.”
“When you mess with financial power, you get backlash,” said Mauricio Lopez, executive secretary of Red Eclesial Panamazónica, or REPAM, a network of Amazonian state churches backed by the Latin American Bishops Conference. The real problem, Lopez noted, is that some of that financial power is rooted in the Church itself. “Many groups with influence inside the Church are linked to the interests that Francis is denouncing,” he said. “This synod will produce a more direct confrontation with those who want the Church to be silent or collaborate with power.”
REPAM is a network of local churches with an international reach. It has a formal relationship with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights in Washington, D.C., and produces reports on violence and illegal development in the nine Amazonian countries. It is also involved with the fossil-fuels divestment campaign spearheaded by the Global Catholic Climate Movement. After the synod was announced, ten dioceses in Austria announced they would divest from fossil fuels, joining 150 other Catholic financial institutions, including Caritas and the Austrian Bishops’ Conference. The next big prize in the GCCM’s sights is the Vatican Bank and its $9 billion to $15 billion in managed assets.
“Catholic institutions make up over 10 percent of institutions that have divested worldwide,” says Tomás Insua, the Argentinean director of the GCCM. “There is a clear moral imperative to step away from fossil fuels and toward renewable energy. The Pope understands this. The momentum for divestment within the Church grows every day.”
In a narrow sense, the seeds of the Amazon Synod were planted during a 2017 papal trip to the Amazon. But one could argue they were visible in Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio’s decision to name his papacy after the patron saint of ecology, St. Francis of Assisi, a thirteenth-century musician-mystic and pilgrim-preacher known for animal-whispering and his love of trees. The Pope opened his 2015 encyclical with Francis of Assisi’s “Canticle of the Creatures”—“Praise be to you [Laudato si’], my Lord, through our Sister, Mother Earth, who sustains and governs us”—and returns to him throughout, describing him “as the example par excellence of care for the vulnerable and of an integral ecology lived out joyfully and authentically.”
This spirit survived a two-thirds vote and infused the final synod document presented to the Pope on October 26. Titled “Amazonia: New Ways for the Church and for an Integral Ecology,” it lays out in 120 paragraphs a plan to concretely enact the agenda of Laudato Si. “The celebration ends with great joy and hope,” it reads, “of embracing and practicing the new paradigm of integral ecology, the care of the ‘common home’ and the defense of the Amazon.”
On the night before the concluding Mass, the Vatican rushed out translations of the document. Much of the press corps was still working through its pages the following morning as it waited at a side entrance to St. Peter’s Basilica. Austen Ivereigh, the London-based dean of liberal Catholic journalists and a biographer of Pope Francis, seemed especially pleased. I arrived at the church to find him holding court on the virtues of the synod’s recommendations on married priests, a female deaconate, and a raft of ideas for answering “the cry of the wounded earth and its inhabitants.”
“This was the most remarkable of the many synods I’ve covered,” he told me. “The final document says that what’s happening in the Amazon is so unique and urgent that it requires bold creative thinking—the Pope kept using the verb desborde, to overflow like a river. It calls for local churches where lay people and women are actively involved in ministries. This Amazonian Church will be able to articulate the needs of indigenous people to international bodies and the national governments. You can see why Bolsonaro feels threatened. It also awakens deep fears among traditionalists who find change threatening, because they find the world threatening.”
Two indigenous people were killed every week in the Amazon fighting to protect the region’s forests and rivers.
At mass that morning, the Pope entered to the equivalent of his papal fight song, Francis of Assisi’s “Laudes Creaturarum” (Praise of the Creatures). During the offertory, an indigenous woman presented him with a potted plant from the Amazon. The simple plant remained on the altar the remainder of the service, a bright flash of color and life against the weight of so much bronze and marble.
For his homily, the Pope told the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, a choice widely seen as a direct message to the synod’s critics.
“The root of every spiritual error is believing ourselves to be righteous,” the Pope said. “In this synod we have had the grace of listening to the voices of [those] threatened by predatory models of development. Many have testified to us that it is possible to look at reality in a different way, accepting it with open arms as a gift, treating the created world not as a resource to be exploited but as a home to be preserved, with trust in God.”
Everyone, including the Pope, understands the Church is a complicated and compromised ally in Latin America. Beginning with the mass tortures and genocides committed by cross-wielding Castilian conquistadors, the church has been complicit in centuries of repression and violence. This history has always overshadowed a parallel history of clergy championing indigenous rights and social justice. Last month, this shadow began to withdraw.
“This synod has transformed our relationship with the Catholic Church,” read a statement by the coordinating body of indigenous organizations of the Amazon basin, or COICA. “Five centuries after the missionaries arrived from Europe with the Portuguese and Spanish colonizers and sanctioned their treatment of us as less than human… this valiant Pope and his army of bishops and priests have promised to walk with us and help us transform a development model that endangers the entire planet.”
Skeptical secularists might consider the indigenous example as they take measure of the Church as a potential ally. The fate of retrograde Church positions on contraception, abortion, and gay marriage won’t be decided in the next 20 years, but the fate of the Amazon will be. The Church is set to play a pivotal role in this fight. In doing so, it can also breathe new life into conversations around the moral and spiritual dimensions of the current crisis—conversations about the void at the center of a consumer economy that is driving the world to ruin.
The Pope’s traditionalist critics are wrong to describe integral ecology as a left-wing project of the Latin Church—liberation theology with a green NGO façade. It is actually a blueprint for a much more profound transformation, premised on a rejection of the materialist worldview shared by left and right alike. It challenges extractivist governments in La Paz, Guayaquil, and Lima as much as the one in Brasilia. It asks that wealth be created, shared, and consumed in new ways, everywhere.
It is, in other words, a monumental project on the scale of ancient Rome, to be completed in a very short amount of time. The odds are not great. But providing the indigenous inhabitants of the Amazon with a megaphone the size of the Catholic Church is a good start. And if the Pope can’t throw a Hail Mary, who can?
Alexander Zaitchik is a freelance journalist and the author of The Gilded Rage: A Wild Ride Through Donald Trump’s America.
Politics, Catholic Church, Environment, Climate Change, Amazon Rainforest, Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, Pope Francis, Peru
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Photo Release -- Northrop Grumman Proves Concept for New B-2 Satellite Communication System
Laboratory Demo Proves Design, Performance of New Company-Designed Antenna
REDONDO BEACH, Calif. â May 15, 2013 â Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has successfully completed a ground demonstration of a communication system that would allow the U.S. Air Force's B-2 stealth bomber to operate with the Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) satellite network.
The end-to-end tests prove the maturity of the technologies required to begin full-scale development of a new satellite communications system.
Northrop Grumman conducted the demo April 18 at its Space Park facility in Redondo Beach. It included a prototype active electronically scanned array (AESA) antenna developed by the company, a government-furnished Navy Multi-band Terminal and an AEHF engineering model payload.
Northrop Grumman is the Air Force's prime contractor for the B-2, the flagship of the nation's long-range strike arsenal, and one of the world's most survivable aircraft.
"Our tests suggest that once a B-2 is equipped with our new antenna and an extremely high frequency [EHF] radio, communication will occur accurately and securely with the AEHF satellite network during all phases of the aircraft's mission," said Maria Tirabassi, Northrop Grumman's product manager for B-2 EHF antenna systems. "This capability would allow it to operate more effectively in anti-access/area-denial environments."
The company conducted the tests at EHF frequencies using secure transmission techniques, added Tirabassi. Her test team plans to repeat the laboratory demos in the near future using other B-2 satellite terminal candidates, including a government-furnished Family of Beyond Line-of-Sight Terminal.
The AEHF engineering model payload is representative of EHF satellite payloads currently on orbit. It is used by the U.S. Air Force, Navy and Army to test new EHF satellite terminals prior to testing them with operational satellites.
Earlier this year, Northrop Grumman validated the performance of the AESA antenna on instrumented test ranges. The tests verified the antenna's performance over its entire transmit and receive frequency band, and over its required range of scan angles. The AESA antenna will allow the B-2 to send and receive battlefield information at data rates significantly faster than its current satellite communications system.
Following completion of the current AEHF laboratory demos, Northrop Grumman plans to demonstrate the ability of the AESA antenna and a terminal to communicate directly "over the air" with an operational AEHF satellite.
The B-2 is the only long-range, large-payload U.S. aircraft that can penetrate deeply into access-denied airspace, and the only combat-proven stealth platform in the current U.S. inventory. In concert with the Air Force's air superiority fleet, which provides airspace control, and the Air Force's tanker fleet, which enables global mobility, the B-2 can help protect U.S. interests anywhere in the world. It can fly more than 6,000 nautical miles unrefueled and more than 10,000 nautical miles with just one aerial refueling, giving it the ability to reach any point on the globe within hours.
The latest B-2 product news and information from Northrop Grumman is available at http://www.northropgrumman.com/Capabilities/B2SpiritBomber .
Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company providing innovative systems, products and solutions in unmanned systems, cybersecurity, C4ISR, and logistics and modernization to government and commercial customers worldwide. Please visit www.northropgrumman.com for more information.
CONTACT: Brooks McKinney, APR
brooks.mckinney@ngc.com
Brooks McKinney, APR
Directed Energy, Tern
Array Antenna
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IPO That Might Rock the World
29 Aug, 2020 Endy Callahan
Jack Ma’s Ant Groups is about to file a thirty billion USD IPO. This, according to the latest news agencies’ reports, is going to take place in Hong Kong. Their other destination is Shanghai. Crypto market analysts find it of utmost importance to keep track of this event and let the rest of the crypto community know about the nuances and details of what China’s Ant Group is doing at the moment. Specialists state that the team is fully prepared to file one of the most impressive IPOs in history.
Many crypto enthusiasts might already know that the financial affiliate of the firm is a part of Alibaba, which is an e-commerce giant that is widely known all across its native country as well as all around the planet. The group has already decided to file an IPO and there are two destinations the process is going to take place. Currently, the group’s filing can be seen in Hong Kong and Shanghai.
Jack Ma is the co-founder of the famous service. That’s the person who created Ant Group as well – at present, many professionals state that the man is willing to target a valuation of approximately two hundred and twenty-six billion USD. This would base on a target offering raise of around thirty billion USD. Individuals who are familiar with the matter report that the new offering could turn into the most massive deal in history.
It might also potentially overtake the impressive record that was set by UAE’s multinational giant trading oil and gas. As many participants can still remember, Saudi Aramco managed to raise approximately twenty-nine billion USD previously this year. News agencies report that the target valuation is likely to match the market capitalization displayed by the Bank of America. All in all, the new offering might be twice as larger as that of Citigroup.
Institutions Involved in the Matter
Group’s offering filed in Hong Kong will be processed by several leading organizations. The list includes three major parties and one of them is Morgan. At the same time, the offering in Shanghai is going to be managed by a few key investment banking corporations. These are all local firms, according to the latest information received from Chinese official representatives.
Executives of the team have recently pointed out that all members believe they would manage to raise forty-eight billion Yuan in Shanghai, which is around seven billion USD. The brand intends to employ the offering proceeds in order to widen payment options as well as promote its research projects and analyze potential capabilities for further development. Experts mention that the firm has been following all changes and transformations in the blockchain sphere and kept creating its own blockchain solutions for the past five years.
Last year the executives launched a new solution based on blockchain technology that can blend AI with other elements and compounds. More than that, Ant Group takes pride in its Ant Blockchain Open Alliance that is based on the requirements set by enterprises.
Alipay’s recent statistics prove the total volume of transactions two months ago approached one hundred and eighteen trillion Yuan. This makes around seventeen trillion USD and the process lasted for less than twelve months. The company had over one billion users and seven hundred and eleven million active users who employed their services every month.
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Other Freauf Articles:
Most Powerful Governor in Oregon History Becomes a Castaway
Seek For Sex Education And You Shall Find
The Giant Sucking Sound
in Washington, D.C.
Is "The Giver" On Your Horizon?
Is The Chamber of Commerce an UN Front?
Oregon State Supplies Our Vices
Earth Day, May Day And Watermelons
Are We Destined For Selective Reduction?
Robbing Peter To Pay Paul In Oregon
More Freauf Articles:
IS "MOTHER EARTH" EXPERIENCING BIRTH PAINS?
By Betty Freauf
I don't recognize America any more. I was born a few decades short of a hundred years after Lincoln and the Civil War and I didn't meet Lincoln personally but I did meet President Reagan. If I can believe what I read in the book THE REAL LINCOLN (c) 2002 by Thomas J. DiLorenzo, the civil war was less about slavery but mostly about establishing a centralized government, which seems to be well documented and what I'm seeing with my own eyes today, this most certainly has become reality and of course, President Reagan, along with many other presidents continued embracing that concept even though their rhetoric would have us believe otherwise.
Today big government continues to gain more and more control over American lives. Many are thinking something is seriously wrong but they can't seem to identify the cause. And when those that have figured out the problem is the United Nations and try to explain it to friends and relatives, their eyes glaze over and they move away from those with this revelation as quickly as possible.
About as far back as most who have not yet retired can remember and about another hundred years after the Civil War, we found ourselves with those rebellious sixties and the communist-inspired disarmament "peace" sit ins, free sex, flower children and the drug-induced, rock and roll hippy rallies promising enlightenment and the occultic New Age human potential movement which soon flowed into many churches as apostolic doctrine was watered down and no right and wrong was accepted. Oh, it was gradual at first but now we see it is in full swing -- anything goes.
In the sixties, many people felt it was just another crazy fad and that it would pass but, unfortunately, the participants from that era are now solidly ensconced in the judicial system and in the academic hierarchy where their captive audiences of students are being propagandized with politically correct multiculturalism and diversity unheard of in previous generations and parents are wondering what happens to their children's ability to reason after they attend public education. Those with the ability to still think for themselves because of proper indoctrination and early training by astute parents find themselves bucking left-leaning professors who have the capability of marking down grades as a way to intimidate and coerce. Because of this early appropriate training in some homes, it became necessary for governmental agencies to begin to separate children from their mothers at an early age - enter working mothers, day care centers and early childhood development specialists.
Many others of the sixties crowd gained a foothold in the unconstitutional regulatory government agencies which have been created since that time and their agendas from Mother Earth worship to the acceptance of legalized abortions and homosexuality are rapidly being carried out worldwide with few exceptions.
The Archbishop of Canterbury in Great Britain, Dr. Rowan Williams, head of the Church of England angrily charges those who are against the gay lifestyle as "lacking grace."[1]
Thomas Jefferson warned, "When all government, domestic and foreign, in little as in great things, shall be drawn to Washington as the center of all power, it will render powerless the checks provided of one government on another and will become as venal and oppressive as the government from which we separated.[2] But Jefferson never dreamed there would be a powerful satanic spiritual aspect to governmental affairs.
Separation of church and state were redefined in 1962 by the Supreme Court and the Court wrote its own commandments and expelled prayer and Bible reading from public schools leaving a vacuum for drugs, sex, occult religions and guns to fill.
It was during the 1960s that Jerry Falwell came on the scene endeavoring to counter what the radical left was doing. Other conservatives rose up with their own organizations in an attempt to stop the tide of filth that was coming upon us but it always seemed as though for one reason or another common sense and common ground was being lost and/or satanically compromised an inch at a time in the interest of "unity". It was so subtle that no one except the older generations seemed to notice and even many of them succumbed to the pull of the tide.
As an example, at Trinity United Methodist Church in Austin, Texas, recently, the congregation welcomed into its pulpit, Tom Davis, a Wiccan priest of the Covenant of the Goddess. It was part of a city-wide project called "pulpit swap" in which Native Indian shamans, Buddhist priests, witches, Hindu gurus, and Islamic muftis led Christian congregations in various pagan rituals and ceremonies.[3]
When Reverend Moon was crowned Messiah and Savior of Earth in Washington, D.C. a few months ago, scores of Christian leaders as well as several U.S. Senators and Representatives met for a very special occasion. Southern Baptist leaders were on hand, as were Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) President Paul Crouch, Reverend Jerry Falwell, Reverend Robert Schuller, Kenneth Copeland, Pat Boone and many others. Moon claims Jesus failed on his mission to earth but Moon has not.[4] The world is going nuts!
Jo Hindman wrote in her book THE METROCRATS that Metro businessmen, a nationwide group of self-described business executives and educators pooled their prestige in July 1966 to call for a revolutionary abolishment of 80% of local governments in the United States and each proposal that followed was more bolder than the last thereby continuing to fulfill Lincoln's vision of a huge, centralized bureaucracy.
What many did not learn until much later was American "misleaders" were gradually replacing our representative government with a United Nations regional government with unelected and unaccountable leaders in unconstitutional government agencies created both at the local levels and in Washington, D.C. and now that same bunch of "misleaders" who can't stop the eco-terrorists on our soil want to give Iraq a representative democracy?
How can we export something to Iraq that we've been losing for generations? GOP President Nixon implemented "revenue sharing" which takes money from taxpayers in the states and then gives it back to the states in the form of grants, for example, but only after certain criteria are met. In 1965 Congress gave its blessing to medicare and medicaid as part of President Johnson's dream of a "Great Society." His "great society" has become a great big nightmare as health costs continue to escalate with no end in sight. All of these programs take hordes of bureaucrats to manage which helps to build a bigger government.
Some of the sixties revolutionaries thought they were exploring new cultural territory and changing the world but too late learned their actions and beliefs were playing directly into the hands of the globalists - the New World Order crowd. Rodney Stubbs in his article 'United Nations Declares War On America' reminds us that on September 11, 1990 the elder - President George HW Bush declared the need to move forward with the New World Order.
In order to protect our common environment which this United Nations lunatic fringe, aided and abetted by the liberal media, feels is being put in danger by human activities, heads of state have signed numerous treaties that interlock and extend United Nations authority into our homes and pocketbooks and threaten our jobs, food, water supplies and very survival and every man, woman and child (including pastors) will be forced to support this pantheistic code of ethics.
The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) passed the GOP-controlled Congress under President Clinton and since he signed that bill, thousands of small farmers in the United States have gone out of business and no job is safe from the hatchet wielded by the globalist Power Elite.
And now the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA), which would eliminate sovereign borders between the countries of the Western Hemisphere, is on the front burner with this current Congress and is comparable to the European Union where all borders are erased. Our world is in a state of gradual "convergence" into the Biblical prophesied one world government with a one world religion and a one world banking system. America is buying the rope that is hanging us. Our "misleaders" are determined to eliminate the Middle Class.
Mother Earth worship has replaced Christianity which will fulfill the one world religion goal. Parades in cities and programs at public schools now represent a "Holiday Season" and all the pagan religions are allowed except the Christians which might use the nasty word "Christmas" and it's being reported that a Christian teacher in Cupertino, California has been told he can't use the Declaration of Independence in his classroom because it has the word "God" in it.
Many recognize that Christmas today is nothing more than a commercialized season to make the cash registers ring before the year end but I find it interesting how quickly the long-established Christ of Christmas is becoming null and void.
And to make sure we become like robots and agree to everything that is happening to us, the senate will soon be considering funding Bush's mandatory mental health screening program for Americans. They'll start with the young people to make sure they are politically correct in their United Nations/New Age thinking and gradually force the rest of us to comply or be imprisoned or worse.
The pantheistic environmentalists, who hope to be in a dictatorial position in this New World Order, may think Mother Earth is God and reigns but they are in for a rude awakening. Nothing happens in government by accident and Creator God allows leaders to rise and to fall when they become disobedient and unrepentant.
In a recent article about Social Security reform topping the Bush agenda, he said "There will be costs but the cost of doing nothing... is much greater...." So if Bush is really the man of God that the conservatives, who have re-elected him for a second term, believe he is for this time in history, then I pray he'll restore our constitutional limits on government power and put at the top of his agenda completing that mess in Iraq as soon as possible, bringing our military home from all over the world to protect our borders from those who hate us, giving the states back their rights, getting rid of our out-of-control national debt by eliminating those unconstitutional agencies and building up a strong military defense and telling the United Nations to take a long hike off a short cliff and stopping all our funding of it. Then I'll believe President Bush was truly God's man for the hour!
1 Power of Prophecy, Texe Marrs, December 2004.
2 Bergh, Albert Ellery, ed. The writing of Thomas Jefferson 20 vols. (Washington: Thomas Jefferson Memorial Association, 1907) 15-278
3 Power of Prophecy, Texe Marrs, December 2004
� 2004 Betty Freauf - All Rights Reserved
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Betty is a former Oregon Republican Party activist having served as state party secretary, county chairman, 5th congressional vice chairman and then elected chairman, and a precinct worker for many years. Betty is a researcher, freelance journalist and a regular contributor to www.NewsWithViews.com. New E-Mail: bettyfreauf@webtv.net
...head of the Church of England angrily charges those who are against the gay lifestyle as "lacking grace
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Coffman
The Smart Growth Fraud
How Government Regulations Threaten America
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THE BUNDY STANDOFF—A CENTURY OF ABUSE
By Michael S. Coffman, Ph.D
Part III—The Massive Attack on Western Prior Property Rights
Key Legislation Affecting Land Ownership West of the Rocky Mountains
Forest Reserve and General Revision Acts of 1891. Gave the president the unconstitutional power of creating vast federal reservations of forest and range land to be managed by the federal government. It also revoked all preemption laws passed and established earlier in the century that allowed homesteaders to keep the land and water rights they had historically used. (See Part I) This turned the federal government into an unconstitutional landlord.
Organic Act of 1897. Formally called the Sundry Civil Approp¬riations Act of 1897. Established administration and protection guidelines for management requirements of federal lands, including the use of grazing permits and fees. Author¬ized the Dept. of Interior the authority for rule-making and regulation of Reserves. Authorized the General Land Office to hire employ¬ees and open the forest reserves for public use.
Transfer Act of 1905. Created the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) within the Dept. of Agriculture.
Weeks Act of 1911. Also called the Organic Act. Allowed the U.S. Forest Service to purchase and create new National Forests in Eastern States.
Enlarged Homestead Act of 1909. Enlarged the acreage of a Homestead to 320 acres because 160 acres proved too little for the arid West. The two homestead acts were instrumental in settling the land between the Rockies and Mississippi River.
Stock-Raising Homestead Act of 1916. Increased the acreage to 640 acres to encourage more ranching home-steads west of the Rockies. Not extensively used because 640 acres was still not enough to economically raise livestock.
Taylor Grazing Act of 1934. Allowed the creation of the Division of Grazing and the U.S. Grazing Service within the General Land Office. In 1946 the. Bureau of Land Manage¬ment (BLM) was created out of the Grazing Service and placed under the Dept. of Interior. The creation of the USFS and BLM established the structure for the tyrannical feudal/manorial forms of governance.
Federal Land Policy and Management Act and the National Forest Management Act, both in 1976. Created under heavy pressure from environmentalists, these altruistic environmental laws changed the relationship between the federal agencies and landowners/minors to one of much greater conflict. FLPMA also codified federal claim to public lands.
Sustainable Communities, Early to Mid-1990s. Not a law passed by Congress, but a radical shift in U.S. policy to adapt environmental regulations and management to the “eco-spiritual sustainable” policies of the UN’s Agenda 21. This shift is devastating resource users and communities who depend on federal land to survive in the West.
At the direction of a powerful group of progressive northeastern financiers and industrialists, called the northern core, Congress deliberately scrapped the Equal Footing Doctrine embedded in the Northwest Ordinance and the U.S. Constitution.
AS THE ABUNDANT WEALTH IN WESTERN territories became known, powerful forces attempted to manipulate the federal government so they would have total control over the West’s resources. These industrialists and financiers were known as the northern core. The northern core was aided in their efforts by the tumultuous pre and post-Civil War and the very fluid politics and events surrounding it.
The chaotic mid-1800s spawnedtremendous discord in Western policy as the tension between the North and South built.Turbulent allegiances were created. California’s Mother Lode country was populated mostly by Southerners aligned with the South against the North pre-Civil War. Because of this, the North allowed California to become a state in 1850 to bring it under the North’s control. The North also used statehood to wrestCalifornia from increasing control by the Mormons for their newly self-proclaimed State of Deseret in 1849, a portion of which reached all the way to the Pacific Ocean. Congress turned down the Mormon’s request for statehood in 1850 when it allowed California statehood.[1]
The North also didn’t want the Mormons to control Nevada’s Comstock Lode either, so it systematically cut them off from Western Nevada.Congress simultaneously declared the Territory of Utah in 1850 when it turned down the Mormon’s request for its self-proclaimed State of Deseret. Things were so unstable and the federal government so desperate to control its silver, that Nevada was allowed statehood in 1864 – even though it didn’t have the requisite population of 60 thousand people. The decade’s long crisis allowed the federal government to maintain control over the public lands and set the example by which the remaining Western territories would be admitted as states after 1864.[2]
Taking advantage of the tremendous disarray and discord, the northern core manipulated the federal government into not ceding the land to the states upon statehood, as required by the Northwest Ordinance and U.S. Constitution, and to weaken the property rights guaranteed by the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and the Preemption Act of 1941 to the ranchers. That attack on the West continues today. Although it had been brewing for several years, the opening salvo was the Forest Reserve and General Revision Acts of 1891.
The Forest Reserve and General Revision Acts of 1891
The pesky constitutional limitation established in the Equal Footing Doctrine did not stop Congress from totally ignoring it when passingthe Forest Reserve and General Revision Acts in 1891. It was made possible only with tremendous pressure from progressive northeastern industrialists and socialists and their stooges in Congress. They used the granting of statehood toCalifornia and Nevada during the turbulent years of the Civil War as precedent. Desperate to control the vast gold and silver wealth for the North, the public lands were never ceded to the two states (see Part I).
In addition to violating very specific limitations in the Constitution, the Forest Reserve and General Revision Acts also trumped the Equal Footing Doctrine and effectively sacked the 10th Amendment to the Constitution. Many scholars and attorneys believe that to be unconstitutional. The Equal Footing Doctrine, discussed in Part I, effectively requires new states to enter the Union having the same rights as former states – which in this case meant no federal land without the consent of the new state legislature.
The federal government actually used federal troops to enforce their decrees over the state government in the forest reserves. Those in charge of the reserves also asserted the doctrine of sovereign immunity. They were seemingly untouchable.
The Forest Reserve Act gave the president vast powers to “set apart and reserve, in any state or territory having public land bearing forest, …as public reservations.” Lack of Congressional funding delayed implementation of the Forest Reserve and General Revision Acts until the Organic Act of 1897 was passed.
Although the new states strenuously objected to it, none challenged the constitutionality of the law. They couldn’t if the territory wanted to become a state, they could not demand Equal Footing or insist on the U.S. Constitutional requirements for the federal government to transfer the rights to the public land to the state. Not to put too fine a point on it, but that’s extortion and blackmail If any citizen or business tried to do the same thing. Apparently, in the progressive ideology, that is not only correct, but is as it should be; government sovereignty over the states and citizens. That realization should rock every American to the core.
Greed and Corruption
It is not generally known that the real reason the two acts were passed, and it borders on the bizarre. After an exhaustive study of how these blatantly unconstitutional Acts were passed, Wayne Hage, who was a dogged researcher and victim of the BLM and USFS himself, found a clear paper trail in the National Achieves back to the “northern core.” The core was made up of very powerful Northeastern progressive financiers and industrialists who wanted to control the West for its minerals, hydro power, and other natural resources. Controlling water was the key. Water was, and still is, gold. There was never enough of it. Says Hage:
“If northeastern industrialists and financiers controlled the water needed for the development of western mines, their control of the output of the mines would increase. The processing of trees into salable lumber from the western forests also depended largely on water. Stockmen needed water to raise livestock. If control of water on the forest reserves could be obtained, the stockmens’ preemptive rights could be eliminated.”[3]
His meticulously referenced book Storm Over Rangeland has become an important legal reference book used in many court cases. Although the Forest Service and BLM had been harassing Hage for years, immediately after the book’s publication, the two agencies launched a blistering retaliation on his Nevada ranch and is discussed in Part V.
Hage’s sleuthing of original documents in the National Achieves found that the northern core and the American Forestry Association provided enormous pressure and funding to get the Forest Reserve Act passed. Once the U.S. Forest Service was created with the 1905 Transfer Act, it too worked on the inside for the same goals. The 1891 Forest Reserve Act allegedly gave the federal government legal sovereignty over forest reserves as federal enclosures; federal property exempt from state laws. The federal government actually used federal troops to enforce their decrees over the state government in the forest reserves.[4] Those in charge of the reserves also asserted the doctrine of sovereign immunity. They were seemingly untouchable.
The most astonishing thing, however, was that they used Article I, Section 8, Clause 17 of the U.S. Constitution to justify their actions[5] – the very constitutional language that actually forbids them from doing what they did! As repeatedly stated in this series of articles, this language severely limits the type of land the federal government can actually own to “federal highways, the District of Columbia,” and “only with the consent of the state legislature of “Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, Dock-Yards, and other needful buildings.” Forest reserves fit none of these categories of ownership and no state gave its approval in any way. This was the raw power of the northern core. Bundy and others are still suffering what these greedy industrialists started over a hundred years ago.
“Wresting control of the water from the states was a primary objective of national forest administrators,” according to the original documents Hage’s found. “If the federal government had legal sovereignty over forest reserves as federal enclosures, western water law would be gutted.” Suddenly, it becomes clear why the 1891 Forest Reserve Act created forest reserves that encompassed all the water and minerals in question.By doing so, “The total subjection of the West would be complete,” observed Hage.[6]
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Because of the socialist oriented education of most people less than fifty years of age, there is the common understanding that the U.S. Constitution is outdated, written for an agrarian society. It is not. It’s as valid and important to our freedoms today as it was when it was penned. It was specifically designed to chain down and lock government power so the government could never become more powerful than the people. Although that purpose has been trashed by case law and unconstitutional legislation today, that primary purpose was still in place in 1907. The northern core was about to crash headlong into that reality.
Click here for part -----> 1, 2, 3, 4,
1. Wayne Hage. Storm Over Rangeland. (Merrill Press, Bellevue, WA, 1989). P. 49.
2. Ibid, P. 49-51.
3. Wayne Hage. Storm Over Rangeland. (Merrill Press, Bellevue, WA, 1989). Pp 167-168.
4. Ibid, P. 167
5. Ibid
6. Wayne Hage. Storm Over Rangeland. (Merrill Press, Bellevue, WA, 1989).P 168.
� 2014 Michael Coffman - All Rights Reserved
Click Here For Mass E-mailing
Dr. Coffman is President of Environmental Perspectives Incorporated (epi-us.com) and CEO of Sovereignty International (sovereignty.net) in Bangor Maine. He has had over 40 years of university teaching, research and consulting experience in forestry and environmental sciences and now geopolitics. He was one of four who stopped the ratification of the Convention on Biological Diversity one hour before the Senate cloture vote. The Biodiversity Treaty is one of the major treaties promoted by Agenda 21. He produced the acclaimed DVD Global Warming or Global Governance (warmingdvd.com) disproving man-caused global warming—another major theme of Agenda 21.
Dr. Coffman’s book, Plundered, How Progressive Ideology is Destroying America (AmericaPlundered.com) details how the American people are being indoctrinated and bullied into a very destructive belief system called progressivism in the same manner described in this article. His and co-Author Kate Mathieson’s newest book, Radical Islam, The Plan to Take America for the Global Islamic State, provides shocking evidence of how there is no such thing as a moderate Muslim, and how by political correctness is blinding Americans to the real danger that the Obama administration is putting the U.S. in by putting Islamists in high administrative positions and to define U.S. policy. Equally shocking is the comparison of the Bible and Qur’an. It’s a wake-up call to America. He can be reached at 207-945-9878.
E-Mail: mcoffman@epi-us.com
Website: DiscerningToday.org
Taking advantage of the tremendous disarray and discord, the northern core manipulated the federal government into not ceding the land to the states upon statehood, as required by the Northwest Ordinance and U.S. Constitution, and to weaken the property rights guaranteed by the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and the Preemption Act of 1941 to the ranchers.
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Narendra Modi’s Party to win the reelection in India
Election Commission data showed the Bharatiya Janata Party leading in contests for 299 out of 542 seats
/NOVOSTIVL/ Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist party claimed it won reelection with a commanding lead in Thursday’s vote count, while the head of the main opposition party conceded a personal defeat that signaled the end of an era for modern India’s main political dynasty. This article appeared in the Associated Press.
Election Commission data by midafternoon showed the Bharatiya Janata Party leading in contests for 299 out of 542 seats in the lower house of Parliament, with its main rival, the Indian National Congress, ahead in 50 contests.
The data didn’t indicate what percentage of the estimated 600 million votes cast over the six-week election had been counted. Although the final tally was not expected until Thursday evening at the earliest, BJP President Amit Shah claimed a victory, crediting Modi’s leadership.
Modi himself tweeted, "India wins yet again".
The election has been seen as a referendum on 68-year-old Modi, whose economic reforms have had mixed results but whose popularity as a social underdog in India’s highly stratified society has endured. Critics have said his Hindu-first platform risks exacerbating social tensions in the country of 1.3 billion people.
On the campaign trail, Modi presented himself as a self-made man with the confidence to cut red tape and unleash India’s economic potential, and labeled Congress party president Rahul Gandhi, the scion of a political dynasty that lost national power in 2014, as an out-of-touch member of the elite.
Gandhi conceded defeat for his own parliamentary seat to his BJP rival in Amethi, a constituency in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh that had for decades been a Congress party bastion.
Congress, the party of India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, and peace activist Mahatma Gandhi, ruled India for nearly half a century after it achieved independence from Britain in 1947. In 2014, it won only 44 seats, and was projected to win only slightly more this time.
Narendra Modi | Election | India
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Home > Movie DVDs
L-3a Mohawk #3001 - Dallas to Elkhart 1984(Free shipping on US orders ONLY)
L-3a Mohawk #3001 - Dallas to Elkhart 1984
New York Central 3001 is a 4-8-2 "Mohawk", (Mountain), type steam locomotive built in 1940 by the American Locomotive Company for the New York Central Railroad. Normally known as "Mountain" types, New York Central 4-8-2 steam locomotives were dubbed "Mohawk" types after the Mohawk River, which the New York Central followed. Built for dual service work, the 3001 was used heavily for freight and passenger trains until being retired in 1957. Today the locomotive is currently on display at the National New York Central Railroad Museum in Elkhart, Indiana. It is the largest New York Central steam locomotive still in existence and is one of only two surviving New York Central "Mohawks"; the other, No. 2933, is currently on display at the Museum of Transportation in St. Louis, MO.
The New York Central sold L3a No. 3001 to Texas & Pacific Railroad in March 1957, to replace heavily vandalized and subsequently scrapped Texas & Pacific 2-10-4 No. 638 that was on display at the Texas State Fairgrounds there. The Texas & Pacific Railroad donated No. 3001 (disguised as Texas & Pacific No. 909) to the city of Dallas, TX. The city later donated No. 3001 (still disguised as Texas & Pacific No. 909) to the Museum of the American Railroad in Dallas. In May 1984, after trading Pennsylvania Railroad GG-1 No. 4903 to the Museum of the American Railroad, No. 3001 made its way east to Elkhart, IN after being acquired by the Lakeshore Railroad Historical Foundation. The sale to the Texas & Pacific Railroad is the sole reason why No. 3001 was not scrapped by the New York Central.
This amateur 8mm movie has been converted to a DVD. The quality is not the best as it was taken by a non-professional but it covers getting the loco ready to move and rides along as the loco is towed to Elkhart, IN. It runs a little over 30 minutes and was taken from two 200 foot 8mm movie reels.
DVD is priced at $24.00 and NYCSHS February Holidays' Sale Price $15.00.
Free shipping but Ohio residents must pay 8.00% Ohio sales tax.
Sights & Sounds from the 2013 NYCSHS Convention (Free shipping on US orders Only)
Sunday River Productions "Niagaras and Mohawks"
Sunday River Productions "New York Central Set"
Herron Video "Steam & Diesel On The NYC" Vol 2
Herron Video "NYC Indiana Division1956" Vol 2
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Weekly Wrap Up: Simple Gifts
December 25, 2010 at 12:05 AM ET by Kori Schulman
A quick look at the week of December 20, 2010.
A quick look at the week of December 20, 2010:
Holidays at the White House: The White House celebrates Simple Gifts this holiday season. You're invited to tour the Christmas decorations, watch behind-the-scenes videos, share a Season's Greetings message with the troops and more.
Thank you cards for servicemen and women are collected during a holiday tour in the East Wing Entrance of the White House, Dec. 8, 2010. (Official White House Photo by Samantha Appleton)
Tracking Santa: The Department of Energy's Los Alamos lab uses state of the art technology to track Santa Claus as he circles the globe.
West Wing Week Video: “AKA Santa Claus” -- walk step by step with the President as he signs the repeal of “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell,” reads to kids for the Holidays, and receives the Census report.
5 Achievements: As the President said, it’s been the most productive post-election period we’ve seen in decades. Here are five post-election achievements you should know about.
White House Staff: It Gets Better Video: Inspired by President Obama’s It Gets Better video, several LGBT White House staffers decided to add their voices to the project.
“'Out of Many, We Are One”: The President signs the repeal of “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” -- the right thing to do for our military, and the right thing to do for our country.
The President’s Press Conference: As this session of Congress draws to a close, the President reflects on the flurry of productivity for the American people during the final stretch.
Behind-the-Scenes Video: A day of service with President Obama and the Los Angeles Lakers.
White House White Board Video: HHS Secretary Sebelius explains how a new rule helps states review and crack down on unjustified premium hikes and protect consumers.
My American Story: Americans step up to be a part of the solution – watch the video, then visit Serve.gov to find a volunteer opportunity that’s right for you.
CAPTA: President Obama signs the reauthorization of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) – critical legislation to prevent child abuse and domestic violence.
Kori Schulman
Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief Digital Officer
Follow @KS44
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burnet county jail log june 2020
City of residence and release information are listed when available. Wendy Walker Jenson, 57, of Bertram was arrested June 12: deadly conduct. He listened to rock music played on video games, and got interested in it. The following people were arrested and booked into the Burnet County Jail during the period of June 12-18, 2020, according to Burnet County sheriff’s logs. Capt. Butler continued to play basketball and kept on performing well. Here's another comical posting from one of our local police departments. Burnet County has not and no … Also active on TV, she was featured in the CBC series ‘Pit Pony’ and the Canadian television show ‘ReGenesis’. Bonds has been posted. Five of Spears's singles have reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100: "...Baby One More Time", "Womanizer", "3", "Hold It Against Me", and "S&M". Burnet County Jail and Detention Facility Inmate Activity for June 03-04, 2020 Burnet County Jail Log. Butler began to demonstrate his inherent talent at basketball in his school days, maintaining an excellent average per game. Within hours of the IG report's release, Barr publicly announced his disagreement with the report's findings. Wearing face masks shows love for neighbors, local pastors say, Living Arts and Architecture offers copying, printing, art supplies and more. This list does not constitute an official court document, and all persons are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. According to the Beaumont Police Department, 48-year old Henri Paul Johnson decided to take a nap on a stretcher after working for sixteen hours straight. A native of Texas, Butler had a turbulent childhood. In 2017, her brother helped her record the single ‘Bellyache.’ With the success of the song, Billie released her debut EP, ‘Don’t Smile at Me,’ in August 2017. Marble Falls is a city in Burnet County, Texas. While it is a funny story, there is a serious message. Keep this in mind as you’re looking for an inmate. Following a series of pre-trial proceedings, which questioned his “competence and sanity to stand trial,” he was deemed “insane” at the time of the offense, according to prosecutors. Massena Mayor Tim Currier was busted after a brief police pursuit through the village near the Canadian border at about 12:25 p.m., according to authorities. Burnet County Jail TX Commissary. The Covelo Six include Joseph Joshua Hoaglen,... STAFFORD Co., Va. (WWBT) - The Stafford County Sheriff’s Office arrested five people on various charges following a traffic stop. The role of the Burnet County Jail, through the Burnet County Sheriff’s Office, is to receive and house all lawfully committed offenders within the jurisdiction of Burnet County, as mandated by the criminal and civil laws of the State of Texas, until they are released from confinement. His song ‘No Bystanders’ reached the number 31 spot on the ‘Billboard Hot 100.’ He died in mysterious circumstances on December 8, 2019, at Chicago’s Midway International Airport. Released same day on $1,000 bond. Parks' prominence in the community and her willingness to become a controversial figure inspired the black community to boycott the Montgomery buses for over a year, the first major direct action campaign of the post-war civil rights movement. She became an international icon of resistance to racial segregation. Find latests mugshots and bookings from Marble Falls and other local cities. A list of persons booked into the Burnet County Jail in Texas is presented. Released June 14 on $8,000 bond. Bond set at $526. A deputy pulled over a vehicle in the 100 block of Warrenton Road on Nov. 26 around 9:43 a.m. After getting identification information from the driver and all the passengers,... VALDOSTA, Ga. (WALB) - On Monday, deputies with the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office and the Interstate Criminal Enforcement Unit conducted a traffic stop on I-75, which led to two arrests. The mayor of a small upstate New York village was arrested Tuesday for allegedly possessing crack cocaine, cops said.
Kentucky Science Center Polar Express, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Plant For Sale Uk, Can A Lion Kill An Elephant, 2006 Subaru Wrx Sti Specs, Banner Font Generator, Managing Successful Projects With Prince2 Second Hand, Saxony Germany Genealogy,
Home Wedding burnet county jail log june 2020
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Anatomy Of A Scandal: Release Date, Star Cast, and Early Details
Cheshtha Lakhchaura
This series was initially announced via a Netflix press release following in May 2020. However, this series originates from 3 dot Productions, currently operating on a U.S. Women’s Soccer documentary. Besides, Netflix has experimented with anthology series before, with the most well-known ones being The Haunting of Hill House (and Bly Manor due out in October) and Black Mirror (currently on hold). Moreover, being attached to the plan is director S.J. Clarkson, who directed the episodes for HBO’s Succession and the unaired Game of Thrones pilot, Orange Is the New Black, Netflix’s Jessica Jones. Hence, Clarkson was earlier nominated for a Gold Derby Award for the following.
What is this series about?
The first 2017 novel by Sarah Vaughan reveals the narrative of two women and one man caught up in a very nasty public scandal. James, a high-ranking Westminster politician, is accused of rape, but his wife Sophie thinks he is innocent. However, Kate is the advocate prosecuting the case, and she is convinced James is guilty and must compensate for his crime. Besides, not everything is glass clear in this court case, and that obscures things for everyone. The whole plot gears such things as marriage in a notably intense situation and tense courtroom drama.
The Deadline has formally affirmed the foremost leads for Anatomy of a Scandal in September 2020. Golden Globes and BAFTA nominee Sienna Miller, who is best known for her roles in American Sniper and G.I. Joe: Rise of the Cobra, will now be playing Sophie Whitehouse, “Oxford graduate, a wife and also a mother of two whose flawlessly enchanted life are about to implode.”
Certainly, Sophie is the wife of James Whitehouse. However, James will be performed by Rupert Friend, who earned multiple awards nominations for his role of Peter Quinn in Showtime’s Homeland. James is depicted as “an arduous and charismatic junior minister who has always given his wife’s good luck—until now.”
Most importantly, Primetime Emmy Awards nominee Michelle Dockery, who is well known for her roles in such series as ITV’s Downton Abbey and Netflix’s Godless, has been cast as Kate Woodcroft, “the steely criminal lawyer specializing in contesting sexual crimes who’s grown quickly in her field, and just got given the case of a lifetime.”
More freshly, Recapped stated that Aladdin star Naomi Scott had been suggested the role of Olivia, the young woman allegedly sexually assaulted by James. However, Recapped was the first to report about Sienna Miller and Michelle Dockery long before they were formally confirmed, so we are sure it’s only a matter of time until Naomi Scott is affirmed as well.
All You Need To Know About The Midnight Sky
Anatomy of a Scandal: Production Status
Production for Anatomy of a Scandal commenced on October 26, 2020, at Shepperton Studios, UK. Filming is projected to last for 20 weeks and wind around April 2021.
How many episodes does Anatomy of a Scandal have?
The primary season of Anatomy of a Scandal will have six one-hour episodes.
When will it be released on Netflix?
Based on this series’ production schedule, its episode calculation, and the production complexity (no heavy-budget VFX needed), we all can expect Anatomy of a Scandal will release on Netflix in Fall 2021.
That’s all we know so far; we’ll keep this research updated as and when we discover more.
Related: The Alienist Season 2: Release Date and Everything You Should Know
Hey there! I am Cheshtha Lakhchaura from Noida, Uttar Pradesh. I am an enthusiastic Digital Marketer and Freelance Writer with an experience with the startup companies. I love reading books and binging series, also here I write about latest ongoings from the anime world, news, technology, entertainment, etc. You can have fun reading my articles here and get to know what's new series to binge-watch and what all new is there in the gaming or news industry.
Previous Final Space Season 3: Initial Look and Everything Else You Need to Know
Next Ratched Season 2: Release Date, Star Cast, Streaming Details, and Updates!
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Palace Living
THE POSTER
PALACE LIVING is available now!
The first day of the new year is also the beginning of a new chapter for PALACE LIVING, which is now widely available for the first time. Watch the film here in HD as a video on demand (48-hour rental) or as a digital download that you can own and watch whenever you want.
For those of us behind the scenes who have been working on the film for years, and all the fans, supporters and curious onlookers who have followed the film’s progress, it’s very exciting to finally see the film get out there. This film would not have happened without the support of so many people, and I personally feel an enormous amount of gratitude to have been able to take this journey with all of you. I’m proud of the film we made. I think it not only holds up on its own as a comedy/drama with unexpected twists and turns, but it stands as a tribute to last days of Grandview Palace/Browns Hotel and a Catskills resort scene that effectively no longer exists.
If you’re checking out the film for the first time… enjoy! Thanks for your support. Email us at palacefilm@gmail.com, or post on our Facebook or IMDB pages to let us know what you think.
Zack Ordynans
Writer/Director, PALACE LIVING
What’s next, PL?
I appreciate all the inquiries about the film lately. We’ve been quietly working on navigating distribution options to make the film available to everyone, and I do have some exciting news: we are preparing both online and physical releases of the film. We’re talking about online VOD, downloadable HD copies of the film, a deluxe Blu Ray edition… the whole deal. We don’t have release dates locked in, but we are targeting the next couple of months. I know this is all vague, but trust me, it’s going to be worth the wait!
Watch this space for more updates, including release dates.
Hugs and kisses,
PALACE LIVING meets the Magic Kingdom
Like many New Yorkers, PALACE LIVING is heading to Florida this winter: the film is an official selection of the Starlite Film Festival in Winter Garden, Fl. PL will be the festival closing film, with a screening on Sunday, January 26, at 4:30. Winter Garden is right outside Orlando, and the screening will take place in the historic Garden Theater, a restored cinema that dates to 1935.
Tickets to our screening are available now for just five bucks, which, frankly, is the kind of offer that’s too good to refuse. Even better, catch the whole festival–including screenings, parties, panels and a t-shirt–for just thirty dollars. Writer/Director Zack Ordynans, and his hopefully mild-mannered 15-month-old twins, will be on hand for the screening and Q&A. Hope to see you there.
Tags: alyssa mann, biljana ilic, film festivals, FL, grandview palace, indendent film, Jason Daniel Siegel, NYC film, Orlando, palace living, rebecca Kush, Starlite Film Festival, tom roy, winter garden, zack ordynans
New England premiere this weekend
First of all, thanks to everyone who attended our screening at the Golden Door International Film Festival in Jersey City last weekend. And of course, thanks to the festival organizers for a great time. Jason Daniel Siegel, Miranda Devin and Biljana Ilic joined me for a lively Q&A–it was a lot of fun.
Our next screening is coming up fast: THIS UPCOMING SATURDAY, on October 19, PALACE LIVING will screen at the Central Massachusetts Film Festival in Worcester, Mass. The screening will be at 7 pm at The Varsity (9 Kelley Square), and tickets will be available at the door for $5. (Five bucks! A bargain!)
This is our New England premiere, and if you go to the screening, you’re also supporting a new film festival in a cool city… so check it out if you’re in the area.
(on behalf of the PALACE LIVING team)
Tags: alyssa mann, biljana ilic, catskills, comedy, drama, film festivals, grandview palace, independent film, Jason Daniel Siegel, NYC film, palace living, rebecca Kush, tom roy, Worcester, zack ordynans
Jersey City, here we come
PL is crossing the Hudson this weekend to screen at the Golden Door International Film Festival in Jersey City. PALACE LIVING is screening with the short film MASQUE on Saturday, October 12, at 4:30 PM at Art House Productions. Tickets are available now.
Several members of the PALACE LIVING cast and crew will be in the house, so if you’re there, say hi.
If you’re looking for a place to eat before or after the show, check out Hard Grove Cafe for great Cuban food–it’s across from the Grove Street PATH and a short walk from the theater. I ate there several times a week when I lived in the neighborhood ten years ago.
Screening announcement!
We’re heading back upstate! PL will be screening at the Beacon Independent Film Festival on Saturday, September 14 at 3:30 PM. Beacon is an artsy town in upstate New York, a short drive from NYC and not far from where the film was shot. If you’re in the area, come hang out for the day!
Tickets for the entire festival are on sale now. Hope to see you there!
two screenings, two awards
Our premiere week is in the books! Thanks again to everyone who attended our two NYC film festival screenings, and helped make our first two screenings feel like celebratory events. Really, it was so much fun that we wish we could do that every week.
We’re proud to announce that PALACE LIVING won Independent Vision Awards for Best Production (awarded to Biljana Ilic, Producer) and Best Production Design (Ioannis Sochorakis) at VISIONFEST 13. In addition, PALACE LIVING received an Honorable Mention at the Manhattan Film Festival.
If you missed all the fun in New York, and want to catch the film, don’t fear. Stay tuned to this website and our Facebook page for announcements about future screenings.
Zack, Biljana and the rest of the PL team
One more screening in NYC!
Our World Premiere at the Manhattan Film Festival is in the books, and by all accounts it was a success, with a nearly full house, a fun Q&A session with members of the cast and crew, lots of positive feedback, and a packed after-party. Really, it’s all we could have ever hoped for from a first screening.
But now it’s on to the next one… in just a few days. If you missed the fun last Sunday, you can still catch the film in Manhattan on Friday, June 28, at 7 PM at Tribeca Cinemas. The screening is part of VISIONFEST, and a number of screenings from that festival are already sold out, so make plans in advance. PALACE LIVING was one of only four narrative features accepted to screen at this festival, so we’re honored to take part. You can buy tickets and read more about the lineup here. There’s going to be another cast and crew Q&A; because it’s a hometown show, we should be able to pull a number of people onstage again. We’ll have another after-party too, so check the Facebook page for details (or just come to the screening and follow the crowd).
SECOND NYC FESTIVAL APPEARANCE ANNOUNCED!
We already have another screening to announce! PALACE LIVING will be part of the 13th VISIONFEST on Friday, June 28, at 7 PM at Manhattan’s Tribeca Cinemas (54 Varick St.).
Out of hundreds of entries, PL was one of only four narrative features selected to screen at this festival, so we feel honored to have been chosen. The program will include a Q&A with the filmmakers after the screening, as well as a short film before our feature. Tickets will be available soon through the VISIONFEST website.
If you’ve been waiting to see the film, and you live in the NYC area, you now have two chances to catch PALACE LIVING: Sunday, June 23 at Quad Cinemas, and Friday, June 28 at Tribeca Cinemas. See you there!
PALACE LIVING World Premiere, trailer and more!
We have lots of exciting news about PALACE LIVING! First off, we’re thrilled to announce that the film will have its World Premiere at the 2013 Manhattan Film Festival. Our screening will be on Sunday, June 23, at 3:15 PM, at Quad Cinemas on West 13th Street. You can already buy advance tickets HERE.
The Manhattan Film Festival is now in its seventh year, and was named one of the “25 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee: 2012” by MovieMaker Magazine. It’s especially exciting for us to be premiering so close to home, with most of the cast and crew based in New York City, and part of the film shot here in the city. (Talk about full circle: On our very first shooting day, we shot in the subway just a couple of blocks from Quad Cinemas.)
The image on the left is our brand new official poster. It was designed by Hillary Gronvold of Mini Design Co. Hillary has designed official posters for movies like THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT, THOR, SHERLOCK HOLMES, MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE. You can see more of her work here.
On top of all that… here’s our trailer! Thanks to Brian McCann and Jonathan Bowman for putting this together.
We expect to have another festival appearance to announce within the next week, and we are looking at additional festivals in the coming months, so stay tuned to this site and our Facebook page for regular updates.
Zack Ordynans, Biljana Ilic and the rest of the PALACE LIVING team
Available NOW as a video on demand or as a digital download!
RENT OR OWN THE FILM HERE: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/27671
A new drama about finding comedy in misery
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They escaped the city. But they’re stuck with each other.
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Phil Ward is one of only a few artists in folk music performing comedy–and probably the only person in folk music doing comedy this twisted and unique. His takes on everything -from romance to robot bears to discount pain therapy- will leave you laughing uncontrollably, sometimes while nodding in amazed recognition.
A charter member of legendary Los Angeles-based rock band The High Lonesome from its founding in 1987 through its present, fragile state of retirement, Phil has long been a respected member of the Los Angeles Acoustic Underground. Aside from The High Lonesome’s three albums and Phil’s releases on Trough Records, 2001’s Easily Amused and 2009’s Do Not Insert In Ear Canal, he’s been heard on a number of albums by other artists, and would happily appear on your album for a very reasonable rate.
He’s performed at comedy and music venues all over Southern California and elsewhere, including a ship floating in the Caribbean. He’s been heard on the radio here and there, including The Dr. Demento Show, and in recent years was seen on public TV stations around the country, using song to get you to donate your vehicle.
His favorite review came from the Pasadena Star-News: “Like listening to set-to-music entries from an obsessive-compulsive’s diary…a really funny one.”
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Can You Get Addicted to Kava?
Home » Can You Get Addicted to Kava?
What is Kava?
Why Do People Abuse Kava?
Side Effects of Kava Abuse and Addiction
Signs that Someone is Addicted to Kava
The Dangers of Kava Abuse
Find Help for Kava Addiction Today
Kava is a popular supplement that is sold on the shelves of many retail stores in the United States. Although it is not a controlled substance, it is commonly abused for its psychoactive effects. In high doses, kava can produce feelings of relaxation, sedation, and anxiety relief. Since it is sold legally in the U.S., there are many arguments over whether or not you can get addicted to kava.
Ultimately, any substance a person uses that alters their mood, mind, or perception can be addictive. While kava may not be as addictive as stronger opioids like oxycodone, morphine, or heroin, it is possible to get addicted to it.
Kava is an herbal supplement that comes from the root of a plant known as Piper methysticum. This plant is native to the Western Pacific Islands and the word “kava” comes from a Polynesian term that means “intoxicating pepper.” Kava has been widely used by Pacific islanders for decades both as a medical treatment and as a substance that is used in religious ceremonies.[1]
The herb is most commonly consumed in the form of a tea-like beverage that, although non-alcoholic, does produce psychoactive effects. People who consume kava may feel euphoria, sedation, and relaxation. As such, many people use it as a way to manage conditions like stress, insomnia, chronic pain, and anxiety.
In recent years, experts have studied kava as a possible alternative to benzodiazepine medications, however, research is limited around the substance. Researchers have also looked questioned whether or not kava could help treat addiction by reducing drug and alcohol cravings.[2] Since little is known about kava’s effects and risk potential, the FDA released an advisory report in 2002 to notify consumers that kava may cause liver damage.[3]
Kava affects the brain and the central nervous system acting as a depressant that reduces anxiety and relaxes muscles. When used traditionally, people would chew kava roots or make the root into a pulp that they would drink. Today, kava is available in several different forms. You may find kava in a tincture or liquid extract (kava concentrate), added to a pre-made or flavored liquid (micronized kava), brewed into a tea (ground kava root), or formulated into capsules.
Kava has an earthy taste that many people compare to dirt. Kavalactones, the active ingredient in kava, may have an analgesic effect, which is why people who drink kava may experience numbness in their lips or tongue. When people want to experience maximum effects from the substance, they typically consume it on an empty stomach.
Since kava reduces anxiety, many people abuse kava for its anti-anxiety properties. The substance may also appear to improve mood, appetite, and sleep quality. However, any mood and mind-altering substance can be addictive, so it is possible to get addicted to kava.
Kava produces calming effects similar to those of benzodiazepines and alcohol without causing significantly impaired judgment. While kava is commonly abused due to the health benefits it may produce, it can also cause several harmful side effects. Common side effects of Kava abuse include:
Nausea and diarrhea
People who are addicted to kava may mix the substance with alcohol or other central nervous system depressants in order to increase the effects of the substance. Others will take higher doses of kava than recommended to try and feel the effects faster. Whether someone is taking too much kava or mixing it with other drugs, doing so increases the risk of addiction and harmful side effects.
While many believe that kava is non-addictive, it can lead to the development of tolerance and thus be habit-forming. The substance can also create a euphoric high that allows users to change their state of mind without being overly impaired, so users can be high and still function. As a result, it’s easy for people to use kava without realizing they have become addicted to it.
Common signs of kava addiction are:
Preoccupation with thoughts of using kava
Developing a tolerance where you need to use more of the substance to feel the same effects
Feeling intense urges or cravings for kava
Wanting to stop or even attempting to stop using kava but being unable to do so
Spending excessive time and money on kava
Continuing to use kava despite worsening health or social consequences
Isolating from friends and family or lying about kava use
Mixing kava with other substances like alcohol, opioids, benzodiazepines, or stimulants
People who are addicted to kava may also experience mild withdrawal symptoms if they stop using the substance suddenly. These symptoms include anxiety, nausea, fatigue, headache, and cramping.
Although Kava is marketed as a safe and natural herbal supplement, experts have many safety concerns about the substance – particularly in regard to the way kava affects the liver. In fact, kava is banned in Canada and Europe due to these concerns. In 2002, the FDA explained that “Kava-containing products have been associated with liver-related injuries – including hepatitis, cirrhosis, and liver failure – in over 25 reports of adverse events in other countries.”[4] Some of these patients even required liver transplants.
While a single dose of kava is probably safe, long-term abuse is extremely dangerous. In addition to the risk of addiction, long-term kava use can lead to liver damage, stomach irritation, kidney problems, hallucinations, and even shortness of breath.
Even though kava is sold legally in the United States, there is still the potential for users to abuse the substance and become addicted to it. If you or someone you know is addicted to kava, we can help. Contact us today to learn about our addiction treatment programs and how we can help you or your loved one.
https://www.poison.org/articles/2016-jun/kava
https://ods.od.nih.gov/HealthInformation/kava.aspx
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Possible discovery of a new super-Earth orbiting Proxima Centauri
by Evan Gough, Universe Today
Credit: Lorenzo Santinelli, CC BY-SA
Astronomers have discovered another candidate exoplanet orbiting our neighbor Proxima Centauri. A paper announcing these results was just published in the journal Science Advances. If confirmed, it will be the second exoplanet discovered to be orbiting the star.
It was big news in 2016 when astronomers discovered a planet orbiting Proxima Centauri (PC), the nearest star to our sun. That planet, named Proxima b, is potentially habitable, and at the time, there was speculation that we could send a robotic explorer there in only a few decades. The discovery of a second planet, even though it's likely too far away from its star for liquid water, is intensifying interest in the PC system.
The discoverers of this new planet, Proxima c, say that follow-up observations are needed to confirm it as a planet. Changes in the stellar activity of Proxima Centauri indicated the presence of another planet. But they also say that the data they have can't be explained in terms of any stellar activity itself. Due to its proximity, and also its angular separation from the star, it is a prime candidate for follow-up observations—and even imaging—with next generation telescopes.
Proxima c's mass is about half that of Neptune and its orbit is about 1.5 times that of Earth. Its temperature is about -200 C, if it has no atmosphere. Proxima Centauri has undergone intense astronomical scrutiny in the last few years, and that has ruled out the presence of any Jupiter-sized planets between 0.8 and 5+ astronomical units from the star. But finding Proxima c is still surprising, because its presence challenges our models of how super-Earths form and evolve.
The lead author of this study is Mario Damasso from the INAF Astrophysical Observatory of Turin, Italy. The study is titled "A low-mass planet candidate orbiting Proxima Centauri at a distance of 1.5 AU." It was published on January 15th, 2020.
Hugh Jones, a Professor of Astrophysics at Hertfordshire University, was also involved in the study. In an article in The Conversation, Jones pointed out how difficult it can be to separate data showing the presence of a planet, from data showing stellar activity at the host star. "Just like our sun, Proxima has spots caused by regions of intense magnetic activity which are moving in and out of view, changing in intensity on a variety of timescales. These features need to be considered when searching for any planetary signals."
Even though stellar activity doesn't match the data, the discoverers are being cautious until follow-up observations can either confirm or deny the presence of Proxima c, and definitively rule out stellar activity.
Red dwarfs host more small planets than other types of stars. This is an artist’s impression of the TRAPPIST-1 system, showcasing all seven planets in various phases. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
The discovery of this new candidate exoplanet is contained in this new paper, but the history goes back a few years.
Multiple teams of scientists have scoured Proxima Centauri for exoplanets. Much of their work depended on radial velocity data, notably from the ESO's HARPS (High Accuracy Radial velocity Planet Searcher.) Study by study, astronomers have excluded the presence of certain mass-range planets within certain AU ranges from PC.
A 1999 study excluded the presence of any planets beyond 1700 AUs of PC, because PC itself orbits Alpha Centauri AB. A 2019 study set an upper limit of 0.3 Jupiter masses for any planet within 10 AU of PC. That same study excluded the presence of planets between 10 and 50 AU in the mass range 0.3 to 8 masses of Jupiter. Other studies put on more constraints.
But astronomers also know that red dwarfs host more small planets than other types of stars. So they kept looking.
Can We Really Send a Spacecraft There?
The Breakthrough Starshot Initiative (BSI) thinks they can send a tiny spacecraft to Proxima Centauri.
When the Centauri b exoplanet was discovered in 2016, the BSI got to work. They think they can send a nano-spacecraft with cameras to within one AU of the planet and return images much more detailed than we can hope to achieve with any telescope. They say they should be able to return images showing continents and oceans. On their website, BSI says "To achieve comparable resolution with a space telescope in Earth's orbit, the telescope would have to be 300km in diameter."
But even though PC is "close" in astronomical terms, it's still an immense distance away. At 4.2 light years away, it would still take decades to get there, traveling at 20% the speed of light (about 216,000,000 kilometers per hour.) Currently, the fastest spacecraft is NASA's Parker Solar Probe, which will reach a top speed of only 692,000 km/h.
But whether we can get a spacecraft there or not is only part of the story. Due to its proximity, the Proxima Centauri system is an observable laboratory for understanding other solar systems. And its presence and proximity might spur further technological development needed to study it and other systems in more detail.
As Hugh Jones said in his article at The Conversation, "Ultimately, the discovery of multiple signals from the very closest star shows that planets are more common than stars. Proxima represents an excellent location for understanding the closest exoplanets and developing new technologies to better understand the universe we live in."
Proxima c's existence is problematic, or at least significant, for our planet formation models. Among super-Earth planets around low-mass stars detected by radial velocity, Proxima c would have both the longest period and the lowest mass. It would also be the furthest distance from its parent star than the frost line in the original protoplanetary disk. The frost line was probably at 0.15 AU.
The authors say that it's unlikely that Proxima c was kicked out from its initial position closer to the star due to some instability, "because its orbit is consistent with a circular one, and because of the absence of more massive planets on shorter orbital distance."
In their paper, they say, "The formation of a super-Earth well beyond the snowline challenges formation models according to which the snowline is a sweet spot for the accretion of super-Earths, due to the accumulation of icy solids at that location."
Proxima Centauri is a red dwarf star, or M dwarf. It's about 4.2 light years away from the sun, making it our closest neighbor. It's the third star in a trinary system, with the Alpha Centauri AB binary star. Proxima Centauri is about 13,000 AU from Alpha Centauri AB, and was discovered in 1915.
Evidence of another possible planet orbiting Proxima Centauri
More information: Mario Damasso et al. A low-mass planet candidate orbiting Proxima Centauri at a distance of 1.5 AU, Science Advances (2020). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aax7467
Journal information: Science Advances
Provided by Universe Today
Citation: Possible discovery of a new super-Earth orbiting Proxima Centauri (2020, January 16) retrieved 15 January 2021 from https://phys.org/news/2020-01-discovery-super-earth-orbiting-proxima-centauri.html
Image: Hubble's best image of Alpha Centauri A and B
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Breezing through the space environment of Barnard's Star b
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X-rays surrounding 'Magnificent 7' may be traces of sought-after particle
Researchers rewind the clock to calculate age and site of supernova blast
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Home › Article › The STEM Dilemma
The STEM Dilemma
How do we attract more women and minorities into science?
by Evan Pattak
When Elizabeth Roeske was growing up in the small New Jersey town of Salem, she seemed a natural for a career in science. Several members of her family are scientists, and she was planning to study chemistry and environmental science in college. But she found little peer support—”No one from my high school was planning to major in chemistry”—and there seemed a chance she would suffer the same fate as the many young women who are discouraged, deflected and dissuaded from STEM studies.
But when she enrolled at Duquesne University, she was embraced by the Bayer Scholars Program, an initiative of Duquesne and Bayer Corporation that provides financial support and mentoring for students pursuing STEM careers. Just as significantly, she drew inspiration from the professional women in her environment.
“In Duquesne’s chemistry department, about 30 percent of faculty are women,” she says. “I never saw where women couldn’t make it because there were so many successful women there.”
Following her graduation this year, she joined Bayer as a technical trainee. Roeske’s story is a shining example of how the private and educational sectors can work together to motivate women in STEM studies; it’s also a reminder that, as a society, we don’t do it very well or very often.
“I knew I really liked science, but I had no idea what I could do with it,” Roeske says. “We should start familiarizing students with STEM fields at an early age.”
The STEM gap may be a real threat to continued American prosperity. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in the decade ending in 2020, U.S. employers will create about 2.1 million jobs in STEM disciplines as well as the professional sector. But who will fill those jobs? According to STEMconnector, a clearinghouse for STEM information, the manufacturing sector already has 600,000 jobs it can’t fill because of the shortage of STEM skills, a gap that could become a chasm.
The regional situation mirrors the national scene. In a 2012 study by the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, companies in the region’s growing energy sector indicated they are “highly confident” in their ability to fill only one of every five job openings in key technical categories.
One of the most vexing aspects of the STEM gap is the chronic under-representation of women and minorities in STEM jobs. The Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that women constitute 47 percent of the national workforce, but their percentages in STEM fields fall well below that. For example, women make up 34 percent of chemists and material scientists, but only 7 percent of electronics engineers and electrical engineers. They are 26 percent of environmental scientists and geoscientists but only 7 percent of mechanical engineers.
The representation of minorities is just as disappointing. Hispanics, blacks and American Indians/Alaska Natives constitute 9 percent of workers in science and engineering occupations, but 26 percent of all U.S. residents between the ages of 20 and 70.
The conventional wisdom preaches that girls just aren’t as interested in math and science, but figures from the National Girls Collaborative Project tell a different story. In their K-12 years, on a percentage basis, more girls than boys take algebra II and precalculus/analysis, while 17 percent of each gender takes calculus. So where are girls abandoning the STEM path?
Bayer has been researching that issue for 17 years, interviewing young women and minorities about career aspirations and obstacles. Rebecca L. Lucore, chief of staff for Bayer MaterialScience LLC (NAFTA region), says Bayer’s findings, informal though they be, point to one significant, consistent barrier.
“All of them said they found the most discouragement at the college and university level and from their college professors,” Lucore said. “We’ve spent millions investing at the elementary and secondary school levels at getting kids to pursue science, and then they’re getting discouraged when they get to college.”
If our education system is contributing to the under-representation of women and minorities in STEM fields, then many say it’s high time to address that–both by fixing the system and enhancing it with creative new programs. A number of local organizations are doing just that.
At the University of Pittsburgh, the Swanson School of Engineering has been targeting the issue since 1993 and knows full well the stakes.
“Engineers are our next-generation innovators, inventors and problem-solvers,” says Mary Besterfield-Sacre, associate professor of industrial engineering and director of Swanson’s Engineering Education Research Center. “We potentially are missing opportunities for solving problems because of the lack of diversity.”
Today, Swanson’s efforts are embodied in a pair of companion programs. Its pre-college initiative, called Investing Now, reaches out to female and minority students, bringing them to campus during the summer to meet Swanson faculty and participate in hands-on activities.
Once students enroll, Swanson’s EXCEL program provides the resources and support to keep them motivated. “We’re not just bringing students in,” says Sylvanus Wosu, Swanson’s associate dean for diversity. “We’re also finding ways to retain them. One of those ways is to make sure the culture is welcoming and inclusive.”
To that end, Swanson requires diversity education courses for all freshmen, and it has diversified its faculty as well. In some departments, as many as 50 percent of faculty are women. The school also counts on such student organizations as the National Society of Black Engineers to recruit and mentor new students.
“On our campus, we have a very strong Society of Women Engineers,” says Besterfield-Sacre. “When I was in school in the ’80s, I looked at them and said, ‘I don’t want anything to do with this.’ It was all about how to be a woman in a man’s world, dressing for success. Things have very much changed. The girls create an environment for themselves.”
Swanson’s results are impressive. In 2010-11, 38.6 percent of Swanson’s doctorate degrees in engineering were awarded to women, ranking the school No. 1 in the U.S. That same year, Swanson awarded 10.5 percent of its doctoral degrees in engineering to minorities, more than 72 percent better than the 2004 figure. The very next year, however, the percentages for both groups plummeted, demonstrating how difficult it is to maintain momentum.
“Imagine if many schools joined in this effort,” Wosu says. “We can make a difference. We can move the bar.”
But he also knows that whatever higher ed does is only one piece of the puzzle.
“We have a K-12 system that needs to be completely revamped. If it isn’t, no matter what the universities do, we still will be lagging behind. Teachers need continuing education on how to teach math and science.”
That’s where ASSET STEM Education comes in. Since 1994, the nonprofit ASSET has been teaching the teachers; that is, working with school districts and educators throughout the region to improve instruction in STEM fields. ASSET helps professional development in a number of ways, the most important of which may be providing teachers with classroom materials that inspire creativity and critical thinking.
But that’s not all it does. Participating districts often loan teachers to ASSET for two-year stints that immerse them in inquiry-based learning techniques, ideas they then carry back to their districts. The organization also undertakes case studies of teachers, who can record their own performances for later critique and also review their work with professional evaluators.
“We’re trying to change the ways educators teach and the ways students learn,” says Cynthia Pulkowski, ASSET’s executive director. “If teaching is inquiry-based and gives students opportunities to inquire and articulate, you’ll see it go cross-curricular. You’ll see it in reading and social studies. Once people make the shift, they’ll never stop teaching or learning that way. That’s true sustainability.”
ASSET’s reach goes beyond K-12 classrooms, as it works with colleges and universities as well as informal educators, such as the YMCA. It has a second Pennsylvania office in Malvern and is planning a third in Bloomsburg, though all classroom materials are housed at its South Side headquarters. ASSET’s work is so highly regarded that it’s been tapped for professional development by school districts in New Mexico, California and Texas. In Pennsylvania, ASSET reaches more than 4,000 teachers and 175,000 students.
The organization regularly evaluates the impact of its work, a component that’s often required under the federal grants it receives. The results, Pulkowski reports, are improved science scores on state tests.
“Students need to be fluent, not just literate,” she says. “They need to be able to articulate a complex idea, apply systems and models from one environment to another, learn how to deconstruct things, then construct things that are significant so they become intrinsic. The impact has been great on the literacy piece. The schools have a great foundation. Now, it’s important to move them to fluency. It’s a deeper dive now. We have the first layer. Now, let’s get the second one.”
Teachers are getting still further assistance from local leaders in informal education, such as the Carnegie Science Center and its Chevron Center for STEM Education and Career Development, which provides a rich variety of programs to introduce students to the possibilities of STEM careers. Linda Ortenzo, director of STEM programs for the center, believes the days when outside learning experiences could be regarded as something less than obligatory are over.
“We’ve gone from nice to necessary,” she says. “The informal aspect of STEM education provides a gateway to discoveries, innovations and career possibilities that just aren’t available in classrooms. It’s an integral part of students’ STEM education experiences.”
To make sure girls are getting the message, the center offers such programs as Girls Engaged in Math + Science (GEMS), on-site, after-school workshops for girls in grades 6-8 that feature female role models in STEM careers. GEMS locales include Pittsburgh and Wilkinsburg schools and such community partners as the Duquesne-West Mifflin Boys and Girls Club. Also offered is Click! Spy School, a summer camp program where girls aged 10-14 solve mysteries and complete covert missions using key STEM concepts, and CanTEEN, a resource to inspire girls to see themselves in STEM careers through gaming and other online activities.
The programs reflect what we’ve discovered about how and why girls learn, an element sometimes missing from more traditional approaches.
“Girls like to work in teams,” Ortenzo says. “They like to solve real-world problems. They want to have a real impact. The experiences we design for them allow them to do those very things while introducing them to women in a wide range of STEM fields. They’re attractive people who have families and lives that are really appealing, so the students can see themselves in a way that breaks down the walls.”
In the next issue: Some observers insist that tearing down America’s education system and starting from scratch is the only way to bridge the STEM gap. Pittsburgh organizations aren’t going that far, but they’re introducing innovations that we’ll explore in our series conclusion.
Categories: Science
Tags: STEM
Evan Pattak
Evan Pattak is a Pittsburgh freelance writer and publicist. His work appears regularly in TEQ, Pennsylvania Manufacturer, Pop City and Pittsburgh Quarterly Magazine.
State’s Innovation Economy Needs a Boost to Compete
by Julia Fraser
Wanted: More Workers (Part III)
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The Cutting Room Floor: I’m Still Pissed About Halo 2
Posted on August 2, 2018 August 2, 2018 by Brett Thompson
Anyone remember when Halo 2 released way back in ’04? It received critical praise and people just loved everything about it. It had a great campaign, fantastic multiplayer, a not-at-all-infuriating ending that provided some kind of closure… Okay maybe that last one is more or less the opposite of the truth, but while a lot of people still haven’t recovered from that painfully abrupt ending, it wasn’t the only point of contention surrounding the game. Ladies and gentlemen who may not remember (or never knew in the first place), may I present to you the E3 2003 gameplay demo!
Yes, I realize the video title says E3 2004 but it’s wrong. This demo appeared in ’03, and it was at E3 ’04 that Halo 2’s multiplayer debuted and included but wasn’t stuffed with content that didn’t end up in the final game. It showed the multiplayer map Zanzibar, but also included a warthog that fired rockets (the exact rockets fired from the SPNKR, rather than the burst rockets that appeared in later games). Okay, sorry. I’m going on a tangent. Where were we?
The campaign demo. Right. In short, Bungie showed off a mission that looked phenomenal (for its time). This was when they revealed beloved features like dual-wielding and vehicle boarding. In addition to those tasty licks, there was a whole segment set in the streets of New Mombasa featuring exciting vehicle combat, Brutes on Earth, and marines as competent drivers. There’s even an instance of the AI using a “frag and clear” tactic that got me really excited.
As the demo goes on, you see Master Chief performing a brutal melee combo with the Battle Rifle (which, in this demo, was a single-shot rifle, essentially making it the DMR). He then boards a ghost and pulls a whole group of Covies away from the marines so they can complete their mission. He gets away from his pursuers and ends up on a highway, where he is surrounded by drop-pod Elites wielding swords. He then pulls out a plasma grenade, prompting Cortana to utter the classic phrase “Bet ya can’t stick it.”
“You’re on,” he replies before throwing the grenade as the music swells and the title card appears. I still remember that moment clearly. Adrenaline was pumping through little Brett’s body at a rather impressive rate. The last nine minutes had blown my mind, and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this game and kill Covenant in the streets of New Mombasa. There was just one problem.
This mission wasn’t in the final game. Sure, there were missions in the city, but they didn’t include the locations shown in this demo. The closest thing we got was a minute-long part of the “Metropolis” mission that had a tiny, tiny Warthog section. Not only that, but many of the gameplay mechanics shown off were also cut from the game. Dual wielding and boarding fortunately made the cut, but melee combos and marines with IQs above 50 were nowhere to be seen. Also, Brutes never set foot on Earth in the final game.
R.I.P. Old New Mombasa
When you add all of these omissions up, it’s a pretty big gut punch that gamers never got to experience this mission themselves. I’m sure there were reasons behind it. The original Xbox probably couldn’t process all of that at once. The AI seen there was too good to be true. I get it. I just can’t help but think I would have had a blast in Bungie’s original vision for New Mombasa.
It’s not all bad. We still got a great game (though it’s my least favorite in the series). The city missions that didn’t end up on the cutting room floor were really great! I’m just slightly sad I will never get to experience this. No closure or anything. Hell, it took three years, but we even got closure for the end of the campaign when it just abruptly st–
Tags: bungie, e3, gaming, halo 2, master chief, video gamesCategories: Rants, Uncategorized
Published by Brett Thompson
A guy who plays games with the intention of enjoying them. Please direct all condemnations of 343i to the IGN comments sections. View all posts by Brett Thompson
PreviousRes-Erect: Dead Space
NextA Prick’s Wish and Wishnot List: Halo Infinite
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Monarda Citriodora Plant Care: How To Grow Horsemint
Monarda Citriodora [mo-NAR-da, sit-ree-oh-DOR-uh] is a flowering plant species from the family Lamiaceae, commonly known as the sage, deadnettle, or mint family.
The Lamiaceae family of plants includes some of the most widely used culinary herbs of the world, such as mint, sage, rosemary, basil, thyme, and oregano.
Image: Krzysztof Golik [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Monarda citriodora is known for its attractive purple-colored flowers and the distinctive scent its leaves produce when rubbed or crushed.
The smell is reminiscent of lemons, which is why the plant is commonly known as lemon mint.
Even the botanical name reflects the same; citriodora means lemon-scented.
The first part of the scientific name, Monarda, which is also the name of the genus this plant belongs to, commemorates the 16th-century Spanish botanist and physician Nicolas Bautista Monardes who studied medicinal plants which were brought to Spain from the New World.
In addition to lemon mint, it is also known with the following common names:
Lemon bee balm
Purple horsemint
Purple lemon mint
Lemon horsemint
Lemon bergamot
This wildflower is a native plant to the United States (Texas) and Mexico, and grows in a variety of habitats in most of the sunny areas of the region.
In its native range, purple horsemint is seen growing from pastures to sandy and rocky prairies, to roadsides.
Monarda Citriodora Care
The Monarda citriodora grows most actively in the spring, often reaching the height of 3’ feet.
It features multiple stems, which grow from the base and have pairs of lance-shaped leaves.
As mentioned above, the leaves produce lemony smell when rubbed or crushed.
Citriodora grows and spreads easily, often forming large colonies, however, it has a short life.
Lemon horsemint is an annual plant and dies with the first frost.
The Monarda produces beautiful, but unusual tuft-like, whorled flower heads on elongated spikes.
The flowers are fragrant, tubular, two-lipped, and lavender to pink in color.
Each whorl of flowers is supported by lavender or white leaf-like bracts.
While the bloom time of lemon mint typically lasts from May to July or August (from late spring/early summer to late summer), the plant often continues to produce flowers till the end of summer or even until the beginning of fall, if it receives enough water.
The lemon beebalm prefers full sun, but grows in partial shade as well.
It is hardy to USDA Hardiness zones 5 to 9.
As mentioned above, the plant dies with the first frost.
This Monarda species grows best when its soil is kept continuously moist.
Water it regularly and do not let the soil completely dry out as dry soil makes the plant vulnerable to foliar diseases.
However, make sure to not overwater as well.
The rule of thumb is to water frequently, but moderately.
Feed the lemon plant once every two weeks starting from mid-May to early autumn.
Although purple Monarda citriodora prefers soils containing a high percentage of clay, it can easily tolerate other soil types too.
However, make sure the soil is well-draining.
Since it grows quite quickly, experts recommend dividing the clumps every three years.
M. citriodora doesn’t require a lot of maintenance, but deadheading the flowers is known to help encourage blooming and extending the blooming period.
Experts also recommend treating the plant with copper sulfate or a fungicide once in early spring and then in autumn, as a preventive measure.
How To Propagate Horsemint
Lemon bergamot generally spread by self-seeding.
Provided the right growing conditions, the Monadra quickly spreads and forms colonies.
But, they also grow from seeds and propagate by plant divisions and stem cuttings.
Growing Lemon Mint Seeds:
For people living in the warm climatic zones, February is the best time to sow the seeds directly into the ground as they will go through natural stratification during the next two months and will start producing shoots by April.
When the shoots start to emerge, thin them out.
The seeds, however, can optionally be sown in autumn.
If you live in an area where it snows, cover the site with a foil to keep it a little warm.
When growing this Monarda species from seeds, make sure to not sow them deeper than one inch.
Seedlings typically start to appear in 3 weeks, but you should wait for another three weeks before transplanting them.
Monarda by Division:
If propagating through divisions, choose the plants about 3 to 4 years old and divide them in April or early autumn.
Clean the roots of divisions with water and then treat the cuts with crushed coal before planting them.
Stem cuttings:
Cut about 3” – 4” inches long pieces from the green shoots, before the start of the flowering period.
Remove leaves from lower parts of stems and then plant them in coarse sand.
Water the plantings, so the soil is moist and then cover with garden fabric.
Place the pots in a dark place.
The cuttings typically begin to root within 2 to 3 weeks.
Transfer the plantings to a permanent place in mid-summer.
Horsemint Pest or Diseases
Lemon horsemint is susceptible to powdery mildew and as mentioned above, it can develop foliar diseases if kept in dry soil for a long time.
The flowers of the Monarda citriodora are highly attractive to bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, which also act as pollinators.
It also attracts beneficial insects to the garden.
Monarda Citriodora Uses
Lemon beebalm is widely grown as a bedding plant in full sun and part shade and is also a popular choice for herb gardens, cottage gardens, prairies, and roadsides.
In some parts of the world, its leaves are used for culinary purposes, such as for making herbal tea.
The flowers are edible, the leaves intensely spicy, and the unusual blooms make easy to use cut flowers.
Monarda citriodora was also earlier used as a bee repellent, hence the common name lemon beebalm.
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Climate ChangeNEWSYOUTH VOICES
Climate Change Activist Jonah Gottlieb, Our Future, Our Fight
by Lauren Wellbank April 26, 2020
written by Lauren Wellbank April 26, 2020
Update: Last August, Parentology shared the following story about Jonah Gottlieb. A month later, we’d find ourselves marching alongside him in Washington, DC on behalf of climate change. We’re always checking in with Jonah to see what he’s up to, so were excited when we received the film clip below.
Our Future, Our Fight – Trailer [2020] from Principle Pictures on Vimeo.
And now… a glimpse back at Parentology’s first article featuring Jonah Gottlieb.
Today’s youth are raising their voices to encourage climate change awareness. Even louder — their call for action. One of the youth leaders in this effort is Jonah Gottlieb, a 17-year-old environmental activist from Petaluma, California who’s both the Director of Schools for Climate Action (S4CA) and the Executive Director of the National Children’s Campaign.
It’s this latter role that will see Gottlieb come face-to-face with the 2020 presidential candidates during the Children and Youth Presidential Forum at American University on September 20. The topics being broached directly impact young people: the climate crisis, immigration, healthcare, education, LGBTQ+ rights, child welfare, economic security and the foster/adoption system.
While this might seem like a lot for the average high school student, Gottlieb is no stranger to holding people of all ages accountable for their actions. In July, he spoke on behalf of the National Children’s Campaign’s Environmental Initiative, and as part of S4CA at the Zero Hour’s Youth Climate Summit.
“I gave a presentation about how to draft a resolution, work with school boards and meet with your member of congress,” he says simply.
Recently, Gottlieb filled Parentology in on what’s happening on the climate control front and ways to make a difference both there and in other arenas where families are affected.
Photo: Daniel James Doherty
Pursuing S4CA’s Strategic Goals
It was S4CA where Gottlieb cut his teeth on goals like these. He joined the group after the 2017 wildfires devastated his Northern California community. S4CA’s non-partisan campaign spreads information about climate change to school boards, student councils, and other school support organizations across the country in order to drive home the importance of both climate change reform and youth involvement. The organization has worked with more than 55 school boards and 26 student councils since its inception.
The three main goals of S4CA is to, “Pass resolutions that fall on congress specifically to take action on climate change,” Gottlieb explains. “Specifically define the climate crisis as a generational justice issue that disproportionately affects our generation and subsequent generations. And lastly, prove, expand and implement policies at the local level.”
What this could look like? “Anything from implementing and improving climate curriculum, to switching to electric school buses, to compostable meals at lunch.”
Why Progress Via Adults Has Proven Slow
Greta Thunberg, Nadia Nazar, Levi Draheim — the list of youth making strides towards climate change is long and strong. So why aren’t more adults included in the mix?
“Climate change has been politicized way more than it needs to be,” Gottlieb believes. “Seven out of 10 Americans believe we need to take action now on the planet. Among Republicans, it’s six out of 10.” It’s also a generational issue. As Gottlieb notes, “Among my generation, it’s closer to nine out of 10.”
Listening to the recent political debates, and one might think that climate change has been addressed. But where’s the action?
“There’s political cover for every single politician to take action on climate change now,” Gottlieb says. “Whether it’s because we’ve been taking science classes more recently or not, it really shows we know that we’re going to be affected by this more than older generations and other elected officials who are voting on this. We’re going to have to live with the consequences.”
Photo: Jonah Gottlieb
Raising Awareness: Educating Ourselves and the Public
Events like the upcoming Children and Youth Presidential Forum shed light on issues including climate change. Even Gottlieb learned a thing or two at the This is Zero Hour: Youth Climate Summit in July. Hitting his radar: light pollution and algae blooms.
“It was eye-opening,” he says. “Even when power sources are renewable, light pollution problems remain.” Solutions are put forth at these events, as well. “We talked about technology that ensures light is only shining on the places where needed rather than up in the sky, keeping our sky and our earth as unpolluted by light as possible.”
And getting up-close to climate change’s impact didn’t start and stop with his area’s 2017 fires. “After the Youth Summit [in Miami], we went to the beach and saw algae blooms. We never really experience the effects of climate change like that until we see them in person.” It’s through these changes, Gottlieb says, we learn.
In a press release this week, Gottlieb stated some of his intentions for September’s Children and Youth Presidential Forum. “Young people have the most political power of any voting block, even though the majority of us cannot vote,” he said in the statement. “That’s because there are 74 million of us under the age of 18 and every single one of us knows someone who cares about them who can vote.”
He points to hypocritical actions, such as candidates pulling their kids into the spotlight for photo ops while still voting in line with the NRA, big oil, and dark money groups.
Bringing the issues even closer to home, his statement reads, “The Children and Youth Presidential Forum is a great opportunity for the 2020 presidential candidates to demonstrate their commitment to America’s young people by sharing their plans to make children’s issues a top priority and speaking with us directly about the things that most impact us and our future.”
What Gottlieb wants from us? To be inspired.
“Go out and make a difference. Take action in your community and around the country. That’s huge.”
To Learn More, Visit:
National Children’s Campaign
Schools for Climate Action
climate actionclimate changeNational Children's Campaignyouth climate activistzero hour
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Corporate Government
Corporate GovernmentForeign PolicyRothschildShadow Government
In one of my earlier articles, War and Foreign Policy, I discussed how the foreign policy of the office of the President of the United States is influenced by the corporate interests that are represented by those who surround the inhabitant of that office. The most prominent of these groups of influencers are those individuals that are collectively referred to as cabinet officials.
Established in Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution, the Cabinet’s role is to advise the President on any subject he may require relating to the duties of each member’s respective office. These offices are: Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Labor, State, Transportation, Treasury, and Veterans Affairs, and the Attorney General.
Behind each of these positions are corporations that serve these varying interests, and their corporate interests are ultimately derived from the interests of multinational conglomerates that express their desires through an influential group that are referred to as the Round Table Organizations and Think Tanks with members such as The Trilateral Commission, The Bilderberg Group, the Council on Foreign Relations, the Club of Rome, the Royal Institute of International Affairs, and The United Nations.
It is easy to visualize the influence that can be wielded by these networks by looking at the connections between the various members of said networks and the positions they can rise to in all governments. Let us consider Secretary of Commerce Wilbur L. Ross, an example of which is by no means unique.
Mr. Ross, known as the “bankruptcy king” of Wall Street, spent 21 years working for Rothschild New York, a branch representing the North American interests of Rothschild & Co, beginning in 1976. As a bankruptcy adviser, Ross represented bondholders in the bankruptcies of companies run by Donald Trump and T. Boone Pickens.
Rothschild & Co functions as one of the world’s largest independent financial advisory groups and is owned by members of the Rothschild family, a banking dynasty originating from Frankfurt Germany and gaining prominence in the 19th century.
Today, Rothschild holdings span across many industries from financial services to energy. They are also actively engaged in advisory positions of many companies within those industries. Of particular interest to us for the purposes of this article is Genie Energy founded by Howard Jonas.
Let us examine the members of Genie Energy’s strategic advisory board: Dick Cheney (former vice president of the United States), Rupert Murdoch (media mogul and chairman of News Corp), James Woolsey (former CIA director), Larry Summers (former head of the US Treasury), Mary Landrieu (former United States Senator from Louisiana), Bill Richardson (former Governor of New Mexico, ex-ambassador to the United Nations and United States Energy Secretary), Mike Castle, Michael Steinhardt, and finally Jacob Rothschild.
Genie Energy owns 89% of Genie Oil and Gas (GOGAS) with Jacob Rothschild, Rupert Murdoch, and Michael Steinhardt (among others) having minority interests.
Through its subsidiary Afek Oil and Gas (run by a close friend of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu), Genie Oil and Gas has dedicated to explore the Golan Heights, a contested piece of real-estate between Syria and Israel since the 1967 Middle East War when Israel seized the land from Syria.
On February 21, 2013 Israeli authorities awarded Afek Oil and Gas an exclusive 36-month petroleum exploration license to a 153-square-mile plot in the Golan Heights. In 2015, South of Katzrin in the southern Golan Heights, Afek discovered a substantial amount of oil and natural gas reserves. Unfortunately, the UN recognizes this area to be Syrian territory.
On February 26, 2019 The United States senate introduce a new bill (S. 567) sponsored by Ted Cruz (R-Tx) to recognize Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights which promoted, amongst other things, the U.S. and Israel conducting “joint projects” including “industrial research and development” to extract the large oil reserves that were recently discovered. This was to provide enough diplomatic cover for the extraction of these resources as it is not an effort that is recognized internationally.
Unsurprisingly, the following month, Dick Cheney former vice president of the United States and strategic advisor to Genie Energy was back in the news.
In an article published by the Washington Post on March 11, 2019 titled “Former vice president Cheney challenges Pence at private retreat, compares Trump’s foreign policy to Obama’s approach”, Robert Costa and Ashley Parker wrote:
A chummy discussion between Vice President Pence and former vice president Richard B. Cheney quickly turned into a vigorous back-and-forth over President Trump’s foreign policy at a private gathering Saturday, with Cheney comparing the president’s instincts to those of his Democratic predecessor, Barack Obama, according to a transcript obtained by The Washington Post.
Cheney also worried aloud to Pence that “we’re getting into a situation when our friends and allies around the world that we depend upon are going to lack confidence in us” and then offered a blunt criticism of the current administration’s response to foreign policy challenges.
In what could potentially have been an attempt to persuade a foreign policy power play through manipulation for the benefit of Genie Energy, Cheney took to the lecturing of Vice President Pence over President Trump’s foreign policy by drawing comparisons to former President Barack Obama that were seemingly engineered to unleash the competitive instincts of Trump.
This ultimately must have had the desired effect. It was only 10 days later on March 21, 2019 that the Washington Post published an article titled “Trump endorses Israeli control of the disputed Golan Heights”. Anne Gearan, Loveday Morris and Carol Morello wrote:
President Trump abruptly reversed decades of U.S. policy Thursday by endorsing permanent Israeli control of the disputed Golan Heights, saying on Twitter that the area seized from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war is “of critical strategic and security importance” to Israel.
The consequences of these actions remain to be seen; however, the maneuvering by corporate back room interests through the interconnected network of influence that manipulates foreign policy does so specifically for the gain of a select few who represent those corporate interests (in this specific case Genie Energy) at the expense of the many who do not gain anything and whose lives may ultimately be negatively affected by these policy decisions.
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Well done sir. Love the insight.
Cheney is indeed a master manipulator and I often find myself simultaneously in awe of his art in this while fearfull of any outcome, particularly with easy to influence minds as our current administration.
Patrick J. Herbert says:
Thank you, James! Ultimately, they are manipulating all of us for their gain (the elite) at our expense (the rest of us), and in every way conceivable.
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Home News Man charged over murder of 22-month-old baby
Man charged over murder of 22-month-old baby
Credit: Police Hour.
Police today have been authorised to charge a man with the murder of a 22-month old baby.
Michael Wild will appear at Manchester Magistrates today.
Emergency services were called to an incident at property on Somerton Avenue in Wythenshawe last Sunday.
It was reported to the Ambulance service that the 22-month-old girl who cannot be named for legal reasons was having a medical episode.
She was rushed to hospital with but later died having suffered unexplained injuries.
A 34-year-old woman who was arrested has been released on bail pending further enquiries.
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Ohio Ballot Initiatives
Category: Ohio
Created: Tuesday, 18 October 2005
"A BAROMETER OF THE NATION'S POLITICAL HEALTH"
Ohio has joined California in calling a special election on legislative redistricting this November. While Californians agonize over "protected incumbents" as they head to the polls, Ohioans are confronting a disturbing nexus of gerrymandering and corruption.
There's no greater contrast in America than the images projected by Southern California and Northern Ohio: a fantasyland of movie stars, palm trees and overstated wealth versus the gritty reality of aging factories, frigid winters and a workforce struggling to make ends meet. Yet this November 8, voters in both states will go to the polls to decide the same issue: whether to strip their elected representatives of their constitutional mandate to draw legislative districts and hand the task to someone else—presumably more adept at promoting competitive elections rather than blessing the majority party's or incumbents' right to reelect their own.
While California has long been a trendsetter, Common Cause President Chellie Pingree poignantly suggests "there's a sense among voters that Ohio is being watched." Ms. Pingree may be more prescient than she realizes. Andy Douglas, a former Ohio State Supreme Court Justice, notes that, "one of the chief opponents [of the redistricting amendment], a major Republican political figure, said he would 'have $5 million, $10 million, or $15 million if he needed it to oppose the measure.' This has the attention of the White House. It's not only a focus on 2005, but also 2008."
Ted Strickland, U.S. Congressman (D-OH) and gubernatorial candidate, concurs. "Something
quite unique is happening in Ohio. Is Ohio a bellwether of what's happening nationally? It might be."
Ohioans will vote on four ballot initiatives: redistricting, campaign finance, and election board reform, as well as more liberal rules for absentee balloting. "The cornerstone was always reapportionment, however," says Douglas.
Reeling from recent pay-to-play scandals, as well as Governor Taft's conviction for violating state ethics laws, Ohio voters may have more reason to act than those supporting Governor Schwarzenegger's "California Recovery Team." Says Ohio State University Professor Herb Asher, "it won't clean up all the corruption, but will start in making the political system more responsive to voters."
Whose issue is this anyway?
The Ohio campaign got underway with a ruckus over reform proponents' use of out-of-state professionals to collect the necessary signatures to put the measures on the ballot. "A number of us believe that you should be an Ohio resident if you're going to circulate a petition to change the Constitution," says State Senator and Majority Leader, Randy Gardner (R-Bowling Green). "For the most part, the interests that are out of power are trying to take advantage the system for their own benefit. But I don't think it should be disguised as a grass roots, good government reform."
The courts disagreed with Gardner on the first point, and he appears to be wrong on the second, though the campaign quickly drew out-of-state attention—and money—Democratic and Republican alike. House Minority Leader Chris Redfern (D-Catawba Island) counters in practical terms. "It doesn't matter where the money comes from, but we had 390,000 people who signed the petitions," he says. "It's about people in Ohio who wanted reform."
Several sources noted that the proposed amendments originated at a dinner following President Bush's re-election in November 2004. Participants included Paul Tipps, a former chairman of the Ohio Democratic Party; Ron Alexander, president of the Ohio Civil Service Employees Association; and Andy Douglas, former Republican State Supreme Court justice and now OCSEA's executive director.
Representative Strickland believes multiple forces are at work. "The political forces driving the initiative are complex," he says. "Many of those who support the issue in Ohio are driven by a desire to have a more democratic process. Others just see this in raw political terms. Their motivation comes from having an influence over politics in Ohio. But it's not something that was brought to Ohio."
One of the difficulties voters will face in reaching a verdict is that redistricting touches a number of issues—incumbency, for example. The longer a legislator serves, the more experienced and knowledgeable he or she becomes. On the other hand, as Douglas suggests, "when people get so impressed with their own grandeur, the result becomes an arrogance of power. They think, 'no one can challenge us' and under today's system, they are right."
"In the 1980s, Democrats drew the legislative lines," points out Gardner. "But for most of the decade, Republicans won in the Senate. Obviously, it wasn't because someone was controlling the legislative lines."
Adds House Minority Leader Chris Redfern, "at the end of the day, it's about being on issue. How do we keep the factory open? I talk about Main Street: jobs, education, and healthcare." He also notes that having "an A+ NRA rating" doesn't hurt.
Redfern supports the amendments. "If we draw the lines tighter, it increases the likelihood of bipartisanship," he explains. "You shouldn't be opposed to these kinds of considerations if you're right on the issues."
The party line
Reapportionment abuts a hard political truth: most Americans identify with one party or the other. Furthermore, even if the minority party in a district can persuade and fund a terrific candidate to run, he or she will lose in a gerrymandered district. "Lots of people are Democrats and Republicans," says Professor Asher. "That's the way they grew up. Others are issued based—they like the candidates or their ideology. When you ask people which party they belong to, two-thirds answer Democrat or Republican. Even among the one-third that says they're independent, two-thirds say they lean one way or the other."
Add that to the phenomena of incumbency, and the challenge becomes clear. "Some of those advantages are well earned; some are not," says Asher. "But one undeserved advantage is to draw lines that protect an incumbent. The reasons that incumbents win are many, but one should not be that the districts are stacked in their favor."
The downside of 'safe districts'
So, who cares—what's the problem with 'safe districts'? One might be polarization. The average margin of victory in Ohio has been 35%-38% in the Ohio House and Senate respectively. "There's little or no incentive for a politician to go to the middle, to evaluate both spectrums of the issue," says Lisa Prosienski, manager of state campaigns at Common Cause.
And, as Strickland notes, "a lot of Americans have become disenfranchised. In the U.S. House of Representatives, the Republicans have a majority, which has led the current Republican leadership to shut out dissent. By not allowing Democrats to have any say, nearly 50% of the citizens of the country have their representation ignored."
Another is the potential for abuse when one party controls the political apparatus. Redfern points
out that the Ohio House Juvenile and Family Law Committee held 16 weeks of hearings on gay marriage. The Ways and Means Committee met once to discuss important tax issues. Redfern sees this as a deliberate strategy on the part of House Republicans "to motivate and antagonize their electoral base in a close election."
"Yeah, but . . ."
For the most part, the state's political leaders are guarded about the outcome. "It will be waged mostly on TV and depend on which side can be most persuasive in its TV ads," says Gardner. "There's no question that Reform Ohio Now has public cynicism on its side."
Much comes down to those precious 30-second TV spots. "On a scale of one to 10, 30-second commercials rate a one—they are the most important," says Redfern. "Most people don't spend their time investigating candidates. They do it through the medium. It's self-perpetuating."
Adds Strickland, "in my experience with redistricting, if the issues become confusing, and the voters don't understand them, they won't vote for it. If the issue becomes so controversial or confusing, there's a tendency to vote 'no.' Their decision is not necessarily based on the merits, but simply because they will have heard conflicting arguments."
Initiative opponents seem to be following a "yeah, but" strategy. "Do we want bipartisan drawing? Yes. Do we want campaign spending reform? Yes. Are there some reforms that
might be helpful? Definitely, yes. But not those proposed by Reform Ohio Now," says Senator Gardner.
Proponents are pinning their hopes on more idealistic grounds. "People do not wake up in the morning and think about issues of fundamental reform," explains Pingree. "But they are very clear that it has an effect on their lives. They seem to see that the system is broken. It's hard to win reform issues on the technicalities. You can hope that voters will do the right thing for democracy."
Or, as she puts it more succinctly, "There's a fundamental belief in fairness. It's OK for either side to win, but they can't cheat."
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President Rouhani: Iran-Turkey cooperation guarantees regional peace
President Hassan Rouhani congratulated Turkey on the anniversary of its Republic Day and stressed that cooperation and unity between Tehran and Ankara would guarantee regional peace and security.
According to Tasnim news agency, in a message to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan released on Thursday, Rouhani congratulated the Turkish leader and people on the 96th anniversary of the neighboring country’s Republic Day.
He also hailed the growing “historic, friendly and brotherly ties” between Iran and Turkey, saying the two neighbors have been enhancing their relations by setting up the Supreme Council of Cooperation, holding regular meetings of the Council, and holding various expert commission meetings, such as the Joint Economic Commission, the Joint Transportation Commission, and the Strategic Agricultural Committee.
“The regional developments over the past decade and the prominent role that the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Republic of Turkey have played in helping address the issues also reveal that the two great neighboring states’ companionship could guarantee peace, security and stability in regional countries,” President Rouhani added.
The 96th anniversary of the proclamation of the Republic of Turkey was celebrated across the country on October 29.
Marking the day, President Erdogan visited the mausoleum of Turkish Republic founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk in Ankara.
On October 29, 1923, Ataturk officially declared the name of the nation and proclaimed Turkey’s status as a republic.
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Probe Into The Shooting Of Foreign Journalists Launched
Switzerland -- Associated Press (AP) photographer Anja Niedringhaus (R) and Canadian reporter Kathy Gannon during a visit to the photo agency Keystone, in Zurich, August 27, 2013
Afghan security officials are investigating a recent attack against two prominent foreign journalists in the country's eastern Khost province bordering Pakistan.
On April 4 a young man from the Afghan National Police force shot and killed Anja Niedringhaus, a Pulitzer Prize-winning German photojournalist, and seriously injured Kathy Gannon, a senior reporter who has spent decades covering the war in Afghanistan.
The gunman has been identified. Known only by his first name, Najibullah, his motive for attacking the two women journalists who had come to Khost to cover Afghanistan's April 5 presidential and local council elections remains unclear.
Gannon, 60, is a veteran Associated Press reporter who began her work in Afghanistan during the Soviet invasion that began in 1979.
She continued to report from remote Afghan villages when the country slipped into civil war in the 1990's and, at great personal risk, during the Taliban regime.
Gannon is warmly regarded by Afghans as one of a small number of foreign journalists committed to reporting from the country's most remote regions. Her colleagues in Kabul describe her as a woman who took inspiration from ordinary Afghans and enjoyed telling their stories.
Amir Shah, an Associated Press journalist and a friend of Gannon's for more than two decades, told RFE/RL's Afghan service that "an attack on a defenseless woman who wanted nothing else but to try to help brings shame and the feeling of helplessness."
Shah described working with Gannon during the Taliban regime. He praised her bravery as a woman who was the last to be scared when it came to reporting on an issue that interested her.
Obviously shaken, Shah recalled, "On one of our trips to Kandahar in 1996, Kathy bought a little pomegranate tree to plant in the backyard of our office in Kabul. It is still there. She loved Afghanistan's pomegranates."
Shah recalled that the first question Gannon would ask any little Afghan girl she met on reporting trips in the country's remote villages was, “do you go to school?”
Seeing Afghan girls going to school brought her great joy, Shah said, noting the many times they discussed the importance of women's empowerment for Afghanistan's future prosperity.
Shah had seen Gannon right before she left for Khost.
After the attack, Gannon and Niedringhaus were rushed to the local hospital in Khost for emergency treatment and then transported to Kabul. Shah next saw his friend at the hospital. "She had bullets in her chest and both arms, [and was] on a hospital bed fighting to regain consciousness," he said.
"I couldn't [bear to] see this kind woman struggling for [her] life. She hardly knew what had happened to her," said Shah, adding, "Honestly, I felt kind of ashamed that she was attacked by an Afghan man."
She has been transferred to Germany for further medical care.
Shah said senior Afghan security officials have disclosed information to the media that the attacker "is possibly mentally unstable--something attacks his brain and he loses control," but to date no evidence has been brought to support such claims.
His colleagues in Khost province have described him as a man of strong faith and discipline, and told the media that he treated others respectfully and was not on drugs.
--Farishta Jalalzai
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Watch Soul (2020) Online
Genre: Adventure, Animation, Comedy, Drama, Family, Fantasy, Music
Director: Kemp Powers(co-director), Pete Docter
Actors: Ahmir-Khalib Thompson, Daveed Diggs, Graham Norton, Jamie Foxx, Phylicia Rashād, Richard Ayoade, Tina Fey
Tags:Added Today Movies 2020
Free Willy (1993)
When maladjusted orphan Jesse vandalizes a theme park, he is placed with foster parents and must work at the park to make amends. There he meets Willy, a young Orca…
Country: France, Mexico, USA
Bob Parr has given up his superhero days to log in time as an insurance adjuster and raise his three children with his formerly heroic wife in suburbia. But when…
Jack Harper is one of the last few drone repairmen stationed on Earth. Part of a massive operation to extract vital resources after decades of war with a terrifying threat…
The Big Bad Fox and Other Tales (2017)
The misadventures of a young clumsy Fox and a feisty little red Hen. The Fox, both a little stupid and naïve, tries daily to devour the little Hen, without success….
Country: Belgium, France
Genre: Adventure, Animation, Comedy, Family, Fantasy
The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)
Peter Parker is an outcast high schooler abandoned by his parents as a boy, leaving him to be raised by his Uncle Ben and Aunt May. Like most teenagers, Peter…
Major Bill Cage is an officer who has never seen a day of combat when he is unceremoniously demoted and dropped into combat. Cage is killed within minutes, managing to…
The A-Team (2010)
A group of Iraq War veterans goes on the run from U.S. military forces while they try to clear their names after being framed for a crime they didn’t commit….
Charlie’s Angels (2000)
Three women, detectives with a mysterious boss, retrieve stolen voice-ID software, using martial arts, tech skills, and sex appeal.
Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Crime, Thriller
Brotherhood of the Wolf (2001)
In 18th century France, the Chevalier de Fronsac and his Native American friend Mani are sent by the King to the Gevaudan province to investigate the killings of hundreds by…
Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, Horror, Thriller
Happy Feet (2006)
Into the world of the Emperor Penguins, who find their soul mates through song, a penguin is born who cannot sing. But he can tap dance something fierce!
Genre: Adventure, Animation, Comedy, Family, Music, Musical, Romance
Trailer: Soul (2020)
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Ochanya Rape: NHRC Receives Preliminary Report
October 30, 2018 Procyon News News 0
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), has condemned the alleged rape of a 13-year-old girl, Ochanya Ochiga, by her guardian, Andrew Ogbuja of Benue State Polytechnic and his son, Victor Ogbuja.
This is contained in a statement signed by the Director, Corporate Affairs and External Linkages, of the commission, Mr Lambert Oparah and made available to newsmen on Monday in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the incident led to the death of the victim.
Ochanya’s death attracted nationwide protests from various advocacy groups calling for justice to be meted on the two perpetrators.
Opara said the commission had requested the Inspector General of Police , and the Benue Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice to ensure that perpetrators of the dastardly act were brought to book.
He said the commission had received preliminary report on the matter, adding that the act was inhuman and therefore condemnable.
“The commission has received the preliminary report on the matter conducted by the Benue office of the commission.
“The Executive Secretary of the commission, Mr Tony Ojukwu who was visibly angry, expressed shock that the little Ochanya, a minor, could pass through the sad experience in the hands of the supposed guardian.
“The executive secretary promised that the commission will work with relevant authorities including the Benue State Ministry of Justice and the police to ensure that the culprits are prosecuted in accordance with the law’’, he said.
Opara said the commission had directed the Benue office of the commission to hold a watching brief on the matter throughout the prosecution of the matter in court.
He urged the police to intensify efforts to apprehend one of the suspects, Victor Ogbuja who was still at large.
He further said the commission would monitor all the processes and mount advocacy around protection of young persons and women from rape and other related sexual assaults.
He said the body would also create awareness of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act.
Opara also said the commission was working assiduously to promote legislations that protect the rights of the girl-child.
The Director, Corporate Affairs and External Linkages, noted that the Child’s Rights Act passed since 2003 had so far been adopted by 24 out of the 36 states in the country.
According to him, the commission will be carrying out another round of nationwide sensitisation campaign on Child’s Rights Act 2003.
He said such step would help to scale up awareness on the rights of the child, including sexual violence and other related human rights issues.
He noted that there were inadequate reportage of rape cases and other forms of sexual violence due to fear of stigmatisation.
Opara urged victims, their relations, and members of the public to always come forward and report such cases to the appropriate authorities so as to ensure accountability for such violations. (NAN)
PDP raises alarm over INEC boss/Kyari’s secret meeting…..Ask INEC Not To Succumb To Pressure
Jamal Khashoggi killers ‘will be prosecuted in Saudi Arabia’
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Syrian war negotiations collapse after two days
By Thomas Gaist
A United Nations arbitrator suspended international negotiations over the war in Syria on Wednesday. New talks have been scheduled to begin in three weeks.
According to UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura, the cancellation of the talks was immediately prompted by the advance of Russian-backed Syrian government forces into key areas surrounding the city of Aleppo, breaking a three-year-old “rebel” siege of two Shia villages and cutting a supply line for the US-backed Islamist militias from Turkey.
Mistura said that the continuing fighting on the ground and the lack of progress after two days of talks had convinced him of the need for “preparatory work” by the “stakeholders.”
“I’m not prepared to have talks for the sake of talks,” de Mistura said.
The official purpose of the now-suspended talks was to reach terms for an end to the war and for a political transition process that would install a new and US-approved leadership in power.
The prospect of any settlement appears increasingly distant as fighting continues to escalate on the ground. Russia’s deployment of advanced fighter planes has, in fact, enabled the government to win a series of successes against the US-backed “rebel” militias, including the seizure of strategic areas in central and northern provinces.
The anti-Assad forces have been rolled back along several fronts through joint military actions involving Russian air forces and military advisors, in support of government ground forces and pro-Assad militias as well as Hezbollah fighters from neighboring Lebanon. The Obama administration strategy of relying on proxy militias, composed of fighters who are essentially mercenaries, has left the “Syrian revolution” vulnerable to the government offensive waged with close air support from Russian planes over the past four months.
The cancellation of the talks has produced a redoubled chorus of demands for Assad’s removal and bitter denunciations against Russian involvement.
“How can you ... enter negotiations when you have unprecedented military pressure?” an unnamed “senior Western diplomat” told Reuters. “The Russians and regime want to push the opposition out of Geneva,” he said.
According to the narrative advanced by the corporate media, Russia’s military campaign is the main obstacle to a political deal that could end the war. In reality, it is the unswerving determination of the US and European ruling elites to remove Assad, a close ally of Russia, that is fueling a dynamic that leads squarely toward further escalation in Syria and direct confrontation between the major powers.
Throughout the “peace process,” the US and NATO have continued to escalate their military and covert operations in Syria, deploying Special Operations troops, building up conventional forces and war planes in neighboring Turkey and Jordan, and increasing their support for an array of Al Qaeda-linked and mercenary militias, including the same forces that are directly targeted by Russia’s air war.
Russia’s moves in Syria, essentially defensive in nature, are calculated to improve the bargaining position of Russia’s ruling oligarchy and its state apparatus in relation to imperialism. Moscow cannot accept the removal of such a critical ally, and has already signaled its own commitment to greater military support for Damascus.
A postwar Syria that is completely dominated by the US and NATO would deny Russia access to its strategic naval base on the Mediterranean, a strategic objective of Washington as it seeks the military encirclement and ultimate dismemberment of the Russian Federation.
Nonetheless, Moscow has already signaled its readiness to press forward with its operations, responding to the false start in Geneva by insisting that it will continue its offensive.
Russia’s top diplomat said Wednesday that the campaign will proceed until it has defeated the al Nusra Front, Al Qaeda’s Syrian affiliate, which is one of the largest armed groups challenging the Syrian government and one of the main beneficiaries of the arms and funding funneled in by the US and its regional allies, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
“Russian strikes will not cease until we really defeat terrorist organizations like Jabhat al-Nusra,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said. “I don’t see why these air strikes should be stopped.”
US Army General Sean MacFarland told the media on Monday that ISIS is “beginning to demonstrate conventional warfare capabilities in places like Syria, Iraq and Yemen,” and has become “really more of a conventional force.”
In response, the US military is preparing to assist the Iraqi state to conduct larger and more sophisticated war operations, involving the full complement of modern heavy weaponry.
“We have shifted from a pure counterinsurgency focus and are now preparing the [Iraqi government forces] to conduct combined arms operations,” MacFarland said, speaking from Iraq.
“The ability to integrate infantry, armor, artillery, air power, engineers and other assets on the battlefield, provides the Iraqis with a decisive advantage over a static enemy dug in behind complex obstacle belts,” he said.
Fascist Wisconsin shooter Rittenhouse posed with Proud Boys and waved “white power” sign
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Professor Sir Christopher Snowden
Chair of Judges
Sir Christopher Snowden was Vice Chancellor of the University of Southampton from 2015 to 2019. He is a distinguished engineer, academic and businessman with wide experience of the microwave and semiconductor industry. He was knighted in the 2012 Queen’s New Year’s Honours for services to engineering and higher education.
Prior to his appointment at Southampton, Snowden was President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Surrey. His earlier roles embraced industry and academia in the UK and USA. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society, a Fellow and former Vice President of the Royal Academy of Engineering, a Fellow of the Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET) and was President 2009–10.
In addition to his role as a Vice Chancellor, Snowden was President of Universities UK (UUK) (2013–15), a member of the Prime Minister’s advisory Council for Science and Technology (2011-16), sits on the Board of the ERA Foundation, sat on the governing board of InnovateUK until 2015, and is a member of the National Centre for Universities and Business.
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(Redirected from Ethyl-Pentedrone)
Summary sheet: NEP
N-Ethylpentedrone, NEP, Ethyl-Pentedrone
N-Ethyl-(nor)-pentedrone
2-(Ethylamino)-1-phenyl-1-pentanone
⇣ Smoked
5 - 15 mg
15 - 30 mg
50 mg +
1.5 - 3 hours
⇣ Oral
⇣ Insufflated
MXE
25x-NBOMe
MAOIs
Serotonin releasers
SNRIs
N-Ethyl-nor-pentedrone (also known as N-Ethylpentedrone, Ethyl-pentedrone or more commonly, NEP) is a lesser-known novel stimulant substance of the cathinone class that produces stimulating, euphoric, and mildly entactogenic effects when administered.
The stimulating effects of NEP are believed to mainly be caused by its activity as a norepinephrine-dopamine reuptake inhibitor (NDRI). The reported entactogenic effects it displays may also be due to its activity as a serotonin reuptake inhibitor or releasing agent in moderate to high doses, although this has yet to be confirmed scientifically.[citation needed]
NEP shares a close structural relationship to its parent compound pentedrone, differing by an addition ethyl group on the terminal nitrogen on the carbon chain. This addition reportedly makes it about three times as potent as pentedrone.[citation needed] NEP is also closely related to N-Ethylhexedrone (commonly known as Hexen), and has been reported as producing largely-similar effects.
NEP first became known in the research chemical market during 2016. It is an example of a contemporary designer drug specifically chosen to mimic/replace the functional and structural features of its popular potent and short-lived-type stimulant predecessors, which are sometimes imprecisely referred to as "bath salts".
As with its parent compound pentedrone, very little data exists about the pharmacological properties, metabolism, and toxicity of NEP in humans. Due to its novelty and extremely short history of human usage, all information related to the use of this compound should be treated with extreme caution. It is highly advised that one use harm reduction practices if choosing to use this substance.
3.3 After effects
4.2 Psychosis
4.3.1 Serotonin syndrome risk
NEP, or N-Ethyl-(nor)-pentedrone, belongs to the cathinone chemical class. It features a phenethylamine core with an alkyl group attached to the alpha carbon and an oxygen group attached to the beta carbon. Cathinones are beta-ketone analogues of amphetamines. Cathinones refer to a class of molecules which are principally constituted of a phenethylamine core with an alkyl group attached to the alpha carbon and an oxygen group attached to the beta carbon. They are also known as the beta-ketone (double-bonded oxygen to the β-carbon) analogs of amphetamines. The cathinone backbone can be modified in three different places to create hundreds of possible compounds, which include substituents on the aromatic ring, the alpha carbon, and the amine group.[1]
Due to the lack of research regarding the substance, all discussion regarding the pharmacology of it is purely based upon its structure and subjective effect similarities to other cathinones such as mephedrone and others. NEP most likely acts as both a dopamine and norepinephrine releasing agent or reuptake inhibitor. This allows dopamine and norepinephrine to accumulate within the brain, resulting in stimulating and euphoric effects. Additionally, it has been speculated that it may possess some serotonergic properties, as users have described experiencing mild entactogenic effects on common to strong doses of this compound.
Stimulation - In terms of its effects on the user's physical energy levels, NEP can be considered to be extremely stimulating and energetic.
Spontaneous tactile sensations - High doses of NEP result in a pleasurable body high characterized by pleasant tingling.
Tactile enhancement
Dehydration - Dry mouth and increased sweating can occur after consuming NEP. Low doses of the substance in question cause minimal dehydration.
Vasoconstriction - NEP has been reported as being slightly vasoconstricting.
Increased perspiration
Temporary erectile dysfunction
Teeth grinding - This component can be considered to be less intense when compared with that of MDMA.
Cognitive euphoria
Analysis enhancement - This effect is mostly present in lower doses when not overshadowed by euphoria.
Empathy, affection, and sociability enhancement - These feelings of sociability, love and empathy are much weaker and less sharp than those found on substances such as MDMA but seem to be present at high doses for some users. The presence of this effect has lead many users to speculate that this compound likely functions as a serotonin reuptake inhibitor as well as a dopamine and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor.
Focus enhancement
Ego inflation
Disinhibition
Motivation enhancement
Compulsive redosing
The effects which occur during the offset of a stimulant experience generally feel negative and uncomfortable in comparison to the effects which occurred during its peak. This is often referred to as a "comedown" and occurs because of neurotransmitter depletion. Its effects commonly include:
Motivation suppression
Thought deceleration
It should be noted that many users of this substance report it has relatively smooth "come down" compared to similar cathinone stimulants, so these effects may not be present to as great of a degree.
There are currently no anecdotal reports which describe the effects of this compound within our experience index. Additional experience reports can be found here:
Erowid Experience Vaults: N-Ethylpentedrone
Further information: Research chemicals § Toxicity and harm potential
The toxicity and long-term health effects of recreational NEP use do not seem to have been studied in any scientific context and the exact toxic dosage is unknown. This is because NEP has an extremely brief history of human usage. Early anecdotal evidence from people who have tried NEP within the community suggests that there do not seem to be any negative health effects attributed to simply trying this substance at low to moderate doses by itself and using it in a sparing and controlled fashion (but nothing can be completely guaranteed)
It is strongly recommended that one use harm reduction practices when using this substance.
As with other stimulants, the chronic use of N-ethyl-(nor)-pentedrone can be considered moderately addictive with a high potential for abuse and is capable of causing psychological dependence among certain users. When addiction has developed, cravings and withdrawal effects may occur if a person suddenly stops their usage.
Tolerance to many of the effects of NEP develops with prolonged and repeated use. This results in users having to administer increasingly large doses to achieve the same effects. After that, it takes about 3 - 7 days for the tolerance to be reduced to half and 1 - 2 weeks to be back at baseline (in the absence of further consumption). NEP presents cross-tolerance with all dopaminergic stimulants, meaning that after the consumption of N-ethyl-(nor)-pentedrone all stimulants will have a reduced effect.
Main article: Stimulant psychosis
Abuse of compounds within the stimulant class at high dosages for prolonged periods of time can potentially result in a stimulant psychosis that may present with a variety of symptoms (e.g., paranoia, hallucinations, or delusions).[2] A review on treatment for amphetamine, dextroamphetamine, and methamphetamine abuse-induced psychosis states that about 5–15% of users fail to recover completely.[3][4] The same review asserts that, based upon at least one trial, antipsychotic medications effectively resolve the symptoms of acute amphetamine psychosis.[5]
Stimulants - NEP can be potentially dangerous in combination with other stimulants as it can increase one's heart rate and blood pressure to dangerous levels.
25x-NBOMe & 25x-NBOH - Members of the 25x family are highly stimulating and physically straining. Combinations with stimulants should be avoided due to the risk of excessive stimulation. This can result in panic attacks, thought loops, seizures, increased blood pressure, vasoconstriction, and heart failure in extreme cases.
Alcohol - Alcohol can be dangerous to combine with stimulants due to the risk of accidental over-intoxication. Stimulants mask the sedative effects of alcohol, which is the main factor people use to assess their degree of intoxication. Once the stimulant wears off, the depressant effects of alcohol are left unopposed, which can result in blackouts and respiratory depression. If combined, one should strictly limit themselves to only drinking a certain amount of alcohol per hour.
DXM - Combinations with DXM should be handled with extreme care due to DXM's effects on serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake. This can lead to panic attacks, hypertensive crisis, or serotonin syndrome with stimulants that increase levels of serotonin (MDMA, methylone, mephedrone, etc.). Monitor blood pressure carefully and avoid strenuous physical activity.
MDMA - The neurotoxic effects of MDMA may be increased when combined with other stimulants. There is also a risk of excessive heart strain.
MXE - Combinations with MXE may dangerously elevate blood pressure and increase the risk of psychosis.
Stimulants - NEP can be potentially dangerous in combination with other stimulants like cocaine as they can increase one's heart rate and blood pressure to dangerous levels.
Tramadol - Tramadol lowers the seizure threshold.[6] Combinations with stimulants may further increase this risk.
MDMA - The neurotoxic effects of MDMA may be increased when combined with amphetamine and other stimulants.
MAOIs - This combination may increase the amount of neurotransmitters such as dopamine to dangerous or even fatal levels. Examples include syrian rue, banisteriopsis caapi, and some antidepressants.[7]
Cocaine - This combination may increase strain on the heart to dangerous, potentially fatal levels.
Serotonin syndrome risk
Combinations with the following substances can cause dangerously high serotonin levels. Serotonin syndrome requires immediate medical attention and can be fatal if left untreated.
MAOIs - Such as banisteriopsis caapi, syrian rue, phenelzine, selegiline, and moclobemide.[8]
Serotonin releasers - Such as MDMA, 4-FA, methamphetamine, methylone and αMT.
SSRIs - Such as citalopram and sertraline
SNRIs - Such as tramadol and venlafaxine
Brazil: On September 7, 2018, all cathinone analogues are controlled substances considered illegal to possess, use and distribute. This was made possible due to a blanket ban law appended to Portaria SVS/MS nº 344.[9]
China: NEP is a controlled substance.[citation needed]
Germany: NEP is controlled under the NpSG (New Psychoactive Substances Act)[10] as of November 26, 2016.[11] Production and import with the aim to place it on the market, administration to another person and trading is punishable. Possession is illegal but not penalized.[12]
Japan: NEP is a controlled substance.[13]
Sweden: NEP is a controlled substance as of November 12, 2019.[14]
Switzerland: NEP can be considered a controlled substance as a defined derivative of Cathinone under Verzeichnis E point 1. It is legal when used for scientific or industrial use.[15]
United Kingdom: NEP is a Class B drug in the United Kingdom as a result of the cathinone catch-all clause.[16]
United States: NEP is not a controlled substance in the United States but possession or distribution for human use could potentially be prosecuted under the Federal Analogue Act due to its structural and pharmacological similarities to pentedrone.[citation needed]
Designer drug
Pentedrone
N-Ethylhexedrone (Hexen)
N-Ethylpentedrone (Wikipedia)
NEP (Isomer Design)
↑ Liu, C., Jia, W., Li, T., Hua, Z., & Qian, Z. (n.d.). Identification and analytical characterization of nine synthetic cathinone derivatives N-ethylhexedrone, 4-Cl-pentedrone, 4-Cl--EAPP, propylone, N-ethylnorpentylone, 6-MeO-bk-MDMA, -PiHP, 4-Cl--PHP, and 4-F--PHP. https://doi.org/10.1002/dta.2136
↑ Treatment for amphetamine psychosis | [1]
↑ Hofmann FG (1983). A Handbook on Drug and Alcohol Abuse: The Biomedical Aspects (2nd ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. p. 329. ISBN 9780195030570.
↑ Talaie, H.; Panahandeh, R.; Fayaznouri, M. R.; Asadi, Z.; Abdollahi, M. (2009). "Dose-independent occurrence of seizure with tramadol". Journal of Medical Toxicology. 5 (2): 63–67. doi:10.1007/BF03161089. eISSN 1937-6995. ISSN 1556-9039. OCLC 163567183.
↑ Gillman, P. K. (2005). "Monoamine oxidase inhibitors, opioid analgesics and serotonin toxicity". British Journal of Anaesthesia. 95 (4): 434–441. doi:10.1093/bja/aei210 . eISSN 1471-6771. ISSN 0007-0912. OCLC 01537271. PMID 16051647.
↑ New blanket ban on synthetic illegal drugs is approved (Portuguese) | http://portal.anvisa.gov.br/noticias/-/asset_publisher/FXrpx9qY7FbU/content/combate-a-drogas-ilicitas-sinteticas-fica-mais-facil
↑ "指定薬物一覧" (PDF) (in Japanese). Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
↑ "Svensk författningssamling: Förordningom ändring i förordningen (1999:58) om förbud mot vissa hälsofarliga varor" (PDF) (in Swedish). Thomson Förlag. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
↑ United Kingdom. (2010). Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (S.I. 2010/1207). London: The Stationery Office Limited. Retrieved February 9, 2018, from https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2010/1207/made
Retrieved from ‘https://psychonautwiki.org/w/index.php?title=NEP&oldid=143632’
CS1 Japanese-language sources (ja)
CS1 Swedish-language sources (sv)
Such a long, long time to be gone and a short time to be here.
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Home Health & Medicine Reaching the ‘Common Goal’ of Improving Human Health
Collaborations between academia and industry are giving us a better understanding of mechanisms of disease, and treatment options.
January 12.21 | Transcript [PDF]
Many medications on the market have the potential to benefit more patients by using them in combination with other medications, or expanding the list of conditions they can treat. It’s perfectly legal, and even common, to prescribe medications off-label for conditions they have not yet been proven to treat safely and effectively. In many cases, this accelerates life-changing uses.
But with this comes a chilling effect for further clinical trials to definitely prove their use for a second or third indication once a drug has been approved, says Jackie Bosch, occupational therapist at the Population Health Research Institute (PHRI).
There’s always a risk that a certain medication will only be safe and effective under a narrow set of conditions. And that can be a detriment to the companies that own the drugs.
That’s why it’s rare to find collaborations like the one between PHRI and Bayer Inc.
“For many decades, we put a number of pharmaceutical companies on individual projects, and usually they were testing the value of various treatments or preventative strategies,” says Salim Yusuf, cardiologist and Executive Director at PHRI.
“We did the same thing in a number of projects with Bayer, but we found we had much more in common, and so we struck a partnership.”
For Bayer, it’s all about filling gaps in patient care.
“As a company, we look at diseases where either there is no treatment, or there are treatment options that are not very good or have too many side effects, and we’re trying to address that unmet need,” explains Shurjeel Choudhri, Senior VP — Medical & Scientific Affairs at Bayer.
Having that kind of open cooperation between academia and industry is good for patients, and it’s good for Canada’s role in bringing advanced solutions to the global stage.
“Collaboration with industry has allowed Canada to become a powerhouse in clinical trials research. It enabled us to be able to do the studies that we thought were really important,” says Bosch.
“Working with physicians in Canada to bring forward some of their research projects, and collaborate with them with Bayer, that’s when it really creates value for Canadians,” adds Chrisoula Giannaris, Head of Medical Affairs — Hematology, Oncology & Radiology at Bayer.
At PHRI, a core goal is to make a human impact, says Yusuf. Taking basic discoveries and translating them into clinical practice is essential to improving patient outcomes.
“We’re really looking to better understand the mechanism of disease, and this will hopefully help in the future, whether it’s in academia or in industry through biotechnology companies or through pharmaceutical companies like Bayer,” says Antonio Ciaccia, Head of Medical Affairs — Cardiology, Nephrology & Respirology at Bayer.
It certainly helps when academia and industry agree to play on the same team, bringing all their strengths together to get the biggest impact from clinical trials.
“We have a common goal, and on the academia side, they have the strength of the knowledge and the research. On the pharmaceutical side, we tend to dig a little bit deeper into the therapeutic areas. And when we come together, we’re able to reach that common goal,” says Laurie Wingett, Head of Medical Affairs — Primary Care & Medical Operations at Bayer.
As our understanding of human diseases gets more sophisticated, our strategies for treating them also become more complex. More and more, researchers need to work together to develop new treatments.
“Science is moving very quickly, and no one company or organization can really do it all,” adds Choudhri. “And that’s really what the future will look like. It will be very much a collaborative effort.”
Research2Reality is a groundbreaking initiative that shines a spotlight on world-class scientists engaged in innovative and leading edge research in Canada. Our video series is continually updated to celebrate the success of researchers who are establishing the new frontiers of science and to share the impact of their discoveries with the public.
Supercharging the Future
What Are Her Notebooks Full Of?
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Clear Height Properties moves HQ from River North to West Loop
Clear Height Properties, a real estate investment, management and services firm based in Chicago, has completed an office lease at 150 N. Wacker Drive in Chicago’s West Loop. The company is relocating from space in River North.
“With the continued growth and expansion of Clear Height Properties, in terms of assets under management and the people required to effectively operate the organization, we ran out of space in River North,” said Joe Sergi, a partner and COO of Clear Height Properties. “This new location provides an ideal platform for us to further build on the success we have achieved to date.”
The 31-story building features 360-degree panoramic views of the city and Chicago River. With 8,000-square-foot floor plates, the building totals approximately 246,600 square feet and provides tenants with significant identity on each floor. The property also features on-site valet, tenant conference centers and break rooms, an outdoor riverdeck and manned security. The new space provides Clear Height employees with easy access to commuter transportation options and various restaurants and other amenities.
Over the last 12 months, Clear Height acquired 12 properties totaling over 1.2 million square feet and valued in excess of $70 million. With this growth, the firm has doubled in size in the last year, with numerous hirings that includine Jason Pammler as managing director of project and development services, Gary Rose as managing director of asset management and acquisitions and the addition of new staff members in accounting, property management and administrative functions.
Chicagoclear height propertiesIllinoisoffice leaseWest Loop
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The Observation Post
South African modern military history
The Boer Wars
African Front – WW1
Western Front – WW1
East African Theatre – WW2
North African Theatre – WW2
War at Sea – WW2
Italian Campaign – WW2
European Theatre – WW2
Asian Theatre – WW2
The Home Front – WW2
Union to Republic
The Border War – 1966 to 1989
The “Struggle” 1961-1994
Post 1994 Peacekeeping
← Little known WW2 fact – the South Africans liberated Florence!
The iconic Hammersmith Bridge in London remembers a brave South African →
Barney Barnato’s legendary grand-daughter
Posted by Peter Dickens
Barney Barnato
As South Africans many of us are familiar with Barney Barnato, the diamond and gold mining tycoon made rich in South Africa. His legacy carries with it a rags to riches story in Kimberley, when he joined the diamond rush with barely a penny, he was so broke he had to walk the last leg to get to Kimberley.
What follows is a stella consolidation of mining plots, and he was best known for his competition with Cecil John Rhodes for overall control and consolidation of all the Kimberley diamond mines. Rhodes’ cheque to Barnato to buy him out is in the economic history annuals as the biggest single instrument to settle a purchase, it made him a mining tycoon, and he was again at it making millions on the Rand’s Gold Mines in the Transvaal. He even had enough financial clout to threaten Paul Kruger and his Transvaal government not to execute members of Rhodes’ failed Jameson Raid for treason, and won the day.
His mysterious death on the 14 June 1897 whilst on passage from South Africa to the United Kingdom carries with it all the intrigue of murder versus suicide, he ‘fell overboard’ and his body was later recovered. The interesting part for this story is where his millions went.
So how was this great personal wealth generated by South African gold and diamonds spent, how do we as humanity benefit from Barnato’s legacy today?
Woolf Barnato
Happily some of this financial legacy ends well, a significant part of the Barney Bernato estate went to his son, Woolf Barnato, who used part of the multimillion-pound fortune he inherited at the age of two, to become a pioneer racing driver in the 1920s.
Woolf was one of the so-called Bentley Boys he pioneered racing engineering and speed. He even went on to achieve three consecutive wins out of three entries in the 24 Hours Le Mans race.
During the war, from 1940 to 1945, Woolf Barnato was a Wing-Commander with the Royal Air Force responsible for the protection of aircraft factories against Nazi Luftwaffe bombing raids.
This racing fuelled jet setting son of Barney, transferred his passion for pushing speed limits, record-breaking and the fearlessness needed to do it to his daughter, Diana – and it is here, in the grand-daughter of Barney that the Bernato legacy really shines through.
Diana Barnato Walker MBE FRAeS
Diana Barnato was born on 15 January 1918, she was destined to become a pioneering female aviator. Diana Barnato and her sister, Virginia, enjoyed the pleasures of high society, though Woolf separated from their mother when Diana was four.
While their mother brought the girls up she maintained an amicable relationship with their father. Diana was educated at Queen’s College in Harley Street, London, until 1936, when she came out as a débutante and ‘did the season’ having been presented to King Edward VIII at Buckingham Palace.
From an early age, she became interested in aircraft and at age 20 she decided to become a pilot. Her initial training was in Tiger Moths at the Brooklands Flying Club, the aerodrome being located within the famous motor racing circuit in Surrey. She showed a natural aptitude for flying and made her first solo flight after only six hours of dual instruction.
In terms of family she had some legacy, as we know Diana’s father was Woolf Barnato (1895-1948), he eventually became the Chairman of Bentley Motors and his first wife was Dorothy Maitland Falk (1893-1961), an American from White Plains, New York, who were married at the Ritz Carlton in London.
As we know her paternal grandfather was Barney Barnato (1851–1897) and her maternal grandparents were American stockbroker Herbert Valentine Falk and Florence Maude Whittaker. While married from 1915-1933, her parents had two children, Virginia Barnato (1916-1980) and Diana.
Red Cross Service during World War 2
Soon after the outbreak of World War II, Diana volunteered to become a Red Cross nurse. In 1940 she was serving as a nurse in France before the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk and later drove ambulances in London during the Blitz.
One of the ‘female few’: ATA Service
In early 1941 she applied to become one of the first women pilots of the Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA) and successfully took her initial assessment flying test at their headquarters at White Waltham, Berkshire, on 9 March 1941 with the ATA’s Chief Flying Instructor, A.R.O. Macmillan, in the Tiger Moth’s rear seat.
Diana was admitted to the ATA’s Elementary Flying Training School at White Waltham on 2 November 1941. After a lengthy period of intensive flight instruction and tests in primary training aircraft, she joined her first ATA Ferry Pool (FP), No.15 FP at RAF Hamble, Hampshire, on 9 May 1942. She soon began to deliver low-powered single engine aircraft from factory or repair base to storage units and RAF and Naval flying units.
Further advanced training permitted her to deliver several hundred Spitfires, Hurricanes, Mustangs, Tempests and other high performance fighter aircraft. After yet further training, Diana became eligible to deliver twin-engined aircraft and delivered Whitleys, Blenheims, Mosquitos, Mitchells and Wellingtons, normally flying solo when doing so. She continued intensive flying with the ATA until the organisation was disbanded in late 1945. By that time she had flown 80 types of aircraft and had delivered 260 Spitfires.
The ATA’s pilots ferried all types of military aircraft, from trainers to bombers, from factories to RAF stations or from maintenance units to squadrons. They had minimal pilot’s notes and no radios, and often flew in marginal weather conditions.
Diana had her share of incidents. While flying a Supermarine Walrus air-sea-rescue amphibian, her least-liked aeroplane, from Cosford to Eastleigh on 19 September 1944, the windscreen was obscured by oil from the failing engine as she approached the Southampton balloon barrage at 1500 feet. Without power she could only push down the nose to prevent a stall and make a steep descent into the sea fog. Luckily she missed the balloon cables and emerged from the cloud a few feet above Eastleigh’s grass airfield.
Three weeks after Barnato first met the battle of Britain fighter ace Squadron Leader Humphrey Trench Gilbert in 1942 they became engaged, but days later he died in a flying accident. Two years later, on 6 May 1944, she married another pilot, Wing Commander Derek Ronald Walker, and was docked three months’ pay for making an unauthorized honeymoon flight to Brussels four months later in a Spitfire, accompanied by her husband in another. Derek Walker was killed in a flying accident shortly after the war’s end, on 14 November 1945.
Diana vowed never to marry again. For 30 years she was the lover of Whitney Straight, also a pilot and a pre-war champion racing driver, like her father. In 1947, the couple had a son and named him after his great-grandfather on his mother’s side: Barney Barnato Walker.
As part of the ATA Diana would have stood shoulder to shoulder with another famous and remarkable South African pioneer aviator Jackie Moggridge, for more on her, follow this link South African Battle of Britain Heroine -Jackie Moggridge
Women’s Junior Air Corps
After the war’s end, Diana continued to fly and gained her commercial flying licence. For many years she was a volunteer pilot with the Women’s Junior Air Corps (WJAC), later the Girls Venture Corps Air Cadets (GVCAC), giving flights to air-minded teenage girls to encourage them to enter the aviation industry. Here she accumulated many happy hours in the corps’ Fairchild Argus and Auster aircraft.
On 11 July 1948, at White Waltham aerodrome in England, she had just taken off in a newly acquired Argus aircraft for the Air Corps when it burst into flames. Rather than bale out and lose a valuable aeroplane, she switched off the fuel and glided back to the airfield, where the flames were put out.
Diana Barnato Walker receiving the Lennox Trophy from Lord Brabazon, 1963
In 1963, for her work with the corps, she was awarded the Jean Lennox Bird trophy, presented annually to a British woman pilot.
Air Speed Record
On 26 August 1963 she flew a Royal Air Force English Electric Lightning T4 to Mach 1.6 (1,262 mph or 2,031 km/h) after convincing the Air Minister to let her fly it with Squadron Leader Ken Goodwin as her check pilot, and so became the first British woman to break the sound barrier. She also established by this flight a world air speed record for women.
Shortly after her record-breaking flight in 1963, Diana was found to have cancer, and subsequently had three operations, ultimately winning the battle against the ‘Big C’.
Diana Barnato Walker was awarded the MBE in 1965 for services to aviation, and was a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society. In later years Diana Barnato Walker took up sheep farming and was master of the Old Surrey and Burstow foxhounds for thirteen seasons, while continuing to fly for the Women’s Junior Air Corps (renamed in 1964 the Girls’ Venture Corps). She also became commodore of the Air Transport Auxiliary Association. She died of pneumonia on 28 April 2008 aged 90 in a hospital near her sheep farm in Surrey, and was survived by her son, Barney.
There you have it, Barney’s decision to break the family poverty cycle and make his fortunes in South Africa has ultimately left us with a person who pioneered female equality and has become an icon for many women, especially those who have entered the field of aviation – what a wonderful journey we weave.
Researched by Peter Dickens, main source and extracts from Wikipedia.
Posted in European Theatre - WW2
Tagged Diana Barnato Walker, Jackie Moggridge, Royal Air Force, The Air Transport Auxiliary, Woolf Barnato
2 thoughts on “Barney Barnato’s legendary grand-daughter”
desmond stanley
thanks for a fascinating bit of history
Dick Carr
It’s all in the genes. Fantastic bit of history.
A South African Korean War hero … killed in the Vietnam War
A South African, Mordor and a Hobbit
Cassinga talk sold out .. additional night now available – book now for Thursday 25th
Cassinga! – a talk with Peter Dickens
I got him! I got him! I got him!
African Front – WW1 (2)
Asian Theatre – WW2 (4)
Bravery (15)
East African Theatre – WW2 (9)
European Theatre – WW2 (48)
Italian Campaign – WW2 (18)
North African Theatre – WW2 (28)
Remembrance (22)
The "Struggle" 1961-1994 (15)
The Border War – 1966 to 1989 (71)
The First and Second Anglo Boer Wars (13)
The Home Front – WW2 (15)
The Korean War (4)
Union to Republic (40)
War at Sea – WW2 (31)
Western Front – WW1 (30)
A South African Korean War hero ... killed in the Vietnam War
The inconvenient and unknown history of South Africa's national flags
When Holocaust survivors speak, we ought to listen!
End of Soviet Communism signals the end of the Angolan Bush War
Remembering a South African killed in the Vietnam War
A 'Star of David' in defiance of Göring
An 'unsung' icon of Liberty ... the 'Lady in White'
The silent South Africans in the silent service
South Africa's very own Communist Revolution - The Rand Revolt of 1922
Peter Dickens
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Margaret Sanger, "Birth Control, 1955," 1956.
Source: " Britannica Book of the Year (1956), pp. 104-105."
For other articles in the Britannica Book of the Year series, see Birth Control, 1941 ; Birth Control, 1942 ; Birth Control, 1943 ; Birth Control, 1944 ; Birth Control, 1945 ; Birth Control, 1946 ; Birth Control, 1947 ; Birth Control, 1948 ; Birth Control, 1949 ; Birth Control, 1950 ; Birth Control, 1951 ; Birth Control, 1952 ; Birth Control, 1953 ; Birth Control, 1954 ; Birth Control, 1956 ; Birth Control, 1957 ; Birth Control, 1958 For typed draft of the article, see Margaret Sanger Microfilm, Smith College Collections S72:972.
Birth Control.
A growing awareness by government leaders and the public of the world’s dangerous imbalance between overpopulation and natural resources was becoming apparent in 1955. (A world population growth of 90,000 a day was estimated by the United Nations department of social affairs.) Attention was focused on the need for developing a new, simplified and inexpensive contraceptive method–one which would be acceptable to people of diverse cultural backgrounds. Under the auspices of the Planned Parenthood federation’s Dickinson Research Memorial fund, medical research pointing toward a contraceptive pill or injection made tangible progress during the year. M. C. Chang, research biologist at the Worcester Foundation for Experimental Biology under the direction of Gregory Pincus, predicted that such a pill might be available to the general public within five years. Chang, who received a 1955 Lasker award in planned parenthood for outstanding research in animal and human fertility, announced that several compounds which worked well on laboratory animals were ready to be taken over by physicians for controlled tests on men and women.
Lasker awards in planned parenthood were also given to Howard C. Taylor of Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, and to Lady Dhanvanthi Rama Rau, founder and president of the Family Planning association in India, for their work in the family planning field.
The first international birth control conference ever held in Latin America took place in San Juan, P.R., where the International Planned Parenthood federation’s western hemisphere region held its pioneer conference in May 1955. An appeal was directed to the World Health organization to include child-spacing instruction in its program of preventive medicine. Resolutions were also sent to the UN Commission on Human Rights and the Inter-American Commission of Women asking that the right to space children be recognized as a basic human freedom.
Another major international family planning meeting was held in 1955 when the International Planned Parenthood federation met in Tokyo in October for its fifth world conference on planned parenthood. Delegates from 15 countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and the Americas, including some of the world’s most eminent scientists in the sex physiology and population fields, presented latest findings on world population trends, natural resources, family planning methods, marriage guidance and sex education, infertility, abortion and sterilization.
A panel of experts in education, medicine, psychiatry, religion, social work and business made an intensive examination of family life patterns at a symposium during the American Planned Parenthood federation’s 35th annual meeting in May. Geared to the theme of “The Family in Pursuit of Happiness,” panelists traced the growth of family life from birth through marriage and parenthood into its relationship with community and the world.
U.S. Services.–
The year 1955 also marked the start of a long-range program designed to make the services of Planned Parenthood more readily available to all families that need it. The new emphasis on reaching more people was conducted with a wider use of communications mediums–literature, radio, TV and motion pictures. A graphic account of Planned Parenthood’s four-point program of birth control, aid to the childless, education for marriage and marriage counseling, and research was unfolded in the Planned Parenthood federation’s annual report for 1954 (published in 1955): The program was being conducted by the federation and its 110 state leagues and local committees in 29 states and the District of Columbia, and had been endorsed by numerous religious bodies and prominent clergymen.
At the Margaret Sanger Research bureau, New York city, physicians and students from medical colleges all over the country came to receive instruction in contraceptive techniques. The bureau was the only teaching center in the U.S. offering education and instruction in all phases of the planned parenthood program.
Affiliates’ activities were conducted by nearly 4,500 volunteers and 450 employees. U.S. birth control clinics numbered 536–378 of which were in public health clinics, hospitals and medicals schools, and 178 were sponsored by Planned Parenthood committees–reaching a total of nearly 250,000 people. Medical assistance to help infertile couples was provided by Planned Parenthood in 31 infertility clinics and 65 referral centers. An additional 119 infertility clinics were located in hospitals and medical schools across the country.
(M.SR.)
birth control, clinics and leagues, in US
birth control, international
birth control, international conferences on
birth control, methods, research
birth control, movement, American
birth control, movement, goals and strategies
birth control, movement, international
birth control, propaganda and publicity
child spacing
New York City, birth control in
United States, government, public health programs
women, freedom and rights of
women, reproductive choices and decisions
Copyright, Margaret Sanger Project
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5,000+ children banned from driving
12.00 | 26 November 2012 | Children
More than 5,000 children have been banned from driving since 2009, but many will still be able to get behind the wheel on their 17th birthday, according to the Telegraph.
They include a 12 year old who received a life ban after being convicted of two counts of aggravated vehicle theft and one of failing to supply a specimen for alcohol testing.
But, according to the Telegraph, others will be able to start driving legally because the ban starts immediately. For example a 15 year old who was disqualified for two years after being convicted of causing death by dangerous driving will be free to apply for a licence at the age of 17.
Figures obtained under Freedom of Information by Auto Express magazine show a total of 5,333 people under 17 have received driving bans in the last three years.
They include five 11 year olds, 41 12 year olds, 164 13 year olds, 578 14 year olds, 1,420 15 year olds and 3,125 16 year olds.
Paul Watters, from the AA, said members of the public would be “horrified” by the figures. “Motoring lawlessness is a real problem in this country. Thankfully it is only a small minority of young children who behave in this way,” he said.
But he defended the decision to allow the bans to kick in with immediate effect rather than wait until they’re old enough to obtain a driving licence, adding: “You have to give young people the benefit of the doubt as far as possible.”
Professor Stephen Glaister, director of the RAC Foundation, said: “If parents are held responsible for their children not attending school, isn’t there a case for also imposing a punishment on them if their youngsters commit a driving offence as a juvenile?
“Certainly it seems strange for courts to ban kids from driving when they are still below the age where they are legally able to do so.”
A DfT spokesman explained the bans on underage drivers still had a purpose, because the courts could take serious action if they drove while disqualified when the ban was in force.
In addition, serious offences also entailed an 11-year endorsement which would carry through to the driver’s first licence, making them liable to a further ban if they committed other motoring offences.
Click here to read the full Telegraph report.
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View’s virtual concert series begins Dec. 31
Lee Rocker
Posted Wednesday, December 30, 2020 4:00 pm
OLD FORGE — View will be presenting a Virtual Concert Series during the winter that can be viewed from the safety and comfort of your own home, starting on Dec. 31.
The first of the series will be fun for New Year’s Eve with Lee Rocker of the Stray Cats. A year ago, Lee and his all-star band were invited by Daryl Hall (of Hall and Oates) to perform a filmed “house concert” at Daryl’s House.
Lee Rocker made his mark singing, playing, standing on, spinning, and rocking his giant upright bass as a founding member (along with Brian Setzer and Slim Jim Phantom) of the Grammy-nominated music group The Stray Cats. The group sold over 10 million albums and garnered 23 gold and platinum-certified records worldwide.
Come hear Lee and his band perform Stray Cats hits like “Sexy and Seventeen,” “Stray Cat Strut,” “Rock This Town,” and more rockin’ songs. After The Stray Cats, Lee performed with music legends Ringo Starr, George Harrison, John Fogerty, The Rolling Stones, and more.
These concerts will be offered through View’s website free of charge and with the ability to donate to future performing arts programs that View hopes to resume live in the summer of 2021.
Once participants enter their information to get an e-ticket to the concert, they will receive a link to a private, unlisted performance through YouTube and Vimeo.
Other concerts in the series will include The Sharpe Family Singers, Naturally 7, Mojo & The Bayou Gypsies, The Hit Men, and The Red Hot Chili Pipers. For dates, times, and e-tickets, go online to www.viewarts.org.
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Me fail? I fly!
Family life, formerly a .mac blog, continued and rejigged
The saga of the corner shop: links
Tag Archives: John Carty
Crossing Cultures with Owen and Wagner
Posted on 16 December 2012 | 1 comment
Stephen Gilchrist (editor), Crossing Cultures: The Owen and Wagner Collection of Contemporary Aboriginal Australian Art at the Hood Museum of Art (Hood Museum of Art, Dartmouth College 2012)
Until now I’ve assumed that exhibition catalogues were basically illustrated lists, of little or no interest to anyone who hasn’t been to the event they relate to. The Crossing Cultures catalogue has made me think again. My rethink was given a serendipitous boost by Mary Beard‘s contribution to TLS Books of the Year lists. She wrote:
Let me put in a plea (not for the first time) that we don’t forget the great contribution of exhibition catalogues, which often goes far beyond a simple record of the show concerned.
Like the esoteric-sounding catalogue she had in mind, Crossing Cultures ‘includes some wonderful essays and entries’. The bulk of the book is devoted to ten substantial essays, while the illustrated list – the ‘exhibition checklist’ – takes up less than a quarter of its pages. Since very few of my readers are likely to visit the exhibition (it’s in New Hampshire) or see the catalogue, I’ll give you a quick guided tour. The Art Student’s words when she first flipped through the book echo my own response and serve very well as a TLDR: At last, something that might help me understand some basics about Aboriginal art.
Will Owen kicks things off with an account of how he and Harvey Wagner created the collection of Aboriginal Art which they are now donating to the Hood Museum at Dartmouth College, and which constitutes the exhibition. People often bemoan the influence of collectors as a key part of the commodification of art and the art scene under capitalism. Will’s essay gives a different perspective. It describes how the urge to collect grew from being captivated by the art, and led him and Harvey to build relationships with dealers and artists, and to a deep engagement with ‘the complex social and cultural elements that informed [the art’s] creation’. Will’s blog demonstrates the intelligence, erudition, and passion he has brought to that engagement. (Will and I met online when I blogged about an exhibition of work from Aurukun, at which he and Harvey bought a sculpture over the internet. I think of him as a friend – and our copy of this catalogue is a generous gift.)
Then comes a trio of general articles:
Howard Morphy’s ‘Aboriginal Australian Art in America’ explores the role that US exhibitions and collectors have played in the process by which the non-Aboriginal art world has come to recognise ‘the value and aesthetic power’ of Aboriginal art, beginning with an image from the New York Times in 1941 that juxtaposed a bark painting from western Arnhem Land with paintings by Dali and Miro: decades before anyone would have thought of doing it in Australia, a US exhibition was suggesting an equivalence between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal art. An observation that’s relevant to this exhibition:
The building of collections of Aboriginal art with a historical depth has … happened outside art museums, through the activities of private collectors and ethnographic museums.
In ‘In the Eye of the Storm: Issues Facing Contemporary Indigenous Art in Australia’s Remote Communities’ Brian Kennedy, former director of the NGA, summarises the social and political environment of Aboriginal art in recent decades – he doesn’t name John Howard or Mal Brough, but their dark presences are very much there. The general principle:
Each and every non-Indigenous person who hangs a work of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander art on the wall of his or her home or office thereby publicises Indigenous culture and sooner or later should contemplate the circumstances in which these works are made.
‘Painting the Law: Understanding the Law Stories in Aboriginal Art’ is an overview by N Bruce Duthu of the notion of the Dreaming and the importance of country in Aboriginal cultures. Duthu, a Professor of Native American Studies, quotes tellingly from a number of Aboriginal people, including this exchange between Aboriginal legal scholar Christine Black and David Mowaljarlai, senior law man from the Ngarinyin people of the Kimberley:
‘What about the areas where there are no Aboriginal people surviving, or at least living traditionally there any longer?’
‘You’re wrong there thinking like that. The land remained, you can’t get away from that. It acts for the people and their imprint is still there. If the land sinks into the ocean, the symbols will still be there. Only if the whole continent is blown to pieces and nothing is left of it, then it will be finished.’
Each of the remaining six essays focuses more narrowly
In ‘Daguerreotypes, Stereotypes, and Prototypes: Reframing Indigeneity’ Stephen Gilchrist, curator of the exhibition and editor of the catalogue, discusses photography. Six contemporary photographers are represented in the exhibition: Christian Thompson, Darren Siwes, Destiny Deacon, Bindi Cole, Ricky Maynard and Michael Riley. The essay takes us from a time when photography was a means for colonisers and anthropologists to define Indigeneity to the present when Aboriginal photographers
manage to push through the burdensome expectations of making racially explicit work and instead speak up against the persistent climate of ideological repression.
As the title suggests, Françoise Dussart’s ‘Mediating Art: Painters of Acrylics at Yuendumu (1983–2011)’ focuses on the work of Warlpiri artists in the Central Desert, particularly Yuendemu. After reprising the history of the beginnings of acrylic dot paintings at nearby Papunya, she draws of decades of conversations with Warlpiri artists, she explores the relationship between the acrylic art and the Dreaming stories it reflects, and pushes at the edge of how non-Indigenous people can read and understand the art:
Rooted in colonial and evolutionist views of exchange with indigenous peoples, practices of collecting have relied and continue to rely too often on sampling, on finding the
‘iconic’, on serial individualizing (concentrating on the career of a single artist), and on ‘preserving’. It may be time to instead embrace the truly panoramic representation of paintings from a specific time and place. Understanding the practices of indexicality articulated by Aboriginal painters will likewise force collectors and museums to think beyond sampling practices and the kinds of power relations
that such practices generally structure.
Jennifer Deger’s ‘Art + Emergence’ focuses on northeast Arnhem Land. Her concern is to take her readers past looking at Yolngu barks and canvases as ‘elaborate messages in need of decoding’, to find ways to ‘sensually encounter’ the works – which means more than just finding them pretty. At the same time she writes very interestingly about the issue of who has the right to tell the stories that are contained in some paintings.
Sally Butler, Senior Lecturer in Art History at the University of Queensland, ranges from Cape York to Brisbane in ‘The “Presence” of Queensland Indigenous Art’. Queensland is huge, and the range surveyed in this essay is huge – from traditional Aurukun sculpture to the text-based protest art of Gordon Bennett and the extraordinary variety of Vernon Ah Kee’s work. Sally Butler, like most other contributors, quote artists of more traditional work in ways that indicate political / diplomatic intentions. An old man from Aurukun declared about Kugu Law Poles, ‘ I know your laws: now you can know mine.’
Among other things, Henry F Skerritt’s ‘Strange Relatives: Negotiating the Borderlines in East Kimberley Painting’ tells the story of Rover Thomas, and places his art in the context of Keith Windschuttle’s reactionary revisionism, which prompts me to reflect that if you were looking for a beautifully illustrated introduction to Aboriginal culture, history and politics, including the impact of dispossession, massacre and colonisation generally, as well as the integrity, courage and sheer brilliance of the ongoing struggles of Aboriginal people, you could do a lot worse than this book.
In the final essay, ‘Rethinking Western Desert Abstraction’, anthropologist and curator John Carty argues that in the process of claiming Aboriginal art as fine art rather than ethnographic artefact, ‘we have somehow neglected the basic disciplines of formal and art historical analysis’. Western Desert artists have moved on in their use of traditional forms, becoming increasingly abstracted, but art criticism has not kept pace – he traces the process in the works of ‘the incomparable Emily Kam Kngwarray’:
Her artistic trajectory resonated with the broader history of Western abstraction in ‘impossible’ ways, and yet it also expressed what some have come to interpret a a kind of Indigenous modernism. But the effusive proclamations of Kngwarray’s ‘genius’ have tended to obscure the fact that her dissolution of the structural and iconographic aspects of the aesthetic system was part of a broader creative process in much desert art of recent decades. Kngwarray has become the iconic embodiment of that process, yet singular as she was, her work encompassed developments in the abstractions of desert painting that both preceded and followed her own individual career.
He then gets down to cases, and has a fascinating discussion of concentricity, of dots and their relationship to meaning.
So, it’s not Contemporary Aboriginal Art for Dummies by any means. Each of the contributors speaks from deep knowledge, and many Aboriginal voices are quoted. But, speaking as a dummy, I find it hard to imagine how a single book could do a better job of informing me on the subject. Plus, of course, the images are plentiful, and brilliant.
Tagged art, Bindi Cole, Brian Kennedy, Christian Thompson, Darren Siwes, Destiny Deacon, First Nations, Françoise Dussart, Gordon Bennett, Harvey Wagner, Henry F Skerritt, Howard Morphy, Jennifer Deger, John Carty, Keith Windschuttle, Michael Riley, N Bruce Duthu, non-fiction, Ricky Maynard, Rover Thomas, Sally Butler, Stephen Gilchrist, Vernon Ah Kee, Will Owen
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I must have read at least ten people saying that Middlemarch is the greatest English novel. I did love it as an undergraduate and it's on my list to reread. In the meantime, this was my Kris Kringle gift from the Book Group.
Gideon Falls Volume 5: Wicked Worlds (Jeff Lemire and others 2020) 9 January 2021
A Christmas present. This may be the final volume in this creepy series.
Bridgerton (Chris Van Dusen 2020) 8 January 2021
A regency romance with a strong fantasy element that at first just looks like 'colourblind casting'
Piranesi (Susanna Clarke 2020) 5 January 2021
This is a very welcome Christmas present. I loved Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell all that time ago.
Stan: Bump (Kelsey Munro 2021) 3 January 2021
A beautifully written, directed and performed family drama. I love the way the teenage protagonist (Nathalie Morris) is so absolute in her stated positions and then unapologetic when she does an about turn. There's much else to love. The episodes are short, and it has benefited from much more resources than other recent offerings
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November verse 20: Approximately fourteen ways to start a stanza
November verses 18 & 19: 29/11
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Location: The Goblin City
Mood: nostalgic
Music: "Love You Madly" - Ella Fitzgerald
Passive Cruelty to Self
I love how no-one told David Bowie to wear a cup with his tights in Labyrinth. Or maybe it was intentional, since the movie's about a girl coming of age, a girl resisting growing up--It makes sense the most threatening thing is this attractive, strange guy. The fact that he's a goblin king, very "snips and snails and puppy dogs, too" is perfect.
So, I'm kind of torn about how I feel about Jennifer Connelly in the movie. On the one hand, I want her to be a stronger presence, and for her to exhibit more attraction to Jareth, or at least more complicated feelings about him. But on the other hand, the fact that she is very plain makes her a sort of "every-girl" for an audience of young girls to project their own feelings on. Aside from the fact that she's clinging to childhood a bit, she doesn't have many distinguishing characteristics.
There are things I'd prefer that the movie had included that I don't think would objectively improve it--I think I might simply have been hungering for a slightly different movie. I wished the girl in the part of Sarah had as good a singing voice as David Bowie and that the movie had been a full-fledged musical, though, on the other hand, the fact that Bowie's voice is used to convey her feelings at the beginning and the end of the movie is interesting, too.
I would certainly have liked more scenes like this one;
She's in frumpy, boring clothes for almost the whole movie, it's nice to see Sarah looking great, though, again, sort of blank here, almost a Twilight performance. But then, again, that's sort of perfect. Jareth and everything in the labyrinth is full of tonnes more personality than Sarah. I love Brian Froud's designs, especially these little foetus monsters on sticks;
There's a logic implied by their appearance--they got great choppers, but they're not so much for getting around on their own. Stories pop out of the landscape seemingly without even trying, and then there's the curious moments of Bowie in the Escher sequence where we go to him music video style. It seems we're meant to feel for him, but Sarah's not privy to this stuff--are we breaking from her perspective?
Then we get to the stuff in the final confrontation where Jareth says he'll be her servant if she just lets him rule her. Superficially, this is a good setup for the, "You have no power over me," key line, teaching girls not to let pretty boys prey on their emotions. But was that really what Jareth was all about? He points out that everything he did was because she asked him to, including kidnap the kid. He points out that he was frightening for her, as though she'd requested that he be, and one considers that if this is all her fantasy come to life, then this is what she wanted. Maybe he represents an internal mechanism of hers to teach her how to handle boys.
But damnit, I want them to fall in love. Don't you? And by "you" I mean anyone who's ever watched the movie.
I also thought maybe the movie could be seen as a version of Eyes Wide Shut, with Connelly in the Tom Cruise role. Though I guess lack of sexual desire can't really be seen as odd in a girl her age.
There are a couple things I think are just plain strikes against the film, regardless of my own selfish desires for it--I don't think the battle sequence works at the end. It's a lot of chaotic shuffling about, and it lacks the personality of most of the other scenes. Jim Henson, as a director, I'm afraid might be the weakest link in that the movie feels like a television show, even with the very wide aspect ratio. Though Henson's talent for making puppets seem alive was certainly phenomenal.
My tweets from last night;
Girls drawn by a solo singing goblin.
Most coffee places have useless hours.
Daytime caffeine is somehow so maudlin.
In sunlit aqueducts wine soon sours.
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Six Memos For The Next Millennium
Author(s): Italo Calvino
'Words connect the visible track to the invisible thing ...like a fragile makeshift bridge cast across the void' With imagination and wit, Italo Calvino sought to define the virtues of the great literature of the past in order to shape the values of the future. His effervescent last works, left unfinished at his death, were the Charles Eliot Norton lectures, which he was due to deliver at Harvard in 1985-86. These surviving drafts explore the literary concepts closest to his heart: Lightness, Quickness, Multiplicity, Exactitude and Visibility (Constancy was to be the sixth), in serious yet playful essays that reveal his debt to the comic strip and the folktale. This collection, now in a fluent and supple new translation, is a brilliant precis of a great writer whose legacy will endure through the millennium he addressed. Translated by Geoffrey Brock 'The book I give most to people is Six Memos for the Next Millennium' Ali Smith 'Wonderful ...full of wit and erudition' Daily Telegraph
Italo Calvino, one of Italy's finest postwar writers, has delighted readers around the world with his deceptively simple, fable-like stories. Calvino was born in Cuba in 1923 and raised in San Remo, Italy; he fought for the Italian Resistance from 1943-45. His major works include Cosmicomics (1968), Invisible Cities (1972), and If on a winter's night a traveler (1979). He died in Siena in 1985, of a brain hemorrhage.
Author : Italo Calvino
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Remembering the forgotten holiday
May 27, 2012, 7:08 p.m. | By Hannah Lynn | 8 years, 7 months ago
It's the last weekend in May, which means that schools close for a day, public pools open for the summer and, most importantly, malls are filled with sales. But wait, if these few days are meant for relaxation, then why do we call it Memorial Day Weekend? Oh yeah.
Photo: Flags are planted in the ground to honor Memorial Day
After the end of the American Civil War, Memorial Day was created as a holiday to commemorate the fallen Union soldiers; it now honors fallen soldiers from all American wars since then. But I can't remember a time when the holiday was actually used for its designated purpose. Like most federal holidays (MLK Day, Labor Day, President's Day) the day off is seen as just that: a time to unwind and forget about school and work for an extra day.
The distressing part is that none of this is surprising. It's just like the United States to take an emotionally meaningful holiday and turn it into a moneymaking vacation. What better day is there to buy a discounted couch than a day honoring the dead?
But to many people, Memorial Day is not about relaxation; it's about remembering their sons, daughters, parents and grandparents who died fighting for our country. It's understandable that when the government gives its workers the day off that people want to take advantage of it, particularly when the weather is nice. But people should still try to remember and acknowledge what the day was made for, especially in the D.C. area where there are so many museums and memorials dedicated to the fallen. All it takes is a walk through D.C. during the weekend to see people putting flowers on the World War II memorial or photos of their relatives on the Vietnam War memorial wall.
It's not about whether or not someone agrees with the war or whether they've had family die in battle, it's about respecting the people who gave their lives fighting for our country. While it seems unlikely that we can reverse this federal-turned-corporate holiday, it's still important to remember why the post office is closed.
For a list of memorial day events happening in the area, click here.
Tags: america Army Civil War holiday memorial Memorial Day sales soldiers united states
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Laura Clapp Davidson
Laura Clapp is an artist, songwriter and technology specialist. A graduate of the Berklee College of Music, she has released several albums; her latest one, “Go,” with British producer Robbie Bronnimann. Her credits include an international tour as backing vocalist with 80’s synth legend, Howard Jones, as well as her own American tour, funded by her fans and CD sales
Alongside her career as an artist, Laura has held various marketing roles, including several years as a demo artist for TC-Helicon, TC Electronic and, now, Shure Microphones. Laura Clapp grew up in New England. She’s brash, she’s honest, and she’s happy to be here. Put these things together and you get an artist not afraid to tell it like it is who thrives on love, excitement and a passion for life. After moving to Nashville as a Berklee College of Music graduate, Laura quickly befriended some of Music City’s best and it wasn’t long before she was singing for a living. This led to countless demo sessions, an incredible journey as backing vocalist for 80’s synth legend Howard Jones and the opportunity to share her love of music gear as a product specialist for several music equipment manufacturers. Most recently, Laura joined the legendary Shure Incorporated as their Retail Market Development Specialist, and she is currently working on material for her 4th album. She lives in Guilford with her husband and two incredible daughters.
Improvising Melodies Over Chord Progressions
Get Started with Songwriting
Writing Lyrics with Prompts
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Appears In Courses
Creativity Expression
Artistically Free
©2020 Singdaptive Academy Inc.
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AS BAUCHI VERIFICATION COMMITTEE SAVES MILLIONS, UNCOVERS GHOST WORKERS
Muhammad Muhammad
By Sulaiman Maijama’a
If there is anything more flabbergasted in Bauchi State last week than the assassination of Hon. Musa Mante, is the report of the implementation committee on Bank Verification Number (BVN) and authentication of civil servants on its payroll, set up by the Bauchi State government as it disclosed that it had saved a total sum of N225,519,737:56 for the government from October 2019 to June 2020.
This is just as the committee removed a total of 882 state and local governments ghost workers on the nominal payroll.
The Chairman of the committee, Senator Adamu Ibrahim Gumba, who gave an update on the exercise in Bauchi, shortly after presenting the report said:
“We found in other cases where six people are employed by two different organizations. They are taking a salary from the state government and taking a salary from other institutions outside the government circle. We are making inroads into these kinds of cases and God willing we will tackle them.
“There are instances where we have eight persons, using one BVN. We don’t know how it happened but we have to find it out.”
He said the committee had conducted physical verification of 5,238 staff from the state’s civil service and out of the figure, 4,654 were cleared while 583 failed to show up.
When I read this news last week, i felt scandalized. At the time the state governor is taking bold steps to sanitize civil service and block all leakages, other ungodly and unpatriotic people are sabotaging his efforts. At the time when the global economy is being ravaged by the Covid-19 pandemic and governments all over are coping to cushion the effect and Bauchi State is not an exception, these people failed to have the conscience to be brave enough to unleash their cruelty on the resources of the poor masses. I’m scared, envisaging the future of our yet unborn generation.
This fraud in the state civil service is a calamity that inflicts difficulty, especially on the civil servants as it delays their salaries. Bauchi State being a civil servant State, salary delay will never be easy for the people of the state. But the government has no other viable alternative than verification. I must give accolades to the governor for apologizing to the genuine workers for the inconveniences the exercise may have caused.
It could be recalled that previous administrations of former Gov. Abdullahi Abubakar and that of Mal. Isah Yuguda had also conducted verifications perpetually, but ghost workers still sneak into the state and local government payroll, which means the narrative is unchanged. I attribute the failure to lack of implementation of the verification committee’s recommendation.
I’m, however, happy and confident that the state’s governor, Sen. Bala Mohammed resolved to make difference as he had after receiving the committee’s report expressed his readiness to implement all recommendations presented in order to achieve the set objectives. His readiness is, to me, an indication that he means business and that is what contrasts him with the previous administrations.
I don’t want to be seen as beating his drum, but strictly speaking, Governor Bala Mohammed’s approach symbolises how careful in the management of the state’s resources he is.
I finally recommend those indulged in this devilish act, be arraigned to face the fullest wrath of the law in order to serve as a deterrent to others.
Maijama’a writes from the Faculty of Communication, BUK and can be reached via: sulaimanmaija@gmail.com
Disquiet in Taraba APC over ministerial nominations, By Gaddafi Ibarhim Tanko
AS-SALAM GLOBAL UNIVERSITY: A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION
Insecurity: APC has failed Nigerians
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About Princeton & Slavery
The Slaves of John Maclean Sr.
By Jessica R. Mack
Lydia, Sal, and Charles were enslaved people who lived in early 19th-century Princeton. John Maclean Sr., a Princeton professor and the father of one of the college’s future presidents, owned all three.
About the Author References
Tags: Faculty African Americans (Enslaved)
John Maclean Sr. (1771-1814) was the College of New Jersey’s first chemistry professor and a slaveholder. His son John Maclean Jr. (1800-1886) would serve as Princeton's president from 1854 to 1868.[1] Maclean Sr., a trained physician, arrived in the United States from Scotland in 1795 and began teaching at the college that year.[2] During his tenure at Princeton from 1795 to 1812, Maclean was a professor of science and mathematics as well as bursar and clerk for President Samuel Stanhope Smith. In 1798, Maclean declared his intentions to become a U.S. citizen and married Phoebe Bainbridge of New York.[3]
In the first days of January 1799, Maclean purchased an enslaved woman named Lydia for the sum of $160.[4] As with so many historical records about enslaved people, this bill of sale—the only extant piece of information about Lydia's life in Maclean's household—leaves many questions and silences about her experiences.
Bill of Sale for Lydia in 1799.
View Primary Sources
Lydia was the first of several slaves owned by Maclean as a Princeton professor. In July 1808, he placed an advertisement to sell a young enslaved man in the New York Evening Post. In the ad, Maclean described “a smart and active NEGRO BOY, between 19 and 20 years of age: he is a good plan Cook house Servant and Waiter…”[5] Maclean instructed those interested in the sale to contact John T. Bainbridge, his brother-in-law and a clerk in New York, but there is no record of a sale—if one ever happened. Six years later, upon his death, Maclean owned two slaves. The 1814 inventory attached to his will included a woman named Sal listed with the monetary value of $175 and a man named Charles listed with the monetary value of $75. Next to Charles’ name, Maclean specified the following: “Negro Boy Charles Placed out with Mr. John Vanhorn for 6 years then to return to the family.”[6] These small glimpses into the stories of Lydia, Sal, Charles and others enslaved by the professor highlight their absence in the historical archive despite their essential contributions to the households of Princeton’s most influential and renowned leaders.
Professor Maclean’s son and the executor of his estate, John Maclean Jr., was an active member of the American Colonization Society during his time as a tutor, professor, vice president and eventually president of the college. Although there is no record that Maclean Jr. owned slaves, he grew up in a slaveholding home and likely had close contact with Lydia, Sal, Charles and any other enslaved people owned by his father.
The bill of sale for Lydia and the inventory that listed Sal and Charles as property are located in Maclean’s presidential papers within the Princeton University archives.
Inventory from the estate of John Maclean Sr., listing two slaves, a "Negro Girl Sal" and "Negro Boy Charles."
1823 indenture contract for Jack Rouse, a nine-year-old African American boy. Rouse's mother indentured him to "Phebe McLean," likely John Maclean Sr.'s widow.
Jessica Mack is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of History at Princeton. Her research examines linkages between higher education and political transformation in modern Mexico. Her dissertation project traces intellectual and spatial change at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) alongside profound shifts in Mexico’s post-revolutionary public sphere. Jessica holds a B.A. in history from Wesleyan University and an M.A. in history from Princeton University. Her broader interests include public history and memory, space and urban history, and global higher education networks.
View all stories by Jessica R. Mack »
John Maclean, Jr., A Memoir of John Maclean, M.D., the First Professor of Chemistry in the College of New Jersey, by his son, John Maclean, the Tenth President of the College (Princeton, NJ: The Princeton Press, 1885), 18.
Samuel Stanhope Smith, “The trustees of the college,” Woods’s Newark Gazette, 11 November 1795.
Citizenship Document, John Maclean, Sr., 1807, Letters, 1752-1807, Office of the President Records: Jonathan Dickinson to Harold W. Dodds Subgroup, Box 7, Folder 7, Princeton University Archives, Department of Rare Books and Special Collections, Princeton University Library.
Bill of Sale for Lydia, 1799; Letters; 1752-1807; Office of the President Records: Jonathan Dickinson to Harold W. Dodds Subgroup, Box 7, Folder 6; Princeton University Archives, Department of Rare Books and Special Collections, Princeton University Library.
Advertisement, The New York Evening Post, 22-29 July 1808.
Inventory, John Maclean, Sr; 1814; John Maclean, Jr. Papers, Box 4, Folder 11; Princeton University Archives, Department of Rare Books and Special Collections, Princeton University Library.
Did You Know...?Most of Princeton's founding trustees bought, sold, traded, or inherited slaves. Read More
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in Symbolism
Blue Symbolism in Greek Mythology
The two types of blue in Greek mythology
The Greek poet Homer, author of The Iliad and The Odyssey, distinguished two types of blue — kuaneos and glaukos. While goddess Athena had glaukopis eyes, the dark-blue waters of the sea were kuaneos. The Greek word glaukopis stood for the grey-blue or the luminous blue. Kuaneous was more suited for the dark shades of blue, often found in the deep waters of the sea and in the stormy, frightening sky. Glaukopis was for the light, brilliant and bright, while kuaneos for the deep, tinted and dark.
The myth of the blue Greek sky
Why is the sky blue? The story goes that one day Zeus, the Greek god of the sky, asked his daughter Athena to make a wish. The blue-eyed Athena, wrapped up in herself, wished that the world could see her beauty every single day. Zeus granted Athena’s wish by turning the sky in blue, the color of her beautiful eyes.
From unicorns to ancient horses and heroes — the symbolism of the blue eye
The unicorn — a wild, single-horned and horse-like animal — appears in Greek Mythology. The Greek historian and writer Ctesias described the unicorn as a mythical creature whose horn possessed healing powers. A notable feature of this monokerōs (single-horned) animal were its blue eyes.
When it comes to Alexander the Great, the greatest conquer of the Ancient World, history and myth intertwine. It is said that Bucephalus, Alexander’s legendary horse, was wall-eyed (had one blue eye). Alexander, too, reportedly had heterochromia — one of his eyes was brown, and the other one blue.
The blue symbolism of the peacock in Greek mythology
Hera, the Greek goddess of women and marriage (and a wife of Zeus) had a chariot pulled by her bellowed peacocks. The blue peacock feathers fit well in the iconography of Hera, as she was also known as the goddess of the sky and the stars.
When Zeus fell in love with a beautiful mortal Io, Hera appointed her hundred-eyed servant, Argus Panoptes, to guard Io and prevent Zeus from approaching her. Zeus tricked Argus into a sleep and killed him. To honor her faithful servant, Hera turned his hundred eyes into the eye-like patterns of the peacock.
In Ancient Greece, peacock ‘eyes’ were also compared to the ‘evil eye’. The Greek philosopher Plutarch considered the eyes as a source of malevolent energy rays that could harm others. He claimed that blue-eyed people were more apt at casting an evil eye. The evil eye could bring bad luck, illness or even death. Greeks even developed ‘xematiasma,’ a special ritual to cast away the effect of an evil eye.
The Greeks made a talisman called a ‘mati’ or ‘matiasma,’ to ward off an evil eye. The ‘mati’ is are made of blue colored glass and have the shape of a giant eye. This apotropaic charm is popular in Greece even today.
It was probably Alexander the Great who brought the first peacock from India to Greece. It is likely that he also brought to Greece the ‘evil eye’ charm somewhere from the East.
Blue as a symbol of metamorphosis — Greek gods and mortals who turned into blue flowers
Greek mythology is rich in stories of one’s metamorphosis into plants and flowers.
One of these myths involves Asteria, the Greek Titan goddess of innocence, whose name means ‘star-maiden’. The story goes that Zeus, enraged by the sights of men fighting one-another, sent a flood to put an end to the human race. Upon seeing the devastation, Asteria cried, and as soon as her tears reached the earth, they turned into beautiful blue aster flowers.
Another myth speaks of the origin of the blue poisonous aconite flower. The Greek hero Heracles was tasked to fetch Cerberus (Kerberos). Cerberus was a dreadful, three-headed dog, who guarded the gates of the underworld. At the place where the dripping spittle of Cerberus touched the earth, the first aconite flower appeared. It is also said that Medea tried to poison Theseus with a glass of aconite-laced wine.
Yet another Greek myth tells the story of Persephone, the Greek goddess of vegetation, who was abducted by Hades, the god of the Underworld. At the time of her abduction, she and her playmates gathered flowers for her bouquet. Since the blue iris was one of those spring meadow flowers in her bouquet, it became a symbol of her descent into the Underworld.
The legend says that the blue larkspur flower sprang from the blood of the Trojan hero Ajax. He and Odysseus competed to win Achilles armor as a recognition for their contribution in the Trojan war. Odysseus succeeded to convince the gods in his own merit and earned the armor. Ajax got so enraged, that he committed a suicide.
Finally, there is a Greek myth about the origin of the blue hyacinth flower. Hyacinthus was a good-looking Spartan prince. He was a lover of Apollo, the god of archery, art, healing and prophesy. One day, Apollo was teaching Hyacinthus the art of throwing a discus. Upon seeing this, Zephyros (the god of the wind) became jealous and blew the discus mightily, striking Hyacinthus in the head. Apollo lamented the death of Hyacinthus terribly. In his remembrance, he made his blood sprout into a blue hyacinth flower.
Blue as a symbol of the sky in Greek Mythology
Blue is the color of the sky. Many Greek gods and goddesses represented the blueness of Heaven and the sky. Among them, the most prominent were Ether, Uranus and Zeus.
Before the establishment of the twelve Olympian gods of the Greek pantheon, there were several primordial deities who ruled the elemental forces of nature.
Aether was a Greek primordial god and an archetype of the blue and pure ‘upper sky’. Ancient Greeks described the blue ether as ‘the stuff’ of which Heaven is made. Ether is also the higher quality of air, which Gods breathe.
Uranus, the ‘Father Sky,’ was the primordial god of the sky. He was the elemental deity of the rain, also called ‘the lord of rains’.
Zeus was the king of all gods of Mount Olympus. Holding a lightning bolt in his hand, he acted as a sovereign of Heaven. He was the supreme god of the sky, destiny and law. Whenever he felt sad and cried, he made it rain on earth.
Blue as a symbol of the sea and freshwater in Greek Mythology
Blue is also the color of all earth waters. Greek mythology is rich in gods, Titans and nymphs associated with the blueness of the rivers and the sea.
Among the pre-Olympian divinities of the sea, the most powerful were Pontus (the ancient, primordial god of the sea), and Thalassa (the primeval spirit of the sea). Greek Mythology also mentions Nereus (the shape-shifting ‘Old Man of the Sea’) and Thaumas (the ‘Wonder of the Sea’).
Poseidon, together with his brothers Zeus and Hades, formed a mighty triad. Namely, why Zeus was the chief God of the Sky, and Hades god of the Underworld, Poseidon ruled the Sea. Holding a trident or a fish spear in his hand, as a symbol of the sea, Poseidon is associated with the deep blue color of the sea. This “Lord of the Sea’ was a powerful protector of the seafarers.
Oceanus was the Greek Titan god, sometimes revered as the primeval father of all Greek gods. He was the source of all rivers and oceans, a ‘genesis of all’. Tethys was the primordial mother of 6,000 water deities.
Oceanus and Tethys had 3,000 sons, all river gods. They were known as Potamoi, and each was a god of a different river. Oceanus and Tethys also had 3,000 daughters, known as Oceanids. Most of them were nymphs or water deities, and they personified springs. The great system of Greek divinities also includes the Naiads, daughters of Potamoi. The Naiads were female water-spirits, responsible for the wells, streams and all fresh water bodies.
Blue as a symbol of beauty born out of the blue sea
The name of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, beauty and fertility means ‘sea-foam’. The goddess was born when Cronus castrated his father, Uranus, and threw his genitals into the sea. Aphrodite is often considered a daughter of the sea. She is often seen as personification of passion, pleasure and desire.
Blue as a symbol of the dangers of the deep sea — the spellbinding song of the sirens
When speaking of Greek Mythology in the context of the deep blue sea, it is impossible not to mention the sirens, those dangerous sea creatures who lured sailors with their enchanting singing. The half-woman, half-bird sirens were such hypnotic creatures, that they caused many shipwrecks and deaths of men in open sea. Sirens are not to be mistaken for mermaids, who appeared later, in the writings of Byzantine Greece.
The sirens were daughters of Phorcys and Achelous. Phorcys was a primordial sea god, a merman with a tail of a fish, spiky red skin and crab-like claws. Achelous was the god of the largest Greek river. Phorcys and Achelous fathered dreadful sirens with Calliope, Melpomene and Terpsichore, the three Muses or goddesses of inspiration.
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How does the color blue make you feel? Here at Slightly Blue, this gorgeous, calming color has all kinds of effects on us. We love the color blue for its ability to evoke all kinds of emotions in us. As we like to say, there is a shade of blue for any way you feel.
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Report: Bob Bradley in the running for Aston Villa DOF job
By Kyle BonnMar 3, 2015, 12:05 PM EST
With Aston Villa desperately looking to stave off relegation, Randy Lerner is attempting a serious shakeup at Villa Park and put behind them years of flirting with the drop. Apparently part of that shakeup includes a big new job.
According to a report on ESPNFC, Lerner is looking to fill a Director of Football job, and one of the names he’s looking towards is a fellow American, Bob Bradley.
Bradley is incredibly well connected thanks to his versatile work resume, and had expressed interest in the vacant Villa managing job a number of years ago. In addition, the report states Lerner and chief executive Tom Fox hold respect for Bradley’s prior work and would be interested in teaming up with the former USMNT head coach.
The report states Lerner is looking to get his new front office set in stone “as soon as possible,” but with Villa struggling to secure its place in the Premier League next season, it’s possible many of the candidates will wait to see whether the club maintains its top-flight status or falls to the Championship before truly signing on. It’s likely this is a position that won’t be filled until the summer after things at the bottom of the table shake out.
Bradley is currently the manager of Norwegian side Sabaek, whom he joined early last year and has enjoyed success during his time abroad. Despite Villa’s struggles the past few years, the club is still one of the larger and more stable ones in England, giving its position in the relegation zone even more surprise. Consequently, the job would be a relatively attractive one even if the team does end up relegated for the first time since 1987. However, candidates would likely want to make sure they have power to make decisions, with Lerner known to keep his hand in many of the dealings in the past.
According to the report, another candidate vying for the job is Damien Comolli, a man with plenty of European experience in the Director of Football position at Tottenham and Liverpool, and has worked in the scouting and player recruitment departments at Arsenal, Monaco, and St. Etienne.
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Investment Management Theory & Practice
A CIMA® Certification Registered Education Course (online)
[ONLINE] Digital Marketing: A Strategic Perspective
[ONLINE] Investment Management Theory & Practice
About Executive Education
Build your business with Yale’s comprehensive and convenient path to CIMA certification
[Upcoming Webinar] Intro to Yale’s Online CIMA Course (January 14 at 4:00 PM EDT): Register
Program Fee: $4,500
Location: Online course
Format: Video lectures supplemented by proprietary study materials to enrich learning.
Participants are given access for 365 days or whenever they complete the certification process (whichever comes first), but most should complete the entire process within 4-6 months.
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Continuing Education Credits: Completing the Yale CIMA course requirements qualifies for 28 CFP CE hours and 40 hours of CPWA CE.
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Yale CIMA Program Director
jim.dobbs@yale.edu
For registration-related questions, please contact:
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Yale Executive Education Operations Coordinator
emily.kuzma@yale.edu
The prestigious Certified Investment Management Analyst® (CIMA) certification can be a key advantage for investment professionals. Yale School of Management’s fully online Investment Management Theory and Practice program can help you ensure you’ve positioned yourself for success.
Learn from leading Yale faculty and industry experts.
Complete the certification process faster and more conveniently with our unique, start-to-finish online program.
Study materials specifically designed to help you prepare for and pass the CIMA certification exam delivered in a variety of tools suited for various learning styles.
Who should enroll?
Ideal candidates for CIMA Certification include: investment advisors, investment consultants, financial advisors, financial planners, asset and wealth managers, and financial services professionals. Note – this program should be considered intermediate to advanced. Program participants are expected to have an elementary understanding of statistics, economics, and time-value-of-money prior to enrolling.
CIMA candidates may enroll in the Investment Management Theory and Practice online program at any point during candidacy – given current status as a CIMA candidate in good standing. CIMA registration number required at time of enrollment. If you are not yet a CIMA candidate in good standing, please start the process here.
Crafted for investment professionals pursuing the CIMA certification, the Investment Management Theory and Practice is an online course for those who value the high caliber education of Yale and the convenience of digital learning.
The comprehensive Yale CIMA online program includes: a CIMA registered education course and exam and study materials to help candidates prepare for and pass the certification exam.
Built around the Certified Investment Management Analyst® (CIMA) certification curriculum and approved by the Investments & Wealth Institute™ (formerly IMCA®) as a registered education program, this course fulfills the initial education requirement for CIMA certification. This course includes comprehensive coverage of the topics and learning objectives found in the CIMA Certification Detailed Content Outline (core topics list).
Investment Management Theory and Practice is an online course for investment professionals pursuing the prestigious CIMA certification.
This program, led by Yale Professor Tobias J. Moskowitz and financial certification specialist and Program Director Jim Dobbs, includes comprehensive coverage of the topics and learning objectives found in the CIMA Certification Detailed Content Outline.
It has been developed to help you better understand the concepts, calculations, and applications found in the CIMA core topics list; help you prepare for and pass the Yale School of Management course test and CIMA certification exam; and help you take your practice to the next level.
Topic coverage includes:
Ethics and regulation
A review of financial fundamentals (including statistics, time value of money, and economic analysis)
Performance measurement and analysis
Traditional and alternative investments
Portfolio theory and models
Investment consulting process (including client discovery, investment policy, portfolio construction and management, manager search and selection, and portfolio review)
Investment Management Theory and Practice, walks you through the core topics and learning objectives found in the CIMA certification curriculum line-by-line. The faculty team helps participants navigate the complex and sometimes confusing world of investment thought and application.
(Source: CIMA Core Topics)
Statistics and Methods
Applied Finance and Economics
Global Capital Markets History and Valuation
Investment Vehicles
Options, Futures, and Other Derivatives
Portfolio Theory and Behavioral Finance
Portfolio Theories and Models
Behavioral Finance Theory
Investment Philosophies and Styles
Risk Measures
Portfolio Construction and Consulting Process
Investments & Wealth Institute Code of Professional Responsibility
Client Discovery
Manager Search, Selection, and Monitoring
Portfolio Review and Revisions
In addition to the guidance provided by the faculty, the Yale CIMA online program includes materials specifically designed to help candidates prepare for and pass the CIMA certification exam – materials unlike any other program. Candidates learn by leveraging proprietary tools and resources that fit their own, unique learning styles and preferences, including:
Online learning management system
Class lecture videos, notes and outlines
Overview and exam prep videos
CIMA Certification Exams Detailed Content Outline
CIMA Certification Exam Formula Sheet
CIMA content readings
Hundreds of practice questions
Participants are encouraged to study 10-15 hours a week
Participants gain a better understanding of the CIMA curriculum core topics and learning objectives by mastering concepts, calculations, and applications.
Participants develop tools and resources to help them improve their businesses by immediately applying new strategies and solutions in practice.
Participants prepare for the Yale SOM course tests and the CIMA certification exam by learning from multiple resources, including videos, exercises, and practice questions.
Program enrollment is offered on an ongoing basis. Once approved for candidacy by Investments & Wealth Institute you may enroll whenever you choose.
All program content is available on demand. Participants can download, copy, save and print whatever they choose. Participants are not allowed to share program materials with anyone.
This program is not offered for academic credit and should be considered a "self-study" course.
Participants have access to Yale and Dobbs Education staff during traditional office hours (8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday through Friday) for administrative and technology questions.
This program is designed to be self-guided, but we know that sometimes a little help is needed. Participants use the discussion board to discuss topics and questions among themselves, and participants can reach out directly for help with a handful of content-related questions as they move through the program. If however, one believes he or she will need help akin to that received in an in-person program, like daily or weekly interaction with faculty and teaching assistants, then this program would not be a good fit.
Program fees are due in full upon enrollment. No cancellations or refunds are permitted once you have enrolled, therefore you want to be 100% committed prior to enrolling.
Not only will the Yale CIMA program help you gain your certification, it will help drive your business and build your career.
Perform client discovery more efficiently
Develop investment policy statements for individual and institutional clients
Identify and measure performance and risk more accurately
Analyze and recommend appropriate traditional and alternative investments
Perform successful manager search and selection
Manage investment portfolios more effectively
Use research in behavioral finance to better manage client expectations, decisions, and relationships
Develop a formal review and revisions process
Faculty & Practitioners
Please note that faculty are subject to change.
President, Dobbs Education, LLC
President, Dobbs Wealth Management, LLC
Jim Dobbs has worked with certification education providers on programs including CIMA, CPWA, CFP and others for the last 15 years. He brings to Yale School of Management his unique history and experience in helping thousands of candidates through the certification process.
Jim Dobbs specializes in designing, developing and managing financial training and certification programs. Mr. Dobbs served the Investments & Wealth Institute® (formerly IMCA®) as director of education where he helped create the Certified Private Wealth Advisor® certification program.
Mr. Dobbs helped develop the Advanced Investment Strategist program in portfolio risk management; led a project to help update and revise the Certified Investment Management Analyst® (CIMA) certification program curriculum; and served as chair of IMCA’s Technical Advisory Board.
Prior, Mr. Dobbs founded and managed the CFP Board registered financial planning certificate programs at Southern Methodist University in Dallas and The University of Texas at Austin where he was program director. Later he served Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. as director of education.
Mr. Dobbs has been a financial advisor for 25 years and created Dobbs Wealth Management Group, LLC, a registered investment advisory practice, where he offered financial planning and investment management services from 1998 through 2017. Before founding Dobbs Wealth, he worked for several financial services firms, including Mercer; IDS (now Ameriprise); Harris, Webb & Garrison (now SMH Group); and Citigroup.
He earned an Executive MBA from Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business (with a specialization in asset and wealth management) and holds a master’s degree from the University of Lausanne (Switzerland) in partnership with Swiss Finance Institute. He earned a Post-Baccalaureate Award in Taxation from UCLA Extension and is a graduate of the Management Development for Entrepreneurs (MDE) Program offered through UCLA’s Anderson School of Management. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration (majoring in financial services and planning) from the Hankamer School of Business at Baylor University.
Tobias J. Moskowitz
Dean Takahashi ’80 B.A., ’83 M.P.P.M. Professor of Finance, Yale School of Management
Tobias “Toby” Moskowitz was named the inaugural Dean Takahashi ’80 B.A., ’83 M.P.P.M. Professor of Finance at Yale SOM in 2016.
He was previously the Fama Family Professor of Finance at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, where he had taught since 1998. Professor Moskowitz was recognized by the American Finance Association with its 2007 Fischer Black Prize, which is awarded biennially to the top finance scholar in the world under the age of 40 in years when one is deemed deserving. The award cited his “ingenious and careful use of newly available data to address fundamental questions in finance.”
His work has been cited in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, Financial Times, US News and World Report, Money magazine, and a 2005 speech by former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan. He has also appeared on CNBC’s Closing Bell and Squawk Box, CNN, FOX, and Bloomberg.
John Nersesian, CIMA®, CFP®, CPWA®
Founder, Nersesian Wealth Education, LLC
John Nersesian was formerly managing director of wealth management services at Nuveen Investments, where his group provided wealth management and practice development education and consulting support to advisors. His experience includes work as a financial advisor to corporate executives, affluent families, and nonprofit organizations.
Nersesian previously was a first vice president at Merrill Lynch Private Client Group, where he was a leader in comprehensive wealth management strategies and business development practices training. He earned a BS in business and economics from Lehigh University. Nersesian has authored numerous articles on a variety of financial matters, speaks regularly at industry conferences, and has contributed to various media outlets. Nersesian is former chair of IWI’s Board of Directors for the 2014–2015 term. He joined the Board of Directors in 2006 and has served on several IWI committees.
Roger Ibbotson
Professor in the Practice Emeritus of Management
Roger G. Ibbotson is Professor in the Practice Emeritus of Finance at Yale School of Management. He is also chariman and CIO of Zebra Capital Management, LLC, an equity investment and hedge fund manager. He is founder, advisor and former chairman of Ibbotson Associates, now a Morningstar Company. He has written numerous books and articles including Stocks Bonds Bills and Inflation with Rex Sinquefield (updated annually) which serves as a standard reference for information and capital market returns.
Professor Ibbotson conducts research on a broad range of financial topics, including liquidity, investment returns, mutual funds, international markets, portfolio management, and valuation. He has recently published The Equity Risk Premium and Lifetime Financial Advice. He has also co-authored two books with Gary Brinson, Global Investing and Investment Markets. He is a regular contributor and editorial board member to both trade and academic journals.
Professor Ibbotson serves on numerous boards including Dimensional Fund Advisors’ funds. He frequently speaks at universities, conferences, and other forums. He received his bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Purdue University, his MBA from Indiana University, and his PhD from the University of Chicago where he taught for more than ten years and served as executive director of the Center for Research in Security Prices.
Gal Zauberman
Joseph F. Cullman 3rd Professor of Marketing
Professor Gal Zauberman studies consumer judgment and decision making, time in decisions, financial decision making, and memory for emotions and choice. In his research, He has published articles in leading marketing and psychology journals on topics that include: factors that affect individuals' evaluations, preferences, and choice, with specific interest in the role of time in decisions and experiences. He recently started investigating the role of photography in experiences. He won numerous awards, including the William O’Dell and the Paul Green best paper awards, and the 2007 Early Career Award for Distinguished Contributions to Consumer Psychology. His research received international media coverage, including the New York Times, Scientific American, and others.
Per the Investments & Wealth Institute’s® (formerly IMCA) policy, all faculty who teach in the Yale CIMA program have not been involved in any development, review or approval of the CIMA certification examinations.
Intro to Yale's Online CIMA Course
IMPORTANT: This program is open to CIMA candidates in good standing. If you are not yet a CIMA candidate in good standing, please start the process here.
Location: Online course [Note: It typically takes about a week from the time one submits the application (linked below) to the time that one is enrolled and has access to the course.]
*INVESTMENTS & WEALTH INSTITUTE® is a registered mark of Investment Management Consultants Association Inc. (“IMCA”) doing business as The Investments & Wealth Institute (“The Institute”). CIMA® and CERTIFIED INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT ANALYST® are registered certification marks of IMCA d/b/a The Institute. As described in the CIMA Candidate Handbook, completion of an executive education program offered through a Registered Education Provider does not result in attainment of the CIMA certification nor does it award use of the certification marks. Completion of an executive education program results in a candidate becoming eligible to sit for the CIMA Certification Exam and thereafter to complete the remaining steps for certification.
Thank you! The course and exam prep materials were great given the breadth of the topics the test covers. I have already recommended it to a couple other people contemplating the exam! We have generally pushed employees toward the CFA. After going through the course, I think CIMA will be a good fit (if not better!) alternative for our client facing teams.”
I completed the Yale coursework and took the CIMA certification exam the following Monday. I passed and it was a great feeling. I wanted to personally thank you for everything. The course did a tremendous job of helping me prepare for the exam and apply my new skills in practice as well. I can honestly say I enjoyed every step of the way. Thank you for making everything easy to comprehend and guiding me through the course.”
Brandon H.
I can’t imagine that I would have been prepared to pass the QE if I was relying solely on the CRC content. The Yale prep material was a must-have for me.”
I wanted to let you know that I PASSED today...THANK YOU so much for all your support and guidance throughout the entire program!! I will never forget it.”
Rodrigo G.
I took the Certification Exam on Friday and passed. I found the Yale exams to be more difficult than the Level III exam, which helped me to be much more prepared. And more importantly, I got a lot from the material and lectures that I can apply in my career. You have a great program; I won't hesitate to recommend it if I have a colleague ask about doing the CIMA.”
Wanted to let you know that I passed the CIMA certification exam today! Cannot thank you enough for being such a great resource throughout this process. The practice questions on the quizzes and tests in your program were BY FAR the most helpful tool for studying and preparing. Yale School of Management was an excellent experience and I appreciate all your help!”
Kyle Z.
I probably didn't, but I felt that I scored 95+% on the certification exam. I know without a doubt, it was the Yale program that put me in that position of confidence. The way the Yale course and curriculum makes you think about the information completely prepares you for answering the cert-exam questions. One just truly has to commit to studying the concepts, but also interpret what is being asked. I am so glad I chose Yale's offering over the others!”
I passed my CIMA® certification exam yesterday and wanted to thank the entire group for the help. Yale was difficult in the material studied but easy in the method to study at my pace and schedule, which made it the perfect combination to pass the three levels quickly.When I started studying in early January my timetable was to pass by May for the birth of my child in July. Yale allowed me to focus my study efforts and pass all three levels in less than 3 months through focused effort. Thank you for allowing me this opportunity.”
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Humanities & Society
Arts & Culture Humanities & Society
Architectural competition reinvents St. Francis de Sales children’s theater
Designs for 1888 space unveiled Oct. 17
By Liam Otten October 15, 2008 January 13, 2016
St. Francis de Sales church, popularly known as “the Cathedral of South St. Louis,” has been a local landmark since the end of the Civil War. Its six-building campus — located at 2653 Ohio Ave. (63118) — is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places and includes the elegant Gothic revival church as well as a rectory, a former convent, two former school buildings and a gymnasium.
Exterior of the former St. Francis de Sales parish girls’ school, built in 1888.
One of those school buildings includes an 8,000-square-foot children’s theater that is in urgent need of renovation. This fall five teams of architecture students from Washington University’s Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts have worked to develop plans for the theatre as part of the Sam Fox School’s Community Service Competition.
From 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 17, the five teams will present their designs at a reception for St. Francis de Sales faithful, local architects and interested community members. Following the presentation, a competition jury — comprised of faculty, local architects and church leaders — will convene for final judging, with the winning team receiving a $300 cash prize.
The reception — which is free and open to the public — will take place in the university’s Steinberg Hall, located near the intersection of Forsyth Boulevard and Hoyt Drive. For more information, call (314) 935-9300, or visit http://samfoxschool.wustl.edu/.
“The agenda for this project is to create a schematic design proposal that can be used by St. Francis de Sales as both a fundraising tool and as a basis for construction documents,” said Eric Cesal, a graduate student in architecture, who organized the competition with classmate Ali Lang. “The theater is located in a well-preserved 19th century building. The historical quality of the space, as well as its state of preservation and the enthusiasm of the community, offers an opportunity to create something really special.”
The original two-story children’s theater was split by dropped-in ceilings, creating classroom space and an attic, pictured above.
Jon R. Roche, office administrator for the church, explains that the theater is located on the third floor of an 1888 structure that once housed the former parish girls’ school. In the 1920s the theater served as home to the Benton Park Drama Club but in the 1940s was subdivided into classrooms, the two-story stage split horizontally by dropped-in ceilings.
“When you go into the attic you can still see the intricate handwork,” explains Roche, whose grandfather graduated from St. Francis de Sales High School. “It’s a very beautiful space. At some point it will be restored, and would certainly be great if we could use one of the students’ designs.”
The Sam Fox School launched the Community Service Competition August 23 as a one-day design charrette (a sort of architectural brainstorming session). After a brief history and tour of the site, 55 architectural students spent five hours developing initial design concepts, which were then presented to the competition jury. The jury short-listed four teams, with the fifth team added in mid-September. Over the next eight weeks, each team expanded its ideas into workable schematic designs — detailed on a pair of 24″ x 36″ presentation boards — culminating in the Oct. 17 presentation.
“The City of St. Louis has an extremely rich architectural heritage, one that still has much to teach us,” notes Bruce Lindsey, dean of the Sam Fox School’s College of Architecture and Graduate School of Architecture & Urban Design, who chaired the jury.
“As a society, I think we sometimes forget how much architecture matters — how its expressive and spiritual aspects can inspire us, connect us and enhance people’s lives,” Lindsey adds. “As architects, I think we have a responsibility to help build communities as well as buildings.”
The St. Francis de Sales parish was formed in 1867 by seven German immigrant dairymen and named in honor of St. Francis de Sales, a French Jesuit missionary who served as bishop of Geneva and was canonized in 1665. (In 1923 Pope Pius XI designated St. Francis de Sales as the patron saint of journalists, in recognition of his scholarly writings.) The original church was dedicated in 1868; the current structure — the second-largest church in the St. Louis area and the only one built in the German Gothic style — was dedicated in 1908.
In 1869 the parish opened an elementary school and in 1939 added a junior high school; the latter was later expanded to include a high school, with the first class graduating in 1947. Yet in the 1950s and 60s developing suburbs drew population away from St. Louis city neighborhoods and the parish’s numbers began to decline. In 1973 the elementary school was consolidated with three others and the high school closed in 1974. In January 2005 the parish was closed and the church and campus were scheduled for demolition.
The complex was saved thanks to the intervention of Archbishop Raymond Burke and the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest, which took possession in July 2005. Currently the Institute is raising funds to restore the building’s 300-foot steeple — the tallest in St. Louis. Other planned renovations include roof repairs and conservation of the church’s frescos and stained glass windows, the latter created by Emil Frei, Sr. (1869-1942), a German immigrant widely considered to be St. Louis’ premier stained glass artist.
Media Contact: Liam Otten
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Home > Opinions > Adoption of Kelsey S.
Citation 1 Cal.4th 816
Adoption of Kelsey S.
Adoption of Kelsey S. (1992) 1 Cal.4th 816 , 4 Cal.Rptr.2d 615; 823 P.2d 1216
Adoption of KELSEY S., a Minor.
STEVEN A. et al., Plaintiffs and Respondents, v. RICKIE M., Defendant and Appellant.
RICKIE M., Plaintiff and Appellant, v. KARI S., Defendant and Respondent.
(Superior Court of Santa Clara County, Nos. A9982 and A9993, Frank Cliff, Judge.)
(Opinion by Baxter, J., with Lucas, C. J., Panelli, Kennard, Arabian and George, JJ., concurring. Separate concurring and dissenting opinion by Mosk, J., concurring in the result only.)
Alys Briggs, under appointment by the Supreme Court, for Defendant and Appellant and for Plaintiff and Appellant.
Van Deusen, Youmans & Walmsley and Christian R. Van Deusen for Plaintiffs and Respondents and for Defendant and Respondent.
The primary question in this case is whether the father of a child born out of wedlock may properly be denied the right to withhold his consent to his child's adoption by third parties despite his diligent and legal attempts to obtain custody of his child and to rear it himself, and absent any showing of the father's unfitness as a parent. We conclude that, under these circumstances, the federal constitutional guarantees of equal protection and due process require that the father be allowed to withhold his consent to his child's adoption and therefore that his parental rights cannot be terminated absent a showing of his unfitness within the meaning of Civil Code section 221.20.
Kari S. gave birth to Kelsey, a boy, on May 18, 1988. The child's undisputed natural father is petitioner Rickie M. fn. 1 He and Kari S. were not married to one another. At that time, he was married to another woman but was separated from her and apparently was in divorce proceedings. He was aware that Kari planned to place their child for adoption, and he objected to her decision because he wanted to rear the child. [1 Cal.4th 822]
Two days after the child's birth, petitioner filed an action in superior court under Civil Code section 7006 to establish his parental relationship with the child and to obtain custody of the child. (The petition erroneously stated that the child had not yet been born. His birth was earlier than expected, and petitioner had not been informed of it when he filed his action.) That same day, the court issued a restraining order that temporarily awarded care, custody, and control of the child to petitioner. The order also stayed all adoption proceedings and prohibited any contact between the child and the prospective adoptive parents.
Later that day, petitioner filed a copy of the order with law enforcement officials. He also personally attempted to serve it on the prospective adoptive parents at their home. He was unsuccessful.
On May 24, 1988, Steven and Suzanne A., the prospective adoptive parents, filed an adoption petition under Civil Code section 226. fn. 2 Their petition alleged that only the mother's consent to the adoption was required because there was no presumed father under section 7004, subdivision (a).
On May 26, 1988, the superior court modified its May 20 order and awarded temporary custody of the child to its mother. The court ordered the mother to live with the child in a shelter for unwed mothers. The court also found that its May 20 temporary order had not been followed. The record before us is not entirely clear on this point. Petitioner alleges that the prospective adoptive parents attempted to evade service of the order and secretly removed the child from their home. In this court, the prospective adoptive parents do not directly dispute these allegations. At the May 26 hearing, however, the superior court declined to find a "knowing violation" of its prior order. In any event, the trial court prohibited visitation by either the prospective adoptive parents or petitioner.
On May 31, 1988, the prospective adoptive parents filed a petition under section 7017 to terminate petitioner's parental rights. The superior court consolidated that proceeding with the adoption proceeding. The court allowed petitioner to have supervised visitation with the child at the women's shelter where the child was living with his mother. The court also allowed [1 Cal.4th 823] the prospective adoptive parents to have unsupervised visitation at the shelter.
The parties subsequently stipulated that petitioner was the child's natural father. The superior court, however, ruled that he was not a "presumed father" within the meaning of section 7004, subdivision (a)(4). The court held four days of hearings under section 7017, subdivision (d)(2) to determine whether it was in the child's best interest for petitioner to retain his parental rights and whether the adoption should be allowed to proceed. (The attorney appointed by the trial court to represent the child's interests advocated that petitioner should retain his parental rights.) On August 26, 1988, the court found "by a bare preponderance" of the evidence that the child's best interest required termination of petitioner's parental rights. (Italics added.)
Petitioner appealed. He contended the superior court erred by: (1) concluding that he was not the child's presumed father; (2) not granting him a parental placement preference; and (3) applying a preponderance-of-the- evidence standard of proof. The Court of Appeal rejected each of his contentions and affirmed the judgment.
1. The statutory framework
[1] Section 7004 states, "A man is presumed to be the natural father of a child ..." if the man meets any of several conditions set forth in the statute. fn. 3 Whether a biological father is a "presumed father" under section 7004 is critical to his parental rights. If the mother of a child who does not have a presumed father consents to the child's adoption, a petition must, [1 Cal.4th 824] except in certain narrow circumstances, be filed in the superior court to terminate the natural father's parental rights. (§ 7017, subd. (b).) If the natural father or a man representing himself to be the natural father claims parental rights, the court first must determine whether he is the natural father. (§ 7017, subd. (d)(2).) If so, "The court shall then determine if it is in the best interest of the child that the father retain his parental rights, or that an adoption of the child be allowed to proceed. ... If the court finds that it is in the best interest of the child that the father should be allowed to retain his parental rights, it shall order that his consent is necessary for an adoption." (Ibid.) The child's best interest is the sole criterion where there is no presumed father. As in the present case, the trial court's determination is frequently that the child's interests are better served by a third party adoption than by granting custody to the unwed natural father. fn. 4
Mothers and presumed fathers have far greater rights. Under section 221.20, either a mother or presumed father can withhold consent to the adoption except in certain specified and narrow circumstances: (1) if a noncustodial parent willfully fails for a year or more to communicate with and support the child; (2) a court has declared the child to be free of the parent's custody and control pursuant to chapter 4 of title 2 of part 3 of division 1 of the Civil Code, or the parent has voluntarily relinquished his or her rights in a judicial proceeding; (3) the parent has deserted the child without provision for its identification; or (4) the parent has relinquished the child for adoption. fn. 5 Moreover, section 7017, subdivision (d)(2) states that its provision for allowing termination of a natural father's parental rights based [1 Cal.4th 825] on the child's best interest does not apply to presumed fathers. In short, a mother or a presumed father must consent to an adoption absent a showing by clear and convincing evidence of that parent's unfitness.
This statutory scheme creates three classifications of parents: mothers, biological fathers who are presumed fathers, and biological fathers who are not presumed fathers (i.e., natural fathers). A natural father's consent to an adoption of his child by third parties is not required unless the father makes the required showing that retention of his parental rights is in the child's best interest. Consent, however, is required of a mother and a presumed father regardless of the child's best interest. The natural father is therefore treated differently from both mothers and presumed fathers. With this statutory framework in mind, we now examine petitioner's contentions.
2. Acquiring presumed father status by obtaining constructive receipt of the child
A man becomes a "presumed father" under section 7004, subdivision (a)(4) (hereafter section 7004(a)(4)) if "[h]e receives the child into his home and openly holds out the child as his natural child." (Italics added.) It is undisputed in this case that petitioner openly held out the child as being his own. Petitioner, however, did not physically receive the child into his home. He was prevented from doing so by the mother, by court order, and allegedly also by the prospective adoptive parents.
Respondents contend the statutory scheme allows a mother to preclude her child's father from acquiring presumed father status and thereby eliminate the need for his consent regardless of whether he is a demonstrably fit parent. Petitioner responds that such result is impermissible under the federal constitutional guarantees of equal protection and due process. He claims he should be deemed to be the presumed father under section 7004(a)(4) because he did all that he could do under the circumstances to receive the child into his home. He contends we should not construe the statute in such a way that the mother can unilaterally bar the father from receiving their child into his home and thereby deprive him of presumed father status and the concomitant right under section 221.20 to withhold consent to the child's adoption by third parties. [2a] Petitioner asserts that constructive receipt [1 Cal.4th 826] is sufficient under section 7004(a)(4) to provide him with presumed father status and the right to withhold consent.
Petitioner's argument in favor of constructive receipt is based largely on the federal Constitution rather than on section 7004(a)(4). He does not contend that either the language or legislative history of the statute supports his view. Indeed, he "agrees that the law as literally written does permit a mother to interfere with the father-child relationship and does deny a natural father equal protection with a natural mother." Rather, he argues that his constitutional right (and that of other natural fathers) to equal protection and due process will be violated unless we construe the statute to provide for constructive receipt. Alternatively, he argues that we should hold the statutory scheme to be invalid under these circumstances.
[3] Petitioner is correct that when possible we should read a statute in a manner that avoids a potential for conflict with the federal Constitution. (California Housing Finance Agency v. Elliott (1976) 17 Cal.3d 575, 594 [131 Cal.Rptr. 361, 551 P.2d 1193].) As Justice Frankfurter observed, "Invalidating legislation is serious business. ..." (Morey v. Doud (1957) 354 U.S. 457, 474 [1 LEd.2d 1485,1497, 77 S.Ct. 1344] (dis. opn. of Frankfurter, J.).) We cannot, however, construe a statute contrary to legislative intent merely to eliminate a potential constitutional conflict. The threshold question therefore is whether the statutes support the notion of constructive receipt advocated by petitioner. We conclude the statutes provide no such support.
[4a] "We begin with the fundamental rule that our primary task in construing a statute is to determine the Legislature's intent." (Brown v. Kelly Broadcasting Co. (1989) 48 Cal.3d 711, 724 [257 Cal.Rptr. 708, 771 P.2d 406].) We must begin with the words of the statute. (Delaney v. Superior Court (1990) 50 Cal.3d 785, 798 [268 Cal.Rptr. 753, 789 P.2d 934].) [2b] Section 7004(a)(4) states that a man is a presumed father if "[h]e receives the child into his home and openly holds out the child as his natural child." (Italics added.) On its face, the statute refers to actual receipt of the child. The statute does not refer either explicitly or implicitly to attempted receipt or constructive receipt. As explained above, petitioner acknowledges this much and makes no argument based on the language of section 7004(a)(4). [4b] The statutory language, of course, is the best indicator of legislative intent. (Ex Parte Goodrich (1911) 160 Cal. 410, 416-417 [117 P. 451].) If the Legislature has provided an express definition, we must take it as we find it. (Delaney v. Superior Court, supra, 50 Cal.3d 785, 804.) To [1 Cal.4th 827] construe section 7004(a)(4) to allow constructive receipt, we would have to insert words into the statute so that it would read "receives or attempts to receive." Doing so would violate the cardinal rule that courts may not add provisions to a statute. (People v. Campbell (1902) 138 Cal. 11, 15 [70 P. 918]; Ross v. City of Long Beach (1944) 24 Cal.2d 258, 260 [148 P.2d 649].)
[2c] Even if the statute were ambiguous, petitioner does not point to any legislative history supporting a theory of constructive receipt. Nor are we aware of any extrinsic evidence that the Legislature did not mean what it said in section 7004(a)(4). To the contrary, the legislative history of this issue suggests the Legislature was well aware of the restrictions it was placing on unwed fathers. In 1986, the Legislature added subdivision (d)(2) to section 7017. The amendment sets forth the factors for the trial court to consider in determining the rights of a natural (i.e., nonpresumed) father when the mother has relinquished the child for adoption. One of the enumerated factors is "the efforts made by the father to obtain custody." If petitioner were correct that a father's efforts to obtain custody bestowed on him presumed father status under the statutes, the provisions regarding natural fathers who try but are unable to obtain custody would serve no purpose. Under petitioner's view, such fathers would be presumed fathers. The express statutory distinction between presumed fathers and fathers who attempt unsuccessfully to gain custody demonstrates that the members of the latter group are not presumed fathers within the Legislature's intent.
Prior judicial decisions also provide slender support for reading into section 7004(a)(4) a provision for constructive receipt. (We will later discuss whether they support the ultimate result sought by petitioner.) In Adoption of Marie R. (1978) 79 Cal.App.3d 624 [145 Cal.Rptr. 122], a divided court rejected a natural father's argument that he should be deemed a presumed father under section 7004(a)(4) because his efforts to establish contact with his child had been rejected by the mother. More recently, a different Court of Appeal questioned whether the constructive receipt doctrine exists after California's adoption of the Uniform Parentage Act (§ 7000 et seq.) and noted, that "[W]e are neither cited to nor have found any cases affirming the doctrine ...." (In re Sabrina H. (1990) 217 Cal.App.3d 702, 710 [266 Cal.Rptr. 274].)
Our decisions provide little guidance on the issue. In In re Richard M. (1975) 14 Cal.3d 783 [122 Cal.Rptr. 531 [537 P.2d 363] (Richard M.), we decided under former section 230, the statutory predecessor to section 7004(a)(4), that a father had legitimated his child by receiving it into his home for brief periods. We observed, "Nor have the courts been strict in [1 Cal.4th 828] insisting that the child be actually physically present in the father's home; a constructive reception may suffice. [Fn. omitted.] In Estate of Maxey [(1967)] 257 Cal.App.2d 391 [64 Cal.Rptr. 837], for example, the father's conduct constituting receipt of his son into his family consisted of seeing the child at the mother's house. The boy apparently visited his father's apartment on only one occasion, at which time he was addressed as 'son' in the presence of other people." (14 Cal.3d at p. 795, italics added.) Despite this seemingly favorable comment on constructive receipt, too much should not be read into the decision.
First, the footnote in the quoted paragraph stated, "It is unnecessary for us here to consider the extent to which courts have expanded the concept of 'receiving.' Blythe v. Ayres [(1892)] 96 Cal. 532 [31 P. 915], probably goes the farthest in liberally construing this requirement, since the father was found to have satisfied the statutory mandate without ever actually seeing the child. It is noteworthy that this determination was subsequently criticized by this court in Estate of De Laveaga (1904) 142 Cal. 158, 169-170 [75 P. 790]." (Richard M., supra, 14 Cal.3d at p. 795, fn. 9.) Richard M. seems to suggest some physical contact with the child is required.
Second, the father in Richard M., supra, 14 Cal.3d 783, had in fact received the child into his home, albeit briefly. The court therefore was not faced with the question before us, i.e., whether constructive receipt is sufficient when the mother prevents actual receipt. [5] " 'It is the general rule that the language of an opinion must be construed with reference to the facts presented by the case, and the positive authority of a decision is coextensive only with such facts.' " (Brown v. Kelly Broadcasting Co., supra, 48 Cal.3d 711, 734- 735, quoting River Farms Co. v. Superior Court (1933) 131 Cal.App. 365, 369 [21 P.2d 643].)
[2d] Third and most important, Richard M., supra, 14 Cal.3d 783, was decided in a statutory context much different from the one that now exists. At that time, the determination was whether the child had been legitimated by the father. The Richard M. court stressed this fact. "Because of the stigma and unfavorable legal treatment that attends classification of a child as illegitimate, California courts have almost consistently held that [former] section 230 must be liberally construed in favor of finding legitimation." (Id., at p. 793.) If a child were not legitimated, it had no legal father. In 1975, however, the Legislature enacted California's Uniform Parentage Act, which abolished the concept of legitimacy (or illegitimacy) and replaced it with the concept of parentage. (§ 7002; In re Sabrina H., supra, 217 Cal.App.3d 702, 709, fn. 7.) Subsequent decisions have observed that the policy reason for straining to find legitimation by expanding the doctrine of constructive [1 Cal.4th 829] receipt is no longer present. In situations like the one before us, "the baby will end up with a father ..."-either the biological father if he is granted presumed father status or the adoptive father. (Adoption of Marie R., supra, 79 Cal.App.3d 624, 629, italics added.)
More recently, we referred to the notion of constructive receipt with apparent disfavor in Michael U. v. Jamie B., supra, 39 Cal.3d 787 (Michael U.). As in the present case, a biological father sought custody of his child despite the mother's objection and her desire to have it adopted by third parties. We reversed an order granting the father temporary custody. In explaining the statutory framework, the lead opinion stated, "Michael is a natural father, not a presumed father, because he has not yet received Eric [the child] into his home. [Citation.] If, however, he actually acquired physical custody, he could receive Eric into his home and thereby acquire the status of a presumed father. [Citations.] ... Thus the present controversy, although nominally about the temporary custody of Eric pending the adoption proceeding, will probably determine the fate of the proposed adoption." (Id., at p. 791, fn. omitted.) The lead opinion also cited without criticism the statement in Adoption of Marie R., supra, 79 Cal.App.3d 624, 630, that constructive receipt is insufficient under section 7004(a)(4). (Michael U., supra, 39 Cal.3d at p. 791, fn. 3.)
The observation in Michael U., supra, 39 Cal.3d 787, does not resolve the question before us because the issue of constructive receipt was not before the court, and the quoted statements were unnecessary to the decision. Michael U. therefore provides no authority for deciding whether the doctrine of constructive receipt is valid under section 7004(a)(4). (Brown v. Kelly Broadcasting Co., supra, 48 Cal.3d 711, 734-735.) Moreover, the observation as to constructive receipt was made in a lead opinion signed by only two justices. [6] "[A]ny proposition or principle stated in an opinion is not to be taken as the opinion of the court, unless it is agreed to by at least four of the justices." (Del Mar Water, etc. Co. v. Eshleman (1914) 167 Cal. 666, 682 [140 P. 591]; see generally 9 Witkin, Cal. Procedure (3d ed. 1985) Appeal, § 808, pp. 787-788.)
[2e] In summary, nothing in the language or legislative history of section 7004(a)(4) supports the claim of constructive receipt. The decisions of the Courts of Appeal have also rejected the claim. We have not previously decided the question and, to the extent we have noted the issue, our decisions either provide little guidance or cast doubt on the notion of constructive receipt, especially in light of the statutory abrogation of illegitimacy. Petitioner therefore correctly admits that section 7004(a)(4) does not by itself provide for presumed father status based on a father's constructive [1 Cal.4th 830] receipt of the child, i.e., his unsuccessful attempts to obtain custody over the mother's objection. We cannot accept petitioner's invitation to construe section 7004(a)(4) to avoid the alleged constitutional conflict. To do so would require us to judicially rewrite the statute.
There remains, however, the question of whether a natural father's federal constitutional rights are violated if his child's mother is allowed to unilaterally preclude him from obtaining the same legal right as a presumed father to withhold his consent to his child's adoption by third parties. We now turn to that difficult constitutional question. fn. 6
3. Relevant United States Supreme Court decisions
The precise question before us has not been addressed by the United States Supreme Court. We are guided, however, by a series of high court decisions dealing with the rights of unwed fathers. From those decisions, we must attempt to distill the guiding constitutional principles.
In Stanley v. Illinois (1972) 405 U.S. 645 [31 L.Ed.2d 551, 92 S.Ct. 1208] (Stanley), the court held that under the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the federal Constitution an unmarried father was entitled to a hearing on his fitness as a parent before his children were taken from him. fn. 7 Stanley is factually distinguishable because the father in that case had lived intermittently with his children and their mother for 18 years. As the court put it, he had "sired and raised" the children. (Id., at p. 651 [31 L.Ed.2d at p. 558].) Unlike in the present case, the children were not infants, and the father had maintained a close relationship with them for many years. Despite these differences from our case, Stanley does illuminate our task. The court noted that it had "frequently emphasized the importance of the family. The rights to conceive and to raise one's children has been deemed 'essential' .... [¶] Nor has the law refused to recognize those family relationships unlegitimized by a marriage ceremony." (Ibid. [31 L.Ed.2d at pp. 658-659.]) A father's "interest in retaining custody of his children is cognizable and substantial." (Id., at p. 652 [31 L.Ed.2d at p. 659].) More important, the court seemed to indicate that a father's parental rights could not be terminated [1 Cal.4th 831] absent a showing of his unfitness, and that a showing of the child's best interest would be an insufficient basis for termination of the father's rights. "What is the state interest in separating children from fathers without a hearing designed to determine whether the father is unfit in a particular disputed case? We observe that the State registers no gain towards its declared goals [of protecting the child's best interest] when it separates children from the custody of fit parents. Indeed, if Stanley is a fit father, the State spites its own articulated goals when it needlessly separates him from his family." (Id., at pp. 652-653 [31 L.Ed.2d at p. 559], italics added.) The court has characterized Stanley as holding that the father's constitutional rights were violated "absent a hearing and a particularized finding that the father was an unfit parent." (Quilloin v. Walcott (1978) 434 U.S. 246, 247-248 [54 L.Ed.2d 511, 515, 98 S.Ct. 549], italics added.)
If petitioner is not a presumed parent under section 7004(a)(4), his parental rights may be terminated under section 7017, subdivision (d)(2) merely by showing that termination would be in the child's best interest. No showing of petitioner's unfitness is required under the statutes. The statutory scheme therefore appears to conflict with the emphasis in Stanley, supra, 405 U.S. 645, on the need for a particularized finding of unfitness. Petitioner was never found to be unfit.
In its next case dealing with unwed fathers, Quilloin v. Walcott, supra, 434 U.S. 246 (Quilloin), the court was faced with a situation more similar to the present case. A child was born out of wedlock and was in the custody and control of his mother for his entire life. She and the natural father never married or established a home together. She married another man, and several years later he attempted to adopt the child with her consent. The child was then 11 years old. The natural father attempted to block the adoption and to secure visitation rights, but he did not seek custody or object to the child's continuing to live with the mother and her husband. Under the Illinois statutory scheme, the trial court denied the father's petition to legitimate the child and thereby precluded him from gaining veto power over the child's adoption, on the ground that legitimation was not in the child's best interests. The father claimed he was entitled to recognition and retention of his parental rights absent a showing of unfitness. The high court framed the issue as being whether the father's interests were adequately protected under the due process and equal protection clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment. (Id., at p. 254 [54 L.Ed.2d at p. 519].) In this key respect, Quilloin is like the present case. Under section 7017, subdivision (d)(2), the determinative question is the child's best interest if the father has not gained "presumed" status under section 7004(a)(4).
A unanimous court in Quilloin, supra, 434 U.S. 246, reiterated that "[T]he relationship between parent and child is constitutionally protected." (Id., at [1 Cal.4th 832] p. 255 [54 L.Ed.2d at p. 519].) The court, however, found no denial of either due process or equal protection. As to due process, the court explained, "We have little doubt that the Due Process Clause would be offended '[i]f a State were to attempt to force the breakup of a natural family, over the objections of the parents and their children, without some showing of unfitness and for the sole reason that to do so was thought to be in the children's best interest.' [Citation.] But this is not a case in which the unwed father at any time had, or sought, actual or legal custody of his child. Nor is this a case in which the proposed adoption would place the child with a new set of parents with whom the child had never before lived. Rather, the result of the adoption in this case is to give full recognition to a family unit already in existence, a result desired by all concerned, except appellant [the father]. Whatever might be required in other situations, we cannot say that the State was required in this situation to find anything more than that the adoption, and denial of legitimation, were in the 'best interests of the child.' " (Ibid. [54 L.Ed.2d at p. 520], italics added.)
The court also restricted its holding as to equal protection. The father contended he should have the benefit of the same standards applied to married fathers. In rejecting this claim, the court explained, "[H]e has never exercised actual or legal custody over his child, and thus has never shouldered any significant responsibility with respect to the daily supervision, education, protection, or care of the child. Appellant does not complain of his exemption from these responsibilities and, indeed, he does not even now seek custody of his child." (Quilloin, supra, 434 U.S. at p. 256 [54 L.Ed.2d at p. 520].)
The present case has several of the earmarks the court found lacking in Quilloin, supra, 434 U.S. 246, and which the court suggested might render invalid a termination of a father's rights based only on a showing of the child's best interest. Those factors are as follows:
(i) Unlike the father in Quilloin, supra, 434 U.S. 246, petitioner asked the mother for custody of their child and, when rebuffed, immediately (as soon as the child was born) went to court seeking legal custody. He continues to seek legal recognition of his parental rights.
(ii) The mother does not seek to retain the child and have it adopted by a husband. As put by the Quilloin court, "the proposed adoption would place the child with a new set of parents with whom the child had never before lived." (434 U.S. at p. 255 [54 L.Ed.2d at p. 520].) Of course, we recognize that as a result of the lower courts' decisions the child has now been living with the prospective adoptive parents for more than three years. This fact, [1 Cal.4th 833] however, is not relevant to the analysis of whether petitioner's rights were violated ab initio.
(iii) The parties disagree as to the amount of care and support that petitioner provided to the child and its mother. The record is unclear as to whether and to what extent, if any, this dispute affected the trial court's decision that the adoption was barely in the child's best interest. The record is clear, however, that petitioner is not like the natural father in Quilloin, who avoided contact with his child until several years after its birth and came forward only when another man tried to adopt it. More important for this part of our analysis, petitioner, also unlike the father in Quilloin, did attempt through legal channels to shoulder full responsibility for his child.
In short, the present case is the type of case the high court emphasized it was not deciding in Quilloin, supra, 434 U.S. 246. By implication, however, the Quilloin decision strongly suggests that the parental rights of a father in petitioner's position may not properly be terminated absent a showing of his unfitness as a father. On the present facts, a showing of the child's best interest would appear to be insufficient under Quilloin. This conclusion is reinforced by the high court's next decision on the subject.
In Caban v. Mohammed (1978) 441 U.S. 380 [60 L.Ed.2d 297, 99 S.Ct. 1760] (Caban), the natural father (Caban) and mother had lived together for several years in New York. They were never legally married but held themselves out as husband and wife. Two children were born during the relationship. Caban was listed on each child's birth certificate as the father, and he lived with them as their father until his relationship with the mother ended. He contributed to their support. (It seems clear he would have been deemed to be a "presumed father" under California law.)
The mother took the children, left Caban, and began living with another man (Mohammed), whom she married shortly thereafter. For the next nine months, she took the children each weekend to visit their grandmother, who lived near Caban. He was able to visit the children each weekend. The grandmother then moved to Puerto Rico, and at the mother's request took the children there also. Caban continued to communicate with them through his parents, who also resided in Puerto Rico. He then went to Puerto Rico and returned to New York with the children.
The mother and her husband obtained legal custody of the children, but Caban and his new wife were awarded visiting rights. The mother and her husband petitioned to adopt the children. (Under New York law, a mother could petition to adopt her own illegitimate child.) Caban and his wife [1 Cal.4th 834] cross-petitioned for adoption. The trial court granted the mother's petition, thereby terminating all of Caban's parental rights and obligations.
Caban argued to the high court: (1) that the distinction under New York law between the rights of unwed fathers and other parents violated the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, and (2) that Quilloin, supra, 434 U.S. 246, recognized a substantive due process right of a natural father to maintain a parental relationship with his children absent a finding of his unfitness as a parent. (Caban, supra, 441 U.S. at p. 385 [60 L.Ed.2d at p. 303].)
Of special significance to our case, the court first explained that under New York law a mother could block an adoption merely by withholding her consent, even if adoption were in the child's best interest. An unwed father, no matter how substantial his relationship with the child, could preserve his parental rights only by showing that adoption by the petitioning couple would not be in the child's best interest. (Caban, supra, 441 U.S. at pp. 386-387 [60 L.Ed.2d at pp. 303-304].) Put simply by the court, the New York law "treats unmarried parents differently according to their sex." (Id., at p. 388 [60 L.Ed.2d at p. 304].) In this respect, California law is indistinguishable. As explained above (pp. 824-825, ante), a mother must consent to adoption except in extreme cases of maternal neglect, i.e., a showing of her unfitness. (§ 221.20.) A biological father without "presumed father" status may, like Mr. Caban, have his rights terminated on nothing more than a showing of the child's best interest. (§ 7017, subd. (d)(2).)
The court began its equal protection analysis with the rule that "Gender- based [i.e., sex-based] distinctions 'must serve important governmental objectives and must be substantially related to achievement of those objectives' in order to withstand judicial scrutiny under the Equal Protection Clause." (Caban, supra, 441 U.S. at p. 388 [60 L.Ed.2d at pp. 304-305], quoting Craig v. Boren (1976) 429 U.S. 190, 197 [50 L.Ed.2d 397, 407, 97 S.Ct. 451].) The court quickly rejected the mother's argument that the distinction was justified by a "fundamental difference between maternal and paternal relations." (Caban, supra, 441 U.S. at p. 388 [60 L.Ed.2d at p. 305].) "[M]aternal and paternal roles are not invariably different in importance." (Id., at p. 389 [60 L.Ed.2d at p. 305].) The Caban court acknowledged that "[t]he State's interest in providing for the well-being of illegitimate children is an important one." (Id., at p. 391 [60 L.Ed.2d at p. 306].) The court nevertheless concluded that the distinction between unmarried mothers and unmarried fathers violated the equal protection clause because the distinction "does not bear a substantial relation to the State's interest in providing adoptive homes for its illegitimate children." (Ibid. [60 L.Ed.2d at pp. [1 Cal.4th 835] 306-307].) Of special significance for our case, the court explained that not all distinctions would be invalid. "In those cases where the father never has come forward to participate in the rearing of his child, nothing in the Equal Protection Clause precludes the State from withholding from him the privilege of vetoing the adoption of that child." (Id., at p. 392 [60 L.Ed.2d at p. 307], italics added.) Petitioner has come forward and thus appears to be entitled to some protection under Caban.
The Caban court, supra, 441 U.S. 380, also rejected the state's policy argument "that the requiring of unmarried fathers' consent for adoption would pose a strong impediment for adoption because often it is impossible to locate unwed fathers when adoption proceedings are brought, whereas mothers are more likely to remain with their children." (Id., at p. 392 [60 L.Ed.2d at p. 307].) The court observed, "[I]n cases such as this, where the father has established a substantial relationship with the child and has admitted his paternity, a State should have no difficulty in identifying the father even of children born out of wedlock." (Id., at p. 393 [60 L.Ed.2d at pp. 307-308], fn. omitted.) Likewise here, when a biological father promptly comes forward, acknowledges paternity (which is undisputed), and seeks legal custody, the problem of locating the father simply does not arise.
The high court again considered the rights of biological fathers only four years later in Lehr v. Robertson (1983) 463 U.S. 248 [77 L.Ed.2d 614, 103 S.Ct. 2985] (Lehr). The father and mother lived together before the child's birth, and he visited the child in the hospital when the child was born. He did not, however, live with either the mother or child after its birth, and he did not provide them with any financial support. Nor did he offer to marry the mother. Eight months after the child's birth, the mother married another man. When the child was two years old, the mother and her new husband began adoption proceedings. One month later, the biological father filed an action seeking a determination of his paternity, an order of support, and visitation with the child. Shortly thereafter, the biological father learned of the pending adoption proceeding, and almost immediately he sought to have it stayed pending the determination of his paternity petition. The state court informed him that it had already signed the adoption order earlier that day, and then dismissed his paternity action.
Relying on Stanley, supra, 405 U.S. 645, and Caban, supra, 441 U.S. 380, the biological father contended the New York statutory scheme was unconstitutional on due process and equal protection grounds. First, he argued that a putative father's actual or potential relationship with his child born out of wedlock is a liberty interest that could not be destroyed without due process of law. He therefore contended he had a right to prior notice and an [1 Cal.4th 836] opportunity to be heard before he was deprived of that interest. Second, he contended the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment was violated because the statutes denied him the right to consent to the adoption and accorded him fewer procedural rights than were given to the mother.
The Lehr court, supra, 463 U.S. 248, rejected the biological father's due process challenge, on the ground that under New York law he could have enrolled in that state's "putative father registry." (Id., at pp. 250-251 [77 L.Ed.2d at pp. 619-620].) If he had done so, he would have been statutorily entitled to receive notice of any proceeding to adopt his child. The high court held that the statutory scheme "adequately protected appellant's inchoate interest in establishing a relationship with Jessica [the child]. ..." (Id., at p. 265 [77 L.Ed.2d at p. 629].) In the present case, petitioner claims no violation of procedural due process based on lack of notice. (He has participated fully in these proceedings since their inception.) Thus, the discussion in Lehr, supra, 463 U.S. 248, of procedural due process does not resolve the substantive question before us.
The court's rejection in Lehr, supra, 463 U.S. 248, of the father's equal protection claim is more relevant to our decision. Under New York law, as in California, the mother of a child (born either in or out of wedlock) is guaranteed the right to veto an adoption of her child unless the mother is found to be unfit as set forth in the statutes. Only some fathers, however, are included within this favored class. In upholding this distinction, the court observed, "[T]he existence or nonexistence of a substantial relationship between parent and child is a relevant criterion in evaluating both the rights of the parent and the best interests of the child." (Id., at pp. 266-267 [77 L.Ed.2d at p. 630].) The court noted the importance of this factor in its prior decisions. In Quilloin, supra, 434 U.S. 246, the father had never shouldered any significant responsibility for the child and thus was not denied equal protection. In Caban, supra, 441 U.S. 380, however, the father had fully participated in the rearing of his children and did have a right under the equal protection clause to withhold consent to their adoption. The Lehr court, supra, 463 U.S. 248, held that, "[b]ecause appellant, like the father in Quilloin, has never established a substantial relationship with his daughter ... the New York statutes at issue in this case did not operate to deny appellant equal protection." (Id., at p. 267 [77 L.Ed.2d at p. 630].)
On its face, Lehr, supra, 463 U.S. 248, does not resolve the dilemma before us. The stated premise of the court's holding was that the equal protection clause does not prevent a state from according a child's biological father fewer rights than the mother if he has "never established a relationship" with the child. (Id., at pp. 267-268 [77 L.Ed.2d at pp. 630-631].) The [1 Cal.4th 837] court did not purport to decide the legal question in the present case, that is, whether the mother may constitutionally prevent the father from establishing the relationship that gives rise to his right to equal protection. The Lehr court, however, recognized the uniqueness of the biological connection between parent and child. "The significance of the biological connection is that it offers the natural father an opportunity that no other male possesses to develop a relationship with his offspring. If he grasps that opportunity and accepts some measure of responsibility for the child's future, he may enjoy the blessings of the parent-child relationship and make uniquely valuable contributions to the child's development." (Id., at p. 262 [77 L.Ed.2d at p. 627].) Lehr can fairly be read to mean that a father need only make a reasonable and meaningful attempt to establish a relationship, not that he must be successful against all obstacles.
The most recent relevant high court decision arose in California. (Michael H. v. Gerald D. (1989) 491 U.S. 110 [105 L.Ed.2d 91, 109 S.Ct. 2333], (Michael H.).) Michael H. claimed to be the father of a child and sought a declaration of paternity and visitation rights. (Id., at p. 118 [105 L.Ed.2d at p. 103.) Blood tests showed a 98.07 percent probability that Michael H. was the father. (Id., at p. 114 [105 L.Ed.2d at p. 100].) The mother, however, was married to and living with another man at the time of conception. On grounds not relevant to the present case, the high court upheld the denial of Michael H.'s request for a declaration of paternity and visitation rights. (A plurality of the court found to be constitutional the conclusive presumption in California Evidence Code section 621 that the mother's husband was the child's father.) Of special significance for us, however, four justices agreed that the biological father had a protected liberty interest in his relationship with his child. (Id., at p. 136 [105 L.Ed.2d at pp. 114-115] (dis. opn. by Brennan, J., with Marshall and Blackmun, JJ., conc.); id., at p. 157 [105 L.Ed.2d at p. 128] (dis. opn. by White, J., with Brennan, J., conc.).) Justice Stevens in concurrence assumed for purposes of the decision that the natural father's relationship was entitled to constitutional protection. (Id., at p. 133 [105 L.Ed.2d at p. 112].) As another state's high court subsequently observed, even the author of the two- justice lead opinion in Michael H. (Scalia, J.) left open the question of whether the result would have been different if the marital parents had not wanted to raise the child as their own. (Matter of Raquel Marie (1990) 76 N.Y.2d 387, 401 [559 N.Y.S.2d 855, 559 N.E.2d 418, 423].) Although we must not read too much into Michael H., supra, 491 U.S. 110, it is clear that even in the extreme circumstances of that case-the mother being married to and living with her husband, who was not the child's biological father-a majority of the justices were solicitous of the rights of unwed biological fathers. For them, the determinative factor was whether a biological father has attempted to establish a relationship with his child. [1 Cal.4th 838]
Although the foregoing high court decisions do not provide a comprehensive rule for all situations involving unwed fathers, one unifying and transcendent theme emerges. [7] The biological connection between father and child is unique and worthy of constitutional protection if the father grasps the opportunity to develop that biological connection into a full and enduring relationship.
This principle was acknowledged in a recent decision by New York's high court, in which the court grappled with the question now before us. In Matter of Raquel Marie, supra, 76 N.Y.2d 387 [559 N.E.2d 418] (Raquel Marie), the court was faced with a New York statute similar to our section 7004(a)(4) in that the statute created classes of unwed fathers whose consent was required for adoption. The statute distinguished between newborns and older children. The father of a child under six months old had a right to withhold consent to an adoption only if the father met three conditions. He had to live openly with the child or mother for six continuous months immediately preceding the child's placement for adoption, openly acknowledge his paternity during that period, and pay reasonable pregnancy and birth expenses in accordance with his means. The court held the statute to be unconstitutional.
The Raquel Marie court, supra, 76 N.Y.2d 387 [559 N.E.2d 418], reviewed the relevant United States Supreme Court decisions and observed, correctly in our view, that "[t]he [father's] protected interest is not established simply by biology. The unwed father's protected interest requires both a biological connection and full parental responsibility; he must both be a father and behave like one." (Id., at p. 401 [559 N.E.2d at p. 423-424], citation omitted.) The court explained the problem: "In the case of a child placed for adoption at birth, the father can have no more than a biological connection to the child, there having been no chance for a custodial relationship. Protection of his parental interest would depend, then, upon recognition of a constitutional right to the opportunity to develop a qualifying relationship with the infant. [¶] That open question is before us today: is the full measure of constitutional protection-the right to a continued parental relationship absent a finding of unfitness-ever required where a child is placed for adoption before any real relationship can exist, and if so, what actions on the unwed father's part would demonstrate his willingness to take parental responsibility sufficient to give rise to such rights?" (Id., at pp. 401-402 [559 N.E.2d at p. 424].)
The Raquel Marie court, supra, 76 N.Y.2d 387 [559 N.E.2d 418], unanimously answered the question in favor of the father. "[A] father who has promptly taken every available avenue to demonstrate that he is willing and able to enter into the fullest possible relationship with his under-six-month-old child should have an equally fully protected interest in preventing [1 Cal.4th 839] termination of the relationship by strangers, even if he has not as yet actually been able to form that relationship." (Id., at p. 403 [559 N.E.2d at p. 425].) The flaw in the statute was its requirement that the father live with the mother or child before the child's birth. This requirement permitted adoption "despite the father's prompt objection even when he wishes to form or actually has attempted to form a relationship with the infant that would satisfy the State as substantial, continuous and meaningful by any other standard." (Id., at p. 405 [559 N.E.2d at p. 426].) In short, it was improper to make the father's rights contingent on the mother's wishes. Likewise, the Georgia Supreme Court has held that a natural father who seeks to establish a relationship with his child must be provided the same rights as the mother. (In re Baby Girl Eason (1987) 257 Ga. 292 [358 S.E.2d 459, 463].) fn. 8
Similar concerns arise under section 7004(a)(4) because the father's ability to receive the child into his home is largely dependent on the mother's discretion. However, before setting forth what we believe to be the correct constitutional rule in light of the high court decisions, we shall briefly revisit prior California decisions.
4. California decisions
Because we are faced with a federal constitutional question, we must adhere, of course, to the decisions of the United States Supreme Court. It has provided a framework that strongly supports petitioner but has not squarely answered the exact question before us. We therefore have looked to relevant California decisions for additional guidance. They provide no clear answer, but our decisions in particular at least reflect an acknowledgement of some degree of federal constitutional protection for natural fathers.
We begin with In re Baby Girl M. (1984) 37 Cal.3d 65 [207 Cal.Rptr. 309, 688 P.2d 918] (Baby Girl M.), in which we held a trial court erred in terminating a natural father's parental rights based on a best-interest-of-the-child standard without first determining whether granting custody to the [1 Cal.4th 840] natural father would be detrimental to the child. The relevant facts are similar to the present case. In Baby Girl M., the mother and father had a brief relationship that resulted in pregnancy. They separated, however, and the father was unaware of the pregnancy until shortly after the child's birth. Despite the father's desire to raise the child, the mother placed it for adoption, and his parental rights were terminated by the trial court without a finding that it would be detrimental to the child to award custody to the father. We reversed the judgment.
The linchpin of our decision in Baby Girl M. was statutory rather than constitutional. Section 7017, subdivision (d), as it was then worded, set forth the procedure for terminating a natural father's rights before granting an adoption petition. Section 7017, however, did not specify what standard should be used in determining whether to terminate the father's rights. Based on the legislative history of section 7017 and a prior decision of this court, we concluded that section 4600 applied to a section 7017 custody hearing. (37 Cal.3d at p. 69.) Section 4600 states that before awarding custody to a nonparent a court must find that "an award of custody to a parent would be detrimental to the child and the award to a nonparent is required to serve the best interests of the child." We need not belabor the Baby Girl M. court's statutory analysis. Two years after our decision, the Legislature amended section 7017, abrogating our decision by stating, "Section 4600 does not apply to this proceeding." (Stats. 1986, ch. 1370, § 2, p. 4905; § 7017, subd. (d)(2).)
In dictum, the Baby Girl M. court, supra, 37 Cal.3d 65, briefly discussed the high court decisions dealing with unwed fathers. (Id., at pp. 73-75.) We did not expressly base our decision on constitutional grounds, but we suggested that a parental preference was required as a matter of federal constitutional law. fn. 9 The majority opinion quoted with approval the conclusion of a law review article that " '... the state may not deny biological parents the opportunity to establish a protected custodial relationship.' " (37 Cal.3d at p. 74 (italics added), quoting Buchanan, The Constitutional Rights of Unwed Fathers Before and After Lehr v. Robertson (1984) 45 Ohio St. L.J. 313, 351.) This observation, although perhaps unnecessary, tends to support petitioner's position.
Only one year later, we were again faced with an unwed father's attempt to rear his child in Michael U., supra, 39 Cal.3d 787. The father sought temporary custody of the child so that he could qualify as a "presumed [1 Cal.4th 841] father" under section 7004(a)(4) and thereby gain the right under section 7017, subdivision (d) to withhold his consent to the child's adoption. The trial court granted him custody. We reversed because the trial court's implied finding that the award of custody would not be detrimental to the child was not supported by substantial evidence. The court was sharply divided, however, with four separate opinions, none of which garnered the votes of more than two justices. Because there was no majority opinion, none of the four opinions has any precedential value. (Del Mar Water, etc. Co. v. Eshleman, supra, 167 Cal. 666, 682.) Moreover, the basis for the decision was our prior holding in Baby Girl M., supra, 37 Cal.3d 65, that section 4600 applied to a section 7017 termination proceeding and thus precluded an award of custody to nonparents without both parents' consent or a finding that an award of custody to a parent would be detrimental to the child. (Michael U., supra, 39 Cal.3d 787, 791.) As explained above (p. 840, ante), the Legislature in 1986 abrogated our decision by amending section 7017, subdivision (d) to make clear that section 4600 does not apply in termination proceedings. Michael U. sheds little, if any, light on the constitutional issue before us.
The question of unwed fathers' rights has also been addressed by the Courts of Appeal. In Adoption of Marie R., supra, 79 Cal.App.3d 624 (Marie R.), a divided court held that, with respect to a nonmarital child, a mother may, by her conduct, prevent a natural father from acquiring the status of "presumed father." (Id., at p. 630.) This conclusion seems to have been based on the premise that constructive receipt of the child was not sufficient to become a presumed father under section 7004. As a matter of statutory construction, we agree. (See discussion at pp. 825-827, ante.) The Marie R. majority opinion, however, also noted in passing that the Legislature may constitutionally distinguish between types of fathers. (79 Cal.App.3d at p. 311.) To that extent, the court seemed to hold, as a constitutional matter, that a natural father could be denied the right to withhold consent to his child's adoption even if the father promptly did all he could do to fulfill his parental responsibilities.
Similarly, in W. E. J. v. Superior Court (1979) 100 Cal.App.3d 303 [160 Cal.Rptr. 862] (W. E. J.), the same divided court held that a a natural father was not entitled to his child's custody for the purpose of becoming a presumed father and thereby gaining a right to withhold consent to the child's adoption. In rejecting the father's claim to custody, the majority broadly stated that the statutory distinction between natural and presumed fathers is constitutionally valid. (Id., at pp. 313-315.) This holding was not restricted to those natural fathers who have failed to demonstrate a sufficient commitment to their responsibilities. [1 Cal.4th 842]
The question of unwed fathers' rights more recently arose in Jermstad v. McNelis, supra, 210 Cal.App.3d 528 (Jermstad). The natural father was an officer in the merchant marine. He learned while at sea that the woman he had been dating was pregnant with their child. When he returned, they discussed what to do. She wanted to place the child for adoption. He did not want to do so but felt that he would be unable to obtain legal custody in light of the nature of his work, which periodically kept him at sea. After further discussions with the mother and with the prospective adoptive parents whom she had selected, the father decided not to seek custody. The father, however, visited the baby the day it was born and for the first time announced that he intended to seek custody. The trial court subsequently entered judgment determining him to be the father and awarding custody to him.
The Court of Appeal affirmed, rejecting the mother's argument that a mother has an absolute right to prevent her child's biological father from acquiring the status of a presumed father. The court explained that under section 7010, subdivision (c) the judgment in an action to determine parentage may provide for an award of custody. fn. 10 Thus, the Jermstad court concluded that, in an action under section 7006 to establish the father and child relationship, the trial court may award custody to the natural father so that he can receive the child into his home and become a presumed father.
[8] We agree that the courts have the authority under this state's Uniform Parentage Act to grant custody to the natural father despite the mother's objection. In the present case, the superior court had the authority to grant petitioner custody of his child so that he could qualify as a presumed father under section 7004, subdivision (a). Indeed, the superior court initially did so but shortly thereafter reversed itself after enforcement of its order was thwarted.
For the question now before us, the more significant portion of Jermstad, supra, 210 Cal.App.3d 528, is the court's analysis of the natural father's constitutional claim. The court rejected the mother's argument that the father was improperly given a parental preference over the couple who sought to adopt the child. The issue of parental preference also arises in this case. Petitioner contends that, if we find him not to be a presumed father under section 7004(a)(4), we should protect his claimed constitutional rights by granting him a parental preference under section 4600, subdivision (c), [1 Cal.4th 843] which states: "Before the court makes any order awarding custody to a person or persons other than a parent, without the consent of the parents, it shall make a finding that an award of custody to a parent would be detrimental to the child and the award to a nonparent is required to serve the best interests of the child."
Jermstad, supra, 210 Cal.App.3d 528, concluded, "[t]he natural father must be afforded a parental preference under the amended statute [section 7017] where he promptly acknowledges paternity and seeks custody of the child." (Id., at p. 545.) In reaching this conclusion, the Court of Appeal reviewed the relevant United States Supreme Court decisions and those of this court and then considered the 1986 amendment to section 7017, which was enacted after those decisions. The mother claimed the effect of the amendment, which made section 4600 inapplicable to proceedings under section 7017, was to prohibit a parental preference in those proceedings. The Jermstad court disagreed on two grounds. [9] The court first explained that, to the extent the majority opinion in Baby Girl M., supra, 37 Cal.3d 65, rested on federal constitutional considerations, it was not subject to being overruled by legislative enactment. (Jermstad, supra, 210 Cal.App.3d at p. 549.) We agree.
Second and more important for our analysis, the Jermstad court, supra, 210 Cal.App.3d 528, stated that the correct reading of the decisions by the United States Supreme Court is that a state may not deny a biological parent the opportunity to establish a protected custodial relationship with his or her child. The Jermstad court concluded that in light of this constitutional protection the amendment to section 7017 did not (and properly could not) deprive a natural father of the parental preference under section 4600. The court reasoned as follows: "If we read the amendment as barring a parental preference in cases where the natural father has promptly come forward to grasp his opportunity interest and diligently pursued that interest we effectively deny these 'biological parents the opportunity to establish a protected custodial relationship.' The opportunity for protection of a custodial relationship is illusory if it is subject to being nipped in the bud by application of the unprotected best interest of the child comparison with prospective adoptive parents. [¶] However, we do not discern in the 1986 amendment [to section 7017] an intention to infringe the opportunity interest of the natural father in this manner. Indeed, it appears to have been crafted with the contrary end in view. That is so notwithstanding the new proviso declaring that section 4600 does not apply, for this is not the only alteration wrought by the 1986 amendments to section 7017. The amended text specifies the criteria material to the determination whether 'it is in the best interest of the child that the father retain his parental rights, or that an adoption of the child be allowed to [1 Cal.4th 844] proceed.' Of significance, it directs that '[t]he court, in making that determination, may consider all relevant evidence, including efforts made by the father to obtain custody ....' This consideration conditions the best interest test and meshes with the federal constitutional concerns. [¶] ... In a case where the natural father has diligently sought to shoulder the burdens of the parental relationship, including the burden of custody, the requirement of parental preference arises from the federal Constitution." (Jermstad, supra, 210 Cal.App.3d at pp. 550- 551, italics in original.) We agree with the Jermstad court that a biological father has a constitutionally cognizable opportunity interest in developing a relationship with his child. However, in light of the Legislature's prompt and unequivocal amendment to section 4600 to supersede our decision in Baby Girl M., supra, 37 Cal.3d 65, we cannot conclude that the Legislature intended to preserve the detriment standard. To the contrary, it is clear that the Legislature meant to provide natural fathers with far less rights than both mothers and presumed fathers have under California's statutory system. The question is whether that distinction is constitutionally tenable. 5. The constitutionally protected interest of an unwed, natural father
Petitioner asserts a violation of equal protection and due process under the federal Constitution; more specifically, that he should not be treated differently from his child's mother. In constitutional terms, the question is whether California's sex-based statutory distinction between biological mothers and fathers serves " '... important governmental objectives and [is] substantially related to achievement of those objectives.' " (Caban, supra, 441 U.S. 380, 388 [60 L.Ed.2d 297, 304-305], italics added.) Does the mother's ability to determine the father's rights substantially serve an important governmental interest? The question is the same "whether the analysis [is] undertaken as a matter of due process or equal protection." (Raquel Marie, supra, 76 N.Y.2d at p. 403 [559 N.E.2d at p. 425].)
There is no dispute that "The State's interest in providing for the well- being of illegitimate children is an important one." (Caban, supra, 441 U.S. at p. 391 [60 L.Ed.2d at p. 306]; Raquel Marie, supra, 76 N.Y.2d at p. 403 [559 N.E.2d at p. 425].) Although the legal concept of illegitimacy no longer exists in California, the problems and needs of children born out of wedlock are an undisputed reality. The state has an important and valid interest in their well-being.
The more difficult issue is whether the statutory treatment of natural fathers (i.e., biological fathers without presumed status under section 7004) is substantially related to the achievement of that objective. On the facts of [1 Cal.4th 845] this case, the question must be framed as follows: Is the state's important interest in the well being of a child born out of wedlock substantially furthered by allowing the mother to deny the child's biological father an opportunity to form a relationship with the child that would give the father the same statutory rights as the mother (or a presumed father) in deciding whether the child will be adopted by third parties? fn. 11
Respondents do not adequately explain how an unwed mother's control over a biological father's rights furthers the state's interest in the well-being of the child. The linchpin of their position, however, is clear although largely implicit: Allowing the biological father to have the same rights as the mother would make adoptions more difficult because the consent of both parents is more difficult to obtain than the consent of the mother alone. This reasoning is flawed in several respects.
A. Respondents' view too narrowly assumes that the proper governmental objective is adoption. As we have explained, the constitutionally valid objective is the protection of the child's well-being. We cannot conclude in the abstract that adoption is itself a sufficient objective to allow the state to take whatever measures it deems appropriate. Nor can we merely assume, either as a policy or factual matter, that adoption is necessarily in a child's best interest. This assumption is especially untenable in light of the rapidly changing concept of family. As recently as only a few years ago, it might have been reasonable to assume that an adopted child would be placed into a two-parent home and thereby have a more stable environment than a child raised by a single father. The validity of that assumption is now highly suspect in light of modern adoption practice. Recent statistics show that a significant percentage of children placed for independent adoption-7.7 percent-are adopted by a single parent. (Cal. Dept. of Social Services, Characteristics of Independent Adoptions in Cal., July 1989-June 1990, table 34.) The figure is even higher-21.9 percent-for children placed with agencies for adoption. (Cal. Dept. of Social Services, Characteristics of Relinquishment Adoptions in Cal., July 1989-June 1990, table 29.) We note that New York's high court also recently rejected the argument that the state has a sufficiently strong interest in providing two-parent families to discriminate against unwed fathers. (Raquel Marie, supra, 76 N.Y.2d at p. 406 [559 N.E.2d at p. 427].) [1 Cal.4th 846]
If the possible benefit of adoption were by itself sufficient to justify terminating a parent's rights, the state could terminate an unwed mother's parental rights based on nothing more than a showing that her child's best interest would be served by adoption. Of course, that is not the law; nor do the parties advocate such a system. We simply do not in our society take children away from their mothers-married or otherwise-because a "better" adoptive parent can be found. We see no valid reason why we should be less solicitous of a father's efforts to establish a parental relationship with his child. Respondents seem to suggest that a child is inherently better served by adoptive parents than by a single, biological father but that the child is also inherently better served by a single, biological mother than by adoptive parents. The logic of this view is not apparent, and there is no evidence in the record to support such a counterintuitive view.
B. Nor is there evidence before us that the statutory provisions allowing the mother to determine the father's rights are, in general, substantially related to protecting the child's best interest. As a matter of cold efficiency, we cannot disagree that eliminating a natural father's rights would make adoption easier in some cases. (Raquel Marie, supra, 76 N.Y.2d at p. 401 [559 N.E.2d at p. 425].) That, however, begs the question because it assumes an unwed mother's decision to permit an immediate adoption of her newborn is always preferable to custody by the natural father, even when he is a demonstrably fit parent. We have no evidence to support that assumption. Moreover, the assumption has already been rejected by the United States Supreme Court: "It may be that, given the opportunity, some unwed fathers would prevent the adoption of their illegitimate children. This impediment to adoption usually is the result of a natural parental interest shared by both genders [sexes] alike; it is not a manifestation of any profound difference between the affection and concern of mothers and fathers for their children. Neither the State nor the appellees have argued that unwed fathers are more likely to object to the adoption of their children than are unwed mothers; nor is there any self- evident reason why as a class they would be." (Caban, supra, 441 U.S. 380, 391-392 [60 L.Ed.2d 297, 306-307].) New York's high court has also rejected the contention that a father's rights can be trampled in the name of efficiency. (Raquel Marie, supra, 76 N.Y.2d at p. 401 [559 N.E.2d at p. 426].) fn. 12
C. The lack of any substantial relationship between the state's interest in protecting a child and allowing the mother sole control over its destiny is [1 Cal.4th 847] best demonstrated by the results that can arise when a mother prevents the father from obtaining presumed status under section 7004, subdivision (a). (As noted above, we attribute no blame to a mother who seeks to place her child for adoption.) (P. 845, fn. 11, ante.) Under the statute, the father has basically two ways in which to achieve that status: he can either marry the mother, or he can receive the child into his home and hold it out as his natural child. Of course, the first alternative is entirely within the mother's control. She cannot be forced to marry the father. The second alternative is, for the most part, also within her control. She can deny the father the right to come into her home. She can also deny him the right to take the child into his home. Faced with the mother's denial, the father has only one recourse aside from illegal self- help. He must seek a court order granting him custody so that he can take the child into his home and thereby gain presumed father status. As in this case, however, the trial court may deny him custody based on its view that the child is better served by remaining with the mother or third parties, e.g., prospective adoptive parents. Similarly, he may (as apparently initially occurred in this case) obtain a court order granting him custody, but enforcement of the order may be thwarted by third parties.
The anomalies under this statutory scheme become readily apparent. A father who is indisputably ready, willing, and able to exercise the full measure of his parental responsibilities can have his rights terminated merely on a showing that his child's best interest would be served by adoption. If the child's mother, however, were equally of the opposite character-unready, unwilling, and unable-her rights in the child could nevertheless be terminated only under the much more protective standards of section 221.20. Such a distinction bears no substantial relationship to protecting the well- being of children. Indeed, it has little rationality.
The system also leads to irrational distinctions between fathers. Based solely on the mother's wishes, a model father can be denied presumed father status, whereas a father of dubious ability and intent can achieve such status by the fortuitous circumstance of the mother allowing him to come into her [1 Cal.4th 848] home, even if only briefly-perhaps a single day. We cannot ignore reality. Parental unfitness is considerably more difficult to show than that the child's best interest is served by adoption. Under the statutory scheme, two fathers who are by all accounts equal in their ability and commitment to fulfill their parental missions can be treated differently based solely on the mothers' decisions whether to allow the father to become a presumed father.
The system also makes little sense from a child's perspective. A child may have a wholly acceptable father who wants to nurture it, but whose parental rights can be terminated under the best-interest standard because the mother has precluded the father from attaining presumed father status. Conversely, if a presumed father is highly questionable in every respect, he is nevertheless allowed to withhold consent absent proof by clear and convincing evidence that he is unfit. (§§ 221.20 and 232.) As a practical matter, the child's best interest is largely ignored by the statutory distinction between presumed fathers and those natural fathers who are willing to assume their parental responsibilities.
D. We must not lose sight of the way in which the present case and others like it come before the courts. A mother's decision to place her newborn child for adoption may be excruciating and altogether altruistic. Doing so may reflect the extreme of selflessness and maternal love. As a legal matter, however, the mother seeks to sever all ties with her child. The natural father, by contrast, has come forward to assume the legal and practical burdens of being a parent. This is not a case where the mother and father are pitted against one another for the child's custody. Even if it could be said, either in general or in a particular case, that the mother somehow has a greater connection than the father with their child and thus should have greater rights in the child, the same result need not obtain when she seeks to relinquish custody and to sever her legal ties with the child and the father seeks to assume his legal burdens.
Clearly, the father is treated unfairly under section 7004, subdivision (a), but equally important is the loss to the child. The child has a genetic bond with its natural parents that is unique among all relationships the child will have throughout its life. "The intangible fibers that connect parent and child have infinite variety. They are woven throughout the fabric of our society, providing it with strength, beauty, and flexibility." (Lehr, supra, 463 U.S. 248, 256 [77 L.Ed.2d 614, 623].) It therefore would be curious to conclude that the child's best interest is served by allowing the one parent (the mother) who wants to sever her legal ties to decide unilaterally that the only other such tie (the father's) will be cut as well. Absent a showing of a father's unfitness, his child is ill- served by allowing its mother effectively to preclude the child from ever having a meaningful relationship with its only other biological parent. [1 Cal.4th 849]
[10] E. In summary, we hold that section 7004, subdivision (a) and the related statutory scheme violates the federal constitutional guarantees of equal protection and due process for unwed fathers to the extent that the statutes allow a mother unilaterally to preclude her child's biological father from becoming a presumed father and thereby allowing the state to terminate his parental rights on nothing more than a showing of the child's best interest. If an unwed father promptly comes forward and demonstrates a full commitment to his parental responsibilities-emotional, financial, and otherwise-his federal constitutional right to due process prohibits the termination of his parental relationship absent a showing of his unfitness as a parent. Absent such a showing, the child's well-being is presumptively best served by continuation of the father's parental relationship. Similarly, when the father has come forward to grasp his parental responsibilities, his parental rights are entitled to equal protection as those of the mother. fn. 13
A court should consider all factors relevant to that determination. The father's conduct both before and after the child's birth must be considered. Once the father knows or reasonably should know of the pregnancy, he must promptly attempt to assume his parental responsibilities as fully as the mother will allow and his circumstances permit. In particular, the father must demonstrate "a willingness himself to assume full custody of the child-not merely to block adoption by others." [11] (See fn. 14.) (Raquel Marie, supra, 76 N.Y.2d at p. 408 [559 N.E.2d at p. 428].) A court should also consider the father's public acknowledgement of paternity, payment of pregnancy and birth expenses commensurate with his ability to do so, and prompt legal action to seek custody of the child. fn. 14
We reiterate and emphasize the narrowness of our decision. The statutory distinction between natural fathers and presumed fathers is constitutionally invalid only to the extent it is applied to an unwed father who has sufficiently and timely demonstrated a full commitment to his parental responsibilities. Our statutes (§§ 7004 & 7017, subd. (d)(2)) are constitutionally sufficient [1 Cal.4th 850] when applied to a father who has failed to make such a showing. Moreover, section 7018 explicitly provides that if any portion of the state's Uniform Parentage Act "... or the application thereof to any person or circumstances is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications ...."
6. Application of the correct standard to this case
The trial court found that adoption was in the child's best interest. The court, however, did not have the benefit of our decision in this case and thus did not decide the threshold constitutional question of whether petitioner demonstrated a sufficient commitment to his parental responsibilities. Petitioner and the prospective adoptive parents sharply disagree on that question, and the evidence is conflicting in several respects as to petitioner's attempts to fulfill his responsibilities, especially during the period before the child's birth. We therefore conclude the more prudent approach is to remand to the trial court to make the determination in the first instance. In doing so, the trial court must take into account petitioner's conduct throughout the period since he learned he was the biological father, including his conduct during the pendency of this legal proceeding, both in the trial and appellate courts, up to the determination in the trial court on remand by this court. We recognize that during these proceedings petitioner may have been restricted, both legally and as a practical matter, in his ability to act fully as a father. Nevertheless, the trial court must consider whether petitioner has done all that he could reasonably do under the circumstances.
[12] If the trial court finds on remand that petitioner failed to demonstrate the required commitment to his parental responsibilities, that will be the end of the matter. He will not have suffered any deprivation of a constitutional right. If, however, the required commitment is found, the result under our constitutional analysis will necessarily be a decision that petitioner's rights to equal protection and due process under the federal Constitution were violated to the extent that he was deprived of the same statutory protections granted the mother. Therefore, if (but only if) the trial court finds petitioner demonstrated the necessary commitment to his parental responsibilities, there will arise the further question of whether he can be deprived of the right to withhold his consent to the adoption.
Section 7017, subdivision (a) states that parental consent is required except in certain narrow circumstances set forth in section 221.20, that is, absent a showing of abandonment or a parent's unfitness under section 232. Because the trial court did not treat petitioner as a presumed father, the court did not reach the question of whether he was statutorily unfit under section [1 Cal.4th 851] 232 and thus could be deprived of his right under section 221.20 to withhold consent. As with the threshold question of whether petitioner did all he could reasonably do to act like a father, we cannot fairly decide in the first instance whether he was unfit and could thus be deprived of his right to withhold consent. We leave it to the trial court to decide this question, if necessary.
In deciding this question, the trial court shall take into account (as it must also do on the threshold question of whether petitioner assumed his parental responsibilities) petitioner's conduct and circumstances up to and including the time of the decision on remand. The proper standard is whether he is now fit or unfit. For purposes of remand, we also note subdivision (c) of section 232, which states: "A finding pursuant to this section shall be supported by clear and convincing evidence." (Italics added.) Thus, any finding of petitioner's unfitness must be supported by clear and convincing evidence. Absent such evidence, he shall be permitted to withhold his consent to the adoption.
We emphasize that the sole question before us is whether petitioner has a right to withhold his consent to the adoption of his biological child. We decide no issue as to the custody of the child. If petitioner fails to establish on remand that he has a right to withhold his consent, there will be no question as to whether he should have custody of the child. If, however, the trial court concludes that petitioner has a right to withhold consent, that decision will bear only on the question of whether the adoption will proceed. Even if petitioner has a right to withhold his consent (and chooses to prevent the adoption), there will remain the question of the child's custody. That question is not before us, and we express no view on it.
7. Application of our decision to other cases
In recognition of the importance of prompt resolution of adoption proceedings, we find it necessary to explain the applicability of our decision in this action to other cases. [13] "The general rule that judicial decisions are given retroactive effect is basic in our legal tradition." (Newman v. Emerson Radio Corp. (1989) 48 Cal.3d 973, 978 [258 Cal.Rptr. 592, 772 P.2d 1059].) We have also recognized, however, that narrow exceptions to the general rule of retroactivity may sometimes be justified for compelling reasons of fairness and public policy. (Id., at p. 983.) No such reasons warrant any exception to a retroactive effect of our present decision. Our decision shall be given retroactive effect as to all cases not yet final as of the date this decision is filed.
Of course, even retroactive decisions generally do not extend to cases in which final judgments have already been entered. ( Newman v. [1 Cal.4th 852] Emerson Radio Corp., supra, 48 Cal.3d at p. 993 [allowing retroactive effect in cases not yet final]; In re Marriage of Brown (1976) 15 Cal.3d 838, 851 [126 Cal.Rptr. 633, 544 P.2d 561, 94 A.L.R.3d 164] [declining to apply new rule of law to final adjudications].) In such a case the time for an appeal will have passed, so there can be no direct attack on the judgment. Similarly, "[H]abeas corpus may not be used to collaterally attack a final nonmodifiable judgment in an adoption-related action where the trial court had jurisdiction to render the final judgment." (Adoption of Alexander S. (1988) 44 Cal.3d 857, 867- 868 [245 Cal.Rptr. 1, 750 P.2d 778]; see also Lehman v. Lycoming County Children's Services (1982) 458 U.S. 502, 513-514 [73 L.Ed.2d 928, 938-939, 102 S.Ct. 3231] [holding that federal habeas corpus could not be used to litigate constitutional claims in child custody matters].) Our decision shall therefore have no effect in adoption proceedings in which a final judgment has been entered. Such judgments cannot be challenged either directly or collaterally.
We reverse the judgment of the Court of Appeal with directions to remand to the superior court for further proceedings consistent with our decision.
Lucas, C. J., Panelli, J., Kennard, J., Arabian, J., and George, J., concurred.
MOSK, J.,
Concurring and Dissenting.
I concur in the result only. My concern for the welfare of the child in cases of this sort prevents me from joining the majority's reasoning.
The majority declare that Civil Code section 7004, a provision of the Uniform Parentage Act enacted in 1975, is unconstitutional as applied. The soundness of their determination is open to serious question. Its potential for mischief is not. It creates needless uncertainty in the application of statutory categories that have been consistently employed for almost 20 years. Such uncertainty will redound to the disadvantage of all parties-but especially the child.
The majority yield to the lamentable temptation to invoke the Constitution when there is a perfectly simple legal solution to the factual problem of this case. It is settled law that we should not reach constitutional questions unless absolutely required. (People v. Williams (1976) 16 Cal.3d 663, 667 [128 Cal.Rptr. 888, 547 P.2d 1000].) The majority invoke the equal protection clause as a first resort rather than a last, without considering how trifling with a statute that has been used without challenge for nearly two decades may affect countless parents and children. [1 Cal.4th 853]
I can understand the motive of the majority: to attempt a just result under the purported factual circumstances of this case. That does not justify, however, in effect throwing out the innocent baby with the statutory bath water. There is a much cleaner solution.
Though the facts are disputed, assume, arguendo, that in this case they can be established at trial. The biological father engaged in an adulterous relationship with the mother. A child was born. Though he had rejected the mother and returned to his wife, the biological father conceded paternity, made reasonable efforts to ascertain the whereabouts of the child and indicated a willingness to take the child into his home and to support it. In short, the biological father allegedly sought to become a presumed father within the statutory requirements of Civil Code section 7004, subdivision (a)(4), but was thwarted from achieving that status through the purported devious actions of the mother.
Under those circumstances, if established by a preponderance of evidence in court, I would estop the mother and the proposed adoptive parents from denying that the biological father had assumed the status of a presumed father. These are paradigm circumstances for the imposition of an estoppel. As Witkin observes, an estoppel deprives a defendant of her defense because of her own objectionable conduct. (3 Witkin, Cal. Procedure (3d ed. 1985) Actions, § 523, p. 550.) Evidence Code section 623 also refers to estoppel by conduct.
Generally speaking, equitable estoppel is a rule of fundamental fairness by which a party is precluded from benefiting from conduct designed to prevent determination of the truth and a resolution based thereon. While often applied in commercial transactions, equitable estoppel has also been invoked in domestic relations cases. (See, e.g., Clevenger v. Clevenger (1961) 189 Cal.App.2d 658, 662 [11 Cal.Rptr. 707, 90 A.L.R.2d 569] [declaring that "under some circumstances the husband would be estopped to assert the illegitimacy of the child and thereby avoid liability for its support"] (per Tobriner, J.); In re Marriage of Valle (1975) 53 Cal.App.3d 837, 842 [126 Cal.Rptr. 38] [to similar effect]; In re Marriage of Johnson (1979) 88 Cal.App.3d 848, 852 [152 Cal.Rptr. 121] [same]; Guardianship of Szwed (1990) 221 Cal.App.3d 1403, 1415 [271 Cal.Rptr. 121] [mother's husband estopped from relying on statutory presumption of paternity when he had previously admitted he was not the biological father].)
To my mind, the choice between a declaration of unconstitutionality and a use of the doctrine of equitable estoppel is clear. The latter will yield justice for the party if he deserves justice in this individual action without providing [1 Cal.4th 854] a precedent that has the potential to produce unfortunate results in countless other proceedings, even those previously concluded.
The leading United States Supreme Court case of Lehr v. Robertson (1983) 463 U.S. 248 [77 L.Ed.2d 614, 103 S.Ct. 2985], makes it abundantly clear that the issue is purely and simply factual. Said the court, at page 262 [77 L.Ed.2d at page 627]: "The significance of the biological connection is that it offers the natural father an opportunity that no other male possesses to develop a relationship with his offspring. If he grasps that opportunity and accepts some measure of responsibility for his child's future, he may enjoy the blessings of the parent-child relationship and make uniquely valuable contributions to the child's development. If he fails to do so, the Federal Constitution will not automatically compel a State to listen to his opinion of where the child's best interests lie."
Accordingly, I would remand the cause to the trial court for factual proceedings consistent with this opinion.
FN 1. We identify the parties by only their given names and last initials to protect the identity of the minor child. As necessary for convenience and clarity, we will occasionally refer to Kelsey as "the child," to Kari S. as "the mother," to Rickie M. as "the father" or "petitioner," and to Steven and Suzanne A. as the "prospective adoptive parents," the "adoptive parents," or "Mr. and Mrs. A."
FN 2. All section references are to the Civil Code unless otherwise noted.
FN 3. As we have previously noted, the statutory term "presumed father" is somewhat "cumbersome." (Michael U. v. Jamie B. (1985) 39 Cal.3d 787, 790, fn. 1 [218 Cal.Rptr. 39, 705 P.2d 362].) A man's parentage of a child may be undisputed and legally proven, but he may nevertheless fail to be a "presumed father" under section 7004. Conversely, even if paternity is denied and legally disproved, a man may be deemed, under some circumstances, to be a "presumed father." We must, however, take the statutory nomenclature as we find it. We therefore shall use the term "presumed father" to mean a man who qualifies under section 7004 and "natural father" to mean a biological father who does not so qualify. (39 Cal.3d at p. 790, fn. 1.)
FN 4. Section 7017, subdivision (d)(2) states in its entirety, "If the natural father or a man representing himself to be the natural father claims parental rights, the court shall determine if he is the father. The court shall then determine if it is in the best interest of the child that the father retain his parental rights, or that an adoption of the child be allowed to proceed. The court, in making that determination, may consider all relevant evidence, including the efforts made by the father to obtain custody, the age and prior placement of the child, and the effects of a change of placement on the child. If the court finds that it is in the best interest of the child that the father should be allowed to retain his parental rights, it shall order that his consent is necessary for an adoption. If the court finds that the man claiming parental rights is not the father, or that if he is the father it is in the child's best interest that an adoption be allowed to proceed, it shall order that that person's consent is not required for an adoption; such a finding terminates all parental rights and responsibilities with respect to the child. Section 4600 does not apply to this proceeding. Nothing in this section changes the rights of a presumed father."
FN 5. From the time the present action was filed until well after we granted review, the relevant standards for dispensing with parental consent were set forth in former section 224. Effective July 1, 1991, that section was repealed, and the provisions are now set forth without material change in section 221.20. (Stats. 1990, ch. 1363, § 3, No. 6 Deering's Adv. Legis. Service, pp. 5542-5543.) Although this action arose under now-repealed section 224, we will refer to the new statute for convenience because the change does not substantively affect this case.
FN 6. The nature and scope of an unwed parent's rights are questions of enormous practical significance. The United States Census Bureau recently issued "Fertility of American Women," reporting that, for the most recent statistical year (July 1989 to June 1990), 913,000 of 3.9 million births-1 in 4-were out of wedlock. (Larger Number of New Mothers Are Unmarried, N.Y. Times (Dec. 4, 1991) p. A20, col. 1.)
FN 7. Four justices further concluded that the state's denial of a pretermination hearing to the unwed father, while granting a hearing to other parents, was also "inescapably contrary to the Equal Protection Clause" of the Fourteenth Amendment. (Stanley, supra, 405 U.S. 645, 658 [31 L.Ed.2d 551, 563].)
FN 8. Other states have also recognized a natural father's constitutionally cognizable interest in his child. "[A] fully committed unwed father of a newborn child has a constitutionally protected interest in his opportunity to develop a mutually beneficial emotional or psychological bond with his child. ... [¶] It may be more difficult for a recently born child's father to adduce objective proof of his commitment to parental responsibilities, but the due process guarantee is not so narrow as to permit a state to deny him the chance to do so." (In re Adoption of B.G.S. (La. 1990) 556 So.2d 545, 550-551.) The Supreme Court of Florida has recognized that, "It is clear from Lehr [463 U.S. 248] that the biological relationship offers the parent the opportunity to assume parental responsibilities. Parental rights based on the biological relationship are inchoate, it is the assumption of the parental responsibilities which is of constitutional significance." (Matter of Adoption of Doe (Fla. 1989) 543 So.2d 741, 748.) The court held that the father had not "grasped his opportunity," but the decision makes clear he had a constitutional right to do so.
FN 9. As a Court of Appeal has recently observed, "The precise grounds of the [Baby Girl M.] holding are unclear." (Jermstad v. McNelis (1989) 210 Cal.App.3d 528, 548 [258 Cal.Rptr. 519].)
FN 10. Section 7010, subdivision (c) states, "The judgment or order may contain any other provision directed against the appropriate party to the proceeding, concerning the duty of support, the custody and guardianship of the child, visitation privileges with the child, the furnishing of bond or other security for the payment of the judgment, or any other matter in the best interest of the child. The judgment or order may direct the father to pay the reasonable expenses of the mother's pregnancy and confinement."
FN 11. By referring to a mother's decision to prevent her child's natural father from becoming a presumed father, we do not suggest, and there should be no inference, that any moral culpability should be attributed to the mother in those circumstances. Such is not our purview. Moreover, we think it a matter of common knowledge that an unwed mother's decision as to her child's future is emotionally wrenching and a matter of grave deliberation on her part. We can reasonably expect that in most such cases the mother is acting out of deep concern for her child's best interest. That honorable intention, however, does not provide a legal basis on which to determine the biological father's rights.
FN 12. The efficiency to be gained under respondents' view would be minimal. Section 7017, subdivision (f) requires that notice of the adoption proceedings "... shall be given to every person identified as the natural father or a possible natural father ...." If he claims parental rights, the court must conduct a hearing to determine if he is the father and "... if it is in the best interest of the child that the father retain his parental rights, or that an adoption of the child be allowed to proceed. ... If the court finds that it is in the best interest of the child that the father should be allowed to retain his parental rights, it shall order that his consent is necessary for an adoption." (§ 7017, subd. (d)(2).) Because section 7017 already provides for notice and a hearing for natural (i.e., nonpresumed) fathers, our decision will create no new procedures in those cases in which a natural father seeks to retain his parental rights. Rather, our decision merely prescribes a different standard for the trial court to employ in determining whether the natural father's consent is required for an adoption.
Nor is there any evidence before us which suggests that a significant number of biological fathers (whether presumed or natural under the statutes) now bring or will bring legal actions seeking to assume their parental responsibilities.
The perceived efficiency would also be absent in those cases in which the biological father's rights would have to be determined under the law of a state with standards more protective than those of California. Many adoptions involve a biological father in one state and adoptive parents in another.
FN 13. To the extent they are contrary to our decision, we disapprove W. E. J., supra, 100 Cal.App.3d 303, and Marie R., supra, 79 Cal.App.3d 624. We have previously disapproved of W. E. J., supra, 100 Cal.App.3d 303, on other grounds as well. (Baby Girl M., supra, 37 Cal.3d 65, 72 (disapproving conclusion that detriment standard in § 7017 proceeding automatically gives a natural father the same veto power as a presumed father).)
FN 14. At the risk of stating the obvious, we caution that our decision affords no protection, constitutional or otherwise, to a male who impregnates a female as a result of nonconsensual sexual intercourse. We find nothing in the relevant high court decisions that provides such a father a right to due process in connection with the custody and adoption of his biological child. Such a father also is not entitled to equal protection, i.e., the same rights as the mother, because the father and mother are clearly not similarly situated. The sexual intercourse was voluntary only for the father. Nor is such a father entitled to be treated similarly to those males who become fathers as a result of consensual sexual intercourse.
Petition for review after the Court of Appeal affirmed a judgment in an action to terminate parental rights. This case presents issues concerning the parental rights of a "natural" father who is not a "presumed" father
Date: Citation: Docket Number: Category: Status:
Thu, 02/20/1992 1 Cal.4th 816 S014775 Review - Civil Appeal closed; remittitur issued
1 M., Rickie (Appellant)
Represented by Alys Briggs
3 A., Steven (Respondent)
4 S., Kari (Respondent)
5 S., Kelsey (Overview party)
Feb 20 1992 Opinion: Reversed
Mar 28 1990 Petition for review filed
App Rickie M. (Req.Rec. Lorie)
Mar 29 1990 Received:
C/A Record-one Doghouse, one Jacket
Apr 4 1990 Received letter from:
6th District Appellate Program urging Grant.
Apr 23 1990 Answer to petition for review filed
Resps (Perm)
May 3 1990 Petition Granted
Votes: Lucas C.J., Mosk, Broussard, Panelli, Eagleson, Kennard & Arabian JJ.
Jul 2 1990 Counsel appointment order filed
Alys Briggs to represent Aplt
Jul 2 1990 Order filed:
The request of The 6th Dist Aplt Prog to be Appd as Co-Counsel for Aplt Is denied w/Out Prejudice to Making an Appln for A/C Status Under Rule 14
Jul 31 1990 Opening brief on the merits filed
By Applt Murphy
Aug 29 1990 Answer brief on the merits filed
By Counsel for Resps
Sep 12 1990 Reply brief filed (case fully briefed)
by Rickie M.
Sep 12 1990 Motion filed (in non-AA proceeding)
Motion for calendar preference (filed by counsel for appellant)
Sep 26 1990 Order filed:
Motion for Calendar Preference denied
Nov 19 1990 Received letter from:
Atty Alys Briggs
Feb 19 1991 Change of Address filed for:
Sep 3 1991 Request for Judicial Notice filed
Resps Steven A. Et Al
Oct 25 1991 Letter sent requesting supplemental briefing
Requesting short supplemental briefs on the following issues: May court invoke equitable estoppel to prevent the mother from denying presumed father status if she by her conduct has prevented him from satisfying all statutory provisions? If distinctions between biological father & presumed father are found to violate constitutional equal protection provisions, what effect will that have retroactively on paternity & custody decisions rendered since the Act became effective in 1975? Supplemental briefs should be submitted within 20 days from this date (11-14-91).
Wednesday, 12/4/91, 9 A.M. - S.F.
Nov 13 1991 Supplemental Brief filed by:
By Appellant
Alys Briggs Re: Typo on Last page of letter brief submitted in response to Court's Inquiry 10-25-91.
Nov 26 1991 Filed:
Additional Authorities by Atty Briggs
Feb 20 1992 Opinion filed: Judgment reversed
with directions to remand to Superior Court for further proceedings consistent with decision. Majority Opinion by Baxter, J. -- joined by Lucas C.J., Panelli, Kennard, Arabian & George JJ. Concurring & Dissenting Opinion by Mosk, J.
Mar 24 1992 Remittitur Issued
Receipt for Remittitur from CA 6 (W. Magsaysay)
May 20 1992 Compensation awarded counsel
Returned Record to CA 6 At Their request
Apr 28 1993 Received:
Record Back from C/A-one Folder & Loose briefs
Advocates On This Case
Alys Briggs (Attorney At Law)
SCOCAL, Adoption of Kelsey S. , 1 Cal.4th 816 available at: (https://scocal.stanford.edu/opinion/adoption-kelsey-s-31310) (last visited Friday January 15, 2021).
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Ed Brisson – Ghost Rider! New Mutants! Murder Book!
July 4, 2020 July 2, 2020 Spoiler Country 0 Comments comic guest
https://episodes.castos.com/scpod/Spoiler-Country-Ed-Brisson.mp3
Download file | Play in new window | Duration: 01:00:44 | Speakers: Ed Brisson, John Horsley, Kenric Regan, Robert Slavinsky
Acclaimed writer Ed Brisson joins us tonight and talks with Robert about how he got started, his passion for crime stories, and one hell of a plumping bill.
Find Ed online:
https://twitter.com/edbrisson
http://www.edbrisson.com/
https://www.murderbookcomic.com/
Find Robert Online:
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https://scpod.net/podcasts/bridging-the-geekdoms/
https://scpod.net/podcasts/shootin-the-sith/
“Drinks and Comics with Spoiler Country!”
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC25ZJLg6vL4jjRgC1ebshCA
Did you know we have a YouTube channel?
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http://facebook.com/spoilercountry/
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Kenric:
http://twitter.com/XKenricX
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http://y2cl.net
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https://twitter.com/robotseatguitar
https://thecomicjam.com/
Buy John’s Comics!
http://y2cl.net/the-store/
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Interview scheduled by Jeffery Haas
https://twitter.com/jhaasinterviews
Theme music by Good Co Music:
https://www.goodcomusic.com/
Ed Brisson – Interview WAV
[00:00:00] Robert: and what’s going on everybody. This is Robert here I am with ed Brisson. Now ed Brisson is a comic book writer.
He is known for a whole bunch of different types of things. currently he’s working a Marvel, with, with a few different. titles go currently. ghost writer and new mutants, but he’s also done some, some amazing other things such as, uh, come back from image comics, sheltered, as well as book called murder book, which was.
Distributed by dark horse, So how are you doing today, ed person?
Ed: Yeah, I’m doing okay. I’m doing all right. I’m just got back from doing my grocery shopping and you know, I’m just, just chilling out.
Robert: Excellent. Excellent. now I kind of want to dive into things cause I mean, we could absolutely cover everything that you’re doing currently, but I want to.
Get a little bit of background on how you got to this point. I was doing a little research showing you, you know, taking a look and seeing, where you came from, where you started and it seems like [00:01:00] you’re. Big break kind of happened in 2012 with comeback, under image clinics. But prior to that, what, what were you working on?
How did you get to that point?
Ed: Yeah, I I’ve been around for far, far too long. I started, self publishing comics way back in 1994. I originally wanted to be a comic book artist. so right around the time I was going to find arts in postsecondary. And learning how to sort of hone my skills as an artist and a, I didn’t know any writers, so I just started writing stuff for myself.
So I’d have something to draw. internet was not really the thing that it is today, obviously. So, it wasn’t like I could just pop on the digital webbing or something like that and find writers. So, yeah, I started in 94, did a terrible, terrible book anthology book with some friends called hardcore, which I, I don’t think anyone will be able to find.
I hope that nobody will be able to find this book, which was a weird sort of superhero. [00:02:00] It was three stories. Mine was, about a, uh, It was very like influenced by spawn and, and CRO and some other stuff that I was into at the time. And it was about a guy who’d been sent to hell and had to come back and collect souls for the devil.
And some reason was collecting them from drug dealers. I, I don’t, I don’t know what I was thinking anyway, that was sort of my first thing. And then I self published stuff for a long time. So it was 94 to about 2010. It was roughly 16 years. I was writing and drawing, lettering, sometimes coloring my own work, put out like many comics or zenes along the way, a certain point.
I did web comics, web comics for a little bit. and yeah, it was, I was doing that. And, and in the midst of that, around 2006, I was talking to a friend who was lettering for among a company. And they need to let her as badly. And [00:03:00] lettering is the thing that I never really like my own hand lettering is, is not great.
so it’s not anything I ever thought I’d get into, but you know, most lettering is digital. And, so I. I ended up getting hired on by DNP was a publisher and littering, a bunch of Maga from sort of 2006 onward. And through, through the lettering of Monga, I managed to pick up some lettering, work in more mainstream or, Like North American stock comics, superheroes, or crime books or whatever they were.
yeah, it was a lettering from 2006, actually right up until 2016. So even when I was initially first writing for Marvel, I was still doing a bunch of Monga lettering for vis, at the time. But, yeah, I let her for awhile. And then, you know, around 2010, I, got fed up with, I realized I hate drawing.
I really don’t like drawing a lot. Even though I’d always imagined I’d be accomplished artist one day. You know, I [00:04:00] really want it to be taught McFarland. but, but, yeah, 2010 on my birthday, I sort of had like a moment of, getting real with myself and to realize I hated drawing. I really enjoyed writing, which, like I said, it was something I’d sort of taken down, at a necessity So I decided to focus on writing and just because I’d been involved in self publishing comics for a long time, I already knew, you know, artists.
I was friends with a lot of artists. So when I started writing stuff, I just talked to a few friends, see if they wouldn’t be interested in drawing some of the short stories that I was writing, which were, that was murder book. I started that in 2010. yeah, I did that for, I think I produced close to 200 pages of murder book stories, and that was with artists like Simon, Roy, Johnny Christmas, Michael Walsh, Vic Mahal, tra Jason Copeland’s, later on, Declan Shalvey came in and did one, I am blanking right now.
I know I’m leaving someone’s name out and they’re going to be upset and [00:05:00] feel terrible about it. Anyway, I did about Brian level. who’s a good friend. we did, did a bunch of these over a period of time. And as you mentioned earlier, I’d been self publishing them, putting them online and, and printing them.
And then in 2015, a dark horse collected them into, you know, Of volume. So you can get all the, all the, all the murder books stories in one, one book, if you can find it now, I believe it’s now at a print, so it’s a little bit tougher to find. but yeah, through, during, through that process, I ended up, working with, Michael Walsh on the short story.
I’d lettered a pitch. He was doing early in 2010. I liked his art and asked him if he wanted to do a murder book story. Which he agreed to. And, he and I really hit it off. We had like similar, very similar tastes, very similar, interests and sort of drive. And so I think sometime in early, mid 2011, we had this idea.
That he and I were going to pitch books together to image, but we were going to take a year and just hammer them with pitches. And so they relented [00:06:00] and the plan was that we would come up with an idea. I would sit down, I would write the pitch. I would write it. The, the five pages when you’re pitching the image, you need five pages of our plus to cover.
I would work on those and then I would hand them off to Walsh and Walsh would take them and he started drawing them. And while he was drawing them, I would start working on the next one. And we were going to kind of do assembly line like that until image, sort of, accepted one. And thankfully for us, it was our second pitch, which was come back at, I got through.
And so I think we pitched that in very early 2012. I want to say like January, February of 2012, and then coming out in November of 2012. So it was my first piece of work that came out through a publisher that was not myself. And that was come back as a five issue, mini sort of a, a crime time travelling type of thing.
Robert: Yeah. I was taking a look at your history and you know, that, that timeframe 2012, when comeback, comeback came out, it [00:07:00] seems like you were, you kind of, it was a little bit of a slow period, but all of a sudden you just blew up. Like so many things then started coming out, like crazy after that point. And like I said, I was looking at.
Your your history. And I saw some things pre 2012, but it really seems like everything blew up around that time for you now. Right. When you’re looking at a comeback. And then I see after that, it looks like it was sheltered and, you know, staying with any image comics. you have the field, the mantle, the violent.
How did those all come about? I mean, was it that image just really like what you did with comeback and you kind of went on to do sheltered and the rest
Ed: I think we lucked out. So when, when, come back, came out, that was right at the time that, wave sort of started when the, when image, books really sort of hit this, this way, where they were selling like crazy.
And so when our first issue came out, I know it sold twice what they had sort of. Pulled us to [00:08:00] expect. And they were surprised by it. We were surprised by it. We were happy about it, but I was surprised. and I I’d been sort of, I had pitched a few things too. I think like what time come back out through.
That was probably my 10th pitch to image. Like I’d done pitches with other artists before, also when I met up and I knew enough that if the book did well. To have another pitch immediately ready to go. So Johnny Christmas and I, and Johnny was the artist on sheltered. he and I met, I was living in Vancouver still and, he just moved to Vancouver and we met through like a mutual.
Friend and comics, because Johnny was looking for studio space and I had a, a studio that I shared with three other creators. in this one, there’s this one building in Vancouver, that’s on main street. That is almost like the hub of like the Vancouver comics scene or at least was, unfortunately people are moving away.
So it’s starting to [00:09:00] fall apart a little bit, but there was one building where like, You know, I had a, an office and, you know, Robyn Buju was in there. He does a ASEAN called sinless sewer and, James Lloyd, who was drawing Futurama was in there. And he did some Simpsons comics. And then like across the hall from us was Ian Boothby who was writing Simpsons and Futurama and Pia Guerrera, who’s doing wild ass man and other stuff.
And then down the hall, they, there was another studio opening up that I was able to sort of recommend Johnny to. And he moved in there. And he, and I would see each other in the halls all the time. Cause we both worked late at night. I had a day job. That’s what we’ll come to the studio to write or to let our comics load at night and sometimes be there until two, three in the morning.
And I’d seen him in the, in the halls all the time. And, we ended up like striking up conversation and friendship and he was showing, you know, Showing me a pitch that he put together that he was sending off to publishers. And I thought his art was really great. So I sort of roped him into pitching something [00:10:00] with me.
so when I had come back greenlit and before it came out, Johnny and I were already working. On sheltered on that, the pitch package for it. And I think within a week or two of comeback coming out and doing better than expected, doing quite well for what books were doing at the time I pitched them shelter right away.
I had this thought that like, you know, 2012 I’d been publishing. Since 94. Right. So I’d been 18 years invested and I felt like I finally had my foot through the foot in the door and I wasn’t going to take it out. So I pitched sheltered. it got approved pretty, almost right away. And even when sheltered came out, I had the field ready to pitch a case shelter did well.
We pitched, the field and then I guess, towards the end of shelter, cause [00:11:00] sheltered was probably my longest project. That’s. Had an image was 15 issues. I had, we pitched the field, sorry, the mantle, which I did with Brian level and then right towards the end. I pitched the violent, which I think came out like three months after the last issue of sheltered.
So I was always like pitching things while I had something else going on and just kind of trying to stay in that ecosystem there. I grew up a big image fan when they first debuted. I thought it was one of the most incredible things I had ever seen or heard of. And I always wanted to be part of it.
And then once I was part of it, I just didn’t want to. Not be part anymore.
Robert: Uh, yeah, that makes sense. And yeah, obviously, I mean, with the exception of your, what the work I see at Marvel, it seems like you were pretty much at image comics. I mean, not for a long period of time, but you got a lot of workout through, through image comics.
But I also see during that time, there are a couple of other. Projects off to the [00:12:00] side that, that it looked like you were doing, such as sons of anarchy, and 24 underground. I think that’s what it’s called. Yeah. 24 underground.
Ed: I think you might be right.
Robert: now with those, like, how did those come about?
Because first off I, I, and I’m going to be completely honest. I’m a huge, I was a huge, huge sons of anarchy fan when the show was on. And I always heard about the, you know, the little side comics and the, you know, the side projects they had going on, but I never really. Jumped into them because, you know, I was like, well, is it, is it common to be able to live up to, you know, to what the show was?
I’m kind of kicking myself now. Cause I’ve been looking at them now for the past couple of days. I’m like, man, I knew that I need to jump into those and check those out. How would that, like, how did you get pulled into something like that?
Ed: I just got an offer I think when come back and, and, sheltered came out and they both did well.
I was able to sort of, you know, Like, I think I got, you know, I got some attention through it. Wa Michael Walsh got attention, Johnny got attention. And [00:13:00] I just, again, like it had been so long that I’ve been trying to break into industry that I was really trying to take advantage of opportunities as they Rose.
I didn’t want to, take on things I wasn’t interested in. so. You know, like, if a project came up and it was interesting to me, even if it was like, kind of off the beaten path a little bit or not something I wouldn’t normally fought about. you know, initially when I, when I thought about having a career in comics, you know, I usually try to take it.
And Sunday anarchy was a weird one in that. during the time that I was pitching books, I had a pitch that I’d worked up called the one percenters, which was a book about a biker gang. And it was, you know, an amalgam of, of, real stuff involving biker gangs and such. my dad, my dad was a cop. he’s retired now, but he dealt with a lot of biker gang.
Stuff on the job. His police station was [00:14:00] actually bombed once by a biker gang. It was not, not a ton of damage. You know, it sounds really drastic the whole station. Didn’t blow up a biker, toss, a pipe bomb in the, Front entrance of the, police station. You know, it was no one was hurt and, it caused quite a stir, anyway, but, I had a pitch called the one percenters.
And then when sons of anarchy, when I first discovered Sunday anarchy, it was almost the same thing. so I, I threw my pitch away. I was just like, like, I’m not going to try and do a book. That’s that’s. So similar to the TV show that’s currently on. and then weirdly enough about a year and a half later, boom approached me to see if I’d be interested in running Sunday anarchy.
so I had already done all this research. I was a fan of the show as well. so I took it on, I was kind of excited to see if I could do something that would feel, Like, if they belonged in the same universe of the show, if it [00:15:00] would have that same feeling. And it was, it was an interesting project. I came on on issue seven, And there was another writer who was on before. Who D who did? I’m sorry. It was great. He worked with Damien who, I’ve worked with a lot over the years and that was, I think the, the. The lower, they got me to go on to, sons of anarchy partially because, Damon and I are quite tight. we, the very first comic I tried pitching back in gosh, 2005 or 2006 was with Damian anyway.
But, when they asked me to do this antiquey I was a fan of the show. Want to see if I could do something that was authentic? when I came on, I wrote. What I felt was authentic. And I didn’t realize that the writer had done the first six issues hadn’t used any swearing at all. Cause it was a comic.
And you know, when I came in, I was writing it as if it was sensory anarchy. So it was riddled with like, did you guys swear on this podcast? Yeah. Yeah. Okay.
Robert: So [00:16:00] it was
Ed: riddled with Fox, like every second word, not that bad, but a lot of fuck shit, piss, whatever I’m all over it. And a lot of like, sort of like real nasty, dirty biker language.
And it was really interesting in that, like when I sent my first script and the scripts went through Kurt solder’s office first for like approval. Like I would get editor notes and it would go through them for approval. And, I remember getting a note back going, can we swear in comics from, from their office?
And I was like, I just assumed that we were. And then when I looked back at those first six issues and realized, like I had an actually the first writer, Christopher Golden, hadn’t sworn the story is great, but there was there wasn’t swearing. But, like I said, I, I, I was really into the, in the show and really until the show and just trying to make it feel like the show.
And, I actually, I think, you know, license work can be a real mixed bag and, I’m still like, that sounds antiquey stuff I’m still pretty proud of. I think, I like to think it holds up, You [00:17:00] know, I’m fans of the show seem to seem to like it. So,
Robert: yeah, I, I, like I said, I need to check it out. I’m kicking myself that I didn’t follow along with it because I was such a big fan of that show.
And I was always clamoring for more, but, you know, at the time, you know, in my life, I was just like looking at like, comics, really? How is that going to be any good following in the footsteps of the show? But yeah, after looking at it, I definitely want to check it out now with that. I mean, I know you said.
Yeah, your,
Ed: your
Robert: drafts would run through Sutter’s office. Did you ever get to meet him and talk to him to kind of get an understanding of the universe? No.
Ed: No. I never talked to him directly. I did get notes from his assistant and they were always there. I was really great, actually, you know, in terms of licensing books, like I said earlier, it can be a real mixed bag.
Sometimes you’re dealing with people who don’t understand. Comics at all or, or sort of, looked down on comics, but they were always, their notes were always really good. And it was one of the few times, like I remember, [00:18:00] you know, like periodically they would, give me notes and it would be like, one time they were like, Gemma, wouldn’t do this.
This is Jim. All right. It’s been so long since I seen Charlotte, Gemma, Gemma wouldn’t do this because, and like I fired back a note and just going, I think she would. And here’s why, and they’re, and they would be, they’d be cool, but they’d be open to it. And they’d like, you know, they respond with like, you know what, you’re right.
She would. And it all makes sense. You know, given those circumstances she would do this. So it wasn’t a thing. Like I find sometimes I’ve had some experiences with license work where it’s just soul crushing because, they just don’t seem to get what you’re trying to do. Or they just like note you to death or they’re so protective of the, of the brand that they’re they’re stifling, any, any real, attempts at creativity.
it was refreshing, it was a lot of fun.
Robert: With, the, the, the, the size stuff, because, you know, you did it sons of anarchy, like I said, and that’s 24 underground. Eh, can you explain [00:19:00] what that was? Again, another show that was very close to me, it was 24 and I loved that show. I loved everything that it did.
And, I, I, I never knew about this until looking all this up and now I want to go and grab this and take a look at it. How did you get into that? And what was that experience like?
Ed: that was, yeah, I, I just, you know, again, it was, a thing that I just got asked to do, IDW, just contact me to see if I’d be into it.
my wife and I had really binged all of 24, so, you know, I was, I was a fan of it. and that one was a bit more of a frustrating process, just because I think I went through like four different storylines. And there was a lot of like weird communication with, the licensors. And I even ended up on the phone with the producers at one point.
And it was, it was just, it was just not, I don’t know if it was a good fit. like some of the questions made it clear that they didn’t really understand how comics worked. so that one was a bit more, that was a, one of my [00:20:00] first sort of frustrating. Experiences as a writer, I think. And I think, I think the comics fine, but I do think that my frustration probably show through a little bit, I feel weird cramping.
Like I worked on, I’m not trying to, I was like, I think it’s fine. It’s fine for what it is. I did everything I could.
Robert: Yeah. I mean, that’s the thing. I mean, you gotta be honest with yourself even, you know, when you’re doing something. I mean, I I’ve, I’ve done that. In the past myself, if I’m just not feeling into it, if I’m not a hundred percent on board with what I’m doing, you know, I’m going to, it’s going to show through my work.
It’s going to you and you’ll, and people should, will be able to notice that. And I gotta be honest with myself and you, as you do, just like, Hey, you know, this wasn’t my best work. You know, it, there were some issues there. It makes sense. Yeah. I mean,
Ed: yeah. And it’s, you know, it is what it is. And I hate saying it is what it is, but I just said it.
So there you go. I think. It was also the last time where I finished it. And I was so frustrated with the process. And this is not [00:21:00] the fault of anyone else involved in the book. Like, just to be clear, like I’m not blaming, you know, the editor editorial was great on it. You know, Mike Gatos Truro, he was great.
it was just my own feeling. With it afterwards. So that was actually the last time, that I took on something where I was kind of hesitant to take it on, to start with, but also was at a point where I’m like, you know, well, I also have bills. and that was the last time I took on a book where I’m like, you know, the last time I take on a book strictly just to, just to pay my bills.
Robert: Yeah. I want to get into, to murder book here. It seems like it was something that was. Pretty close, you know, like something that was dear to you, like something that you wanted to get out there. And, and the fact that dark horse picked it up and distributed it, you know, and it was, was it hard back that they did is distributed in softcover softcover
Ed: they wanted a hardcover, but I lost.
Robert: Gotcha. how was the, how did that come all about, I mean, you talked about your father being, You know, an officer [00:22:00] at one time or, you know, working for the police. Is that kind of how that fell into play? Did that have some influence on this book at all? A
Ed: yes, no. Maybe like, I think, you know, I don’t know if you know anyone whose dad is a cop.
but we all tend to have the, a bit of preacher kid syndrome, which is that, we act up. No kids are cops tend to, to end, tend to act up when they’re younger. cause not only, you know, you have to like sort of defy your parents in terms of authority. You got to defy. Almost the ultimate authority, which is a dude with a badge and a gun.
growing up, I was, like my parents also, divorced when I was eight. And so as a kid, I had a lot of anger towards that, you know, and I was, I was pretty rebellious. I was kind of a juvenile delinquent growing up a little bit. Oh, weirdly like a good student, but like would go out and get in a lot of fights and, you know, shoplift and stuff and get into all sorts of other troubles. [00:23:00]
and I think that sort of. Played a little bit, into my interests with it. I have, I don’t, this is in no way, like an origin story, but like something, I think that happened to me that I was younger, that really sort of, made me interested in, in sort of crime and crime stories. More, more from a tourist perspective.
Not, not necessarily engaging is that when I was, 13. like I said earlier, my, my parents had divorced, my brother’s sister and I went to a Catholic school in Ontario. And just to be clear for anyone who’s not who doesn’t live in Ontario, Canada, w which is where I grew up. Catholic schools are as prevalent as public schools.
They’re not private schools. Anytime I say Catholic school, people think like a private school and they’re absolutely not that they’re just real shitty Catholics, public schools. so anyway, we had a priest at my, at my Catholic school who was a real Dick to my brother, sister and I, but I, my parents having divorced, did lots of like really just uncool stuff.
Like we’d be like, you know, a feud. If you [00:24:00] guys had stopped fighting in front of your parents, or it just kept your rooms clean, maybe they wouldn’t be so stressed out and they wouldn’t have gotten a divorce, you know, like, wow, like real cool, like cool shit. You’re not supposed to be saying to kids. anyway, he had, talked my mom into sending the me and my brother and sister to two camps, a girls camp and a boys camp, over the summer when I was 13.
When I remember my dad dropped us off. Cause you had to be dropped off in Toronto to get picked up, to go to this camp. And I remember my dad taking me in me and my brother and, and, it was this loud sort of lunch room at a high school or something like that. And I can’t remember. And, my dad sat down at one of the cafeteria tables with my brother and I, I still remember him scoping the room and then turning to me saying, give me your watch and give me your ring.
Like why it’s like, you would get them back after. Right. And so I left and went on this thing and it turned out that this was a summer camp for troubled youth. So it’s the kind of thing where they like marched you through the woods for four days on end. you know, [00:25:00] most kids there have some sort of record.
I didn’t have a record, but you know, most kids there did. The reason my dad took my watch and ring is because he’d had rested. He had arrested some of the kids who’d been there, but was so looking forward to 10 days to the South that he just let us go anyway. Anyway. So I was at, you know, I went to summer camp for 10 days with all these other kids who are like a thing.
The oldest was 14, 15, who’d stolen cars and, and, you know, been arrested with drugs and all sorts of stuff. And, I remember like just being kind of fat, like, you know, sitting around and, and hearing all their stories and being like fascinated. Like I was a juvenile delinquent as a kid, but not on this level.
Anyway, this is sort of a tangent, but, I don’t know if that’s whatever, what sort of initially colored my sort of, interest, but I’d always really been interested in like crime movies, crime novels, you know, when I was, later on when, when I went to fine arts, when I was in my early twenties, I discovered, uh, [00:26:00] Elmore Leonard.
I picked up an element of Leonard book one day at a used bookstore. And I was so enthralled with the book. I read it in 24 hours and then went to all these bookstores. I was living in Colona at the time, all around Colona and bought all the Elmore Leonard books. I could find them. Dude’s written like 40, 40 somewhat books.
So there’s a lot. I stopped going to fine arts. Like I’d stopped going to school for like three weeks, I guess. I just sat. At home reading these books, cause I was so, so obsessed with them. So anyway, which is, this is a very long way of saying that there’s always been these moments in my life where like sort of crime related stuff has popped up where, you know, Be it I’m at summer camp with a bunch of little criminals, or, you know, just reading crime fiction.
And again, my dad being a cop and me sort of being surrounded by like a lot of talk about that sort of stuff. My mom also worked in a victim services for awhile. So she also, you know, between [00:27:00] the two of them, there was just like nonstop crime taught growing up. So it was always just a thing that interested me.
It’s a. In terms of, a genre that I wanted to work in. And, so when I started murder book, part of the reason I did it is I just wanted to write stories. I would, that I could connect with. And also just, like I’d been told from several publishers that crime books don’t sell and crime is a harsh on or the push.
And so I figured if I’m not, if I’m doing these self publishing, these things. And I’m not worried about sales, then I’m just going to do what I want. And, so yeah, I did exactly that with, with murder book, a bunch of five to 20 page crime stories. Yeah.
Robert: Yeah. I want to find a way to check it out. Is it available digitally by any chance?
Cause. I you can,
Ed: I think you can buy it. Hold on. Let me have a look. I’m going to go on the Comixology site right now. you should be able to buy it there if you can’t. my old site is still up, which is, murder book, [00:28:00] comic.com. And, you should be able to find it, not all of it, but I’ve, I posted a bunch of stuff there for people to read for free and yeah, it looks like you can on Comixology right now, you can get the digital version of murder book, for five 49, you know, but check your local comic shop.
Robert: Yes. Absolutely.
Ed: They may have copies still sitting there on the shelf.
Robert: Yeah. Unfortunately my, my, my local comic book shop is an hour and a half away, but yeah. you have no idea, no idea how rough it is. but yeah, I definitely want to check that out. It’s it’s crazy. Cause when I’m looking at things and, and seeing all the work that you’ve done.
There’s so much of it. I’m like, how did I miss that? How did I not see that? You know? And I just want to kind of dive into it. And I think a lot of that has to play with, you know, the, the publishers and, and, and the distributors that you’re working with. And currently you’re. With Marvel. Now I see that you’ve been with Marvel for a number of years now, and [00:29:00] you’ve gotten a pretty good reputation over there.
It seems, right now I see and correct me if I’m wrong, because some of the information I found I found was kind of not, I don’t think properly or correct, but I do see your own ghost rider, new mutants of vendors of wasteland, and then Punisher verse Barracuda. Now. I have all this come out. Are there some that are coming out in the future or has some issues already come out?
Ed: Ghost writer? I think, six issues are out so far. I’ll be honest with a pandemic going on. at the best of times, I probably couldn’t tell you what issue of a comic I worked on was just recently out, usually cause I’m working months ahead and, But I believe issue you six, a ghost writer has just come out or did it just came out before all this happened.
Issue seven is coming out in a month or so, new mutans I think the last one that came out was just nine or 10. I mean, issue nine, [00:30:00] Avengers of the wasteland, the first three issues came out. And then I believe just today, which is, May 20th, I guess, if you’re not listening to this today, which you’re probably not, eventual the wasteland for just drops on.
Digital song Comicology I guess, and number five will be out, which is the last issue. It’s just a five issue mini series. that will be out sometime in June, digitally. I don’t know, what the deal is with the print issues for that. again, just this pandemic is sort of messed up, publishing schedules and messed up plans.
So, I don’t know. I don’t know what they’re planning to do, but I know that those two at least are coming up digitally. Punisher versus Barracuda. I don’t know. It’s driving me crazy because
Robert: well, I, I, it’s funny you say that. Cause I was looking and that’s the one that really caught me off guard because it said release date December 20, 29.
And I was like, that’s really a long time for them to be planning a book to come out and. [00:31:00] And then I saw something that it was late 2020. So I didn’t know if you had an idea for that at all.
Ed: I don’t know. I’ve been asking and trying to find out 20, 29 would be my luck at this point with that. but no, it’s a Punisher versus Barracuda.
I’ll say like at Marvel, Punisher versus Barracuda and bullseye. and I, I would say our emphasis to are kind of the closest. To like me being able to do crime or genre stuff. It’s the closest feeling of, of the stuff. I, a self publishing mash with the Marvel stuff. bullseye and, and, and Punisher versus Barracuda.
Specifically like stuff in Punisher versus Barracuda, that Marvel let me get away with, I’m still sort of in shock and because the book is not out yet, there’s still part of me. That’s like, are they gonna, are they gonna make me trim that back? Because it gets, it’s a pretty intense book. It’s a lot, like, I think, you know, for [00:32:00] Punisher fans who know Barracuda, they know him from the Macs, books, the Garth Ennis, max books, uh, he’s never been in the, in the Marvel.
Universe proper. so he’s never been in the six one, six or prime or whatever you want to call it. I call it six one six, but, he’s never been, so this is kind of first time. So it was really interesting trying to ride him, in a way that we could get away with it in the six one six, cause obviously there’s, you know, Max’s rated R and, and they can get away with quite a bit more.
Robert: So. New meetings and ghost writer. And obviously eventually to the wasteland, those are kind of the current ones, the ones that are running right now that are coming out. How, what got you into to ghost writer? I mean, ghost writer is very different than grime. I, and that’s that scene with new mutants and of the wasteland?
I guess we can. Kind of see some connections there, but for the most part, a ghost writer, new mutants, I mean that, those two are very far away from any kind of, you know, [00:33:00] crime detective work or anything like that. So what pulled you into those two stories? There? There’s
Ed: two. Ghost rider was one that I knew Marvel was planning.
And then I harassed them for about six months. Let me write it because I was a big fan of the ghost rider series in the nineties. and then the stuff that Jason, Aaron did later on, I was a huge fan of, and, I’m a big, I’m a big. Horror film junkie, like going back to childhood. So, it’s just, it’s like comics and horror.
It’s a, it’s a nice mashup with ghost writer. And so I really wanted to sort of push that book into like some dark places and, and sort of, like we’re using both Danny catch and Johnny blaze. So I really wanted to sort of, examine their relationship. how the two play off one another, and definitely didn’t want to have to ghost writers.
So we, we, pretty quickly stripped down and catch of, of being of the spirit of engine. So he’s no longer a ghost writer and we build [00:34:00] them into something else that I think is just as horrifying and just as cool. And I think really to my mind, it really works for him and works for that world. And so these are just things that, you know, When I first heard they were doing the book that I really wanted to do and really wanted to sort of, explore, in that book and, uh, you know, Love love the old sort of ghost writer, villains.
And I just wanted a chance to bring them back. You know, Lilith Lilith plays a pretty big role in this, Blackhearts in it now as well. so it was just a chance for me to play with the horror side of the Marvel universe, which I’m a pretty big fan of
Robert: who’s the artist on that? I’m sorry. I.
Ed: It it’s, it’s awfully it’s between, Aaron Cooder, who did the first couple of issues.
And then one for Gary who comes in and, they trade off issues. Okay.
Robert: All right. yeah, I, I actually grabbed the, first issue today to start reading it because I was reading some of the synopsis. And like you said, it, it, it seems like it’s, it’s [00:35:00] pretty intense that, that run right there.
Ed: Yeah, I read, I read, like I said, I wanted to ratchet up.
I really wanted it to, I wanted it to feel like classic ghost rider, but while still like pushing it forward and not like retreading stuff that’s already been done. I really wanted to sort of set a new mythology for the character going forward.
Robert: Yeah. How about with, with new mutants? I mean, right now, I’m going to, I want to be honest with you in new mutants.
I knew very little about until they announced that movie. What was it that like four years ago? And I started looking more into who they were, what, what the new mutants was all about, and I’ve not dived into any of the comic series or anything like that, but from what I’ve. Seeing and what I’ve experienced it there, they’re kind of like an outcast, you know, of, of what the X men and what the mutants are.
at least that’s what I’ve picked up from it. So how did you get pulled into doing that? Like, is that [00:36:00] something that you chase down? It looked like you were chasing down ghost rider, but what about new mutans?
Ed: that was when I was asked to come in and, correct an issue with Hickman and then take over the series from him.
But like I grew up, with the new mutants, you know, I was reading them, in my teens and I was always sort of fascinated with new mutans cause their whole thing initially is they were supposed to be the next wave of X-Men. So they were like, you know, professor X’s next class that was supposed to become.
The X-Men, and it never really sort of panned out that way. Cause you know, we still have the X-Plan. and I, I think maybe when they brought it in, they were hoping that they would have the same sort of success as they did with ’em. You know, when they, when they did the relaunch, X-Men in 75 with all the new characters with Wolverine and, and the rest of them.
And, I think they were hoping it would be a similar thing where they would hit that hard. I think it did, but not in the way that they were expecting. And so, you know, I, for me, I, I liked them [00:37:00] growing up because it felt like I was there. You know, I started reading it fairly close to the start, so it felt like I was there on the ground floor for the next big team.
I thought the characters were really cool. Had a really interesting dynamic. I like that it sort of dipped into more sort of supernatural elements. And, just that they like, to me, there were the, like a little bit younger when I was younger and I liked that sort of, we get some sort of fresh blood.
the thing I wanted to do with, with writing the new mutans is I think, you know, it’s weird to call a book. You mean when a Neiman’s had been around for nearly 40 years at this point, So I really wanted to explore what excited me as a kid, which was that like sort of newer, younger mutans coming into the team and, and potentially sort of, graduating up into becoming major players.
So it’s a place where some could become leaders and such. I do like that teenage sort of mentality. with a team where it’s, their, their sort of motto [00:38:00] is that it’s, it’s better to bake forgiveness and ask permission. so they’re often off. Doing their own thing. And you know, they’re in the comic I’m working on right now.
They pay the price for that often where they, their intentions are good. and, but they, you know, they often fuck up and, and have to deal with with the consequences of that. and I think that. Is to me is, is fun. You know, you are following a bunch of new, so it’s not just necessarily the core team you have, you know, bringing glob and I’m bringing armor and Nexium and minnow, which are two newer X-Men set.
I had introduced back in the extermination. I’m bringing some of those younger characters in and trying to elevate them a little bit, within the, this, You know, new world that a Hickman is built with the cacoa and such.
Robert: So with the Marvel side of things, what’s been kind of the, the one draw to Marvel because I [00:39:00] do see you did jump off and at one point you did a little Batman run for a DC Batman and Robin eternal, but what’s the draw to keep you up at Marvel.
Why is it. Just that you enjoy the characters more. I mean, I guess it’s kinda hard to say that because you’re somebody that’s looking at you, it could be looking for a job at some point, but I mean, what’s, what is the pull towards Marvel? You know,
Ed: I think like for me, I, I tend to be pulled more towards like character and Marvel has a lot of characters that I grew up reading and, And am interested in writing and working on.
So, you know, I think, you know, for me that, like I grew up reading a ton of Marvel books. And so it’s just the place that I sort of saw myself, ending up
Robert: kind of, kind of like home. I mean, you’re comfortable there after reading it for how many years that makes sense. so what has been [00:40:00] maybe your favorites or your passion project at Marvel that, that you’ve done there?
What’s something that you’re just over the moon about that. You’re always happy though. Like, Hey, check this out.
Ed: Yeah, that’s tough. you know, like both sides, one that like, it was a mini series about a villain. it was my first thing there and, you know, I still really enjoy it and try and push on people.
The iron fist stuff. I really had a ton of fun writing. Just, there’s not much. That I, I’m not excited about that. I did, Marvel to be honest, like it, you know, it did like almost two and a half years of writing old man, Logan, you know, between old man, Logan and dead man, Logan, I’m really happy with how dead man, Logan.
It was a 12 issue thing where. You know, we, we tell you up front we’re killing Logan. I was really happy with how that came out. We had 12 issues, same creative team throughout, which was really great, was the same with iron fist, this first 12 issues. It was the same creative team and that’s something I, when I can, when we can do that, [00:41:00] it’s something I love.
Like, cause you, you just get into a rhythm when you’re with the same people. And I think, you know, you’re able to sort of, Put more into it. And I think that shows through in the finished work. So I’m really, this is how, I guess, you know, I dodged questions by not really answering it, but
Robert: no, I mean, it’s understandable.
Yeah. I tend to ask people that all the time that, you know, creators, I talked to you like, Oh, what’s your favorite thing? And we’re just kinda like, yeah, I like it all, you know, it’s hard to answer and I understand that. I always, but I always have to ask,
Ed: I sure, sure.
Robert: This is kind of a. Off the wall question a little bit here, but you know, you, you worked on iron fist and, you know, bulls-eye and stuff like that.
And I I’d be remiss if I didn’t ask. What did you think of the portrayals of them on the television series? That that was on Netflix, you know, iron fist as well as, bull’s eye on, I’m sorry. leaving me here. Yeah.
Ed: Was he on the
[00:42:00] Robert: daredevils?
Ed: I’ll be honest. I haven’t actually watched him. so I watched the first episode of ifs when it aired, when it, when they initially dropped.
But the thing I stopped watching just because I was also writing there and fifth at the time, and I wanted to write my iron fist and didn’t want to be influenced by. ifs that was on TV and like, thankfully, you know, Marvel didn’t have any sort of mandate for me to match what was going on on TV. They wanted, you know, an fist book that was like their iron fist.
so I don’t really, like, I didn’t really watch them. So I know that sounds like a copout. But yeah, I didn’t watch them just cause I was working on the, on the projects at the time and I just haven’t been able to get back around to watch. I know I will, at some point, depends how long this pandemic goes on.
I may do it, during the spend demic, as I seem to be crunching through shows like crazy.
Robert: Oh yeah. Tell me about it. That’s what we’ve been doing here as well. speaking [00:43:00] of the pandemic though, I mean, how. Obviously it’s affected you. I mean, you’re, you’re probably not able to really push any content out.
Marvel. I believe Marvel in next week, they’re going to start printing again and sending comics out. And then this week, some other companies started to do that, but how has it, how has it affected you? Have, they kind of said, Hey, you got to put a halt on what you’re doing or anything like that.
Ed: Yeah right now, I am mostly on hold.
I’m working on one thing right now that is sort of a, a project. I can’t say too much about it, but, but beyond that, I’m on, I’m on hold. it’s depend demic. I’ll be honest, really mess with my mind. the first, Six weeks. I didn’t have that like a, about a week into the sort of shelter in place.
we had this massive plumbing issue in my house, where we thought it was going to be like a $400 bill with a plumber. and we’re up to just slightly over $20,000,
[00:44:00] cause, When our house was built, which was, you know, late sixties, up here in this part of Canada. And I think most of Eastern Canada around that time were using a type of, sewage pipe called no corrode, which was heritable, heralded for not rusting.
and the reason it didn’t Russ is because it was essentially just cardboard wrapped in tar, wrapped in cardboard, wrapped in tar, like in layers. but that. Well, it doesn’t Crow. It does break down. And unfortunately ours had started to break down. And so we had to have like our, our entire driveway dug up and a retaining wall knocked down just so they could get to it.
So I didn’t start the pandemic, often the best way. Not that I think you could, but you know, it was, we had job anxiety on top of an absolutely insane plumbing bill. So for the first six weeks, I couldn’t really work. I think I did 40 pages. I was able to write in the first six [00:45:00] weeks, which normally in a given month I would write about 80 pages, give or take, But something, I ended sort of a rough day, about a week and a half ago.
and I was just sort of frustrated and something just kind of pushed me over. And, I was like just angry that I was just like, I’m just not gonna, not gonna fucking sit around anymore. I think, yeah. you know, I was sort of sitting here feeling, feeling bad, cause I was just could not get motivated.
And then friggin Donnie Cates goes on Twitter and talks about how he wrote 20 pages that day. And I’m like, I like Donnie, this is not a, this is not a Slack on Donny, but I was like, goddammit. God damn, you’ve already 20 pages. And it just like those two things like me sort of like, having a bad day, him push you through it.
And his whole thing was just like, you know, he was not, I think, in the, in a great head space and he just sort of wrote himself through it and I’m like, well, fuck it. I’m going to do it too. [00:46:00] And so I sat down. Yeah, last a week ago, Friday, and I just started writing in it basically. It’s like the dams burst open and I haven’t stopped writing since, I’ve written three issues of creator own stuff.
I’m on the second issues on two of those right now that I’m working on. So it’s, you know, it’s going to be like within two weeks, I’ve written almost a hundred pages, which is more than I, you know, More than I normally do in a month. So it’s kind of flipped the other way in that. I think I just needed to have that sort of, you know, when you hit, hit bottom, I guess, and sort of bounce back.
Robert: you know, the, this pandemic has been terrible for everybody and I can, I can kinda, See, I’ve, I’ve been in the same boat myself there. There’s just been days where it’s just like, alright, I just want to get back to the normal routine. I want to get back to what it was.
Cause he gave the first couple of weeks kind of like a little relaxing and you know, you can take some time to sit back, but then it gets to a point where you’re just like, Oh, I gotta, I gotta get back to my routine [00:47:00] or it’s going to be impossible to get back to it later on. And for me, I mean, I, unfortunately, I, I work in a customer service field.
You know, for my full time job and that’s going to be hell getting back into, you know, once, once I do, once they open us back up and getting into all that. So, and I don’t know what they’ve been doing up in Canada for you guys, you know, down in the States, they’ve, they’re doing all these different things.
Like here’s yellow phase and red phase and green phase and everything like that to open stuff back it’s just kinda. You know, nerve wracking to a point because it’s like, all right, are they going to open us too early? Or are they going to start letting people do things too early? And, you know, that’s, that’s really tough.
I, I wish I, I had a, a job where I could just, you know, my job was to just sit down in an office and just write all day. I do, because I would feel a lot safer for me as well as my kids. But that’s not the case. And, you know, it, it, it sucks to hear that the problems that you had right at the beginning with the plumbing, I mean, that’s, [00:48:00] that’s horrible.
I mean, I couldn’t imagine that right now, with everything going on.
Ed: You know, we’ll survive, we’ll come out of it. It’s going to be fine. It’s just, you know, I think like, I, I know that I do have it lucky cause you know, I don’t have to, you know, other than like, I’m the one who does the grocery shopping here, other than that, I don’t have to really deal with the public.
so I know I have a good and you know, that’s why I was. Mad at myself for wallowing, but it was just really, I think that, you know, you start worrying like, Oh, like what’s going on? Like, how bad is this going to be? Is this the industry going to shut down? You know, after. 20 plus years of trying to get into the industry.
And then all of a sudden something happens and it shuts down, which sounds incredibly selfish. And I don’t mean it that way. It just like, you know, it’s, it’s these slots that are running through your head. You’re like, like, like what do I do after if this happens? What do I do for work? You know, how am I going to pay this, this, this plumbing bill, how, you know, et cetera, et cetera.
but yeah, I realized that I don’t have to. [00:49:00] Go ahead and worry about facing people who are refusing to wear masks or, or whatever the case might be. But
Robert: yeah, no, but I, I mean, like you said, I mean it, even though there’s, there’s people that have to go and do that, the, the big thing is what are people going to be purchasing and what are they going to be buying, you know, with, with the way that the industry right now has, was pretty much on hold for the better part of two months.
That’s two months of revenue and income that those publishers don’t have, and that didn’t come in and you could potentially see some cuts in some and, you know, some, even issues and, and, of series being canceled and everything like that. And that I can understand being. You know, kind of worrisome a bit, and it’s unfortunate that we have to go through this, but I think, I think it’s going to turn around.
I do, I, I just have this, this belief that everything’s going to turn around here. Maybe not as quickly as we’d all like, [00:50:00] but I think, I think the industry will, will come out. Not necessarily. Just like with a bang right away. But I think, I think that the comic book industry, I I’ve personally, I know what the I’ve seen, the numbers I’ve seen, what’s been going on out there.
I just, I feel like it’s, there’s, it’s almost time for a big upswing for right. You know, and, and to me, I just, I hope that soon, especially after everything that just kind of occurred, I really do hope it, I hope it’s soon.
Ed: Yeah, I’ll take it.
Robert: Well, I mean, we’ve, we’ve been talking for about an hour here. It’s, it’s been great getting to know you to, to hear where you came from and, and everything that you’ve done.
is there anything else that you want to touch on? Talk about specifically that
Ed: no, not really. Like, I, I think like a, you know, like touching a murder book earlier on, you know, I, I forgot to mention that I am working on some new murder book. I don’t know if it’s just gonna be one or two stories, but I’ll be posting some [00:51:00] stuff soon.
and then yeah, one of the creator on things that I’m working on right now is, Adam Gorman. I did a book called the violence that came out in 2016, 2017, that we’ve been meaning to get back to since forever and now, uh, With this, you know, I’m writing that again. So I’m on issue two of the second arc, which, would be great.
It feels good to kind of get back to that stuff. So, you know, I think, I think the one sort of silver lining to all this is that, for myself is that, I’m, I’m having this time to, to work through a whole bunch of creator owned stuff. I’ve been dying to get back to credit on stuff for awhile. And that’s, that’s not a knock against Marvel cause I’m perfectly happy with, with the Marvel stuff.
It’s just, you know, there’s there’s just some stories that I want to tell that that can only be done that way. And, so, you know, I don’t know what the scoop is for other people. I’m hoping that others are doing sort of similar and you know, maybe what we’ll see in the next year is a nice spike in some big creator on stuff.
Robert: Yeah, that’s, that’s what I could see happening, [00:52:00] especially with now. It’s, I’m shocked that we haven’t seen more of it lately, especially with all the different types of websites out there, like Patrion and stuff like that, where people can jump on and say, Hey, you know, come subscribe. We’ll get ya. You know?
And we’ll, we’re going to be putting out our own content. So to me, it’s shocking. We haven’t seen that yet because there’s some innovative ways now that creators can get out there and get their stuff out. Out to the public. And, I’d definitely like to see that happen, you know? it’s, it’s a medium that doesn’t get enough attention at the, in this day and age with so much technology, you know, and I just feel like, you know, comics, they were a thing of my past, you know, when I was, when I was a young kid that’s I loved going to the spinner racks and stuff like that.
Didn’t really ever have a comic book shop near me. So it was always spinner racks and the grocery store, but, you know, I love doing it. So I do hope that there’s a enough swing and everything gets back on track with that. But
Ed: fingers crossed.
Robert: Yes. Yeah, absolutely. And I look forward [00:53:00] to checking out murder book.
I really do. I, I wish I would have. Seeing that years ago, whenever it was first coming out, because it does look really, really interesting. but with that, thank you for being on. Is there a place or is there what’s the best way for people to find your, your work? I do see you have a website and we’ll put all that information to description, but is there another place that people can reach out to you and social media or anything like that?
Ed: yeah, I am cautiously on Twitter. so you can find me like twitter.com at, at Brisson. so it’s, it’s not a, I’m not hiding anywhere. I’m there on Twitter. A really simple way to find a really simple username. Yeah. You know, I do have Facebook, I’m a little bit more, cautious with who I, I had on Facebook though.
Just cause my family and stuff is on there and I don’t need somebody coming in there as mad about, you know, the way I wrote new means or something like that. Swearing at me while my mom is. You know, they’re, you know, [00:54:00] asking how I’m doing. but yeah, I think Twitter is kind of the best way. And, you know, if I don’t, if people reach out to me on Twitter and I don’t respond, please don’t take it personally.
I do try to respond to everyone, but I also, try to limit my Twitter. Exposure. so I’m not on there nearly as often as I used to be.
Robert: No, I completely get it. I’m, I’m terrible with Twitter and place. I just, I’m a Facebook guy. I love Facebook. I could get on there and do everything. Twitter’s just, I I’d say I’m not a big fan of it myself, but that’s all right.
Ed: I used to love it. I used to love it. but like about a year and a half ago, I just had one day where I got real ugly and I took a, a Twitter break for a week. And I felt so much better as a human being that, I extended it to a year. So I was, I think I posted three times and, throughout 2019 and 2020, I sort of slowly crept back in.
But like I said, not that often.
Robert: All right. Well, again, Thanks. Thanks for being, being on here.
Ed: All right, [00:55:00] I’ll talk to you later on. Alright.
Robert: Bye bye.
Author: Spoiler Country
The best podcast out there about comics, movies, whatever that you will find with John and Kenric as the hosts! Check out our archives by clicking here!
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HomeHeadlinesNegotiations to vest bar at accident blackspot
The Prospect Bar in the Glebe will be vested to make way for a new road junction. DR26
Negotiations to vest bar at accident blackspot
Posted: 3:21 pm August 1, 2020
NEGOTIATIONS are ongoing between a pub owner and the Department for Infrastructure about purchasing a well-known local bar in a bid to improve road safety at a notorious accident blackspot.
The Department is currently in talks about vesting The Prospect Bar at the crossroads at the Glebe, outside Sion Mills.
The junction of Bellspark Road, Prospect Road and Orchard Road is regarded as an accident blackspot after witnessing a slew of collisions in recent years.
The scheme suggested by the Department would involve the purchase of The Prospect Bar, and land adjacent to it, to facilitate a staggered junction.
Sinn Féin MLA Maolíosa McHugh has been heavily involved in campaigning for improvements to be made to the junction, and has welcomed the move.
He said, “Improvements have already been made by the Department, but the accidents still continue to happen in the area.
“The biggest problem is clearance because you can’t see straight ahead.
“If they vest the bar, they will be able to make the clearance.
“I have received more complaints about the Bellspark Road and that junction than any other road in the whole of this area.
“It is being used as a bypass of Sion Mills and Strabane through the village of Clady – that is what increases the risk as there is a lot of traffic using the junction,” said Mr McHugh.
SDLP Derg councillor Steven Edwards also welcomed the development and indicated he will continue to lobby the Department for the necessary funds to proceed with the plans once a business case is brought forward.
Cllr Edwards said, “It’s positive that Roads Service are working on a scheme to improve safety at this notorious junction. There have been many accidents here over recent years.
“This scheme needs to be prioritised as it has caused serious safety issues over the past number of years. I welcome plans for a staggered junction and for work to improve the splays at the junction which is the main cause of collisions here.
“There is a massive need for this scheme but equally, there’s also a need for drivers to behave responsibly when on these roads.
“It is concerning that there are some budgetary constraints and that is an issue I will continue to take up with the Department,” said Cllr Edwards.
A spokesman for the Department for Infrastructure said, “The work planned at the Bellspark/Orchard Road junction consists of a significant junction realignment and is likely to be built in phases over the coming years as funding permits.
“The initial phase involves improving the visibility at the existing junction beside the Prospect Bar and negotiations are currently underway with the owners with a view to purchasing this property.”
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Basil Ede 1931–2016
Great Crested Grebe by Basil Ede © Courtesy Rountree Tryon Gallery
SWLA Founder member 1964–2016
Born in 1931 at Fetcham, Surrey, Basil Ede trained at Kingston School of Art. Whilst working for the Cunard Line in their London office, he spent much of his spare time painting wildlife and he had his first one-man exhibition at the Rowland Ward Gallery, London in1958. Further shows at the Tryon Gallery in 1960 and 1962 established Ede as a foremost exponent of bird portraiture, and in 1964 he was honoured with a major exhibition at the National Collection of Fine Arts at the Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C. the first living artist to do so.
In 1965 Ede’s first book ‘Birds of Town and Village’was published by Country Life Books, featuring fifty-six portraits of British species and with a foreword by Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh, an admirer of Basil’s work.
In 1971 Basil was commissioned to paint the birds of Eastern Pennsylvania by the late Hon. Walter Annenberg, a noted art collector. From 1976 till the late 1980s, Basil was occupied researching and painting the Wild Birds of America commissioned by industrialist Jack W. Warner for the Warner Collection, Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The book ‘The Wild Birds of America- The Art of Basil Ede’was published in 1991.
Earlier, in 1989, Basil suffered a life-threatening stroke, which resulted in the loss of the use of his right side, including the hand which was so adept at painting the microscopic detail for which he was so well known. After a two-year struggle, he taught himself to paint with his left hand and by 1992 he was exhibiting again with the Tryon Gallery in London, and with the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition in Charleston, South Carolina where he was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Basil Ede continued to live and work near Lewes in Sussex, until his death in 2016.
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4 Questions with New Film Prof Afia Nathaniel
We sat down with new film faculty member Afia Nathaniel to ask about her life, her artistic passions and what she's working on right now:
Q. Where were you when you found out you were an official selection by your country for an Academy Award? How did you feel?
Remembering David A. Hale
Former faculty member David A. Hale, a professor at Temple university for over thirty years passed away on February 13, 2018. David Hale began his career as the director of theater for the new Tomlinson Theater in the 1960s and became chair of the Department of Theater in 1975. Over the course of his long career at Temple, Hale was also head of the graduate design program and the undergraduate program.
Spotlight on Lauren Wolkstein
Get to know the faculty and staff of the School of Theater, Film and Media Arts
by Hadiyah Weaver
Spotlight on Lindsay Goss
Spotlight on Steven Gross
Say hello to Dr. Steven Gross, one of the newest additions to the TFMA family. Dr. Gross has music directed, conducted and served as pianist for many Broadway shows including The Phantom of the Opera, Urinetown, Dreamgirls, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Chicago, and more.
Professor Elisabeth Subrin's Film Extends a Successful Run in NYC
Film and Media Arts Professor Elisabeth Subrin's A Woman, A Part has extended its New York City run to April 13 at the IFC Center. In addition to succesful ticket sales, the film has also received tremendous reviews from The New York Times and Variety.
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Freedom for Some, But Not All?
August 17, 2010 by Dan Quinn
In the growing category of religious-right hypocrisy, read this recent statement from the Southern Baptist Convention's Richard Land regarding the proposed Muslim community center near Ground Zero in New York: "I take a back seat to no one when it comes to religious freedom and religious belief and the right to express that belief, even beliefs that I find abhorrent. But what I don't do is I don't say that religious freedom means that you have the right to build a place of worship anywhere that you want to build them."…… Read More
Blog, Religious Right Watch
As attacks on the religious liberties of American Muslims grow, where are the supposed voices for religious freedom among far-right groups in Texas? Pressure groups like Liberty Institute (the Texas affiliate of Focus on the Family) and Texas Eagle Forum often grandstand about threats to First Amendment's protections for religious freedom when they claim Christians are the victims of unjust government actions or court decisions. Why are they silent as some call for discriminating against Americans because they are Muslims? On Tuesday, for example, Bryan Fischer of the American Family Association demanded that the government bar the construction of "even one more mosque" in America, charging that every Muslim is a terrorist-in-training: "Permits should not be granted to build even one more mosque in the United States of America, let alone the monstrosity planned for Ground Zero. This is for one simple reason: each Islamic mosque is dedicated to the overthrow of the American government."…… Read More
Stirring Words for Religious Freedom
August 4, 2010 by TFN
As the right's anti-religious freedom campaign against American Muslims gathers team, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg delivered a stirring speech yesterday about a proposed Muslim community center near the site of the 9/11 terrorist attack. Mayor Bloomberg's powerful words echo an enduring American principle: our Constitution protects the religious freedom of all people and their right to worship as they choose without government interference. Bloomberg's speech came yesterday amid continued attacks on the religious freedom of Muslim Americans. Excerpts from the speech: …… Read More
Independence Day and Religious Freedom
July 4, 2010 by TFN
Blog, Religious Right Watch, Textbook Censorship
We hope everyone is enjoying a wonderful Independence Day and recalling the freedoms on which our nation was founded and is still governed. So please take a few minutes to read the words that heralded the birth of our nation. We also thought it would be appropriate to note the words of two of our greatest American thinkers and heroes, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. Jefferson, of course, authored our nation's Declaration of Independence. Madison is often considered the father of the Constitution. We recall the words of both (below) at a time when members of the Texas State Board of Education threaten one of our most cherished and important freedoms by insisting that public schools promote one particular religious perspective over all others. Indeed, some board members, like Cynthia Dunbar, and other influential political activists, like David Barton, even insist that our government, laws and elected officials essentially be judged by religious tests. Jefferson and Madison strongly argued otherwise. Read More
‘Islamicize’ Our Schools?
May 11, 2010 by Dan Quinn
One thing you can be sure of: when the religious right and its supporters talk about "religious freedom," they're not talking about freedom for people of all religions. They want government to pick and choose which people of faith will be more free than others. The far-right faction on the Texas State Board of Education offers repeated examples of this kind of hypocrisy. Another example is a new anti-Muslim screed making the rounds on the Internet, criticizing what it calls efforts to "islamicize our schools." The author of the piece is Pamela Geller, a blogger and commentator popular in the far-right media (including the cable news networks). Think Ann Coulter, but with even less restraint or shame. Seriously. Geller, writing on her Atlas Shrugs blog, attacks an "instruction sheet" from an online resource explaining how Muslim parents can ensure that the religious freedom of their children is respected by American public schools: "Check out this 'instruction sheet' to Muslims on how to islamicize their public schools. There is no separation of mosque and state -- mosque is state in Islam. If this guide shows us anything, it's what idiots they take us for. This is, of course, an outrage. None…… Read More
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